Trout's Landing.

So this is definitely happening, Jeb thought as he looked at the assembled group of friends, kin, and plus ones that were now shuffling about the main admin building towards the kitchen. Their excitement died about the time they saw the state of the kitchen, as well as the lack of gas, electricity, and just general amenities normal people would require just to survive.

But then he wasn't normal people, Jeb thought as his pa turned around and eye-balled him with worry and concern.

"What've you been eatin' Jeb?"

Instead of voicing an answer he waved a hand and a bitter blue apple appeared from thin air which he crunched into.

"We also get fish from the river."

"But how do you cook anything?" Morty asked.

"Fire." Jeb stated plainly and gestured to the many firepits around the lodge.

"Wouldn'y be eatin' anythin' cooked with tha' ifin I were you." The halfling with Clive muttered and glanced nervously at the balefire, and the kobolds, and Jeb, and pretty much everything around the place.

Though Jeb couldn't disagree with her, the rest of them were kinda "in too deep" to be worrying about being picky. At this point it just didn't matter. If it didn't bother the kobolds enough to leave of their own accord, he certainly wasn't going to force them to rough it out on their own with winter just around the bend.

Not like he'd force them out anyway but that was besides the point. He turned to the rest of them as they stood there shuffling about now unsure of what to do.

"Well. Sorry for the inconvenience. But if ya'll are wantin' to do Thanksgivin' here, you're goin' to have to rough it."

"Great. As if running past the feds wasn't bad enough now we don't even get the five star treatment." Morty said sarcastically.

"You did what?" Jeb asked.

"Nothin'. He's just bein' Morty. We'll be fine with a good ol' wood fire." Sam said as he glared at Morty before grabbing some of their things and returning to the outside of the admin building, with the others following behind.

At least some tables were still in decent enough condition, Jeb thought as he and Clive grabbed some from storage that weren't completely withered away from time and decay. He doubt they'll survive long after today, but that was all they needed them for.

"So... what's the plan for turkey?" Sammy asked when everyone assembled and got plates, paper and plastic, out along with everything else and began setting it all up along with some stuff that didn't require to be heated like salad or other fruits and vegetables.

"Well, there should be some nearby. Especially if this place was abandoned for so long." Sam stated and looked around before heading to the Game Warden's hut with Jeb following close behind as he glanced back at the rest of the party, not entirely sure who he should keep an eye on or where he should be.

No fights have broken out, yet, Jeb thought as he watched the tribe of kobolds mainly keep their distance from the rest of the group save for the salamanders that had no qualms about meandering close enough to try and sneak away a snack when someone wasn't looking. Even the usually braver kobolds among the tribe were keeping a ways away.

Which was fine as most of those with the others weren't really keen on mingling with the kobolds either, especially Morty and his group, though he was sure they still held a grudge against him. Not that Jeb could blame them either. Especially with it being Morty. He was sure he'd deny his part in what happened till the day he died.

This was going to be a messy Thanksgiving wasn't it, Jeb thought as he followed his pa into the Game Warden's hut and they found the Trap Master going over maps and reports with the skirmishers. The kobolds turned at their presence with the Trap Master glancing at them briefly before returning back to the maps and reports.

"Oh, hello again." Sam greeted.

The Trap Master hummed a response but kept his focus on the maps. Sam just shuffled nervously in the door and glanced at Jeb, unsure what to say or even do. Jeb cleared his throat and got the kobolds' attention.

"Have any of you seen any turkey nearby?"

The Trap Master cocked a brow questioningly. Jeb pointed up at one of the maps that depicted locations and territory of nearby animals and at the picture of a turkey. The Trap Master shook his head and glanced at the other skirmishers who likewise shook their heads.

"Well, shit." Sam muttered and glanced up at the wall while muttering as he looked for other alternatives for a turkey.

"Pa-"

"No. You're right. It ain't a proper Thanksgivin' without a turkey. If they haven't found any yet then we'll just have to go out and search for some ourselves." Sam declared and went over to the stockpile of Jeb's weapons and grabbed a couple of hunting rifles and tossed one to Jeb before making sure his own was loaded.

"You wanna come?" Sam asked the kobolds.

"No. We'll stay and keep an eye on things." The Trap Master stated and glanced out the door at the others.

"Have it your way. Let's go Jeb." Sam said and made to leave but was stopped by Clive and Morty coming up to them.

"Where are you two going?" Clive asked.

"To find some turkey." Jeb replied.

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"So you get to run off and have fun without us while we stay behind and twiddle our thumbs?" Morty asked with mock insult.

