Eke DID notice something odd.

Ryker was covered in scratches and bite marks, with strange black energy rising from them. However, as the energy rose up, the wounds were closing and healing.

After a moment, Ryker mumbled.

"Hm?" he grunted.

"Eke?"

Ryker grabbed what was offered.

"Good morning." he said.

"....or afternoon. Whatever." he said further.

"I'd ask if you slept well, but I think we both know the answer to that." he went on.

"Did you at least sleep soundly?" he asked.

That's when Eke would have noticed the 4 or 5 wolf bodies that were strewn about... clearly they had attacked during the night, and Ryker had fended them off.

Ryker continued to look forward silently.

"I don't know where we can live." he then told him.

"We have little money, and no way to earn it." he said.

"And what you've been doing in the past probably won't work in getting a place to stay." he went on.

"But I DO know some things about building places. I've had to do so in my past a few times." he then said. "I should be able to construct us a log cabin of sorts. It'll do us for the warmer weather."

"..........maybe." Ryker replied.

"Odds are that's our best option." he said.

"We'll go when you're ready." he told her. "Or as ready as you'll ever be." he then clarified.

"For now, we can stay here for however long." he went on.

"Odds are the wildlife will leave us alone for a bit." he reasoned.

"...or they'd better, if they know what's good for them."

"Sure." Ryker responded.

He then went to the tent and packed everything up silently, making sure they had everything.

"Right." he said.

"Have everything." he told Eke.

"That way." he said further, pointing in the direction he'd come from.

"Let's go."

Ryker was silent as well.

He didn't know what to say here. So he said nothing.

"Where are we going once we hit the edge of dragon country?" he then asked.

"Do you know?" he asked further.

"Or we playing all this by ear?"

"Neither do I." Ryker said.

"I've been homeless my entire free life." he told him.

"So I know squat about real estate and all that." he went on.

"You're an elder dragon, maybe that can help us." he then said further.

"Like, maybe someone might be willing to give us a hand because of who you are."

"All right." Ryker responded.

"Where?" he asked.

"And when?" he asked further.

"Just so we have something akin to a schedule." he shrugged.

"We don't need to get separated from each other and be stuck looking for each other, and just missing each other." he reasoned.

Ryker, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate.

He didn't have much money, and was a stranger to the populace.

So he was only able to get a small amount of food, and had to subtly swipe what little things he could.

Beyond that, he did he best to try and catch some more fish from a nearby river, and any small mammals that were seen on the outskirts of the city.

"....damn it." he mumbled.

"Well, at least I'm not empty-handed." he said with a sigh.

Ryker saw Eke crying, and sighed.

"I'm sorry." he said when he approached.

"I wasn't able to get much." he told him.

"I did find some secluded places to camp out for the night, though." he then said.

"So we're not sleeping out in the open tonight, at least?"