Report - W.Caravan - ... WIC edition

Chapter 3 - First Impressions

"Damn these roads"
"I thought you came from the fields?"
"I wasn't a pusher"
"No, but you are a pushover"
"Shut it shield face how's about you get back here and-" a CL that lacks authority or the communication skills to unite, he really was chosen randomly wasn't he?
"Quit your fighting and pus-" 50 meters few, 100 meters few.
"Noone here wants to spend the rest of the we-"
"Week!? I was told it's 5 days"
"With you guarding us it'll be 2 weeks at most"
"With your pushing it'll be-"
"Qui-et" Finally everyone shuts it, CL better be taking notes and on another note, what kind of dumbass thinks these trips last only a week?!
"Next time before you start arguing make sure you'r not being followed, every good caravan makes the whole trip without uttering a single dispensable word for that brings the 4 eyes closer"
"Wait we're being followed already!?"
"Not yet and thankfully for you, in this mud they shouldn't, unless they're hungry," Some snickers and chuckles erupt all throughout.
"that wasn't a joke"
The following hours are uneventful. There's little sparks of travel rage, Cl fails at calming everyone down, someone trips and everyone laughs, the usual, but no sightings just yet. Senses aren't tingling... did I fail? Did [redacted] surpass me at my own abilit- no. No, i'm simply worried, hard not to be these days, but I must remain calm. This caravan is worth more than all these guys put together times 2. [redacted] wants this and I am going to be the only one who can get it done. Until then all I can do is lookout for anything outside or inside this caravan. The first noon break doesnt offer much hope, but so far nothing I should be worried about.
.....................50 meters few, 100 meters few
[several hours later]
"Stop. We camp here"
Everyone immediately falls. A half-united celebration is exclaimed through the gasps for air in that mudfield.
"Set up the tents on the moss and place twigs and leaves beneath, half of the caravan shields go to get water the other half begins the fire. Pushers set up camp and scouts are on patrol duty, CL your squad is coming with me to look around"
"But si-"
And I am out of the rangers reach in less than 3 seconds. Let's see how they fair in silence for a moment.
"Alright look I know we're all tired, but we do this and we can rest alright? no more complaining and no more threats. We can eat, we can drink, we can sleep ok?" First time CL steps up.
"Then how about you take the big load, big man?"
"Ye, why do they get to bring the water if the ponds so close?"
"Ye we have to chop the wood and then-" Cant say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed.
"Oh wow a stick there and a stick there"
"If that's a stick then you live in a cup"
"IT'S A STICK. GET A STOOL AND A KNIFE"
"Oh stop arguing and get to work"
"then go and chop if your so good at commanding" 
"I aint commanding I'm relaying what CL said"
"I'm ReLaYiNg WhAt CL SaId, oh boohoo," something honest for once
[redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]
"Because we found the path by going thorugh the bad ones"
"Wow so hard mr.lightweight i'm certain that anything is hard with ONE OF THE SURVIVOR BROTHERS!"
"Like he did anything, we couldn't go slow unli-"
"There between the trees! 4 eyes!"
[redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]. Everyone leaps into the single most cohesive unit of the day, perhaps not orderly, but a defensive wall is made and in good time too.
"What do we do, do we attack?"
"what if it's a scout and we're about to be flanked!?"
"Quick CL what do we do!?"
"Uhh... r-rangers prepare arrows"
"But we can't leave the shield wall there's too many trees, what if they leap down or flank, then we'll die!"
"Hey we ain't letting this wall up either go behind or to the sides"
"What behind and sides!? There's too many tree-"
"Look it's running away!"
And thus the first engagement from the [redacted] caravan ends in a decisive caravaneer victory. Casualties 0, valor gained -1.
"Haha take that crawly! too scared are ya?" At least they know how to make a shield wall, maybe there will be some cohesion before they get flanked and eaten.
"Ye, caravan: 1 crawlies: 0"
"I'd like to see him coming back anytime soon"
"Don't know about you, but I think i figured out what to write on my back"
"Not so fast" and if it had been anyone, but me then I doubt they'd have that shield wall back up in time.
"None of you know if he was a scout and no one of you asked why he wasn't in the trees instead of the slow muddy ground"
"And where were you, why didn't you help us!?"
"I went to go and wait for the scouts that were supposed to be with me, so we could have warned that this was coming. And instead all I hear is enough screams to alert a whole nest 200 metres below the earth. Now we'll be lucky if we only have to face 10 crawlers."
"Oh no, oh no we're doomed!"
"We cant right, he fled right?"
"Oh no man what now?"
"Cl this is all your fault!"
"What did I do, no one listened"
A band of terror like no other, all stuck a days walk away from safety. Eyes shaking in anticipation of an attack, searching for the safest path out of here while making sure to run as soon as someone breaks. CL isn't different, but no ones run away yet. Guess theres still a chance of hope left.
"Wow, such a great leader, spends the day in the safety of the brother and then sits behin-"
A small, grey claw drops in front of the shield wall as the air becomes peacefully silent once again. They take a second and raise their heads upwards towards me.
"The scout didn't get back and I have been listening closely, despite your friendly conversations, we should be safe here"
I take a second to pause and evaluate the situation. Scared, but listening, the best I'm getting.
"So far you all have failed the surprise check so listen up! We have crossed into calmer quadrants, the way forwards is wooden, but nests and hives are few and we're far away from the outer garrisons, there is little awaiting us ahead. We will march for a few days in hopeful peace before we reach the next set of quadrants, but for now - water, wood and sight. Get everything ready otherwise there will be consequences this time. CL you're in charge, I'll scout around myself and be back in an hour"
Before the first letter of 'but' and 'what' and everything else was uttered I had already placed my foot sideways and I began to turn. A few steps and 2 turns, I was out of their sight once again, all in less than 8 seconds. I climbed back. There was complaining, but there was teamwork, sadly not because of CL, but for now they aren't running just yet. If I'm lucky [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]. Otherwise I can't promise [redacted] that most or any of these people will make it to the GSR. 
Although if they do then I won't have to worry about them running away because at that point it's certain death. If anyone wishes to run then they better do it soon because their last window of opportunity is closing rapidly.