“Piia, not to be rude, but what’s going on right now?” I ask, stupefied.

“I am blessing this soiled land with Mother’s light, to ward against evil and allow renewed growth.” She states with the irritation an adult gets from answering silly children’s questions all day. She then turns and sets off towards the treeline, maintaining her religious dance along the way.

I look over my shoulder to see Cane munching the contents of an overturned barrel. Red fruit, with skins like tomatoes but shaped like crossed bananas, are mixed with bunches of soft blue roots. Kilos are rapidly decimated by the hippos' immense jaws.

“Cane, let's go.” He immediately turns with fluttering ears and chases after me. We follow Piias' path out of the camp. As we walk I use Cane’s immense frame to support my weak legs, quite a genius name choice I decide.

Hitting the treeline, Piia dips into a thick bush of ferns, her furry arm appears from the top and begins vigorously waving for us to follow. I increase the tempo of my shuffle like a panicked penguin until she yanks me down into cover.

“Ow, I just fought a deranged raptor you know.”

“Quiet you stupid hairless being, and hide your Daemon.” She points back to the clearing we had just escaped.

Following her intense gaze, I see a pack of dark shapes hugging the shadows on the opposite. Cane’s giant shiny rump stuck out in the open as he watches us bicker.

“Hide Cane.” The hippo, with surprising grace, slips into the ferns and lays low, disappearing amongst the foliage effectively. I knew he was smart.

Watching the shadows and the hidden threat surveying the camp, unsure if they spotted our retreat into the trees, we remain frozen like statues.

“Who or what do you reckon it is? More Daemons?” I whisper. Stealth is our only salvation right now against so many numbers. I haven’t the heart for another fight or the strength for a hasty retreat.

“They are far, so I can not be certain, but I believe they are creatures of Silva. They will have smelt the dead.” She contemplates our next move, while vigilantly watching the camp.

“We should put many trees between ourselves and this place, stay low.” Piia begins a slow crawl between the thick ferns, venturing deeper into Silva.

“Copy us Cane.” I tell my hippo, hoping he understands the danger, then I follow after Piia.

We continue through the underbrush, adding more dirt and mud to our festering outer layers. The going is slow and impossible with one arm, succumbing to fear of the shadowy threats, I begin using my right arm as well. Painful throbbing pulses start in my hand and forearm, the numbing bark is strong for an organic provision, however it’s no opioid.

Finally Piia crouches in place and checks our progress.

Looking back as well, a sea of ferns flows with the breeze all around us. Trees are spread sparsely, allowing rays of sunshine to puncture gaps in the canopy above, the golden light mixes with Mother's green aura creating a dazzling spectacle. Cane's bulbous body has flattened a snaking trench, separating the fern ocean like a hippo Moses.

“Can we rest for a moment? Crawling isn’t easy with an injured arm.” I say with sweat trickling into my eyes, the throbbing pain is threatening a serious headache. I turn to face Piia, she’s glaring at Cane with a piercing scowl.

“Your Daemon has created a clear path for any of its masters to follow.” Piia sneers at me.

“He was a pack animal, hauling their belongings by pulling carts. He isn’t a Daemon, look at the scars Piia.” Her hypocritical prejudice reeks of the divide between the races.

“We don’t know enough about Daemons to trust anything found in their camp, it could be spying on us.” She snaps back with anger.

“You sound just like the humans you loathe, they mistrust the unknown with similar discrimination.” Her eyes flair with rage.

“How dare you compare me to humans, they have taken my family, my home. Why do you think I ventured so far from the tribe? They took my little sister, snatched her in the night like evil spirits.” Piia’s fury lashes out at me, her eyes run with tears of despair.

“I'm so sorry Piia, truly. I won’t pretend to understand what you have lived through. But you can’t let the world change you into one of them. Cane has no affiliation to the Daemon’s, he was just a slave.” The last word falters Piia, she glances past me to Cane.

“I am human as well, don’t you trust me?” I say. Her eyes break away from Canes at my question, her wrath washes away to reveal a tired, sad Satyr.

“Forgive me Seth, you are right. I do trust you, and your judgement.”

“We are both tired from the last few days. We will find your people and have some decent rest soon.”

Piia stands and walks over to Cane, she rubs across his head and feels over his scarred back.

“I apologise for my poor treatment of you Cane, you deserve a kinder travelling companion.” Cane flutters his little ears and rubs against the Satyr's leg, she smiles down at him in response.

“Now, not to insult you further, but you are rather large and stick out like a Guardian’s stripe.” She then moves to the nearest tree trunk and expertly peels away layers of moss. Placing them on Canes' back like a shroud, the large hippo becomes an ancient boulder.

“Guile can be more effective than a sharp sword or arrow.” She states admiring her craft.

“No doubt, would that moss stick to my poncho?” Piia grabs another handful, applying it evenly over my shoulders and back. She rubs the rich emerald moss deep into the Guardian bear hairs, till sticks tight.

“We may have to keep reapplying, but you will blend like a Rubus.” The rich smell of plant matter helps to smother the perfume of homelessness and metallic blood I waft.

“What is a Rubus?”

“They are large beasts with deadly spiky bushes growing from their hides. I will point one out as they can hide like an Esca.”

