[SP-F2] We're floor explorers, and we need floors! (Completed)

[Baldur 0]

 

With a flash of light, Baldur found himself on the Second Floor town of Urbus.

 

The town felt very distinct from the first floor. The buildings were all much more uniform and made out of a brownish stone. The NPCs all dressed in a way that didn't necessarily seem different, but none-the-less felt that way. What he did notice, however, was the new BGM. It felt... refreshing. At some point in time he had just blocked out the first floor background music. It had taken months to clear the first floor, but you can only listen to the same couple of songs on repeat for so long before you either blocked it, or went mad.

 

He didn't realize just how much a new background music track would him feel lighter.

 

From the teleport gate, Baldur walked North towards where he expected to find the city gates. He wanted to see this floor for himself, to explore it and find out what kind of mobs lived on this floor. He had been bound to the first floor for so long he thought it would drive him mad. A change of scenery, a change in music was like a salve for his soul.

 

As he passed through the gates, he realized that the town seemed to be situated on the top of a giant mesa in what appeared to be a kind of... crater. It was an interesting design decision. It made no sense in the 'real world' kind of geology, but that's another thing he loved about these games. The fantastic geography and impossible in life setting just set his imagination on fire. So many games in America had been too rooted in making it look like a 'real world' that they lost that sense of artistic freedom and joy. He stood there at the edge of the town, looking out over the rest of the floor, and just smiled.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur left the town behind, Ahead of him, he found a curving trail heading down from the large crater the city was situated in. The trail was almost too steep for him to feel comfortable traversing, but he reminded himself this was a game and even if he fell, it would quickly be to the next level of the switch back. After a few turns, it started to widen out and Baldur felt comfortable as the more room he had the less his Acrophobia bothered him. He had never had that sensation in video-games before, though he had heard of people using VR to treat similar phobias.

 

Eventually the path widened out to the point where Baldur felt comfortable jumping from level to level instead of taking the path. When he discovered that it didn't hurt to land, as long as it wasn't far enough to take damage, then it was actually kind of fun.

 

Once at the bottom of the mountain, Baldur found himself in a sparse forest. He had seen a lake on his way down and he figured he would try to make his way there as a landmark. It would help him flesh out his map of this floor.

 

As he jogged happily through the forest, noting that the BGM changed now that he was away from the town, he heard a buzzing sound.

 

Quickly drawing his sword, he spun on his heel to face his attacker, as <<Wind Wasp>> It was a giant wasp, but was still only perhaps half a meter, which meant it was about the size of his torso.

 

The buzzing of the wings brought back bad memories of Baldur's encounter on the lower level with a pack of the bees down there, but at the moment, he only heard one set of rapidly buzzing wings.

 

"Alright bug-brain, you're going down!"

 

Baldur rushed the creature, slashing his sword diagonally across its center of mass, hoping to knock the wasp down out of the air, but the trail of blue light only slice through the wasp, not knocking it anywhere. The <<Wind Wasp>> seemed to be in the red now, did it have HP that low, or did he hit some kind of weak point? He'd have to figure that out.

 

The <<Wind Wasp>> straightened its body and opened its mandibles as it tried to take a bite out of him, but Baldur threw up his <<Swordsman's Cape>> and spun away from the wasp.

 

---

 

Rolled a 9 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 7 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Baldur>> HP: 13/13 - Hits <<Wind Wasp>> for 3DMG (1 skill + 2 Weapon)

<<Wind Wasp #1>> HP: 4/7 - Misses

[Baldur 0]

As Baldur spun away from the <<Wind Wasp>> he lashed out with his sword, continuing the motion so that he ended up behind the bee. His saber sliced through the bees wings and he watched its HP meter drop as the creature fell to the floor and shattered into innumerable rainbow colored polygons. Unfortunately the creature didn't drop him anything other than some materials. He supposed he shouldn't consider that 'nothing' now that Tyger ran a forge. They would be able to take these materials and craft them into something much better than these mobs were likely to drop. There were some quests that had good rewards, and probably some of the mobs in the dungeons themselves, but crafter was the safer bet, plus she could pick and choose which bonus they wanted which would help them have a more synergistic build.

 

Leaving that spot alone, Baldur proceeded to head down that path that he hoped wasn't imaginary in the direction in which he hoped to find the lake.

