Chapter 2

Couple hours earlier east of the nearest city there are five people shrouded with gray robes that cover there arms and legs and also wearing gray cloth mask covering there face except the eyes. Walking down a road these people are heading to scavenge a particular pit full of 'Treasure'. This treasure is in between two locations that are currently invested with the migrations of animals, bugs, and monsters. The road they are currently walking leads them to a forest where they will later have to go off road. There they will be walking closer to the borders of a swamp filled with giant bugs and fish monsters.

This group is lead by a middle aged adult male with bag on his back and a short sword on his waist. There are three in the group who look to be teens, and one of them appears to be a small child. Each of the teens have different tools or weapons they are carrying on them by hand or body. One has sickle tied on top of a long copper pole, another one has a bag tied with a shovel on his back but on its arm has a small crossbow, and lastly one of the teens there is slightly stronger teen that has two hay hooks while moving a wooden wheelbarrow in front of him. The youngest from the group has a small dull knife and an empty bag.

"Hey old man how long until we reach some monster corpses. This junk keeps turning at an angle." The strong teen with a snarky male voice says complaining while moving a slightly broken wheelbarrow on a rough road.

"It won't be long Hook." The one leading the group says with a slight grunt voice.

"Exactly how long will it take to get there old timer?" The female teen in the group says concerned while looking at the small child who appears to be getting tired.

"From this walk? I would say somewhere between 30 minutes give or take." lifting his hood slightly up looking at the road he takes a look at the clear blue sky with a pondering face.

3 sounds of silent complaints is heard from the five in the group. The big teen named Hook is grunting while moving the wheelbarrow which sometimes make a noise because of the amount times he has to readjust it. The teen that has a sickle on a pole lets out a sigh while letting his pole hit the ground in a tempo while walking. Then the small child lets out a whine looking down while dragging its feet on the ground making some line trails on the dirt road.

The female teen looks at the other three then looks at their leader she voices out. "Old timer it's best that we find a place to rest."

Raising an eyebrow at the girl the leader says. "What are you talking about?" Pointing at the dirt road. "Did you think we are taking the same path?" Seeing the confused looks giving to him he massages his forehead with two fingers. "Haven't you all noticed that selling monster parts have been becoming illegal in the adventure guild." This sentence gave everyone in the group a vivid reaction especially the small child.

The teen holding his makeshift sickle pole says in a soft male voice. "If its illegal why hasn't the guild taken action?"

Hearing him say this everyone except the leader ponders that question. Seeing there confusion the leader says stopping in his tracks "Its quite simple actually. They are aware but choose to do nothing, basically means that they are lacking something, maybe its evidence, maybe it's the lack of manpower. Heck l could even bet those useless corrupted officials working for that fat greedy lord may be using these parts to fill there coins" Clicking his tongue he let's out a tisk sound. Shaking his head he continues walking on the road.

While walking he notices a wagon being pulled by horse at a distance. Tugging on his hood to lower it to almost completely block his face he motions the others to do the same by pretending to adjust his hood. Hook the strong teen picks up the small child then by grabbing on the back of the neck placing the child on the wheelbarrow. The small child runs the back of the neck while giving Hook an angry look. Covering herself with her bag and robes the child lays on the wheelbarrow as if part of the luggage. Then the female teen unties her bag of her back with the shovel and places the bag on the wheelbarrow giving more cover for the child then holds the shovel leaning on her shoulder. The teen with the makeshift pole walks ahead of the wheelbarrow blocking view from front. Though not as big as hook his robes are slightly more wide due to having his entire body being covered in pockets and specific strap holders sense he is the apothecary of the group.

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Walking past the wagon while keeping they face slightly down they the flaps of the wagon slightly open with the sound of two people talking to each other. "Hey pa look it's them tree loving beast freaks" Ignoring the sounds of basically an insult the group continues there walk. "Freaks indeed, look at them, believing they are better than us" Spitting on the ground the group still ignores them. "Don't worry pa when I become a knight I'll show them freaks that we are better." "Haha that's my boy. Haha."

Hearing the laughter dying out because of the distance the morale of the group is slightly down. "Come on once we finish this job the faster we leave this place."The female teen says trying to raise her team's spirits although there was a hint of anger.

The teen with the pole looks at the girl with a sighs says " Scout. There is no need. We all have experienced the harsh reality." Ending his sentence in a sad tone he looks up noticing there leader looking at Hook doing something on the wheelbarrow.

