16th June: Food for Thought

As good as food sounded, almost any kind of food, for the moment Francois just wanted to get off his aching feet so he hustled off the road and, just before plopping down on the grass, removed his backpack. After enough marching, it always seemed like the damned thing weighed as much as he did!

"How's this?" Paol asked after they had gone a bit farther. It looked like a decent place to camp to him, but he was unaccustomed to being even partially responsible for such decisions.

Hugo grinned and looked around.

"Will do."

He tested the moss with one foot.

"Comfortable!"

Grenville's mouth twisted in displeasure and he swatted a fly.

"Damn flat piece of land, with the river so close we'll be eaten alive!", he complained, then went back until he could climb a stone at the roadside and wave back to the rest come here.

"Keep a lookout over there, Breton, until the rest is here. No need to get careless! I'll take be over here."

He stepped into the shade of a tree and turned to observe the landscape to the south, beyond the curved band of the river. Hugo had already established himself to the north, placidely chewing another straw.

Saint-Hilaire smiled. " I will be at ease when we are all together again and I need not worry that one or two men should disappear because of the Enemy." He glanced at those that had been dismissed to look for food , and those that remained, standing to attention or atleast guarding their surroundings.

"I must admit that I am tired..." He spoke. "But, I might just have rested too much in the past few days." He said that jokingly, playfully. "Now... the map. You've mentioned the need to see it, yes? The one that you have not lost yet, at least."

"I do not loose things! I only sometimes underestimate their intelligence to follow me around!"

Prayon puffed out his chest in an offended manner, but then tensed nearly imperceptivly and slowly straightend his spine again.

"Let's sit down over there and have a look at it. Let me just give the necessary orders to set up camp and pretent to be an officer for five minutes."

He gestured to his sergant, formally telling him to set up camp, post guards and have an eye on the forage party, before he looked around for his friend again.

Gauvin dropped an armful of wood uncomfortably close to Bielieux's head, chuckling as the boy flailed out of the way with a startled curse. "Up you get, sunshine. Go find some bedding or somethin'.

"Get it yourself," Bielieux grumbled, rolling to his feet just in time to avoid a kick. He flashed the older soldier a triumphant smirk, then wandered off to do as he was told.

Dropping to his knees, Gauvin began snapping some of the sticks into smaller pieces. A pack landed heavily beside him and he looked up to see Kerjean had returned from his temporary post.

"They lettin' us have fires?" Paol asked.

Gauvin shrugged, "Dunno. But I ain't lettin' this lot have all the easy pickings. Hey, you headed to the river?"

"Aye."

Unslinging his canteen and grabbing Bielieux's off the ground, he tossed them to Kerjean.

Paol caught them awkwardly and started off towards the river. Catching site of Foucheaux he held up the canteens. "Come along?"

Francois knew his own canteen was empty, he'd drank the last of it at least an hour ago so he stood up.

"I'll go. If that's alright?" he addressed the veterans, he was still young enough and new recruit enough to be deferential to such men.

" 'Course!" Paol replied, waving the boy over. "Don't suppose you're any good at catchin' fish?"

"I used to fish when I was a boy. But then I had a pole and a hook with a worm on the end of it," Francois pointed out.

"I've seen some men catch fish in their hands when they go wading right in," he added as he moved up to the others, canteen in hand.

The march continues here.

OOC: Oh OK, I got lost for a bit what with all the similar titles. Thanks.