 

---

 

Rolled a 10 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 12 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 7 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Baldur>> HP 13/13 - Hits <<Wind Wasp>> for 5 DMG (2 crit + 1 skill + 2 weapon)

<<Wind Wasp #1>> HP 0/7 - Drops 1 Mat

[Baldur 0]

Baldur could finally see the lake shimmering in the distance as the trees began to clear apart. It was a glorious sight, not only because it meant he hadn't gotten himself lost, but because it reminded him so much of camping with his family when he was young. The rocky shore of the lake, and the mountainous terrain made him remember all those nights camping up at the high mountain lakes area. Fishing for dinner on the canoe, building camp fires, hiking through mountains with incredible views. This game really was its own world, if only it hadn't turned into this game of death he might have never wanted to leave anyways. This world was so huge, and detailed, perhaps the only way someone could truly experience what this floating castle could offer was if it truly became its own reality by trapping them here. What did the 'real world' have to offer them anyways? Here, in Aincrad, a sword could take you anywhere you needed to go.

 

He heard a crash off to the side and saw something truly disturbing. A <<Lesser Taurus Striker>> was truly an assault to the eyes. The overly muscular body wore only the minimalist of underwear and some leather straps across its chest. Baldur wanted to look away in disgust, but the creature was coming for him with a heavy axe held in one hand. Baldur's sword was in his hand in an instant, but he was too slow to parry the powerful blow forced him back a step. The creature was powerful, but slow and Baldur was able to bring his saber back around before the creature could bring the one handed axe around to parry.

 

With a lightning quick flash of the blade, Baldur struck the creature straight through its chest with a lash that would have disemboweled a person in the real world. Here in Aincrad, it just dropped the creature's HP into the red.

 

---

 

Rolled a 10 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 12 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 7 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Lesser Taurus Striker #1>> HP: 2/7 Hits <<Baldur>> for 1 DMG

<<Baldur>> HP: 12/13 Hits <<LTS>> for 5 DMG (2 crit + 1 skill + 2 Weapon)

[Baldur 0]

The minotaur snorted and cried out in pain as it brought it's axe down on Baldur in an overhead strike, but he was ready and braced himself, taking the blow on the strong part of his sword and shunting it off to the side where he could follow up with a quick riposte to the Minotaur's upper arm. The creature made a strangely cow-like cry of pain and then shattered. Baldur took a breath, but he saw another one several yards down the banks of the lake. It hadn't quite seen him yet so he quickly glanced down at the loot dropped by this mob and smiled.

 

35 Col and 2 Mats

 

Tyger would be happy after this run. Hopefully she'd had enough to keep her busy. She said two attempts a day, and that was a lot of mats over the coarse of a week.

 

---

 

Rolled a 10 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 2 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 11 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Lesser Taurus Striker #1>> HP: 0/7 - drops 35 Col and 2 mats

<<Baldur>> HP: 12/13

[Baldur 0]

Once he had dealt with his inventory, Baldur rushed down the rocky beach towards the next <Lesser Taurus Striker>, leaping through the air and slashing at the creature. It turned at the last moment, probably hearing the sound of Baldur's boots on the gravel, but it wasn't fast enough. It tried to counter attack, but he was already inside its guard and and his saber struck the creature as its reach prevented it from landing a good hit on him.

 

Baldur squared off against the creature in his fencing stance. He wasn't sure if this was the best approach, but he was unused to fighting axe wielders with superhuman strength.

 

---

 

Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 5 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 14 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Baldur>> HP: 12/13 - Hits <<Lesser Taurus Striker #2>> for 3 DMG

<<Lesser Taurus Striker #2>> HP: 4/7 - Misses

[Baldur 0]

Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 8 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 14 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Baldur>> HP: 12/13 - Hits <<LTS#2>> for 3 DMG

<<Lesser Taurus Striker #2>> HP: 1/7 - Misses

 

---

 

Baldur, now to the side of the minotaur on its axe hand, struck the creature once more before it could turn its rage on him and then leaped backwards as the creature tried to backhand him with the axe. He wasn't quite going to make it in time, but his was able to bring his sword up and catch it on his blade mid leap. The Striker's strength was so overpowering, however, that it flung Baldur back even further down the shore. He landed on one knee and dug his blade into the ground to try and keep his balance.

 

The <<Lesser Taurus Striker>> roared loudly and then charged at him.

 

[Baldur 0]

Baldur kept his wits about him as the mob charged him. The creature had lowered its head so that it could hit him with its horns, but that left it exposed at an awkward angle. Baldur rushed at the creature himself, he needed to cut down its ability to respond, if that was even possible. As the got closer Baldur went into a baseball slide, dropping underneath the horns and bringing his sword up and across the Minotaur's leg as he came back to his feet. The minotaur wailed like a cow being tipped over in the mid-west, and then shattered behind Baldur.

