Mon awakes with a slight yawn, attempting to lean up just to notice Echo’s arms around her. Slowly removing them Mon creeps over Echo and slinks to the ground. She stands with a stretch, only noticing the blue flicker in the corner as she does.

“You’ve got to teach me that,” Mon says as she looks at Fey. “Imagine how bad I could scare people…”

“You’ll learn in time.” She says as she leans back into the chair. “Are all of you packed?”

“Yep,” Mon announces, still in a whispered tone. “Why are you back? I thought you weren’t going to be able to see us off?”

“I needed to pick up Grunt, he’s assigned to the same job but he wanted to spend some time with Trace,” Fey explains. “I owed him a favor so I took care of the first target alone. Figured I’d at least wish you luck.”

“You think we need luck?” Mon says with a grin. “Clearly you underestimate us, despite nearly dying of boredom more than a few times we’ve done nothing but improve. Mostly at stabbing things, oh and cooking…Kiln taught Deidra to make sushi.”

“The fact you didn’t immediately tackle me is a testament to that…the improvement not the sushi,” Fey agrees. “A few months here and you’ve gained more self-control than ever before. Honestly never thought I’d see the day.”

“Yep, definitely didn’t have to learn to choose a better time to do it because everyone learned to predict it,” Mon explains with a sinister grin. “Totally the self-control.”

Fey shakes her head as she stands up, looking around the room as she does.

“Well, some things don’t change. But I can tell you have nonetheless,” She says as she looks at the other sleeping members, her eyes staying on Echo a tad longer than the rest. “Seems like a team has done you some good, in more than a few ways.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting it to be this nice to have…well…actual friends. As fun as regals were they didn’t seem to like me,” Mon thinks with a shrug. “Maybe I hugged too hard.”

“I’ve got a couple scars that could attest to that, always hated that you got the claws first.” Fey says, motioning to the web of scars along her forearms.

“I know, I know, you never fail to remind me,” Mon huffs. “Why are you actually here though? Planning on telling everyone good luck or just making sure I really did pack?”

Fey hugs Mon suddenly, the smaller girl being surprised at first but quickly hugging back.

“I’m just worried,” She admits as she pulls away. “This is the first time you’ll really be on your own, there’s no way for me to save you if things go wrong.”

“I’ll be fine, I’ve got everyone else to look out for me and it’s not like we’re hunting some big monster. We can just avoid anything we can’t kill,” Mon explains. “I doubt much could escape Navi, Trace, and my notice.”

“You’d be surprised,” Fey says with a sigh. “Many of my betters have gone missing while going into the Crevice, and if you didn’t come back…Look, just don’t take risks. If you feel like something bad is going to happen or don’t like the way things are going, you don’t have to do it. Just come back and you wait for me.”

“I said I’ll be fine,” Mon insists, rolling her eyes slightly. “You should really have mo-“

“Just promise me you’ll make it.” Fey commands, cutting her off.

Mon looks into Fey’s pleading eyes, the vulnerability not something she sees often. After a moment she nods, if a little hesitantly. Fey sighs as she walks towards the door.

“Do you need anything before I leave?” She asks, stopping with the door slightly ajar.

Mon shakes her head, her mind racing too much to think of anything.

“Good,” Fey says. “Remember, your survival above all.”

The door closes, leaving Mon to ponder those words. For a few moments, she stands there in silence before shift from the bunks alerts her.

“I suggest you do as she requests.” A recently awoken Deidra advises.

“I don’t know; it just seems…wrong.” Mon says with a shake of her head, not surprised at her sudden word.

“When you’re dead, you don’t know you’re dead. Your pain is felt by others.” Deidra says as she turns over. “Remember that at least.”

Mon mulls that over for a while, long enough for Deidra to have returned to sleep. Eventually she just shrugs, climbing back into Echo’s bunk.

“That’s a problem for future Mon.” She says as she settles in.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimson’s eyes shoot open as he feels himself being shaken. Quickly calming himself once he sees Deidra’s arm is the culprit.

