“You two are the lowest ranking now. Go find him. That clumsy idiot should have been back by now. It’s been three days.” The Warden commanded two weasels named Gaffe and Scus. “I’ve got many better team leaders than you two.” He didn’t hold back his thoughts.

  “But we do plen-” Scus elbowed Gaffe hard in the ribs, causing him to wince. The sounds of clanking and displeased murmuring continued around them.

  “Don’t lie to me, boy. You two always slacking just like Evic does! If you two don’t come back with him and with someone new to go into the pit, I’ll-” The Warden quieted. Had his threats to Evic gave them an excuse to not return? If he threatened these two, could they decide to not come back? Could he risk losing more of his men? “Just... Go out there and retrieve him!”

  “Oh yeah? What’s in it for us, mister Boss?” Scus wanted a fair deal. The Warden’s brow furrowed more, staring at them. He grumbled.

  “I’ll give ya a little extra.”

  “How much is a lit’tl?” Gaffe piped up.

  “You’re lucky I even considered. You’ll find out when you get it. But unlike that other weasel, I’ll give you two stuff before you leave.”

* * *

  The more south the motley crew headed, the more northwest the mining camp became. The foliage turned from non-existent to brown and some greenery, and the sopping grass below was able to be seen. The toboggan Evic now steered gained weight, as the runners underneath it created more friction from the stricken terrain. They came upon a forest, and in no time, the trees grew larger and larger. Many of them had been considered by As to camp inside the carved-out bases of the trunks, however it was found most to be too rotted or termite-infested.

  “Yes! Here’s a suitable one!” As exited one of the giant stumps. It was like Earth’s natural fortified tent.

  “Finally! Took ya long enough, Lantin!” Evic’s arms let go of the rope connected to the vessel, letting them drop in exhaustion.

  “Evic, I suppose you can rest; I’ll move everything inside. Kevin, would you give me things to put away when I come for them?”

  “Sure.” Wayne happily obliged, knowing he had been relaxing most of the time without a care.

  Evic sat against the tree, tired, closing his eyes, just remembering walking for so long. Feeling the things he had collected earlier through the cloth of his pocket, he made sure neither was looking.

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  Following their preoccupation, the two moved everything.

  “Evic, things are set. You can come in.” Evic stared downwards at his collection in his paw. This should...

  “Evic?” As questioned.

  “Yea’?” Stuffing things back into his coat, he followed.

  “It isn’t pretty by any means, but it will do.”

  Belongings from the previous wilder who had lived there had been moved to a small section against the circular innards. Every sack that had been on the sled, as well as the sled itself, was placed in another corner.

  “The perch I caught isn’t bad. The cold helped it keep well. I’ll make a fire outside.”

  “Why not put the fire in ‘ere?”

  “A fire... inside of a tree. Yeah, that’s smart.” Wayne remarked.

  “It’s big enough...” Evic looked around.

  “The heat could burn the ceiling, or worse, and the room would become too hot.” As stated, staring towards the weasel with a seemingly blank look on his face. As turned around and headed out with the twigs from earlier.

  Evic shrugged, “...Well I thought it was a good idea...”

  The dead of night arrived succeeding a handful of hours, the warmth just outside dwindled into the ashes. The two laying beside one another slept soundly. The lonely one, however, did not. Resting on his back, he rolled the ingredient between his fingers. The thing that could enact his plan, Atropa leaves. The plant was paralyzing when inhaled and caused drowsiness. With no sound, Evic rose, creeping over to the owl. With risky slow movements, he held two leaves just in front of As’ nares. Within minutes of tightly holding in this position, As’ muscles relaxed further in his sleep, and his body noticeably slumped more. Evic’s muscles on the opposite spectrum were tensed, and after seeing As succumb to the poison, relaxed himself.

  Almost immediately, Evic moved to the next, this time not holding back. Performing the same steps, Wayne, too, became paralyzed, and his breathing turned shallower.

  Two down...

  Stepping further, the weasel stuffed the leaves into Wayne’s mouth, ensuring he wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.

  “Who’s the quiet one now, you lit’le runt?”

  With all of his strength, Evic dragged Wayne to the toboggan, pushing him onto it. Grabbing the human’s belongings, he placed them onto the vehicle as well.

  Moving to the outside with his prize, Evic turned back, following the path he had made, heading north. The light from the ashes had reduced to nothing.