 

"Time to moo-ve on." Baldur laughed to himself as he proceeded along the beach. Up ahead there was a large outcropping of rocks, and what he thought looked like a giant red beetle.

 

---

 

Rolled a 7 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 16 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Baldur>> HP 12/13 - hits <<LTS#2>> for 3 DMG

<<Lesser Taurus Striker #2>> HP 0/7 - drops 35 Col & 1 Material

[Baldur 0]

As Baldur got closer to the outcropping of rocks, he had assumed that the <<Red Spotted Beetle>> was a passive mob, but when he crossed that imaginary line, suddenly the most menacing face he had seen yet sprung to life. The hard carapace suddenly split open and the creature took to the air, flying at him. Baldur had only a second to decide what to do before the giant bug would crush him with a belly flop. Rushing towards the creature, he dove into a roll, coming up behind the beetle.

 

Quickly spinning about, Baldur brought his sword crashing down on its back just before its shell could close over its meaty bits. The blue light of his slash dropped the creature a sizable part of its HP, but it wasn't good enough to finish the creature. The mobs out here were certainly much tougher than the first floor. He had to be careful about what this one could do.

 

---

 

Rolled a 7 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 16 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Red Spotted Beetle>> HP 4/7 - misses

<<Baldur>> HP 12/13 - Hits <<RSB>> for 3 DMG

[Baldur 0]

Baldur ran to the side as the beetle tried to turn its massive form around to bite at him, but it couldn't keep up with him. As he ran, he brought his <<Sharp Kindjal>> down on the <<Red Spotted Beetle>> and he felt the sword connect, and saw its HP move, but his blade bounced back, dealing a smaller amount of damage than before.

 

Was its carapace giving it damage mitigation?

 

That frustrated Baldur. He stopped his running to try and face off with the beetle. If it's shell was going to absorb his blows, then he needed to go for its squishy parts, like its eyes.

 

Rolled a 7 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 3 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Red Spotted Beetle>> 3/7 HP - Misses

<<Baldur>> 12/13 HP - Hit <<RSB>> for 1 DMG (2 Weapon + 1 skill - 2 Mitigation

[Baldur 0]

As the massive beetle rounded on Baldur finally he held his sword up in front of him, ready to try and parry its mandibles, but the two front most legs of the beetle shot out, grabbing his legs and pulling them out from under him.

 

"Ahhh!" Baldur cried out as suddenly he saw the sky before a giant beetle maw appeared over him. The mandibles of the beetle bit Baldur in the left arm as he tried to fight the creature. As the beetle savaged his arm on top of him, Baldur brought his sword up from under the beetle, stabbing into its softer underbelly where the head connected to its thorax. The <<Red Spotted Beetle>> made a wet, coughing sound as it suddenly disappeared into light, freeing Baldur from being pinned beneath it. He thanked the designers that they coded that in or he might have been trapped under that disgusting creature's shell.

 

"Yuck!" Baldur said as he wiped at his face with his left hand before he realized what he was doing. The beetle had tried to eat that hand, but now that the damage points were allocated, not only was his hand not hurting, but it wasn't impaired in any way.

 

"So weird." He had some sort of phantom pain, as if his brain wanted the limb to hurt, but when he made and unmade a fist, his brain gave up.

 

The loot window popped up, and Baldur accepted the 35 Col & 2 Mats from the mob before he headed back along the lake in the direction he came from.

 

Rolled a 8 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 8 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 12 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Red Spotted Beetle>> 0/7HP - Hit <<Baldur>> for 1 DMG - dropped 35 Col and 2 mats

<<Baldur>>  11/13HP - Hit <<RSB>> for 3 DMG

[Baldur 0]

"Ahhhh!" Baldur cried out as he suddenly found himself thrown bodily across the beach as a <<Lesser Tauren Striker>> crashed out of the trees, impaled him on one of its horns, and then flung his body more than a dozen meters away.

 

Immediately Baldur's HP was in the yellow, and he was disoriented. The world was spinning around him.

 

Get up!

 

His mind screamed at him, but his body didn't seem to get the message.

 

MOVE!!!

 

He could hear the rocks of the beach crunching under the hooves of the mob as it came at him again.

 

You can't do this to her, MOVE!