"Well I doubt your two bodyguards there would be appropriate for hunting turkey." Sam replied and point to the ogre sisters that stood not far from Morty.

"Fine. I'll talk to 'em." Morty replied and marched off to talk with the two ogres while Sammy came over.

"What're you all doin'?" She asked.

"Huntin' turkey." Jeb replied as Clive went in the cabin and retrieved his own hunting rifle.

"Alright." She replied and made to do the same before being stopped by Jeb.

"What're you doin'?"

"Goin' with you." She replied.

"No you're not!" Jeb retorted.

"Why not?!"

"Since when did you go huntin'?"

"Don't matter! I can hunt same as you!"

"Not dressed like a sugarplum fairy you're not!" Jeb commanded.

Sammy's face turned red and she huffed her cheeks before sending a kick into Jeb's shin!

"Stupid!"

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"You're an asshole Jebediah!" She yelled before sending another kick at Jeb before huffing off into the woods on her own.

"What the hell is her problem?!" Jeb asked and turned to his pa who merely sighed.

"Just go after her will ya." Sam replied.

"Why do I have to?!" Jeb asked before being smacked upside the head by Sam.

"Because I'm your father that's why! Now go get your sister!" Sam commanded.

Jeb grumbled and made to pursue his sister into the woods. For being dressed in a pretty princess pink dress she sure did move pretty fast in the woods, Jeb thought as he had to go into a bit of a jog to keep up with his sister as she continued to stomp into the woods.

"Sammy! Sammy! Will you stop already?!" Jeb called out as he got nearer to her.

She only huffed and stomped away a little faster in an effort to get away from Jeb. He groaned and sprinted after her.

"Stop will ya?!"

She turned around and almost got Jeb with another kick.

"Stupid!"

"Stop that already!" Jeb yelled as he stepped back away from her boot.

"You're an asshole!" She cried out and tried to kick him again.

"And you're a brat! Quit kickin' me!" Jeb retorted as he tried to keep Sammy from kicking him, again.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" She repeated with every kick she threw his way.

Then he heard a sniffle come from her after dodging her last kick. He actually looked at her now and saw that she was crying.

"Sammy, it's just huntin' is all. You never really cared before."

He dodged another kick.

"STUPID!!!"

He grabbed her foot and pulled her into a hug and held her there. She struggled and fought and tried to kick and hit him as he held her firmly close to him. Then she started to sob as she continued to try and hit and kick Jeb.

"What's wrong Sammy?" Jeb asked as he held his sister.

"You're stupid!" She said between sobs.

"You said that already."

"It's true! You are stupid!" She said again.

"How am I stupid then?" Jeb asked.

"You left me. Just like mama did." She replied with tears in her eyes.

Shit, Jeb thought as it finally clicked. He really was stupid, he thought as he looked down at Sammy in his arms as she continued to cry and sob.

"Not like I wanted to Sammy. But things around my place just got a lil... complicated."

"So you leave without sayin' goodbye?!" She said accusingly.

"You saw what happened to pa, I didn't wanna bring more trouble for the two of you anymore than I already did." Jeb explained.

"But we're kin, Jeb! Coulda at least told us!" She said as tears continued to fall.

"It's a lil more complicated than that." Jeb tried to say.

"Why?! 'Cause you ain't human?!" She stated.

"Where did you hear that?" Jeb asked worryingly.

"It's a small house. And you and pa ain't exactly quiet." She explained through yet more tears.

Well fuck, Jeb thought.

"So you know why I had to go away then."

"No! I don't!"

"Like I said, it's complicated."

"No it's not! You're just bein' stupid!" She cried out and tried to pull away from him.

"You wanna hear it then! Fine! I left because it felt like trouble was comin' my way and I wanted to protect the people closest to me! It felt like a noose was closin' in around my neck and so I packed up and left before it got around everyone else too!"

"Shoulda told us! We're kin! We deserve to know that you didn't just abandon us!" Sammy replied.

"Yeah. I shoulda. But I didn't because I thought it'd be better if you didn't know." Jeb explained.

"That it'd be better if you just vanished and we believed you dead?" She asked tearfully.

Jeb's only reply was to hold her closer. She sniffled and hugged him back.

"We're kin Jeb. What happens when pa's gone? Who'll we have then?"

"Pa's gonna live forever. He's too stubborn to die." Jeb said jokingly.

"I ain't a lil kid Jeb."

"I know. Even if you act like one sometimes."

"Yeah. And you act like an asshole."

Jeb chuckled.

