In less than one hour the camp is built and the bonfire lit, as the moon replaces the sun you and the others gather around the fire to dine. Mashed potatoes, bread and jerked beef, it's not the most flavourful meal ever but for someone like you that forgot to have lunch it is good enough, further more it reminds you of the time you used go hunting, the improvised food, the open sky and the excitement of the next day's hunt, these are some of the good memories that make you miss hunting... Except of course, for the rainy days, those could continue on the past.
Whilst everyone eats, Diana asks you:
- Orion, do you think the tracks from today will lead us to the beast?
- Maybe, if we keep following them it's quite possible we'll find its hideout...
She briefly pauses for a bit, thinking. Then, speaking to all, proceeds:
- Ok, listen. Tomorrow as soon as the sun rises we'll resume following the tracks, with a little bit of luck they're going take us to where the beast has been hiding, there we'll set up a trap and kill it. If everything goes right this is going to be the end and we'll be able to go home. Everyone ok with the plan?
- Count me in.
Erwing answers with great certainty as if he eagerly wishes to return to his home.
- Nonsense lass... (Brutus protests in a distasteful tone).
- Do you really think it's gong to be that simple?!.... Amateur.
He makes a brief pause.
- We're talking about a beast capable of bending iron gates as if they're made of paper, the only place you're going is to the nine hells if you follow that plan.
- Is that so?! If you think my plan is so bad then you should, at the very least, have a better one. (Diana gets up furiously).
Brutus grabs his axe and spikes it to the ground and then gets up staring at Diana temperless. Erwin fearing the worst says:
- Yep. This is going to be bad...
You and Erwin get up to stand between the two but they immediately push you back. Coming closer to Diana, Brutus proceeds:
- I do.
- Then say it!
- I will if you stop interrupting me so much!
Diana crosses her arms without saying anything but still stares Brutus deep in the eyes angerly, he then speaks:
- We head towards the village right now, we warn the villagers about the beast and tell them to flee leaving the village for us to use as an ambush, we wait for the beast to attack and kill it.
- And what about the villagers, what if the beast goes after them?
- It won't, It will be too distracted by us to even notice the absence of the villagers.
- I won't put in risk the lives of civilians unnecessarily.
She continues:
- I'm the one in charge of this campaign and we'll follow my point, period.
Brutus closes his fist but before he can do anything two shots are fired to the skies attracting everybody's attention, Erwin lowers his gun presenting a naïve smile on his face but suddenly, the loud scream of an animal echoes from a few meters away from the campsite, Diana draws her weapon and tensely turns her attention to the direction from which the scream came whilst Brutus grabs his axe and you grab your bow.
With all armed, you four carefully begin walking towards the source of the scream, besides the singing of cicadas and the sound of your footsteps the silence is morbid, without warning Erwin stops causing the others and you to stop as well, he reaches for something on the ground and laughing lifts a dead rabbit with two holes on its body from where blood is running, he then jokes:
- Haha, oops.
- You idiot! You just gave away our location to the beast.
Brutus shouts angrily at Erwin, resting his axe on his shoulder and turning to Diana in heavy steps, he then says:
- You want to follow your suicidal plan? Fine! But I'm out of this circus.
He walks towards the camp to take his things and leave. At this moment Diana looks at you and Erwin and says:
- Come, we need to move the camp to somewhere safer.
After a short walk you three decide to set camp in between a small lake and a hill that overlooks the original location at a distance, to avoid any surprises you organise a patrol system where whilst two sleep, one stays up patrolling the surroundings and, after each hour changes who's the watcher making it possible for everyone to get some rest. Erwin volunteers to be the first.
Upon lying down, your body finally becomes aware of all the effort you went through today, as slow as the day has been the countless hours of walking without getting anywhere and the ever continuous tension of being prepared to fight at any moment wore you down, maybe it's because you're out of shape or maybe the life as a farmer has spoiled you, whichever it is, all your mind and body care about now is to sleep.
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