 

He couldn't tell where it was coming from, but he just rolled. There was a WOOSH and CRASH somewhere near his head. His HP meter didn't drop. Slowly, it seemed like an eternity to him, the stars in his eyes seemed to resolve into the face of the Minotaur. It raised it's axe high again, but Baldur lashed out with his <<Sharp Kindjal>> and took the beasts leg out from under it. The <<Lesser Tauren Striker>> moo'ed out in agony and collapsed onto the ground, giving Baldur the precious time he needed to recover.

 

---

 

Rolled a 9 on the d10 (battle) dice.

Rolled a 10 on the d10 (mob) dice.

Rolled a 6 on the d12 (craft) dice.

Rolled a 1 on the d20 (loot) dice

 

<<Lesser Tauren Striker #3>> 3/7HP - Hits Baldur for 3 DMG (2 crit + 1 weapon)

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Hits <<LTS>> for 4 DMG (1 crit + 2 weapon + 1 skill)

[Baldur 0]

As Baldur used his sword to climb to his feet, he took stock of the condition of his opponent. It seemed to have a strange status icon next to its health bar he hadn't seen before. The monster roared and clambered to a kneeling position. Even at this height, it was a tall as Baldur was. Raising his sword, he prepared to defend himself against the incoming attack, but his head still rang from the massive hit. The <<Lesser Tauren Striker>> lurched at him, throwing a clumsy overhead slash with its axe, but Baldur was able to clumsily bat it away, deflecting the blow from splitting him in two.

 

"Urraaah!" He cried out, bringing his sword around and slashing at the creature's now eye level neck, the cyan trail of light bisecting it cleanly, followed by a shower of sparks and Baldur falling to his butt on the beach. He laid there for a long moment while he finished taking stock of what just happened.

 

"Those things pack one hell of a hit!"

 

Finally, Baldur felt composed enough to climb to his feet and get the heck off of that rocky beach. 

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 5 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 12 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 12 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Lesser Tauren Striker #3>> 0/7HP - Misses - Drops 35 Col & 1 Mat

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Hits (+1 ACC) <<LTS#3>> for 3 DMG (2 weapon + 1 Skill)

[Baldur 0]

As Baldur was preceding back through the forest in what he hoped was the direction he came from, he heard the familiar buzzing. Either another <<Wind Wasp>> had found him, or it had re-spawned. He had hoped that he could have slipped past many of the mobs before the system returned them to life, but it looks like on these lower floors that rate was fairly quick for this floor mobs.

 

"Alright you bug-brain, let's do this."

 

Baldur stepped into his comfortable fencer's stance as he faced off against the <<Wind Wasp>> as it wove through the trees approaching him. Suddenly it raised up high, and Baldur thought he noticed a glimmer of light off the stinger which was the side of his hand. The bee suddenly dive bomed him but Baldur was ready and side-stepped the wasp, raking his sword though it as it fly past.

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 2 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 8 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Wind Wasp #2>> 4/7HP - Misses

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Hits <<Wind Wasp>> for 3 DMG (1 skill + 2 weapon)

[Baldur 0]

The wasp quickly flew in a loop and spread it's legs wide as his oozing mandibles suddenly opened for a <<bite>> attack, but Baldur remembered his maneuver before. He tried to throw up his fencing cape to deflect it while he spun around it and tried to attack it from behind has he had before, but his cape caught on the wasp's hairy arms and they both staggered about, neither of them able to land a blow.

 

"I am so glad Tyger wasn't around to see that."

 

Yanking his cape free, Baldur reset and kept his blue eyes glued to the wasp, waiting for it to make the first move.

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 1 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 2 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 12 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Wind Wasp #2>> 4/7HP - Misses

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Misses

[Baldur 0]

The <<Wind Wasp>> hovered in the air, bobbing back and forth with menace it's its creepy little eyes while Baldur stared the creature down.

 

"Wasp that? You scared?"

 

Suddenly the mob tried its divebomb again, this time Baldur side stepped it and brought his blade crashing down. He was hoping to lop its wings off again, but he was too quick and sliced the bee in its thorax.

 

"Can't take a pun? You trying to boo me? Well buzz off!"

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 8 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 4 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 4 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Wind Wasp #2>> 1/7HP - Misses

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Hits <<WW#2>> for 3 DMG

[Baldur 0]

Baldur and the wasp slowly circled each other, both glaring daggers as the other. Baldur kept his <<Sharp Kindjal>> shoulder level and pointed out at the wasp as he walked backwards around an imaginary circle.

 

"Stupid wasp. Why won't you just die? We're just wasping time here!"

