Phase 74: Heading north

[Wasn't that Katrin?] Lynn asked him, speaking to his mind.

[Yes. She was waiting for me on the cliff. She didn't know I died.]

[You don't sound as angry as you were before.] Lynn noted.

[She was waiting for me. And she searched all over thinking I was still around.] Colin paused. [I guess I sort of feel bad… even though it WAS her fault.]

[You two…] Lynn let out a small chuckle.

Well, it was good she was laughing. At least it meant she wasn't angry any more. Colin glanced around at the burning town, which had been the biggest source of raw materials for the Lamico Continent just an hour ago.

{They broke their promise and betrayed the Forest. Lynn wanted to destroy them already. I tried to talk them into a peaceful arrangement and they swung an axe at my head. Lynn got so mad, she wiped out the entire town.}

{When I came here to get away from the Green Men, THIS wasn't what I had in mind.}

Around them, the Lords of the Wilds were gathered, touching the Tames of their kind coming out of the Comrade Home and calling them back to become Wilds once more.

As for those who weren't of their kind, well… those were a bit more complicated.

[What do we do with them?] Colin wondered.

[What do you want to do with them?] Lynn asked. [You can bond all that are creatures of the Forest. Or you can take them to the next Comrade Home and sell them.]

[It feels odd, selling off the Tames of a Comrade Home to another Comrade Home. It's not like I fought them as Wilds and Tamed them myself.]

[Then just give them back for free or something. I leave it to you.] Lynn shook her head. [You're the Forester here. Take care of the forest. Protect it with all the power of the Lords of the Wilds when you must. Don't hold back.]

[You're leaving?]

[Of course. I've got other forests to tend to.]

Colin watched her go, riding on the back of Nightwind, the Lord of the Shadow Hawks. He turned to the local Lords of the Wilds, the wisest and greatest of their kinds: Oreb of the Wood Owls, Yachad of the Tree Cougars, Lather of the Twig Lizards, Prisme of the Feelo Wasps, Rustle of the Bristle Boars, Deeproot of the Oakin, Kyubia of the Streak Foxes and Sharpeye of the Crested Falcons.

"So… what else can I do for you?" Colin asked. "I'm supposed to help solve your problems, right?"

"Hoo, hoo!" Oreb told him. {Greatest worry was this. Rest first. More tomorrow.}

"We're done for tonight, then…" Colin nodded. "Thanks, guys. I'll see you tomorrow night."

The Lords of the Wilds returned to the West Lamico Forest, them and all their clans. Colin was left with just his Comrades and the Tames of the Floras Comrade Home.

"Where's the nearest Comrade Home…?" Colin frowned, tapping his watch to check his map.

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Image link:

https://imgur.com/zRfgHJw

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{Well… 'near' wouldn't be a very accurate description. Riverfork's the closest town and it's quite a distance away.}

"Oh, boy." Colin groaned. "Come along, everyone. We've got a long walk ahead of us."

They followed him as he started up the only road that led to and from Floras. There must have been over a hundred Tames in that crowd of all sorts of shapes and sizes, none of whom were native to this Continent, and half of which wouldn't feel anywhere near comfortable in a forest. One ambling Rhinotle had to carry an Electro-Eel in a water tank on its back.

There were a flood of Lynxmice; the Common sort, Plains Lynxmice, Mountain Lynxmice, and River Lynxmice. There were also Thorny Vines and Mandras walking around, plant-types that Rita might want. Not to mention a pair of Mantises.

Colin called Henry first. "Hey, Henry, are you free?"

Henry sighed. "Not really, Colin. What's up? Satrox says you just wiped out the Union."

"Not exactly. Lynn destroyed Floras Town for betraying her and I just happened to be around. I also happen to be stuck with a crowd of Tames all following me to be delivered to Riverfork Comrade Home. Lynn says I should sell them, but I sort of feel better giving them for free. There's quite a few Lynxmice in this crowd if you're interested."

