Ch 2.19: nning
<span style="font-weight:400">The group was cautious as they approached the wall of terrain that was hanging over the, no one breaking the silence of the forest. ina was more on edge than she should have been since Carline was there to keep “lookout” as it were, but knowing there were dozens of potential enemies behind them and an unknown amount in front was unnerving regardless.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think that’s the entrance to the cave,” Flora said, pointing towards an opening in the stone.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Carline, still nothing?” Tira asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nope, just us. Not even a squirrel.”
<span style="font-weight:400">ina looked at the space just in front of the cave entrance, frowning. There was a massive clearing, recently cut stumps of tree, torn up grass and dirt, even the remaining stones of arge firepit.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then where did they go…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They left,” Flora said, walking over to the abandoned camp. “And this campsite isn’t big enough to hold forty people.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What does that mean?” ina asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tira followed behind Flora, examining the fire pit. “There weren’t forty of them at first, I’d guess. They didn’t mind cutting down trees to make this site, so they certainly wouldn’t have minded cutting down more to make room for their friends. The only thing I can think of is they didn’t think that this space was safe to stay at anymore.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not safe?” ina turned towards the opening, staring into the darkness. This obviously wasn’t some small hole in the ground like where she’d first found the System. There was no telling how far down it went, or what could be inside of it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I would presume that they encountered some resistance in the dungeon,” Temmie said. “They are designed to be difficult to steal from of course, but considering they managed to remove the subcore and subsequently decided to leave, I do not think the difficulties they encountered were of the System.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wait,” ina said, heart pounding, “it’s not the Order, is it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Could be,” Tira said, frowning. “It sounded like we had more time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I do not think it is the Order. They would have little reason toe here once the subcore was removed. Rather, it is more likely to be terrestrial threats. Many of them gather near crystal deposits, and they would remain interested even after the core removal.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Terrestrial? Like from our?” ina asked. She’d been paying a little attention in astronomy at the least.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Correct.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, that shouldn’t be too bad,” Carline said, looking visibly relieved. “That’s the kind of things we’re usually doing on these missions anyway, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sometimes,” Tira said, taking a seat on a rock and looking in her bag. “I’ve fought a swamp troll before.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And I’ve seen a giant typus!” Flora said, giggling. “We didn’t fight it though.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“typuses aren’t real,” Tira said with a re. “Don’t lie; this is serious.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? No, I saw one, I swear!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, whatever. Point stands, this is very much in our wheelhouse if that’s the case. Carline, you sure there aren’t any people around here?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not a soul.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good. We’ll break here for dinner, and then go into the cave for some recon. Whatever scared these poachers off, we need to know about it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">ina wanted to speak up, but she wasn’t really sure what to say, so she held herself back. She was a little nervous about going into a dark cave that might be filled with monsters, sure, but there was more. She had imagined the trip being a little more rxed, not a beeline to an enemy camp, immediate course changed to a monster-filled dungeon. <i><span style="font-weight:400">I guess I thought it would be more like in the carriage…</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Their quick dinner was a light affair at least, inparison to the previous hour or so anyway. The food was pretty underwhelmingpared to the Endrin banquet hall, mostly dried meats, cheese, and bread that Tira had been responsible for bringing. Most of them were actually quite vorful, still having been prepared by the school kitchen, but they didn’t exactly make a full course meal.
<span style="font-weight:400">ina still wasn’t quite used to those full course meals yet anyway, so she managed to find herself enjoying the meal anyway. The four of them hadn’t actually been together like this for a meal before, it usually just being ina and Carline, or ina alone when Carline was busy. It was fun, almost like being a family. Carline was the sibling she’d never had, and Tira and Flora were the arguing parents who you could tell still loved each other despite their bickering.
<span style="font-weight:400">Probably.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Look, I’ve <i><span style="font-weight:400">seen</i><span style="font-weight:400"> a duck, and I’ve <i><span style="font-weight:400">seen </i><span style="font-weight:400">a beaver. I know what you’re describing, and it just doesn’t exist.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Flora pouted as stared at Tira, an expression that ina was pretty sure was somewhat exaggerated. “You just have no imagination.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We’re not talking about imagination though, we’re talking about reality. Next you’re going to be telling me itys eggs.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Actually, I’ve heard that—”
<span style="font-weight:400">ina burst out intoughter, drawing the attention and shushing of the rest of the group.
<span style="font-weight:400">“ina,” Carline said, looking around in a panic, “the poachers are still out here somewhere.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know, sorry, sorry.” ina wiped a tear from her eye, managing to quiet herself down. “I just imagined a duck-beaverying an egg, and it caught me off guard.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“See, she has imagination,” Flora said, giggling to herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tira rolled her eyes, doing her best to hide a smile, but not quite seeding. “Whatever, but you’re still wrong. But I will at least concede that I think you <i><span style="font-weight:400">believe</i><span style="font-weight:400"> you saw the mythical beaver-duck.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’ll see, we’ll find one together one day, mark my words!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure sure, and then I’ll get naked with you and streak to theke.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Tira was obviously joking, obviously taunting, but the glint in Flora’s eyes made it obvious she wasn’t in on the jest. “Really!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, sure, once we see the giant typus. Anyway.” Tira stood up, taking a drink from her canteen and putting it in her bag before pulling it back on her shoulder. “We should get going. Don’t want to be down there toote.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Everyone started to gather their things, ina picking Temmie up from the stump she’d sat her on. “Hmmm.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Temmie, did you say something?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know not of this typus, but Flora’s description is not unfamiliar to me. I am wondering whether or not it is a coincidence.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like, you’ve heard of them before?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, but the creatures I am thinking of are quitemon. Perhaps they have be endangered during my inactivity.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are they dangerous?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yes, very.”