"Yeah. Sorry for not tellin' you or pa where I was headed to. I shoulda said somethin' or left a note or anythin'. I just felt like a cornered animal and left without lookin' back. I'll always be here Sammy. This is still my home and I won't be too far away from it, or you and pa."

Sammy sniffed again and held Jeb closer.

"Good. 'Cause if you do leave again without tellin' us. I'll aim higher than your shin next time."

Jeb chuckled and held Sammy. They stood there in the quiet woods for a few minutes before Sammy's sniffles and sobs stopped.

"Feel better?"

"No. Now my makeup is ruined." She replied as she pulled away from Jeb and pulled something from her sleeve to dab at her makeup.

"Still don't know why you want to plaster all that gunk on you." Jeb said.

"Because it makes me look pretty."

"Don't need makeup to look pretty, Sammy."

"Shush! It makes me pretty-er!" She retorted.

"Fine! You ready to head back?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then." Jeb said as he and Sammy made their way back to the lodge.

The group turned to look at Sammy and Jeb when they arrived. Morty was the first to speak up.

"Finally! Done with your family spat so we can get going?"

Sam smacked him upside the head and turned to his kids.

"You two alright?"

"Yeah pa, we're alright." Sammy replied.

"You still wanna go huntin' princess?" Sam asked.

"Nah. I ain't dressed to go huntin' anyways. Besides, someone has to stay back and make sure Millie and Greg don't faint." She said and pointed to where the little halfling woman was practically attached to the other halfling and looked about ready to keel over as she looked fearfully at the ogres, goblin, and kobolds all around them. With Greg being a less than ideal support for them as he looked little better and was about a small startle away from passing out.

"You sure darlin'?" He asked Sammy.

"Yeah Pa, I'm fine." She replied and gave Jeb a hug before setting off to help Millie and Greg.

"Great! Can we go now?" Morty chimed in before getting smacked, again.

"Now we can." Sam replied and took one last glance at the map of animal territory before setting off, with the three boys in tow behind him as he lead the way to where the turkeys were supposed to be.

On and on they marched into the woods. While they all wore clothes that wouldn't be too bad for trekking into the woods, Morty was more out of place as he marched in polished dress shoes and a suit and complained the entire time about getting them dirty.

"You know how much this suit costs? Or these shoes?"

"Why didn't you pack something more appropriate?" Clive asked.

"Because I thought we'd have everything we needed, Clive! Didn't know we'd be out roughing it in the woods hunting for our dinner!" Morty retorted.

"Will you shush! No wonder we haven't found anythin' yet!" Sam hissed.

"We haven't found anything is because it's cold and everything is probably in some hole fat and warm for winter!" Morty retorted again.

"Will you quit complainin' already! Geez! Why did you come here anyway if you're just goin' to complain the entire time?!" Jeb asked heatedly.

"He wants to apologize." Clive stated.

Jeb cocked a brow at the two of them.

"Really?"

"I do! Though with how I'm being treated maybe I should be the one getting an apology!" Morty said with a huff.

"Quiet." Sam said firmly.

"Oh please! If we were going to find a turkey we woulda found one by now!" Morty stated.

"Quiet! Somethin's nearby." Sam replied and glanced around keeping his ears peeled.

"Yeah, it's nature. There's always something nearby." Morty replied.

"He's right." Jeb said and glanced around as he could feel, probably more than even his pa could, that something was close by, and it was hunting them.

"Just because the two of you say it doesn't mean it's right." Morty said, not at all concerned about what was happening.

"Can you at least act like we're out hunting, Morty?" Clive asked.

"I could. But that would imply that there was something out here to hunt instead of just us running out here getting our, or at least my very expensive, clothes dirty."

"WATCH OUT!!!" Jeb yelled and pushed Morty aside as something swooped down from the trees.

The group scattered as whatever it was scuffed against the ground and ran into a nearby tree. Once everyone was up they turned to what had attacked them. It looked like some kind of mountain lion. If a mountain lion had a tail of a scorpion and wings under it's arms that is.

The creature shook itself after its less than graceful ambush attempt and turned to the four of them with a deep growl and gave a lion-like roar at them. Morty picked up his gun and pointed it at the beast as did the rest of them.

"Think that tastes like turkey?"

"Don't know. At the very least it'll taste like chicken." Jeb replied.

Clive and Sam also got their rifles ready and aimed onto the beast as it growled at them and readied itself to pounce at them while its tail flexed up into a striking position. Certainly the weirdest turkey he's ever seen, Jeb thought as the beast roared and pounced at them with its tail making to strike the closest one among them.