It was decided to pass the checkpoint directly by river, close to the human shore. The assumption was that the guards would focus their attention on the far shore and pay less attention to the nearby one. Of course, they could have simply bypassed everything overland, but the weight of the boat and its cargo was not something that would make vampires tense up.
However, laziness is an interspecies affliction and affects humans, other intelligent species, and animals alike. Besides, despite the boat being reinforced with magic, it didn't inspire much trust in the vampires, who were wary of risking their only means of transport due to a potential foolish mishap.
The plan didn't work out; they were spotted. However, they didn't raise an alarm. Only a young man ran up with a torch to the water's edge, trying to see what had just flashed in the dense darkness over the river. But the boat was already far away, and the heavily clouded sky blocked out even the light of distant stars, so the vampires breathed a sigh of relief. There was no need to stir up rumors prematurely.
By morning, they docked on the shore and set up camp. They needed to hunt and get some rest. The day was overcast, so they could continue their journey while there was still light, thus shortening the overall travel time.
"Why did they have to name such a beautiful river 'Cursed'?" Sergey grumbled while packing the tent into the boat.
"And there's nothing particularly 'cursed' about the forest either," Gennady joined the conversation.
"That's a mistake. The forest is indeed unusual, or do you think the locals didn't settle there of their own volition?"
"What's so unusual about it? Aside from the tales, no one has any concrete information."
Konstantin approached the conversing vampires and took his place in the boat. He too was curious about where fate had thrown them.
"We'll find out on the way back," Sergey also settled into his place, "There are plenty of miners in Rostki; we'll find someone to drink blood from. And if we're unlucky, I'll send my eagles there later, since now we have a way to get there!"
Gennady pushed the boat with the two seated vampires into the water and climbed in himself, shaking his head, which, of course, his companions sitting with their backs to him could not see.
"Let's not wait for the return trip. We'll make our next stop on the opposite shore, see the forest with our own eyes, and find out what it's like."
The trio quickly agreed with this suggestion, and the group of explorers, actively rowing, resumed their usual chatter. It was rare to be able to chat so casually without discussing business, especially against the backdrop of such beautiful scenery. The surroundings were indeed stunning. The swift and full-flowing river slid between two walls of forest.
Trees on both banks stood with their roots in the water. Where shrubs managed to claim their space and push back the forest giants, they hung their branches right over the water, creating beautiful cascading arches. Had the day been clear, the sunset would have made these secluded spots especially romantic, but fortunately for the vampires, the sky was covered with clouds.
Although this didn't hinder the travelers from admiring the surrounding landscape. Their excellent vision was complemented by a multitude of smells and sounds, creating a breathtaking picture of the pristine river and the surrounding forests. Needless to say, at night, this all blossomed with the colors of life, albeit sleeping, but no less beautiful.
The river turned northeast and began to delve directly into what locals called the Cursed Forest. Although throughout the night, nothing gave the vampires an answer as to why these places were so named. Both the left and right banks of the river looked the same, smelled the same, sounded the same, and were perceived similarly.
"Well, shall we dock on the left bank and set up camp?" A couple of hours before dawn, Sergey decided it was time to stop and rest.
"Yes, find a good spot, we'll hunt and see what the locals are so afraid of," Konstantin said, stretching his arms out to the sides as he placed the paddle in the boat.
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