The leader looks a the teen with pole then says "Hey Copper. We" pointing at himeself and the others. "Have experienced the cruel world later at a young age, well you three mostly I lost mine before being a teen but." Pointing at the wheelbarrow they see Hook trying to comfort a silently crying child by rubbing it's back. "There is someone here who experienced the worst at an even early age. we experienced the good before the bad but she has sadly never experienced the good of this world." Looking back at the teen named Copper. "You can easily read a plant and know there uses but when it comes to people, you have plants for brains."

The female teen named Scout picks up the child letting her cry over her shoulder. Tapping on her back lightly the grounp continues there walk. Heading to the nearest rest spot which is village that specializes alchemy ingredients.

...30 minutes-ish later...

The small girl awakens to a all too familiar sight of her everyday life. Opening her eyes she sees the wooden ceiling that has some some holes with some smaller broken parts. Leaning her head to the side she sees herself on a bundle of hay next to some farm animals some of which are eating the hay she is on. Getting up from the hay she begins cleaning herself by picking off any straw on her robes. When she reached her head she began to feel fear noticing that is touching her tall ears she starts to panic. Looking quickly all around her taking in fast breaths she notices the barn door is wide open making her feel even more fear. Hearing the sounds of footsteps getting closer she hides behind a cow that is eating the hay.

Hearing the sounds of the footstep stop at the barn door the sound of her heartbeat gets faster and louder. Looking around panically she tries to formulate a plan to either hide or escape whether its hiding in the hay or make a dash to the door. Before she was able to take any action she hears a familiar voice, a voice that she feels comfortable calling her name "Cara. Are you in here?" Jolting her ears up she takes a small peak from the cow seeing a familiar person.

"Scout!" Running out from the cow she runs to the door to give Scout a jump hug tackle. "Cara there you are." With a glad voice Scout gives her a small hug then she places her down and says. "You gave me a scare there I thought something bad happened to you when I didn't see you here." Cara with a cheery tone says "When I woke up I heard footsteps so I hid behind the big cow."

Hearing the small girls response she says with a bit of interest. "Oh, if I was someone else what would you have done." Seeing a confused looked from the child she clarifys raising a finger at her nose she adds "If I was someone else that wasn't from our group, what were you thinking before realizing it was me and what would you have done?"

Cara gets silent for a bit remembering the fear of her ears being visible and the thoughts she was thinking. Looking up she see Scout in a squat position so she can be at the same eye level as cara. "If Scout wasn't Scout I would have ran out of the barn and cover my ears to when running to find the group." Scout nods at response thens in a teacher like matter "Why didn't you run when you heard me coming to barn."

Shaking her head Cara points at Scout "Your steps were to close so running is no good. So choose is to hide hide under the hay for first choice but I'll be stuck." Pointing at the pile of hay bundle that's currently being eaten by the cow. "Next choice to hide is behind wood wall but I don't know what's behind I may be trapped and connered, to dangerous. Then better choice is to be behind cow I'm small enough to hide behind cow and if the cow moves I can move along. If danger happens then I can use cow as distraction to run and find Scout."

Scout nodded at the little child's decision making, getting up from the squat position she rubs the child's head making her giggle in response "Good to see that your racial traits are showing up, that's a good sign of you growing up." Stopping her head rubbing she looks at the small child with the stern face and teacher manner voice. "However there's something very important that you must never forgot."

Cara looks at Scout with a worried look waiting. Scout says "There may be a time when I or everybody else in the group may be in trouble and if your aren't able promise me that you will run." Cara is shocked by what Scout said before cara can respond Scout continues saying. "This doesn't just include us there may be even one day when you join a different group or party. If in that group trouble happens and you're still weak you must run and escape. Only by escaping will you be able to help them instead of being dead weight or liability. As you are now you are weak. so remember this if you wish to help you must either be strong or use your racial abilities to your advantage."

Scout removes her hood and face mask revealing similar ears to Cara. "We of the feline race are naturally weak in terms of strength, endurance, and magic inept." Patting on Cara's head she says. "What we lack we make up both in craftiness and utility with a body that is both thin but flexible weak but fast."

Stopping her patting Scout takes out a washed and dry face mask. Tying the mask over Cara's nose and mouth she lifts Cara's hood over her head. Scout does the same to herself covering her face and head. Walking out of the barn carrying Cara she says one last thing to her "Cara remember this well though our racial abilities do give us an advantage it is sadly also a double-edged sword. There is a saying that goes down from our people that has been passed down by generation to generation and that is 'That curiosity killed the cat.' Remember this well though you may not under stand now you will when you get older."

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In another location between a forest and swamp a village of bipedal cats named lynians all let out a quick cat sneeze at the same time making them look at each other. Whether young or old, sleepy or active, relaxed or tired all cats are confused and curious to this wierd phenomenon.

"Meow? x???"