Chapter 2

At the campsite, both individuals sat around the fire that was roasting two large, skinned, hares. The woman refused to speak as she silently watched the flames licking at the meat, but that didn't stop the man from creating small talk, "you must have been quite hungry for your stomach to rumble that loudly,"

The woman glared at him. "I don't see the need to speak to someone who is only providing me food,"

"That is a bit harsh," The man gave a wry smile, it didn't ruin his good looking features. "We could end up as travel companions for a while, so no need to be hasty,"

He grabbed one of the hares and ripped off its hind leg before handing it over to her, "and while we're at it, we start with getting each others' names, don't you think?"

"I can't tell if you plan to be serious—"

"I am quite serious,"

"… It was rhetorical." She snatched the leg and began nibbling on it. It didn't take long for it to become ravenous bites until there was nothing but bones left. Left in a slightly good mood after her meal, she decided to humour her unexpected companion, "Janette,"

"Pardon?"

"My name," She spoke in a curt manner. "It's Janette,"

Upon hearing Janette's name, the man grinned proudly. "That's a unique name,"

"Stop, don't bother, Janette is as common as any Jane you'd meet in every corner city," Janette responded with irritation, "I don't need you to butter me up with how you think of it. Now what is yours, surely you're not going to forget your own name."

"Oh, right, sorry," He cleared his throat and placed a hand over his heart, "I am Jerome,"

Janette gave him a bland stare in contrast to Jerome's expectant one. Something itched at the back of her head and she finally opened her mouth and breathed out, "what a pointlessly fancy name,"

Jerome was taken aback at the lacklustre response. Perhaps she hadn't heard?

He opened his mouth, but Janette cut him off immediately. "I heard you the first time,"

"And?"

"It's pointlessly fancy,"

Jerome burst out into laughter and Janette paid him no mind when making a grab for another hind leg. Despite meeting not even a few moments ago, both were comfortable in speaking with one another albeit curtly on Janette's part. They spoke to great lengths until the sun had finally set. Jerome offered her to stay the night at his campsite, and although reluctant, Janette agreed. The past trying week catching up to her caused her to be out in mere seconds, leaving Jerome alone to his thoughts. He gazed down at her sleeping form for a time before getting up and called one of his hidden companions, "Theo,"

A shadowed figure stealthily dropped from the tree, and propped himself in a kneeling position. His silence was taken as his reply.

"I want you to retrace her steps to where she had come from, report back to me when you've completed your mission." As soon as Jerome had finished issuing the order, the shadowed figure disappeared as quick as he had reappeared. Jerome shrugged off his cape and covered Janette with it, the visible tenseness melted away as Janette snuggled in the warmth of the cape. It was going to be a long night, that much he could tell as he sat himself at the base of a tree.