Chapter 27: Strange Night

Muriel left the tent, and stood silently by it for a moment for a quick prayer, before joining the others around the fire. She sat down next to Lancos, and said to Sharmon quietly, "You're worried about Cinnamon's lack of travel clothes aren't you, Sharmon?"

Sharmon nodded.

"I don't blame ye," Harnley said. "A minute in that rain and the lass'll be soaked to the skin."

"What can we do?" Vanessa asked.

"I was wondering what supplies we could share with her until we reached Cross Roads, " Sharmon told them.

The others sat silently in thought. They hadn't been prepared for someone lost in the forest with absolutely nothing in the way of supplies. After all, who would travel through the forest with no supplies?

"I'm not sure what I have that will fit her, but she's welcome to whatever she can wear," Vanessa volunteered.

"And she can use my extra clothes if she needs them," Muriel offered as well.

Sharmon gave them a small smile and a nod of thanks.

"There's yer Jacquelope pelts," Harnley reminded Sharmon.

Sharmon shook her head. "It'll take too long for them to be prepared."

"I can help with that," Muriel said.

Sharmon gave her a grateful look. "Still, they're not very much."

"Maybe you could just line the hood of her sweater and make her some mittens?" Vanessa said.

"Possibly."

"Do we have any spare canvas left?" Ernon asked.

"Some, why?" Muriel asked.

"I was thinking that extra clothes wouldn't be all that useful when she's soaking wet. We need to keep the rain off her."

"Ye thinking of maken er an umbrella, lad?"

"Something like that," but we'd have to fix it to your pack Sharmon. That is if Cinnamon is still going to be carrying it."

"We'll have to ask her that in the morning. If not, maybe we could find some way she could wear it."

"Well, if you need to, you could use my tarp to make her a cloak," Lancos offered.

"Good thinkin, lad!" Harnley said, giving Lancos a pat on the back.

"But where will you sleep Lancos?" Muriel asked worriedly. Lancos's tent was made of his tarp.

"With you of course," he replied with a lusty grin.

Muriel blushed, while Harnley laughed.

"And where do I sleep?" Vanessa asked.

"Where else?" Lancos said, making her blush and Harnley laugh again.

Ernon shook his head in amusement.

"We couldn't do that," Muriel insisted. "Cinnamon would see."

"If you're all agreeable, you could change after your watch," Sharmon said.

Muriel pondered that for a minute and then said, "That might work."

"Assumin o'course that no one wakes the lass up during the night," Harnley pointed out with a grin.

Muriel blushed hotly.

"It might be safer if Lancos slept with Ernon," Sharmon said wryly.

Lancos looked at Ernon and said, "No offence, but you're not my type."

Ernon grinned. "None taken, you're not mine either."

Harnley laughed, while Vanessa rolled her eyes and said to Sharmon and Muriel, "Men!" with fake disgust.

Sharmon and Muriel agreed with her and smiled. Ernon and Lancos had shared a tent before.

"Is there any spare leather left?" Vanessa asked, turning the discussion back on topic.

"A little, why?" Sharmon said.

"I was thinking that you could sew some patches on to the knees of her trousers. It would help keep them from getting soaked if she stumbles."

"Good idea," Sharmon replied, and then yawned.

"Why don't you go to bed Sharmon?" Muriel suggested. "I'll take your watch for you."

"Are you sure?"

Muriel nodded.

"Well, if you're sure?" Muriel nodded again. "Alright then, thank you." Sharmon stood up. "Good night everyone."

The others said their good nights as well, and everyone headed for their tents. Muriel went with Sharmon to her tent. "Sharmon, don't worry about Cinnamon. We've made good plans tonight, and the Goddess will provide for her."

Sharmon looked at her and nodded.

Muriel smiled. "Good night Sharmon. Sleep well."

"Good night," Sharmon replied, and then crawled into her tent.

