The Road to California [Gold Rush Era]

[Terragon Scrufftail]

OOC: Theo, badger in his late twenties.

BIC: *The badger paces impatiently beside the wagon, waiting for his companions. Though the day is still young and the hot sun barely risen above the horizon, he is keen to set off.*
*The odd group have been travelling for four days together, having met, despite the cliché, at a roadside inn. He'd jumped at the chance of work, pulling the cart for the young merchant whose idea it had been; anything was better than the monotanous days at the farm and the prospect of striking gold in California had appealed to the badger's sense of adventure. He'd always meant to travel and yet had never wandered much further from the farm than the inn. Waiting in the rising sun for the rest of the adventurers to awaken, he recalls the early afternoon at the White Water Inn...*

Whiskey, Theo?
*The badger had nodded and slid a coin across the counter towards the bartender.* How's business goin'? *He had asked as usual, not expecting much more than the daily reply of 'same old,' whatever that was. But today was different, the stoat had leaned over the bar with a pleased smile and told Theo in a hushed voice.* Not bad at all. There's a rumour that somebeasts've been striking gold 'cross the border in California, had travellors in and out of the Inn every hour of the day since Wednesday. Him by the door's one of them, *He'd added, nodding at the creature in question before falling silent in order to allow Theo to drain the short glass of whiskey and order a second.* How's the farm? *He'd asked finally, but before the badger could reply the door of the Inn had swung open once more...*