Cattleya felt light taps on her cheek. She slowly opens her eyes and the first thing she saw was the iconic flame like hair.

Riv smiled wide, delighted, "Hey guys, she's awake! How are you feeling, Cat?"

Cattleya took some time to visualize the situation. Currently, she's using Riv's soft lap as her headrest and she's laying beside Hugh who has bandages all over his chest. Must be a serious slash. She tries to get up but she felt pain all over her body, and especially her back, "Owww! Not good I guess", she leaned back to the comfortable lap of the taller girl. Considering she's laying on the ground but her back feels covered, she thought someone must have patched her up. She hoped it was Riv and not any of the guys.

Looking over to the far right, she saw Kee and Luis skinning the saberfang. Of course, the skin will fetch a high price, she wonders if the glow will stay even when the tiger is dead. They are probably also going to loot all they can, claws, fangs, and what not.

Now that she thinks about it, books don't really describe them well. There's missing points here and there. Maybe not many has encountered the saberfang, but still. They could have saved more time and resource if there were more info about the monster.

"I'm so glad you're alright, you looked so cool back then!", Riv said softly.

Cattleya chuckles, "You're cooler than me, Riv, what do you mean?"

Riv smiled in response, "Yes, yes. Oh, Kee and Luis are looting the saberfang. We should get out of here quickly now that we have what's needed to pass the test. Hugh's injury is pretty serious, it's best to get back to town and have a doctor tend to him. Luis has been such a great help too, he knows quite a handful about medical stuff."

"That's great, I'm also glad no one lost their life. Monsters are dangerous. To think it was also 5 against 1", Cattleya looked at Hugh and sighed.

"Well more like 4 against 1 but Luis didn't have much choice when his sword is with Kee, and is lodged in the saberfang's body most of the time", Riv added.

"But it was fun though, I'd do that again. I wish I didn't black out from the impact, I wanted to see the finishing blow Riv was so excited telling me about", Hugh starts laughing.

Cattleya blushed slightly, "Riv!"

Giggling along with Hugh, Riv smiled, "What? It was really cool!"

While they were chatting and it seemed peaceful, suddenly there was a loud roar. One that is similar to the saberfangs that they just fought, but this one is louder, and sounds more menacing. Even the tree leaves were rustling towards them.

Riv quickly carries Cattleya on her back, piggybacking, "Luis! Kee! Sounds like we got company! We got to move, and fast!"

"What about me? I can't move!", Hugh panics.

Kee and Luis runs back to the group, with Kee having the skin and a pouch of loot strapped to his back. They both lifted Hugh in a weird way, with Kee carrying the legs and Luis carrying the body. It looks like a bridal carry, just that there's two person lifting the other.

Kee and Luis looks at each other, Luis giggled, "I'm surprised we are thinking of the same thing. Let's go!", and all of them ran with all their might towards the exit. Something might be following them, but they got out successfully.

--

"Whew! That was a good run", Riv is panting quite heavily and she turns her head to look back at Cattleya, lowering her slowly.

Cattleya bows slightly, smiling wide, "Thank you for carrying me, Riv."

Kee and Luis went to the group of soldiers and handed them Hugh who needs to be transported back to the town for urgent medical care. Riv and Cattleya grouped up and the four of them went to where the commander and a few soldiers were sitting. They are sitting behind a wooden table in front of the carriage.

Kee took out the saberfang hide and fang and placed it on the table. The soldiers seems pretty shocked. They listed the squad member's names and announced that all of them had passed. Though for starters it's uncommon for them to be able to take down a saberfang tiger. Most beginners or recruits are only able to kill humanoid monsters like an orc, beastkin, etc. They didn't ask further questions and they are allowed to go back to the town, though they have to regroup back here tomorrow morning when the collective results are announced.

Iris picked up the fang on the table and examined it, "Hmm... lucky you guys didn't meet a fully grown saberfang. Judging by the size of this fang, you guys fought with a junior. It can grow to twice this size when it hits its prime time."

The four of them jaw-dropped. As if that wasn't bad enough. Fighting a fully grown saberfang would mean instant death for all of them. They are now considering how lucky they are.

Smiling, Iris puts down the fang, "Good job, though. You guys can go now, I bet you would want to tell this wonderful news to your friends and family. Oh, and please return the weapons you took, just drop them on the patch of grass there, close to the big sack."

