The Search

"L LOOK OUT! MOVE YOUR ASS!"

Keel is yelling at the top of his lungs, but the dumbass doesn't realize it's not gonna make me move any faster- I'm already running like my life depends on it. 

"I'M GOING AS FAST AS I FUCKING CAN KEEL!"

We are currently being chased by the kings army. Fun.

...

A few hours earlier.

...

The moon hung high in the midnight sky, casting an ethereal glow over the dense Eastern Woods as we ventured further into the unknown. The air was thick with anticipation and the occasional rustle of leaves, keeping the group on edge. Keel, Gen, and I moved stealthily, keeping our wits about us- heightened by the awareness that danger could lurk around any corner. Surprisingly we had yet to run into any other groups or beasts in the few days we had been traveling together. We didn't know where exactly to go so we were wandering until we got some sort of clue as to what was in store for us.

We had been traveling straight eastward, since at the very least we knew there were more territories to explore this way, and typically the kings army didn't come out this way save for refreshing our forces at the boarder between us and Eshlun- our typically peaceful neighbors who still believed in using chosen over rituals.

After the few days of struggling to find any sort of food source, our supplies were running dangerously low. The best we could do for water was find rivers or streams that still had us questioning the potential backlash from drinking them, and the only food we had found was what we had taken with us to get past the first few days. We needed a solid meal to regroup and press forward.

...

"Hey I think I hear something up ahead, keep your idiotic voices low," Keel whispered. We have come to learn that Keel also had a knack for hearing what we couldn't, so he has been appointed the scout of our group considering that and his speed. 

We all hunch down and after a few seconds I can hear groups of leaves crunching, this is either a pack of animals or humans- and no way to know which. 

"I say we leap out, best case scenario it's deer and we got food for a week. Worst case and it's an enemy group and I'm itchin for a fight anyways."

"Ok Gen, no need to start a fight, but it would be nice if we could try and get information out of them... what do you say L?"

"Let's do it. We need to take the risk or we might not get food for who knows how long."

We are all crouched, tense with anticipation, waiting for those footsteps to get closer....

"NOW!"

Gen leads the charge and we burst out of our hiding spot onto a group of what look to be survivors of some sort of massacre? The man in front throws his hands up, "PLEASE DON'T ATTACK US! WE JUST WANT TO PASS!"

It looks like four or five of them, all cloaked and ragged, from the face of their leader they haven't eaten in days either. It looks almost like... a family? What lead them to this state? Are we close to a potential beast? Why did they leave their village?

I gotta try and calm him down, " Hey Hey it's ok we don't want to hurt you! We thought you might be animals passing by and we need food. What happened to you guys?"

"Oh thank Jhorvian, oh thank the stars. We were just chased by a refreshment troop of the kings army headed eastward to try and fight off Eshlunian forces after the invasions."

"Invasions, what invasions? I didn't think Eshlun was at war with us?"

"No, not Eshlun, Gilliad. They started invading our villages a few months ago for resources, but their soldiers are taking our food supply and destroying our homes."

"Wait. You're from Eshlun? And... that was and Eshlunian praise you said before, are you not Gillian? What are you doing on this side of the boarder?"

"Please don't kill or report us, we just needed to escape, when the army came they went behind our village to try and kill all of us so the only direction to escape was towards Gilliad. We had no choice. We don't know the customs here or where we are so we don't know how to get help, we are just hoping to reach a village and start a new life to survive. How did you not know about the war, you look like soldiers?"

"You could say we are soldiers in training, but we are from the outskirts ourselves, maybe news of the war hadn't reached the outskirts yet? I'm not sure that is very troubling, I didn't know we were in need of resources either... anyways I'm sorry, if you keep going this way in a few days you will reach our village- it is an outskirt village so there is a chance they take you in."

Gen is looking over them with a depth in his eyes I am still getting used to. It is hard to imagine that the behemoth I was praying to avoid would end up being so full of mirth and emotion. 

"Go to our village. Tell them that Gen're sent you and that you are just moving from your previous village near the Irelivian jungle, that is where you just passed through I believe. Go, travel swiftly."

"Th-thank you! We will not forget your kindness."

With a bow from the rest of the mans family, they hurried back in the direction we had been coming from, towards our village. Wow, I can't believe Gen would take responsibility for enemies to the empire, if anyone found out he would be executed. No questions asked. 

"That was brave Gen, thank you."

"It wasn't for you there is no need for thanks. It is what anyone should have done, now let's continue on we need to find food ourselves."

Keel moved in front of us both and stopped us, "What if we take risky detour... that kings army refreshment troop will only hold, what, ten to twenty of them? When the kings army sets up camp for the night it will be filled with provisions that could last us a few weeks since that is how they make their pilgrimage to the boarders. What do ya say?"

Purposely run into the very group that wants to make our lives hell? Fuck no. But... that couple weeks worth of food sounds pretty promising.

Gen's eyes look wild as he grins, "Let's do it."

Ah what the hell why not, we either die of starvation or die to the kings army. We gotta be smart about this though.

"I'm in, on two conditions. We don't just charge in there recklessly, and we take as much as we can. No point in risking this if we don't make it worth it."

"HAHHA I KNEW I CHOSE THE RIGHT PERSON L, LETS GO!"

"Yes! Let's do this, I will go scout. It's almost night anyways, so I wanna get a sense of how many are there."

"Good plan Keel, you go ahead and do that while me and Gen make a plan. Do you know what their camps look like? It seems like you have a rough idea of how they operate."

"Yeah they teach us in hunter training, do you not know? They essentially form a ring with their bodies and place all the supplies in the middle, that way someone would have to wake at least one of them trying to get it. I think the best strategy is to go for their personal bags, if we collect enough it should give us three a few weeks of rations."

"Wow, I didn't realize they taught that kind of stuff- I never went to hunter training I'm self taught. My Pa didn't let me join hunter training."

"WHAT? Why not?"

"Story for after we do this. Now get going, before it gets dark and they become more cautious."

Keel gave me an odd glance, but whisked away into the woods. Damn, he's quick. 

"Alright Gen, let's make a plan."

...

After night fell and Keel came back, we approached the camp cautiously, shrouded by the shadows of the towering trees. Keel, with his agile movements, took point. His nimble fingers worked adeptly as he attempted to grab a few bags of rations without alerting the sleeping soldiers. The night air was tense, filled with the sounds of stifled breaths and muffled footsteps.

After Keel was able to grab two or three without incident, me and Gen spread out to grab some more.

We managed to grab three bags each, enough to last us a while, but few enough to still be able to make a run for it. Then right as we we making our getaway a voice rang throughout the camp, "Intruders! Sound the alarm!"

...

"L LOOK OUT! MOVE YOUR ASS!"

Keel is yelling at the top of his lungs, but the dumbass doesn't realize it's not gonna make me move any faster- I'm already running like my life depends on it. 

"I'M GOING AS FAST AS I FUCKING CAN KEEL!"

We are now currently being chased by the kings army. Fun.

...