Where The Wild Things Are (1)

"So, how often do you three wander around into the woods?" Scott makes casual conversation with us as we approach the Argon Forest. We've just gotten out of class and are a little tired from our scheduled hazing with the guild master. Scott seems a little tense, but based on how he described only working at the tree line, I don't mind it too much. It's a bright sunny day out. The warm rays of light spread out upon the path before us, taking the edge off the bitter cold of winter. We've all added a few layers to our normal equipment to compensate. Sakura sports a warm cloak lined with fur, while Josh and I each have on jackets.

"I prefer to use the word navigate; it's not like we have no destination," I counter with a joke that's apparently lost on the young man beside me.

"So, you know where the Punctastars are located?"

"…No."

"Then you are just wandering." I think for a second, realizing he's got me, and change the subject.

"Those are nice pants," saying the first thing that comes to mind.

[Dammit. There's no way he'll let me get away with this one. I'm so stupid.]

"Thanks, my mom bought them for me."

[...Roll with it.]

"She sounds nice." He unexpectedly lets me save some face, so I continue with a compliment. I hear some giggling coming from the two girls behind us, but I ignore it. Sakura seems to have made quick friends with Amanda, one of Scott's party members. From what he's told me, they've known each other for years.

"She's great. I don't think she likes that I'm working as an adventurer, but she supports me either way."

"That's fair. This isn't the safest profession."

"What is? Fighting monsters is a lot better than starving to death." Scott seems exasperated as he responds. I'd heard that they have been doing this for a few years, so it's a bit surprising that he doesn't seem to be doing this by choice.

"I get that. Is there anything else you would want to be doing if you had the opportunity?" I'm a bit curious, so I throw him an easy question.

"To be honest, I've never really thought about it. Being an adventurer was the only option I've ever had. I applied to work as a city guard at one point, but they rejected me." Scott looks down after recounting his story.

"Why's that?"

"You need connections to work as a guard. It's a pretty cushy gig that pays well. Most of the people that get hired end up staying there for like, their whole lives."

"I thought it was pretty boring, though?" Scott chuckles at my remark.

"Kid, if you're worried about being bored more than starving to death…." He trails off, but I get his point. He's telling me that I'm in a privileged position and mustn't take that for granted.

"Right, sorry," I reply awkwardly. Scott turns to me and smiles.

"You don't have to apologize for being well fed. If anything, it's my fault for having no talent." He shrugs as if he's just been given a poor hand.

[So, that's how he sees it? He just views everyone as having better luck than him. I suppose it makes sense. Learned helplessness isn't something you can shrug off.]

"Have you ever tried getting better at adventuring?"

"How would I do that?" he asks with a puzzled expression.

"That's a good question. How would you do that?" I narrow my eyes as I answer his question with a question. It won't help if I just give him the answers, so I push for him to think about it. He ponders for a moment while looking annoyed before changing the topic.

"So, what are we hunting today?"

"I was hoping to find some Punctastars if possible."

"How do you normally find them?"

"They feed on Slimes, which in turn eat the fungi growing on the trees. Usually, we'll find them in more sparse areas of the forest that are overgrown with fungus. It helps to look for places that are brighter than the surrounding area." I cobble together some loose knowledge to make a seemingly reasonable explanation.

"Oh, I kinda just thought you wandered around aimlessly." Scott seems almost disappointed in my explanation. "Where are these sparse regions?"

"Because adventurers tend to hunt near the edge of the forest, you'll only find them if you head deeper into the woods. We usually need to walk for a while in order to find them."

"Aren't you worried about running into anything dangerous?" This is a really good question that is difficult to answer. I need to say something at least reasonable for him to believe me.

"Well, yeah; of course, we worry about that. We have some tools to help us escape, but the biggest thing is how few monsters are in the area. For whatever reason, they aren't around this time of year." The reason for their absence is the subject of much debate. One of the books I read about monsters gave several possibilities but nothing substantial.

"I thought you'd have more of a plan than that." Scott seems genuinely concerned about my response.

"Well, we just took down a Metapardus recently, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't confident."

"I heard it was injured when you fought it."

"True, but I'm confident nonetheless. We had a lot of leeway in the fight, which started in a very poor position." Scott narrows his eyes at me as we continue into the woods. As usual, it's a long trek before we find anything. After an hour, we arrive at a small clearing. The quiet scratching of a Punctastar fills the air. We show Scott and his party how to fight the monster, and then I throw it in my magic bag. The expedition feels a little anticlimactic, so we wander around for a bit before heading back to town.

"How many of those have you killed?" We stop to take a break, and Neji, the last member of Scott's party, asks a question. It's the first time I've heard him talk all day. I assume he is referring to the Punctastars as I respond.

"I don't know. Maybe like, twenty or thirty?" Neji's eyes open wide.

"You must have a lot of money."

"Well, we spent most of it on weapons and armor. You can't take it with you when you die, so it's better to spend it on things to help you live longer." Neji nods his head at my words. I feel like he is taking what I said too seriously, but I do not mind it. I look around at everyone sprawled out on the ground. Josh is carving a stick while Sakura and Amanda chat lightly. I see Scott take out some dried meat from his bag when suddenly my stomach turns over. I look around in a panic as the sense of dread rises.

"Nick?" Sakura is the first to notice my behavior and calls out to me.

"Everyone up!" I yell as I throw the Monster's Bane on the ground. A purplish cloud spreads throughout the area.

'RAAACk!'

A giant lizard's head enters the cloud before pulling back in agony. At a glance, I can tell it's a Dracoterra and an injured one at that. Crimson streaks run from several wounds along its massive body.

"Josh, take the front! I'll back you up! Neji, Scott, each of you take a side and try to distract it a bit! Amanda, Sakura, stay back and wear it down!" Sakura and Josh get into positions like clockwork. Seeing the kids move, Scott's party rushes to get in position. "We've got a lot of people, so it's best we try fighting this thing without using potions! If we can't beat it before the potions wear off, then we're dead! Worst case scenario, we can use them to retreat if things get too hairy! We're going to use the Monster's Bane to our advantage and retreat into it after getting in a couple of strikes! Everyone ready?!"

""Yes!"" The kids answer almost immediately. I can hear their excitement rising in their voices.

"I guess?" Scott replies.

"Go!"