Kee, Luis and Riv smiled wide, excited. Who doesn't want to brag about killing a saberfang tiger? Cattleya remained quiet.

"Alright, guys. I am very thankful to all of you. I'll go back now, let's meet up here again tomorrow!", Luis patted Kee on the back and bows to Riv and Cattleya before dashing happily towards the town.

Riv and Kee eyed each other and started to walk towards the town as well. Then they look back to see that Cattleya isn't moving. Raising one of her eyebrows up, Riv calls out to her, "Cat! Not going back?"

"You guys go ahead, I'll stay here a bit longer, I'm still kind of tired...", Cattleya said with a weak smile.

Looking a little unconvinced, Riv smiled back and continues to walk with Kee to town.

Cattleya sat herself on a tree stump, gazing up to the sky. 'Wonder if they will be proud of me up there. Mom, dad, if you are watching over me, are you proud of your only daughter?', Then she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"Why are you not going back to the town?", Iris sat herself beside Cattleya, lightly squeezing into the stump since it barely fits for the both of them.

Cattleya looks at the purple haired beauty, she now has her hair tied up in a ponytail, her perfectly chiseled jawline standing out. Cattleya quickly directed her sight back at the sky before she got caught admiring Iris' features, "I don't really have anyone to share the news with, plus the scenery here is nice."

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Iris stays quiet for some time before replying, "Yes, the scenery is nice indeed. Then do you want to tell me about it?"

Blinking a few times in disbelief, Cattleya looks at the commander, which she earned a soft smile from, "Sure...", and she told her how the squad fought against the saberfang.

.... and that's all", Cattleya smiled.

"That's good. I'm glad you all devised a proper plan instead of going in blindly. It could've ended really bad. You must be really fast too, running at the same speed of a junior saberfang? Not everyone can do that, it'll sound crazy to some people", Iris chuckled.

"W-well, I wanted to be useful to the squad... I can't carry a normal sword with one hand like everybody else, I felt useless...," Cattleya blushed.

Iris' hand went to pat the smaller girl's head gently, "You did a great job, not everyone needs to be able to use a sword to do great things."

Cattleya leans closer to Iris, enjoying the calming gentle pat on her head, "Thanks..."

Iris leans closer to Cattleya, smiling, "Now don't be down anymore, recruit! Go back to town and get yourself a nice, warm dinner. You deserve it."

With that, the both of them stood up and Cattleya bows to the commander before taking her leave. Iris resumed her work, accepting and evaluating people that came out from the forest.

--

Cattleya opened the door to a small house at the very end of the town. This is her house. It looks just like any other house, except it feels emptier. She sighed as she walked in the main room and into her room, changing her shirt before throwing herself on the bed. Thoughts circling inside her head.

'It's been 10 years now, hasn't it? Time sure flies fast. I still remember how mom's cooking taste like, and how dad always takes me to the meadows or fields whenever I felt down... and little Caine. It's so unfair, he's very young... he would have been a really handsome man by now. How I miss them...', Cattleya sighed again.

I wonder how they would react to me going in the army and all that, passed with flying colors too! Took down a silver saberfang tiger!', a weak smile formed on her lips as she relaxed herself and falls asleep not long after.

...

The night got darker and just as it goes a bit past midnight, Cattleya woke up. She blinks a few times and groans, "Not this againnnnn, why can I never sleep like a normal person", she tossed and turned in bed but she can't go back to sleep. Now annoyed, she decided to go to the clearing where they are supposed to group up in the morning. Cattleya got up and grabbed a scarf, circling it around her neck, then walked out the door.

There were barely anyone on the streets at this time, there's only some patrol guards making sure the floor torches around intersections of the road are lighted up. It's not creepy nor dangerous, just empty. Cattleya reached the town gate and bowed to the guards before exiting the town. They gave her a small torch to carry along her way so it's not that dark.

Approaching the clearing, she could see several campfire lights. Upon reaching, not many of the soldier is still up, most of them are resting, sleeping on the grass or maybe cramped up in one of the two tents set up there. The soldiers that were awake pay no mind to her. Now that she's here, she no longer needs the torch since the camp is well lit. She dropped the torch and put out the fire by kicking enough dirt to it.

