Breeg woke up the next morning well before the sun rose so he wouldn't bake in his blankets from the unforgiving sun. He began to break camp and put all of his belongings away. He soon got into the rhythm he had grown accustomed to over the years when he would pack his things. He smirked as he thought about when he was younger he had a morning routine too. He would wake up pretty early in the day, and do a few stretches before going downstairs to meet Erza for sword practice. He would train with her for about an hour, then they would come in and Mira would give him some breakfast, and they'd talk until he finished his meal.

'Such a simple routine.' Breeg thought with nostalgia. 'But it was enough for me.'

Breeg's routine hadn't changed much over the years, he realized, as he was going through his own. He would always wake up early, do a few stretches to limber his joints up, and then he'd practice with his sword for about half an hour. He rarely had time for breakfast nowadays though.
After he was done, he slung his pack onto his shoulder and took a deep breath of the still cool morning air. He then lowered his head and looked Eastward.
No... Homeward. Because now, after all these years, he was heading home. Maybe for good, if he could find the necessary work. Chances are they wouldn't allow him to take the S-Class jobs he was accustomed to, but he did lead a modest life style, and often he was left with more than he needed. He would always give the extra away though, and he'd gone in need a few times because of it. There were times when he was in need of a healer or food but he lacked the funds. Still, he never regretted it.

Breeg shook his head. He'd never get anywhere if he didn't start moving. So he began his journey Eastward toward Magnolia. He planned on catching what rides he could along the way, but knew he would spend most of his time on foot. With that in mind, he knew he had several days journey ahead of him, if there were no delays. But he didn't mind. He always liked to take it slow and enjoy the world around him. He didn't get to do that near often enough.

"I really don't have time to do much anymore" He said to himself. "That's probably not a good thing since I'm as young as I am. Maybe everyone's right, I should take breaks more often. Kara is always on my back to take a break. I'll bet she'll be happy to know I'm taking one for the first time in five years."

Breeg laughed softly to himself, thinking of how Kara was always griping at him. Not just about taking a break, about everything. She had sort of been a mother to him over the past few years.

"You should eat more, you know. And I'm not talking about dried fish, that can't be good for you to eat all the time".

Breeg smiled as he remembered that day. He had come in Kara's with blood streaming down his left arm. He had gotten into a fight with a thief who had stolen a woman's wedding ring. And before he had time to render the thief unconscious, he had pulled a long knife out from it's sheath and stabbed Breeg clear through his upper arm. With the knife still in his arm Breeg whirled around his opponent and hit him at the base of the skull with the butt of his sword. He returned the ring, and then told the bystanders to turn him in to the proper authorities.
Kara took him to one of the rooms of her Inn and treated his wound with her healing magic. She wasn't the best magician, but he trusted her with his life. He lay there for two days, unconscious from blood loss. When he finally woke up there was Kara cleaning the bandages she had just changed.
He smiled as he remembered the conversation that had happened following that:

"You know, you should eat more, it's not a good sign for you to be passed out for so long over such a small thing. A man your age should be able to lose that much blood and still whoop a Vulcan. Not to mention you're thin as a rail." She said without looking at him, her long dark brown hair hiding her face from the side. She was a tall and strong woman, but still fair. Her motherly personality evident in her care for his wounds.

"Nice to see you too, Kara." He said attempting to get up with some effort.

"Hey, none of that now. You are gonna stay here for at least two more days before you leave. And then I want you to take it easy on that arm until you're able to raise it past your shoulder without any pain, you got it?" She said, leaning him back down onto his pillow.

"But I gotta go out there and whoop that Vulcan for ya, don't I?" He said with a forced wink.

"You should've thought of that before you got yourself stabbed, shouldn't you have?" She said as she stood back up.

"Yeah, you're probably right, as usual." He said, giving up.

"Good. I'm glad you know that much." She said him with a smile.

"Yeah, I doubt I'll ever forget it either." He replied.

"Yeah, you better not" she said as she retrieved the bowl with the used bandages in them. "I'm going to get you something to eat. And not dried fish for once." She said as she walked toward the door. Breeg smiled when she said that, knowing his habit for only eating dried fish because it was so cheap and lasted so long.

Kara stopped at the door. "Breeg?"

"Yeah, Kara?"

"...Don't worry me like that, okay?"

Breeg smiled warmly at her. "Yes, ma'am. I'll try not to."

She sighed. "I guess that's the best I can hope for. Rest up now. And I mean it, no sneaking out the window. I'll tie you down for the next two days if I have to."

"Yes ma'am." Breeg said with a smile, knowing she meant it.

Breeg snapped back to reality as he heard the sound of a river coming up. He looked out to the distance and saw it not too far away. He ran over to it and refreshed his canister after he drank from the flowing water. It was cool and refreshing but tasted like... blood.