As you sign out your mount, you see it's in stall 2. You walk over and grab your saddle and tack, and proceed to saddle Blaze and adjust the tack. As you walk your mount over towards the gate, you inspect them to make sure you have everything set right.
You look over your saddle straps and see Blaze's heavy balls behind his large sheath. Horses sure are lucky you think to yourself.
You see your squad assembling by the main gate, with Sergeant Holsteiner at the front. You walk your mount over to them and are waiting next to Private Jackson awaiting Holsteiner's order to mount. Mount Up, Holsteiner yells. You mount up, look over to Jackson, and ask are you nervous? You look nervous. Jackson looks at you, and says is it that noticeable? Yes, you reply. Jackson replays with, it's just I have never been out that far before, the farthest I have been to is sector 2. You'll be fine, just relax, you reply. Open the gate, Holsteiner cry's out.
Holsteiner marches his brown thoroughbred out first and everyone else follows suit. You hear the gate slam shut behind you. As you are riding along, you look over to Private Jackson and say, you know if we weren't at war this place would just be perfect. Jackson nods and says, I agree I just love this view. Just wait until we pass through sector 8, you reply.
As you pass through the border between sectors 2 and 3, you check your watch. 06:30 it reads. Not bad you think to yourself. You look to Jackson and say here we go, all new territory for you. Yep, Jackson replies. When we start getting closer to the border of sector 5, you'll see an abandoned farm. Nobody has lived there since the war started. I wonder what happened to the people who lived there, you say.
As you make it halfway through sector 5, you pass the abandoned farm, and can still see where the cattle used to roam. You also pass by a nice-sized lake, which you suspect probably holds some nice-sized fish. It's almost impossible to read the sign now, due to the weeds being so overgrown. But you just barely make out the words Lake Marshall.
As you pass through the border between sectors 7 and 8, you point out the lush green forest and grassy fields that stretch up the hills as far as you can see. See what I mean? you ask Jackson. It's beautiful, Jackson replies.
As you approach the border of sector 10, you notice your horse has gotten more alert. As if he can sense something you can't. You don't think much of it, as you just passed a small clearing that had a couple of Whitetail Deer grazing in it. You just assume you spooked one of them by coming through.
As you make it into sector 11, you look to Jackson and say, all new territory for me here on out. You ask Jackson, so what did you do before the war? Jackson replies, I used to work in my parents' hardware store, before the world went to shit, joined the militia afterward but couldn't serve in a combat role until I was old enough. What about you? Really just did odd jobs, mostly a shade tree mechanic, you reply. Would love to be driving my car right now, but this will do. Especially considering no one really can get gas anymore. Could be a lot worse, I suppose. You reply.
As you finally make it to sector 13, you can see what appears to be the remains of an old camp, and 3 wooden crosses over graves that appear to only be a few days old. Holsteiner cry's out for a Halt, and tasks two riders to check it out. One of them comes back with a small handful of clothes, of which stand out to you the most, is a torn militia top.