“Great, another danger to add to the list. No wonder Silva doesn’t see many travellers.”

“Rubus are gentle creatures, they eat bark and small saplings. My father told of a Voice from his childhood that had a Rubus as a pet. He said it had a peaceful soul that only wanted to eat, sleep and muk.” Piia laughs at the tale and surveys the now camouflaged party.

“I think we are ready to cower in the shadows from any passerby.” I say, she giggles in answer.

“Yes, let us see if you stick to that plan, that means no more fighting deadly Verox.” Verox was the name of the raptor species I fought, just as the runes claimed when I looted its corpse.

“That bloody dinosaur was manic like the Guardian we saw. I swear to Mother I hadn’t provoked the attack.” I thought back to the burning crimson eyes.

She slaps my forearm lightly, instigating a harsh pain.

“Ow, I’m as delicate as a flower right now, stop hitting me.”

“Don’t swear to Mother, even if you speak the truth.” That twinkle of mischief flashes in her grin, she has a sadistic humour. I reluctantly smile back, I suppose it’s her faith and not mine.

“Verox mainly hunt Elk and Rubus. This attack sounds unusual. While we are resting you can tell me of this battle with the raptor.” Piia’s ears wiggle with curiosity. I don’t want to think about the event, it reminds me how close I came to death.

The trauma is still fresh, but Piia could decipher the beast's actions into useful information. Anything might help with future encounters and why Mother’s creatures keep attacking us.

“It was feeding on an imp inside one of those big barrack tents, I may have started it by kicking a bag of metal objects. It attacked without hesitation, going straight for the kill.”

“Protecting food aggressively sounds like normal behaviour, but there was only one?” I nod a yes.

“Verox are always in packs. They are a tight coordinated family that moves everywhere together. Even the young follow on hunts. Was it wounded from the battle?” I recall blood dripping from claws and teeth, the smoking splatters that painted its tail.

“It had burning crimson eyes and specks of blood on its body that trailed red smoke. The Guardian had that exact eye colour and strange blood markings.” Piia shakes her head in disgust.

“It must be Daemon magic. The enraged fury was cast upon them, bringing chaos and wrath.” Daemon magic. Is the power I wield to ignite my blade Daemon magic? I had to use my blood to activate the spell, cutting my flesh, and weakening myself to bring about the ability.

Sounds chaotic. I will mention it to Piia another time perhaps. I have only just convinced her that Cane isn’t an evil Daemonic agent. What would she think of me?

“That reminds me Seth, I found this in the camp.” Out of her satchel, she produces a slim pink-grey book and holds it before me, the shiny leather cover matches the bulbous shape just behind her.

I look over to Cane, he’s watching us with dozy eyes, his skin the same shade and texture. Poor animals, they pull the Daemon's burdens and are harvested for leather as well.

“I needed evidence as proof of the Daemon’s military presence and ability, I can not read the pages. But you might.” She passes me the book. The 15th Lux emblem is stamped across the cover in ebony ink.

“Why would I be able to read Dae-” I open the page and answer my own question. Lacquered inked runes and glyphs cover the dry yellow pages. My mind translates the runes into English, other pages contain diagrams of hand movements and positions.

“I knew it, I knew you were a Daemon spy.” Glancing from the book, I see she’s wearing a cheeky grin.

“What gave me away? Was it my four eyes or my Daemonic lover?” I gesture to Cane, who’s softly sleeping in the ferns now.

Piia snorts a laugh. “I would not joke about cattle sharing your bed Seth, Shepherds already have a reputation.” She continues to giggle at the joke. “Now, spill the berries, what is it?” I continue to flick through the pages, hoping to confirm what I suspect.

Finally several large diagrams fill a two-page spread. The illustrations are all hand drawn and noted, creating this book must have been expensive and time consuming. Holding the book open, I show Piia the evidence she needs.

“It’s a military recruits field guide or instruction manual. These diagrams show tactical formations they would use in a battle.”- turning the pages - “Here, basics in swordplay, common battlefield commands, constructing a castra.” Piia looks delighted.

“Do you think it will convince them? To leave this region of Silva?” Her concerns were obvious.

“They will have to, I just hope my presence aids your argument instead of hindering it.”

“Once Mother’s Voice understands you are the Shepherd he foretold, he will have confidence in your words, the tribe will follow suit.” Piia reaches out to my swelling arm, feeling the warm skin and inspecting the bark wrap.

“The bark has been disturbed and broken from the crawling, we should replace it tonight. It will cause you much pain.” She says with a grimace.

Sounds fairly standard for this world, I think to myself.

“I will store the instruction manual in my inventory to keep it safe and dry.” I say while continuing to scan through each page.

“Good idea. The sun is waning, we should seek shelter.” Piia says.

“Agreed, decent sleep and more food as well.” I feel depressed knowing I’ll be sleeping in my own filthy skin and clothes again. I knew that promise I made to myself just hours ago to clean was unrealistic.

No wonder everyone smelt like faeces in the past, you never appreciate the convenience of modern appliances until you're stuck in a fantasy forest of horrors.

Before I close the book, a chapter title sticks out at me.

‘Basics of Chaotic Will’.