“Hey, almost a week without me falling out of bed.” He says as he leans out.

“You fell out three days ago,” Deidra corrects as she moves to awaken Mon and Echo. “I’m not sure that is “almost”.

“Meh, that’s an opinion.” He says as he climbs down, looking up at the now shining chandelier.

He quickly begins gathering his already packed equipment, confirming his bags integrity as well as double checking he wasn’t missing anything. For a moment, memories of family hunting trips swell up before he quickly crushes them. Standing up he turns to see the rest of the team ready and waiting, Mon even standing on her own rather than still sleeping on Deidra’s back.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Impressive.” He says to her as he opens the door.

“I’ll still cut you.” She says through a yawn, walking out of the door being followed by Echo.

Deidra quickly follows them, her pack significantly bigger than the rest of theirs. As Crimson turns to close the door he looks into the room for a moment but quickly closes it. He begins walking towards the door out of Stena, avoiding a team on the way as he sees his own waiting for him at the door. They all exit it together and peer into the morning sky, its glow somewhat calming their nerves. Eventually they make it to the gate and spot Navi leaning against the gate and Trace talking to a man on a wagon.

“-the trail for about a day, you should see it then. They’ll welcome you, I guarantee it.” He says, Crimson only catching the back end of the conversation.

“Ah, good morning,” He says as they approach. “Are you all prepared?”

“Yeah, what was that about?” Crimson asks, the caravan not having left any cargo like many of the others he’d seen.

“They were refugees of a sort,” He says. “I was merely directing them to a village in need of new people.”

“Didn’t think Stena bothered with that.” Crimson admits.

“Stena and the villages that surround it are in a…symbiotic relationship,” He says after some thought. “Best to help them whenever possible.”

“Well, that’s rather kind.” Deidra remarks. “I hadn’t expected.”

“It’s calculated,” He says with a wave of his hand. “Let’s go, I’d like to make it past the outer villages before nightfall.”

A chorus of nods followed as they fell in line, the silent march not changing until Stena HQ was well out of sight. Most of the walk consisted of simple talking, Navi and Trace discussing the path they were to take or Deidra trying to get Crimson to stop messing with his new mask. Mon and Echo were trailing the back, all of them having paired into twos.

“Can I ask a question?” Echo says to Mon, her vibrations not reaching anyone else.

Mon looked at her, despite her apparent grogginess she nods.

“What did you do to sleep when Fey wasn’t around?” She asks, choosing her words carefully.

“Oh, I usually just hunted,” Mon admits, yawning slightly. “That helps.”

“So you just needed to get tired out?” Echo says.

“Fey said it was my release,” Mon says, thinking about it for a moment. “Said it was normal.”

“Do you still think it’s normal?” Echo questions.

“For me, yes,” Mon answers assuredly. “But I’m not exactly normal am I.”

Echo giggles silently at her honest response. “Not at all.”

They remain silent for a moment, until Mon speaks up again. “She never said what caused it, but-“

“Eyes up!” Trace yells as he draws his weapon.

In an instant they’re all waiting for a fight, yet have no idea what they’re fighting. An anxiety filled moment later, a bush stands and walks over towards them.

“State your business.” He says, his foliage suit jiggling lightly.

“Simply moving past, we won’t be bothering you.” Navi says, stepping up to him.

The man in the bush looks them over, eyes each of their necks before nodding and moving aside.

“Thank you.” Navi said as she continues moving.

They all move past quickly, the appearance of the man surprising them. As it grows dark they eventually see a structure flowing with light. Crimson quickly recognizes it as village walls as they close in. An open gate late they are walking through crowed streets, most people eyeing them for a moment before moving along. Crimson immediately takes in the view, the tall wooden walls, stone buildings, and clearly trained citizens letting him know this place has been well established.

“Who was that?” Mon asks after a bit.

“One of the villagers from this place, probably sent to watch the road.” Trace explains.

“For bandits?” Deidra questions.

“Those, and us as well…most likely. Our presence isn’t always a comfort,” He admits. “For obvious reasons.”

