*Eight months after the events of the previous chapter*

*3/17/90*

A Shadow Mutt lay motionless on the forest floor, neck impaled by the yellow-bladed sword. Soon, all that remained of the creature was a pile of wolf-shaped bones and smoldering blue blood that burnt the grass around it.

An armored figure sheathed his sword before he pressed a button on the side of his helm. It folded back in the same fashion as a hood would.

Hunter, now nineteen years old, has grown tall and strong over the last eleven years. His bright blue eyes were gentle and confident. His white skin made his messy blond hair stand out in the morning light. He turned to look at his older sister Rose, now twenty-six. She walked toward him from behind. A red-bladed bearded axe named Emberforge hung over her shoulder.

Rose's lilac eyes were strong and belonged to someone who liked to make the most of life. Like Hunter, she was dressed in plate armor but not as much, mainly because she favored a balance between maneuverability and defence. Her boyish clothes were in full view in the areas not covered by armor, and her shoulder-length blond hair shone against the sun's light. To put it short, Rose was a tomboy and damn proud of it.

“You got the last one, Rose?”

“Yeah. I think we finally wiped out the Shadow Mutt pack from this area. Woodberry should be safe now.”

Hunter nodded. “Well, Mason and I already did a sweep of their den so that job is done. Let's regroup with the others.”

“So, where do you think the others are right now?”

“Right behind you,” a voice spoke.

Hunter and Rose spun around, weapons in hand. But instead of an enemy, it was their friends. Coraline, Brianna, Jade, Garrett, and Mason all pushed out of the thick forest underbrush.

Coraline, now fourteen years old, was the youngest of the group. Her hair is messy like Hunter's and jet black with a dash of red over her right eye. Her light leather armor protected much less than what Rose had, but that didn't bother her since her freerunning skills made her a difficult target. Around her waist was a belt containing many throwing knives. Some were tipped with little Stone fragments, while others had nothing special.

Brianna, who was twenty-three, had pink eyes hidden behind amber contacts. Her white hair was dyed black, and her albino skin was coated in makeup. She had to look normal when not at home. She had knee and elbow guards for armor. She didn't need much, given her role as a sniper. Her ammo belt had many different magazines colors to identify which Stone-based ammunition from which.

Jade, nineteen, was dressed in a big puffy skirt with a padded witch's blouse, leggings, and hat. Her brown hair was done in a ponytail with a cute witch keychain hung from the bottom. Around her waist was a belt holding different Stones, including vials full of Stone powder, all in different colors.

Next was Garret, who was twenty. He wore a pair of special glasses meant to protect his eyes from brightness thanks to a defect brought on at birth. His armor was much like Coraline's, only with a little more protection. His tan skin complemented his strong arms.

Finally, there was Mason, a nineteen-year-old 6'2 ginger giant. His armor was just like Hunter's, down to the same helmet function. His two-foot-long mace named Feldspar was held in his strong, beefy hand. Around his neck is a scar wrapping all the way around, a constant reminder of the fate he almost suffered five years ago.

These seven individuals and a few others scattered throughout the land comprise the last of a once-great warrior clan for hire, the Dead Rabbits.

Mason raised his free hand with a playful smile. “Hold on, guys, we mean you no harm. We come in peace.”

Garrett chuckled. “Be nice to them, Mason. The battle has just ended. They have the right to be a little jumpy.”

“Have you guys come across any more Mutts?” Hunter questioned.

“Nope. Not even one!” Coraline spoke with youthful pride and optimism.

Brianna pulled out her journal, which looked like a little girl designed it, and started jotting down notes. “We even searched their den before coming over here.”

She slammed her journal shut. “Has anyone ever noticed that we have never seen a baby Shadow Mutt? Or a matter of fact, a baby from any breed of Shadow Creature? I mean, where do they come from? With all my notes, I still don't know the-”

Rose grabbed Brianna by the back of her shirt, cutting her off mid-sentence. “Woah, slow down there, girl. How about we save the questions for later? We still need to pack up camp.”

Jade pointed her thumb at Mason with a blank look. “Mason practically shoved us out of the way and packed camp once his stomach started growling.”

Mason laughed while rubbing his hungry tummy. “Well, can you blame me? Killing a bunch of Shadows works up an appetite.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Jade crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose up away from Mason. “You are such a bottomless pit. If you're not thinking about blowing stuff up or cracking skulls, it's food.”

Coraline waved her hand dismally. “We'll. I don't blame him! We've been living on whatever we can scrape up for days.” She blushed when her stomach growled. She blushed even harder when Rose and Jade laughed.

“Hungry, aren't we?” Rose teased. She stopped laughing when her stomach growled.

Brianna had on a smug side smirk. “You were saying?”

“Shut it!”

Hunter rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe we should head back to Woodberry before we starve?”

Garrot held up a finger. “Speaking of which, who killed the least amount this time?”

Everyone looked at each other.

~o0o~

The group sat at a table the the diners window. Rose had her feet kicked up as she sipped a cup of coffee. “Nothing like a hot cup of joe after a long morning, huh?”

Mason sat across from Rose as he stirred his orange juice with an annoyed pout. He was the one to kill the least amount of Shadows, and thanks to their group's tradition, the bill was his. “I demand a recount.”

Brianna looked up from the book. “Stop pouting. You'll do better next time.”

Her eyes lit up like diamonds when she turned to the next page. “OH! Calcifer is about to free his master's heart from the evil Witch of the West! I can’t wait to see what happens in the next volume. Maybe Prince Charles will finally take up the throne and crown Calcifer as next in line. Oh! I can’t believe Calcifer didn’t spare the witch’s life. Gosh, I love it when stories avoid using overused redemption arc tropes!”

