Chapter 1.5 - Fellowship phase, Spring 2946
On the way back, Gwydian commiserates with Balin about not reaching the Eagles. He takes a liking to the stubborn, persistent Dwarf, and he makes it a point to try to get to know him better. Although pleased with the reward and having found the Dwarves, Gwydian was still disappointed they were not able to complete the original mission without having to come back. He realized it was a necessity, and perhaps a lesson well-learned. The next time he travels so far from Laketown, he must be more prepared. He could learn a lot from Navarre and the other older adventurers with far more experience in the wilderness.
To that end, amongst his other activities, he makes it a point to discuss with each of the remaining companions what went right, what went wrong, and how they may have done better, as a group, as well as Gwydian individually. To the extent, they are willing to share some of the knowledge of surviving the wilderness, he may not slow them down in the future. Given the opportunity, he joins others on in their outdoor training.
When the matter of horses comes up, Gwydian tags along. He knows how to ride, but since having gone off on his own, he hasn't had the stable income to purchase and maintain a horse. It's something he's still considering, but then again, they'll only be able to move as fast as their slowest member. With that in mind, he wonders whether a wagon may be more appropriate - if they can navigate past the waterways. This time, before they depart, he'll try to find some maps of the area that may assist their planning.