Below the Surface

"Wanderer? Where did you go?!"
River did not even stop. His stride remained steadfast yet quick, dashing gracefully down the rocky slopes of the mountain trails. The smell of burning wood still stung his nose and the air was thick with ash that it alone nearly made River asphyxiate. More than once River was forced to divert his path due to deceased and scorched creatures littered upon the mountainside.
The fire had been an accident, that River knew as fact. He could only condemn those who had started it, those whom the wind brought River to so that they may be saved from their own damnation. Many of their actions merely reflected that of self gratitude once safety seemed apparent. Only few among them were worth River's time and assistance. The matter was altogether infuriating.
River came to the foot of the mountains in a matter of minutes, where he sat with great exhaustion beneath a tall pine tree. He rubbed his face, covering his hand in soot and dried blood, then sighed. The nerve of people, especially those he'd met, never ceased to amaze him. It was then that River's hand reached into his pocket almost subconsciously and took hold of cold metal and crystal. Yes, the nerve of some people, River thought as he chuckled.
It had been near a month since River departed from the Wolfheart kingdom with his new trinket. He pulled out the ruby necklace, memories of that one night dancing upon the surface of the crimson gem. Memories of Selene. He still could remember the flow of her snow woven hair and the glint of her pure sapphire eyes. How amazing that, even though they'd met only once for such a short time, she had left such an impression on River.
But, as always, the pendant seemed to feel ten times heavier whenever River began to reminisce about the beautiful princess. The necklace was a promise, one that require him to do something he'd never done before: and that was seeing a familiar face just once more. When he first received the accursed chain, River had half a mind to rid himself of its heavy burden and be done with it. He only ended up holding onto it tighter.
He leaned his back and closed his eyes, listening to the flow of wind as it beckoned him onward to his next destination. Pine, earth, and even remnants of the charred forest life saturated the air and blew across River's face. Somewhere off in the distance he could make out the soft currents of running water. A stream. Like the one that flowed through Wolfheart territory.
River opened his eyes. Then, after another moment's deliberation, he climbed to his feet and headed towards the stream. Where there was a stream, there was a bed of water at the end of it. A perfect place to get the smell of smoke out his clothes and hair. Maybe, too, as he placed the pendant safely back in his pocket, River could finally fulfill this burden- no, not his burden. His promise.