Cattleya wandered to the only table in the camp, where they dropped their loot. There are now more things on it, presumably the loots of other squads. A few goblin heads are stacked below the table, alongside with some beastkin's head, like pigs' or dogs', but the same size of human head, some being bigger than the norm. She noticed that her squad's loot is still on the table. It looks unique from the others.

"Recruit? What are you doing here so late?", A familiar voice reached Cattleya's ears and she turned to the voice. It was Iris. Still having her hair up, she is now in normal clothes, wearing only a loose wool shirt and long pants. Her sword is still strapped to the belt around her hip though.

Cattleya shrugged, "Nothing, thought I'd come earlier since I can't sleep anyways..."

Iris looked around before gesturing Cattleya to come towards her, "Come in my tent, you'll get cold outside", then she went in and holds the drape open for the recruit.

Not really given a chance, Cattleya followed Iris into the tent. It was a medium sized double wedge tent, inside it is a small bed with rope frame and straw mattress enough for one, a short-legged table with drinking utensils and two foldable stools, on the side of the bed is Iris' armor, hanged up nicely. On the other side of the wedge is a wooden chest, most likely filled with the commander's personal belongings.

Cattleya sits on the stool and watched Iris pour tea into two cups, which then she gave one to Cattleya and one for herself. She sat on the other stool, facing the lilac haired girl and sipped her tea, "Turn around and let me see your back."

"W-what for?", mewled Cattleya nervously.

Iris set her cup aside, "I saw there were a bit of bloodstain on the back of your shirt, I know you're injured from the saberfang fight. Did you change the bandage at all?"

Cattleya shook her head slowly, she had forgotten about that.

Iris stood and went to grab a roll of bandage from the wooden chest and sits back on the stool. She shifted closer to the nervous girl and looks at her in the eyes, "You wouldn't want to risk an infection, do you? Now come on, turn."

Cattleya puts down her cup and hesitantly turned around, her back to Iris. Then she slowly takes her shirt off. Feeling embarrassed, she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Iris removed the old bandage and looks at the wound, it has mostly healed, just a small part of it has not. Cattleya winced as her back came in contact with the cold air. Iris took a second to admire the shorter girl's back, she has porcelain, smooth skin. The wound only adds a unique appeal, like a drawing on a canvas. Iris traced her cold fingers on the side of the wound slowly, from the top to bottom, "How enticing..."

Cattleya's eyes widened at the touch and even though her body shivered in delight, she quickly got embarrassed, "U-uhm...", just as she was about to say something, Iris starts wrapping the wound.

"Hmm? What's wrong?", Iris grins.

"N-nothing...", Cattleya muttered.

After a while, Iris taps on Cattleya's shoulder, "There we go, nice and neat". She got up and puts away the dirty bandage as well as stashing the remaining unused roll back in the chest. Cattleya turned back and looks at Iris, "Thank you..."

Iris smiles, "You're welcome, thanks to you I do not need to worry about my hair getting tangled by the wind for two days, I should at least repay back this much."

Cattleya blushed, "You're too kind."

"I'm not, not even close", Iris laughed, "Anyways, I'm going to catch some sleep, do the honor of waking me up when the sun rises, alright? I know you probably won't sleep anymore for the rest of the night. But don't wander too far, monsters aren't the only one capable of hurting you, you know. You should be more careful when you're that attractive." Iris then climbed on her bed and relaxed herself.

Not knowing how to feel, Cattleya nodded and fidgets in her seat, "I'll stay here then. But there's not much to do..."

Iris, whose eyes are already closed, smirked, "The bed can only fit one person, you know. Unless you want to squeeze-"

"N-no! I didn't mean it like that!", Cattleya, flustered, got up from the stool. Iris laughed.

Feeling her cheeks getting hot from the tease, Cattleya heads out, "Anyways! I'm going to get some air."

"Hey recruit!", Iris called.

Cattleya paused, turning back to look at the now smiling Iris, "What is it?"

"There should be a short sword in the chest there, take it with you. Rule number one; Never go anywhere unarmed", Iris points to the wooden chest. Cattleya went back in and got the said sword, then heads back out. She glanced over her shoulders to see Iris had closed her eyes and curled herself in bed. Smiling, she said, "Sleep well, Commander Iris."