Cinnamon woke reluctantly to the steady sound of rain falling. She looked around and blushed when she realized she'd snuggled up to Sharmon again during the night. Her embarrassment turned into a warm glow of happiness as she felt Sharmon's arms wrapped around her. Cinnamon sighed, feeling warm, safe, and cared for. She closed her eyes to go back to sleep when her body reminded her of the reason it had awakened her in the first place. She needed to go.

Cinnamon sighed again and, carefully so as not to disturb Sharmon, tried to get up. Sharmon's arms tightened gently about her, and she asked sleepily, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Sharmon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright. Why are you up? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to go."

"Ah, ok, better go then." Sharmon let go of Cinnamon.

As soon as she did, Cinnamon missed her touch. "I'll hurry." She started to push herself up, and then groaned.

Sharmon's eyes snapped fully open. "What's wrong?" she demanded, very concerned.

"My arms and shoulders hurt," Cinnamon replied with a grimace.

"I'm sorry about that. It must be from the archery yesterday. Do you want me to give you a rubdown when you get back?"

Cinnamon hesitated. "I'd love one, but I don't want to keep you up. I'll be ok; I'm just a bit stiff is all."

"It's no trouble. It should be nearing time for my watch anyway."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."

Sharmon gave her a smile. "You're no bother. "

"Um, ok, thanks," Cinnamon replied with a shy smile. She became conscious of the pressure in her bladder again. "I'll hurry."

"Ok, You might ask Muriel for the rubbing oil; it'll help."

"Oh, uh, ok." She crawled out of the tent. When she stood up, she saw Lancos and Muriel sitting on one of the large roots at the base of the tree-trunk. They were holding hands and whispering to each other like a pair of lovers. That made Cinnamon smile. She lost her smile when she saw the hanger holding her panties hanging from a rope suspended from one of the branches above Muriel and Vanessa's tent.

Cinnamon quietly stepped over to the tent and reached up for her panties. As she reached up, however. she felt the hem of her nightshirt rise as well. Cinnamon gasped and quickly yanked her nightshirt back down.

"Oh, good morning Cinnamon. What are you doing up so early? Did you have a bad dream?" Muriel asked.

Lancos gave her a smile and a wave.

Cinnamon started to wave back but quickly returned to holding her nightshirt down, as she said, "Oh, uh, good morning. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just needed to do something." Cinnamon blushed.

"Oh, ok. Will you need a light?" Muriel moved to make room so Cinnamon could pass.

Acutely aware of her lack of panties, Cinnamon backed away slowly as she replied, "Uh, no, that's ok, thanks. You don't need to move. I'll just go this way. Go ahead with whatever you were doing."

Muriel sat back down. "Ok, watch your step though."

Cinnamon smiled. "Thanks, I will." She carefully made her way towards the opposite side of the tree, all the while taking small steps and holding the hem of her nightshirt down. Once she was out of sight, she relaxed and carefully made her way around the tree. She thought she heard giggling and hoped they weren't laughing about her.

When she got to the other side, she looked to make sure Lancos and Muriel weren't watching. They weren't. They'd gone back to talking to each other. Still, Cinnamon carefully held her nightshirt down below her bottom as she moved towards the opening in the rain. Then she stopped, uncertain of what to do. The moat Lancos had dug was full of water. Not only that, but on the other side water was running rapidly past, and it looked to be at least an inch deep.

"Uh, Muriel?"

"Yes?"

"Could you come here a minute please?"

Muriel excused herself from Lancos and joined Cinnamon. "What is it Cinnamon?"

Cinnamon said, "Um," and pointed to the rushing water. The running water was making the pressure in her bladder worse. Cinnamon bit her lower lip and moaned.

"Oh my!" Muriel exclaimed, when she saw the water moving past. Then she noticed Cinnamon doing the toilet dance. The running water was not helping her condition any. "I guess you have no choice but to go in it Cinnamon. Watch your step though. I'll go heat up some water to wash your feet with, and fetch some towels. "

"Oh, ok," Cinnamon replied uncertainly, and as soon as Muriel turned she reached up, wincing as she did so, to grab a leaf. She then carefully stepped into the water and gasped. It was cold!