"Really? What kind?"

"Why don't you come see for yourself? I'm on the road north of Floras Ruins, headed for Riverfork. Where are you?"

"I'm in Benjamin Town. Rita's here too."

Colin checked his map again, zooming out to view the island that dared call itself a continent.

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Image link:

https://imgur.com/zHU1TZv

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"That's… really far." Colin said, eyeing it.

"Satrox says he's willing to give us a lift. He wants to see how you're doing himself." Henry said. "Do you have a Starting Location around here?"

"Better. I've got an outpost." Colin told him.

"An outpost?!" Henry jumped. "In a war zone like this? That's gotta be so expensive!"

"I'll… tell you about it later. Right now, I should tell Rita about the plants and bugs here."

"Sure. See you soon."

Colin cut the link and called Rita. "Hey…"

"I heard. I'm standing right beside Henry." Rita said, talking as fast as she ever did. "It's nice of you to call me directly, but that's not really necessary. So… tell me about the Tames you've got with you. Did you really take all the Tames from the Floras Home?! That's got to be quite a crowd! I can just imagine…"

"Rita!" Colin cut in, knowing that she'd go on forever if he let her. "I've only got about a quarter of the Floras Home's Tames. All those native to this land have gone back to being Wilds. There's a couple of Mantises here about as big as I am. Think you can handle them?"

"I'll be right there!" Rita said at once.

She cut the link and left Colin staring at his watch as he led the crowd north on the road to Riverfork Town. {I wonder when they'll arrive? It's really going to be a long, long walk.}

Sandy called him before he took more than three more steps. "Colin! Don't give the Tames away!"

"What?!" Colin blinked.

"If you give them to the Breeders at the Riverfork Home, they'll just issue payment to themselves for the Tames. Sell them for standard rates!"

"Would they really do that?" Colin asked.

"Of course! Where do you think you are?" Sandy barked. "This is the Lamico Continent! Everyone's out for a buck! If you're going to strengthen the Union by giving them Tames, at least take the standard rates for it!"

"But it's from the Floras Comrade Home! I didn't Tame them myself!"

"Idiot. You're leading them and they're following you, aren't they? They're already your Tames."

Colin blinked. "Really?"

"If you touched them and they ran away, they'd be Wilds, wouldn't they?" Sandy said. "If they're willing to follow you, that means they're willing to bond with you!"

Colin gasped. "All of them?! Sandy, there's almost a hundred of them out here!"

"Yes, all of them!" Sandy told him. "Every last one! I can't guarantee they'll keep following you if you start bonding Comrades they don't like, but as it is, with your current status and Comrades, each of them is willing to bond and Travel with you!"

"All of them…" Colin looked at the crowd around him in a daze. "But Lynn said I can only bond Forest Comrades. That was the price she asked of me, and I accepted."

"Then you'll have to choose, wouldn't you?"

Colin shook his head. "Sandy, I've got no intention of bonding any of these Tames."

"So? They all still seem to think you're worth following. Trust me, Colin, even if you can't take them with you, at least sell them for what they're worth. Don't throw them away."

"Uh… right…"

"And you really, really should look over them yourself." Sandy said. "Last I checked, you were borrowing money to buy Comrades from the Lamico Home. Now you're surrounded by Tames. You should pick the ones you want to bond from that crowd, because the entire crowd wants to go with you."

"Uh… okay."

"Are you still giving Tames to Henry and Rita?" Sandy asked then. "Because you might jump all the way up the rankings if you bond that entire crowd."

"Sandy, I can't bond the entire crowd." Colin sighed. "I really can't. I'm letting Henry and Rita take their pick. If you and Satrox want to come along and have a look, you can take your pick too."

Sandy paused. "Fine, but Colin, you better take your pick before any of us do. If they're willing to follow you, they're practically your Tames already. You should at least give them consideration."

"Okay. I will." Colin said, and Sandy cut the link.