Saleh watched silently from the side. Teacher was usually this quiet, using any means necessary, he tried hard to stay in towns. While teacher told him countless times he needed to get used to solidarity, he found it increasingly difficult.
Turning to the side, he watched the woman from time to time. She wasn’t really impressive looking. She lacked that feeling his teacher had. It was a type of feeling he always tried to produce himself. However, he lacked the means to do so.
Not knowing her, he wasn’t sure if she lacked an edge because she was unconscious. Or if the edge that caused him to remember her in the first place was because she was injured at that time. The other reason he committed her to his memory was for that strange feeling he felt.
Both times he saw her, he had this feeling she wasn’t alone. He couldn’t pinpoint why this was. She didn’t have anyone around her. Even when he glanced around, she was in a crowd of people, he didn’t even have a vague recollection of a single person there.
He also wondered how his teacher knew her. Knowing better, he could do nothing but watch from the sides. Asking teacher about it would result in a few options. First was being scolded for prying into someone else's business. Secondly, there was the possibility he would be put down for asking for answers, when he should find them himself.
Knowing a few other generic answers, he would be given. All were unhelpful. If teacher wanted him to know something he didn’t, he would say it himself. Without a need to even ask. Since he kept quiet, it was clear he wouldn’t get an answer from him. Therefore, he waited.
As the mysterious woman started to come to, he was able to see that his teacher gave him a look. Without needing him to say it out loud, he went into his spacial ring and took out the venison they had earlier. With a bit of a pause, he also took his secret spice blend out.
Even in her sleep, the woman continued to frown, and moan with a terrible expression as her eyebrows seemed to furrow tightly. He, himself, was familiar with bad dreams. Dreams that were awful, not being able to wake up even if you wanted to. Even knowing they were just nightmares.
As his secret blend started to spread its aroma, the woman slowly opened her eyes. Taking a few seconds to focus, she looked around. Seeing him, she lingered on the skewer in his hands for a moment before turning away. Staring at his teacher, she looked at him for a while. It was clear she recognized him as her eyes shook slightly.
Promptly looking away, she gave him and the skewer one last look as she got lost in her thoughts again. Looking at the campfire as if trying to decipher its hidden meaning. Of course, he knew she was simply in her own world.
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Once done, he made his voice as soft as he could. Reaching his hand towards her, “My name is Saleh. This is for you.”
Awkwardly, he sat there with his arm outstretched as he had to repeat himself with a louder voice. Only then did she turn to see he was talking to her. However, she still didn’t take the skewer from him. Teacher spoke to her in a bit of a cold tone before she finally took it.
“Take it.”
The cold tone caused him to shudder involuntarily. It was the same tone he used when he committed a mistake in training. An authoritative voice that left a deep impression without being able to argue back. He smiled slightly, as for once that voice wasn’t directed at him.
After a few seconds, his smile disappeared. The first bite was met with a fast second. Shortly after, she never took a third. Having become lost in her own thoughts. This hurt his pride, that was meat cooked with his secret blend!
With a bit of a pout, he turned away. Wasting such a heavenly gift… He wanted to say it was a waste, however something about her reminded him of his past. Having become used to awkward silence. Saleh lay next to the fire, looking up at the darkening sky.
The stars here were different from those back home. Maybe it was because it was home, the stars there were vastly better looking. Not to say that any place on the continent had an ugly looking night sky. Having become lost in his own thoughts, he was pulled back to reality as a voice broke the silence.
“He is still alive. Right now, you have two options. You can travel with Saleh. Or you can go off on your own.”
Turning his head, Saleh saw teacher wasn’t looking at him. He seemed to have come to a conclusion. When she first appeared, he didn’t have any interest in taking her in at all. He knew teacher was a loner, however he never saw his teacher so upset.
Granted, he didn’t look angry at the woman, but the person that sent the unconscious woman towards them. Seeing as they were about to leave before she came, it was clear this was not something he agreed on. Therefore, him allowing her to stay meant he was finally accepting her existence.
“If you decide to travel with Saleh you will have someone watching your back. If you go alone, you will constantly have to watch your own back. Sleeping with one eye open. For Izic told the two chasing you that they can only send two of the same rank, or send one a grade above you.”
Seeing her process the information, he paused. She opened her mouth but was cut off, “Personally, I would think it best if you went with Saleh. If the two of you spar, I have a feeling you can be helpful, which is the only reason I will allow you to travel with us. Still, the option to go look for him is probably the only thing in your head right now.”
Seeing the look in her eye he laughed, before he abruptly stopped before he looked at her as if she was an idiot, “Izic might protect you, so they can’t directly make a move on you. However, Everwood had to run, as he can’t fight two on one. Right now he is on the run. What help do you think you can bring him with your current strength?”
Saleh could only look on silently from the side. Teacher only became this ruthlessly cold when he was driving a point home. While generally warm, teacher was by no means a gently or nice person.
“Ask yourself this, if Everwood truly cares about you. If you find him, do you think he can abandon you? Even knowing Izic is protecting you from the dark, do you really believe he can abandon you and focus on his own survival? Or would your existence become the nail that seals his coffin closed?”