Coraline hid a giggle as she watched Garrett adjust his glasses. “It is kinda sad how you lost to a man with vision issues, Mason.”

Garrett directed his gaze at Coraline, his mouth a thin line. “Give Mason a break, Coraline. You and everyone else sitting at this table have lost to me at some point.”

Hunter nodded. “Garrett is right, Coraline. Now everyone stop poking fun at each other and enjoy the downtime. We have had next to none in recent weeks.”

A waitress came over with plates piled high with bacon, sausages, fried eggs, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and a strawberry milkshake for Coraline.

“Let's say grace,” Hunter said.

Everyone held each other's hands. “For the bounty of the Maidens, may we truly be grateful... Amen.”

Jade cringed at the animalistic way Mason ate his food. She looked over at Garrett and Hunter, who cleaned their plates like civilized people. She took a bite of her food, happy that Mason's eating habits hadn't rubbed off on anyone. However, that last thought was completely thrown out the window when she looked over at Coraline and Rose. They made Mason look like a well-mannered gentleman.

After breakfast was finished, Mason patted his full belly, a satisfied smile across his face. “That was some good food. I haven’t been this stuffed in a long time.”

“You should know, considering you ate half of the sausages alone,” Jade said, a little annoyed.

“First come, first serve.”

Hunter noticed Brianna was wholly focused on her book. A piece of toast hung out of her mouth, and there was still food on her plate. Almost completely untouched. “Brianna, why don't you take a break from the reading and finish eating before your food gets cold?”

Brianna's eyes sparkled as her mouth widened into a great big smile. “Yeah. Sure thing, Rose. Whatever you say…”

“Leave her be, Hunter,” Jade continued. “She’s just unwinding like the rest of us.”

Mason slammed his fist onto the table. “It's about damn time! Maidens know we are all sick and tired of sleeping in hotels, inns, or on the forest floor. I could sleep till ten.”

“Forget ten. Try noon,” Jade said.

“We can even camp out together in the living room!” Coraline said as she shot her arms into the air.

Rose looked at Coraline in disbelief. “We just spent the last few weeks camping! Aren't you sick of it yet?”

“Nope,” Coraline responded with a popping p.

The leader of a small mercenary band walked by. “Oh, would you look who's here, my dear old friends, the Sad Rabbits with their pet witch and blind freak,” the mercenary group leader, Kevin, said with a cruel smile. He, like the others, was dressed in standard military field gear.

Garrett looked down at the table with self-conscious shame in his eyes.

“Don't listen to that big jerk, Garrett,” Jade said. “You are just as normal as the rest of us.”

“What do you want, Kevin...?” Mason sneered.

“Oh, just seeing what my best friends are up to,” Kevin’s voice oozed bitter sarcasm. “I haven't seen you guys in a while. Thought you might have finally met your match.”

Rose’s gaze practically cut straight through Kevin’s armor. “Why don't you and your group of dumb meatheads piss off before we beat you up again.”

Hunter smiled nervously. “Now, let's keep calm, everyone. We don't want another fight to break out like last time. Remember how much it cost to repair that lighthouse?”

“You got cotton in your ears?” Jade snapped. “Get lost!”

Kevin eventually backed off. “Let's get out of here, guys. These punks aren't worth our time.”

Coraline sneered angrily as Kevin walked away. She hated that scavenger on the battlefield. She picked up a tuna melt from a nearby table and threw it at Kevin.

“What the...? Who threw that?” He glanced around as people laughed.

“I did! Now, apologize to Garret,” Coraline demanded.

Kevin approached Coraline with a threatening finger pointed at her. “What did you say to me?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back off, Kevin,” Hunter said as he got in between the two. “I suggest you keep moving.”

Kevin gazed past Hunter to see Mason and Rose cracking their knuckles. He walked away again. “Know your place, Sad Rabbits.”

An entire tray of food was thrown at Kevin, covering him in someone's breakfast.

Mason chuckled as he balanced three full food trays. “Oops.”

“That's it!” Kevin shouted.

“Oh, yeah!” Mason hurled the trays at Kevin, knocking him to the ground.

One of Kevin's men charged forward only to be knocked out by a single punch from Hunter.

Rose had a mercenary in a necklock. “Say, uncle! Say it.”

“Uncle! UNCLE!!”

Garrett pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh, not again.”

He dodged a mercenary's strike before he slammed his staff, Gravitas Glaive into the attacker's midsection. Garrett stood over the hurting man as Kevin sneaked up from behind. A serving tray surrounded by a purple aura came flying and slammed hard into Kevin’s face, knocking him unconscious.

Jade’s hands glow with the purple aura as she used her gravity manipulation magic to levitate another serving tray. “Got your back, Garrett!”

“Thank you, Jade.”

Brianna still sat at the table, reading her book. All kinds of items flew over her head as she neared the big climax of the story. However, a bowl of tomato soup crashed into the pages, drowning the words in the thick red liquid.

“That was my favorite book, you jerks!” She shouted as she threw a plate like a frisbee, hitting a mercenary square in the jaw with it.

Mason jumped off a table, crushing two of Kevin's men underneath his massive form.

Coraline used a steel tray to slide across the next two tables. She then jumped forward, using the same tray to shield herself from the various items thrown at her. Her landing was cushioned by the mercenary she landed on. She curiously looked down at him. “You, okay?”

Mason grabbed a mercenary by the collar and flung him across the nearest table, sending him flying into various hot foods.

Rose kicked open the diner’s front door. “Let’s get out of here!”

Hunter and the others jump into their wagon. At the same time, the mercenaries and some not-so-happy bystanders caught in the crossfire threw food and multiple items at the wagon.

“Hey! I just got this thing painted!” Mason shouted.

“Worry about the paint later and get us out of here!” Rose yelled.

It was time to head home. Next stop Castell Henllys.