 

Baldur had barely gotten the words out of his mouth as the suddenly rushed forward like it was trying to grab onto him. Baldur tried to lunge forward before the bee could close and slash it straight down its center, but the wasp was quicker than he gave it credit for and it zipped out of the way, spinning around his blade as it thrust its stinger at him. Baldur had over-extended his lunge, however, and dropped lower than the bee had predicted, its sticker flying over his head. Baldur fell sideways and rolled before quickly coming back up to his feet and facing the buzzing sound.

 

"Alright, I admit, that was a bad one, but you don't need to take these personally!"

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 2 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 2 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 9 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d20 (loot) dice.

 

<<Wind Wasp #2>> 1/7HP - Misses

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Misses

[Baldur 0]

The wasp seemed to buzz angrily as it recovered from its failed grabbing attack and immediately circled around to stab at him with its stinger again.

 

"Hey now! No one likes a boo-bee!"

 

Baldur crouched low, almost as if he were trying to catch the bee at a baseball game. As it got close enough he raised his sword across his body and struck out at it with a backhanded blow. The bee's stinger and his sword collided with a metallic CLANG! but the bee seemed to be staggered by his attack and Baldur siezed the opportunity, bringing his sword down and slashing through the bee, his base damage was apparently enough to kill it as the <<Wind Wasp>>  buzzed in agony before breaking apart into spectral polygons.

 

He looked down at the loot window that popped up. More Col and materials for Tyger's shop.

 

"Never mind, I guess I like them after all."

 

He smirked, and with a practiced motion whipped his blade off to the side before sheathing it on his left hip.

 

---

 

 

• Rolled a 8 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 12 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Wind Wasp #2>> 1/7HP - Misses - drops 35 Col & 1 Mat

<<Baldur>> 8/13HP - Hits <<WW#2>> for 3 DMG (1 skill + 2 Weapon)

[Baldur 0]

As Baldur pressed the button, he noticed something he hadn't seen before when he had been walking the other way. It was easy to overlook as he had had to keep reminding himself this was a <<Wasp>> not a <<bee>>. Bees polinated plants, but wasps did nothing. They were the jerks of nature. Bees were awesome for nature, and usually left people alone... and if they didn't the most they could do was sting you once in some sort of kamikaze attempt. Wasps, however, had no purpose other than to piss people off and mess up picnics.

 

Why, then, did this wasp seem to be guarding a beautiful orange stripped flower. He would have named the flower a <<Tiger Lilly>> if that wasn't actually already a flower in the real world.

 

Baldur walked up to the flower and examined it. The leaves rustled in a breeze, his hair caught it too. The grass was soft when he laid down on it, and he could pick up stones to throw them. Could he pick a flower?

 

"Only one was to find out."

 

Baldur tried to pick a flower, but when he pulled it out, it shattered into green polygons. He was saddened, but not deterred.

 

Reaching up a finger, Baldur tapped the flower itself and a single menu option popped up.

 

"折る" which could also be read as "pick flower"

 

Baldur tapped the button and suddenly he noticed that the flower appeared in his inventory.

 

"oh man, she's gonna love this!"

 

With a smile on his face, Baldur turned to march up the path back up the mesa to the village.

[Baldur 0]

"Air...."

 

A hand appeared at the top ring of the mountaintop.

 

"Need.... Air..."

 

Another hand.

 

"Too... tall..."

 

Then a head appeared over the edge, dragging an exhausted, blue clad swordsman in a very dashing cape.

 

As he got to the top, he rolled over onto his back and looked up at the sky.

 

"Why... Why does this city have to be at the top of a bloody mountain..." After several more minutes, Baldur sat up. "Can't we have a town portal or elevator or something? Maybe I need to break down and buy one of those teleport crystals." He hated the idea of spending so much money to keep him from having to walk up a hill, but it would be useful in a pinch as well.

 

"If I had muscles, they would so be cramping right now." He looked behind him as he leaned back on his hands, still sitting on the ground. Finally, he forced himself to his feet and staggered closer to the town. When he found a nice bench in the shade, he sat down hard and pulled out his bread and water, taking a glorious sip of it. It might not be real, but it certainly felt refreshing, and the bread tasted delicious to his starving tongue.

 

"God I hope this was worth it. They need to hurry up and open a nice flat beach floor. Nothing but palm trees, and crystal blue ocean water, and chain-mail bikinis." He sat there for a long while, day dreaming and snacking on his bread before he made his way over to the teleport gate.

 

"Town of Beginnings." He would head straight to the Catfish Forge, her shop, their home. The thought made him smile.