Daily plan
Maddie threw her water bottle back to Matt as he caught it, and he put it back in her bag as they continued walking.
Maddie actually felt a tiny bit guilty that Matt was carrying almost all their bags while they were here, walking comfortably, but then again, she had to remind herself that he was half vampire, so he was fine, very fine.
"You know what, I am starting to get the hint that this entire journey will involve walking… lots, and lots of it" said Maddie.
"I mean yes" said Annie as she laughed, actually now that she thought about it, if this was the only thing that they would be doing, then this would become very boring, very quickly, this was just their second day on the mountain, and well, if they were going to have to spend three months here, just to reach the top, and another three months to come back down, then she just had to hope that they would find what they were looking for at the top of the mountain.
She really wished that this was not going to be a dead end, she needed to get her powers, and she hoped that this would be it, or else, she would just give up.
"So Curtis what's the plan?" asked Ollie as he walked to catch up to Curtis as he called out after him.
He knew that he had asked this question once before, but this time, he actually needed to know what the plan was, they could not just keep on aimlessly walking for days, and days on end, they had to think, they had to remember that magic was out of the equation, so how exactly were they going to survive with their limited food, and fresh water supply.
"What do you mean?" asked Curtis as he stopped walking and he turned to look at Ollie, he could tell that this Prince had no trust in him at all, he kept on questioning all his decisions, and he was asking him if he had a plan, which of course he did, he would not let them embark on this journey if he did not have a plan.
Although there were some factors beyond his control that made it hard for him to control every outcome of them being on Caligo, there were some things that even he himself had not accounted for.
"I mean what's the plan? The daily plan? Because we cannot surely keep on walking forever" said Ollie as Annie had to agree with him, he was right.
"Well the daily plan" said Curtis as Ollie nodded his head, he was waiting for an explanation.
"Wake up, continue on, set up camp before nightfall, and continue the cycle again" replied Curtis plainly.
"Okay…" said Ollie as he could see a lot of repetition in their near future.
"Does that answer your question?" asked Curtis.
"Well no, not quite there yet" said Ollie as he smiled.
"Do we have any goals in particular?" asked Ollie as he was sure that there were more dangerous things to come, and well safety was his top priority.
"Yes we do" said Curtis.
"Which is??" asked Ollie as he was curious.
"We will reach the highland of the mountain first, because for now, we are still on the base" said Curtis.
"And how long will that take?" asked Ollie.
"At our current pace, about four to five days" said Curtis.
"Four to five days?" asked Maddie in disbelief, she could not believe this, she really should have done her research before following Curtis here, because they had really downed how serious and stressful this whole thing would be.
"Yes four to five days" said Curtis as he replied, he knew that it sounded long, but that was why he had estimated that it would take them three months, they had to take into consideration that they could not possibly move at night, it would be too dangerous for them, and especially for Annie.
Without any magic, they would of course have to stop for breaks, Curtis was thankful that they even had sunshine right now, because if it was snowing or raining, they would not be able to move anywhere at all.
"I am…" said Maddie as she sighed, she did not know what to say, she was sure that her entire life would pass by just on this mountain alone, it was just too tiresome, all this trouble.
"Okay, so we have a goal to reach the highland in four to five days?" asked Ollie.
"Yes, like that" said Curtis as he explained, he knew that Ollie was a Prince, he was used to always being in charge, and aware of a situation, which was why, Curtis was taking the pain to explain to him, all his plans.
"Okay, and what about food, water?" asked Ollie as that was his second concern.
"I have enough rations to last us for about two weeks, do not ask me how, but we will be able to survive for two weeks" said Curtis as he explained.
"And fresh water?" asked Ollie.
"We will follow Caligo's stream" said Curtis.
"Alright, but after those two weeks go by… what next?" asked Ollie as now Curtis went quiet as Annie, Maddie and Matt were waiting for him to answer Ollie's very valuable question, what next?
"What next?" asked Curtis to himself, well he did not even know, he had calculated that once they had at least reached the highland of the mountain, they might have been able to find some animals or something, he was not really sure, but he could not tell them that at all, it would only make them worry, when that should have been the last thing on their minds.
"Well we will see what will happen" said Curtis as that did not sound reassuring at all to Ollie, or to Annie, Maddie and Matt as well, just wait, and see what will happen, that was like calling for death, so they had no plan after two weeks passed?? This was crazy, so crazy.
"Curtis, are you serious right now?" asked Maddie as Curtis looked at her.
"You tell us that we will see what happens, so you are indirectly telling us that you have no plan after two week passes by" said Maddie as Matt, Ollie and Annie could not help but agree with her, even though they said nothing at all.
"No, I am telling you not to worry or think about it, because it will only make you worked up, as you are seeing right now" said Curtis as he sounded way too calm, and that annoyed Maddie, it was like they were following a mad stranger into the deep dark woods.
"That makes no sense Curtis, no sense at all" said Maddie as she shook her head, she expected the others to back her up, but they were not saying anything at all, but regardless, she was not going to back down, if they were all going to follow Curtis into a pit, then they were all free to do so, but as for her, she was not going to follow Curtis blindly, that was not her.
"It makes much sense Maddie, because whether you realize it or not, we are already here, we have no magic, and there is no help for us if something goes wrong" said Curtis.
"Which is why, I tell you, not to worry" said Curtis.
"If you look ahead, you will never focus on what is happening right now" said Curtis.
"I don't get you Curtis, it makes no sense" said Maddie.
"Just say that you don't trust me Maddie" said Curtis.
"Well yes, I don't trust you, not at all Curtis, not when you obviously don't have a plan" said Maddie.
"If you truly don't think so Maddie, then I don't blame you, if you want to go, then you go" said Curtis.
"If you don't trust me, then that is on you, because after everything, if you still don't trust me… then you disappoint me" said Curtis.
"It's not like that Curtis look… how do you expect us not to worry?" asked Maddie.
"We are all worried every, single, one of us are worried, and we are not children Curtis, we know when things are wrong, and when things are good, but right now, they are bad" said Maddie.
"It's not that I don't trust you Curtis, if there is anyone I trust, it's you, because I know you care for Annie, and you care for us as well, but all we ask, is that if you don't have a plan, tell us, and if you do, tell us as well" said Maddie.
"Look Curtis, that is all I ask, because we are already here, and there Is no way I am leaving Annie here alone, and neither am I leaving Matt" said Maddie as she looked at Curtis with her serious eyes.
"That is all I ask, will you do it or not?" asked Maddie.
"I will do as you asked" said Curtis as he replied, he knew that if Maddie left, Annie would not want to go on anymore.
"Good, we have a deal, so now I will not argue with you anymore" said Maddie.
"Fine" said Curtis.
"Fine" said Maddie as she really hoped that Curtis would keep his end of the deal.