At dawn we sett off with the same formation, with one small change. Lynne and Lawra have swapped places. Something tells me that this was Lawra's idea. Unlike Lynne she is not at all bothered about her surroundings and fully focused on communicating with me. When I say, communicating, it is a bit like a monologue from her side. I don't get the time to respond to one question, before she asks another. I am not sure if she is just giddy or if she is clumsily trying to interrogate me.

I am saved by Miss Alert going off. I shout a warning and Lawra jumps back knocking Lynne to the ground, very nearly starting a panic. Thankfully Kira is at the back calming the rest. I wonder why Lawra became a hunter, she clearly isn't cut out for it. Two forest rats come into view and drop dead almost as quickly to my arrows. Looking back at Lawra helping Lynne up I ask her teasingly: "you weren't worried were you?" Lawra is finally lost for words.

Using the sudden lull I start speaking directly to Lawra as I indicate for the group to keep following me. "I would actually like to know a bit more about yourself. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Taking the initiative, I try to control the conversation and with it Lawra's energy. She tells me she is the daughter of a merchant. That explains a lot. A couple of years back she ran away from home with her boyfriend to become hunters. He got killed a few months ago, and since she has no useful hunter skills, the only job she could do was help with foraging. She has been thinking of going back to her father the merchant, but she is a bit nervous about it.

Lawra seems to be a nice girl as well, if a bit impulsive and far too energetic at times. She is much calmer now after our chat. Maybe she just needed some attention. "Lawra, don't panic." She looks at me slightly worried. "There is dog like beast 100 paces south east of us." "I am going to kill it before it notices us. Stay here." I swiftly step away and spot the dog eating something long dead on the ground. One arrow is all it takes." "It is a scavenger dog." Lawra has caught up with me and is busy giving her commentary.

Despite the first day of the journey being so uneventful, the second day is regularly interrupted by me having to kill some kind of aggressive creature. We still make good progress. We should be back some time after noon tomorrow. At dusk we settle down with a camp similar to the previous night. The guard shift stay the same. I stay up talking a bit with Mara before going to bed.

The next morning before we set off, I tell the group about Mari. I ask them to be considerate of her, explaining how I found her. Best to tell them now before we arrive. I wanted to tell them sooner, but waited until I got to know them better. They should all be sympathetic to her situation.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

As we walk along the south side of the lake, all the girls are impressed with the scenery. Lynne and Lawra have swapped places again, so I have the calm and pleasant company of a lovely smiling brunette. I mention to Lynne that I got a large stock of animals that need dismantling. Lynne's professional interest springs to life. "You can leave it all to me if you like." To show my appreciation of the offer, I let her know that I would love to learn more about dismantling from her, as I am self taught.

As we approach the enclosed area, everyone notices the large dryad tree and altar. I tell everyone to be respectful as it is guarding the entrance to my home. I explain to Lynne that the altar is where I dismantle my prey, and that the blood and leftovers are offered to the tree. I am not sure how to explain the ground opening up and swallowing the flesh offerings, so I let it be a surprise.

At the entrance we meet Mari and Bambi. Mara's daughter is immediately smitten by the friendly baby deer. The deer seems used to its surroundings and people. Initially it was trapped in my enclosed area as it like all other animals would not approach the dryad tree. Mari smiles and hugs me. She looks like a different person. I wonder if the others will believe the story I told about her earlier this morning. I introduce everyone, and tell everyone to do what they feel like for the afternoon.

Mara wants to cook for everyone. I help provide ingredients. Mari is watching Bambi being played with by the young girl. That reminds me I never got her name from Mara. I check her menu with analyze, Naomi. I approach Mari. "Don't tell her my other name for our pet deer, Spare Meat." Mari chokes a little giggle.

I introduce Mari to Kira, they seem to get along. Lawra has started helping Mara with her cooking, but she is mostly just talking. Lynne approaches me and asks if we can do some dismantling. "I got a lot of goblin corpses, can you tell me what is useful with them." She responds that the only valuable part of the goblin is the mana stone. "You could make leather out of its hide, but no one wants to buy it." "Also, cut off the right ear of the goblins, you can use them as evidence of extermination for a reward."

Good thing I saved the heads of the early goblins as proof of kill. I bring out a head and cut off its right ear. I chuck the rest of the head at the foot of the dryad tree, and watch Lynne's reaction. Her reaction is a mix of surprise and fascination, not the massive shock I was expecting. "I have heard stories of trees that eat the dead by making the earth swallow them up. You thought I would be shocked." With the last comment I get a grin from Lynne.

It is both fascinating and somewhat terrifying to watch a sweet smiling girl covered in blood dig into one corpse after another extracting mana stones and chopping off ears. I can tell she is experienced, and analyze confirms her dismantling skill to be at level 3. Not extremely high compared to how quickly I am growing my skills, but I have already accepted that there is no way I am normal in this world. As I wander over to Mara to help her cooking, I hear a massive shriek. Lynne has pulled the same prank on Lawra.