Deidra nods her question answered. Crimson eventually bumps her side to get her attention.

“This more what you’re used to?” He asks, looking around at some of the taller buildings.

“Not exactly, but it definitely brings back some memories.” She says as she dodges a group of children running past.

“You and me both.” He says, watching the approaching exit gate looming closer.

As quickly as they came they were walking out of the walls of the village, the atmosphere changing from a community to the cold darkness of the forest.

“The last vestige of civilization that isn’t liable to try and kill us.” Echo says in a slightly depressed mood as they continue walking.

“I know!” Mon says as she jumps in excitement. “This is going to be awesome...I’m hungry.”

Crimson spots Trace shaking his head from the front of the formation, Navi however sports a slight smile.

“We will stop soon enough, its best we get a few miles from the village first.” She says.

Eventually they find an outcropping of trees closer to the road than the rest of the surrounding forest. Opting to stay there they begin to set up camp, Crimson goes to volunteer for first watch but is shot down by Trace already climbing up one of the taller trees.

“He never sleeps well during the first few days,” Navi says as she sits down. “He’ll loosen up.”

Crimson nods and begins setting up his own sleeping space, choosing a spot near a downed tree. Eventually he smells the tantalizing smell of cooking meat and looks to see Deidra cooking, Navi seemingly helping.

“If you do that it shouldn’t produce as much smoke,” She says, sitting back down. “Makes cooking safer.”

Deidra nods, quickly putting Navi’s advice into practice. Crimson takes a seat next to her, waiting on the food. He notices Mon laying on one of the trees, staring down at Echo who’s currently working on a blueprint.

“Come on, food is almost ready you two,” He calls, Mon landing next to him without a sound within a second of his call.

Echo waddles over, focusing more on her drawing than the food at least until the smell hits her nose. Deidra smiles at this and begins pouring bowls of the broth and handing them around. They all greedily slurp up the meal, Mon getting only seconds much to her dismay. Eventually Navi takes a second bowl, already filled by Deidra, and hands it to Crimson.

“Mind taking that up to my brother?” She asks. “Make sure not to spill.”

He nods, after grabbing his bow he begins walking towards the tree Trace was perched on. Slowly climbing it, due to the warm food in his hands, he manages to find Trace sitting on one of the branches.

“Here.” Crimson says as he hands the bowl to him, the tracker nodding in thanks.

Crimson attempts to step down onto another branch to go down but yelps in surprise as the branch snaps, for a split second he’s in freefall before a hand grabs his. Trace manages to pull him up just enough to allow Crimson to clamber onto the branch.

“That was close…thanks,” Crimson says as he feels his heart pounding. “I thought that branch could hold me.”

“Make sure you have multiple solid holds in the future,” Trace says, sipping his unspilled broth. “Accidents such as that are unpredictable.”

Crimson nods as he rests on the branch for a moment. After a few moments he goes to climb down against, but is stopped by a Trace.

“I need you for a moment first.” He says, pointing towards something in the distance. “Kindly shoot that creature.”

Crimson draws his bow and looks in the direction Trace was pointing. He quickly spots a small lizard staring back. Shrugging Crimson draws his bow and lets an arrow fly, the creature hitting the forest floor a moment later.

“Why exactly did you want it dead?” He asks.

“It will serve as bait for any larger creatures nearby,” Trace explains. “That and I wished to see how easily you could shoot a target from this distance. A seventy yard shot on a target of that size is rather impressive.”

“Thanks,” Crimson says as he begins climbing down. “I’ll take next shift whenever you’re ready.”

Trace nods, not looking back at Crimson.

Crimson makes his way down, making sure to always have an additional hold to avoid another incident. Eventually he makes it back to where they had eaten to see most of his team already asleep. Mon was sleeping precariously balanced on a tree limb, Deidra and Echo had set up their bags nearest to the firepit, and Navi was tucked into a ball against a tree with a blanked wrapped around her. Crimson moves away from the group and lays down in his own bag, putting his back to the downed tree he manages to drift off.