"We're doing something about this whether you like it or not!"
Leiea folds her arms and gazes around the room after Sheyric's outburst. They've been talking about setting up some sort of team for hours now. Some sort of team with a wide array of skills and attributes to investigate the forest. With people that are strong emotionally and physically, unafraid of the forest, and unafraid of what might come.
As the days passed, more and more people in the encampment healed well. Ranulf, whom Leiea still works with and is guided by, said it's because of an influx of healers coming in to help, seeing she do so quickly. She was flattered, but it's not that hard to see that the scabs and burned skin were healing because it was getting to over a week after the ordeal.
They've been having that discussion in a newly unused medical tent. He bought it out specifically for this purpose, which Leiea thought was wrong. There's no reason to take away such a large tent from big families that have to cram into a tiny tent all day, when he hasn't even confirmed with others.
Sheyric starts pacing the room for a moment before stopping again and turning to Leiea. "How about each of us try to find a few people we'd want in this thing. Bring them back here by dusk and evaluate."
She fidgets in her chair. "Fine. I bet you'll really enjoy it when we can't find anyone suitable."
"Leiea," He says, locking eyes. "All these people survived one of the worst attacks possible, and are working together to strive as a village again. There's no use in underestimating them- underestimating us- when there's survivors." He pauses before adding, "I'll go now, round up a few people. Can you please try, too?"
She sighs and nods, standing up from her chair and walking out the tent with him.
Leiea decides to go to Ryn first, the most obvious choice. Not only with him being her friend, but because he's such a kind, genius person. He would easily decide right from wrong, when so many other possibilities for the team out there probably aren't at their mental best.
She sticks her head in and is immediately surprised by the appearance of his father. The two of them are friendly, but it's rather strange that this is the first she's seen of him around the camp. He must be a really high demand worker for the graves, she thinks, or he actually does live there.
Ryn looks up and ushers Leiea in. She skirts around his father and bends down to whisper in his ear to talk with her privately. He nods, glancing at his father, who gives a confused look but nods when he gestures outside. They move just outside the tent and she goes right into what she and Sheyric were discussing, leading back to his story of the clearing in the forest.
At the mention of going into the forest, Ryn groans and rubs his face. "It's crazy you agreed to that," He interrupts, "I don't want to risk myself for something that could or couldn't have been a danger. I understand that you trust Sheyric, but to this degree?"
"I don't want to go, and I get it if you don't either. I just don't want him going in alone, specifically for that reason." He nods slightly and she continues talking at the part with the details.
She finishes talking and Ryn stands in silence for a moment, resting his head on his hand, eyes darting around the grass in thought. His head shoots up after a while. "I'll do it. Solely because I hope you'll be the sane side of everything for Sheyric." He pauses before adding, "And I doubt I'm dumb enough to hurt myself."
Leiea grins and pats him on the shoulder with a soft thank you. Normally she would hug him, but the dusk deadline is fast approaching and he knows perfectly well she's not the one that's over-the-moon exciting about the plan.
She passes the corner of the tent as Ryn enters it. Swinging around the tent pole and stopping in front of the medical tent, where Vaeic is sure to be. It only seems right to ask her now. The nurses and doctors aren't as swamped with patients, so she'll have more time to join in. The one problem is that Leiea barely knows the woman besides her obvious toughness. She pokes her head into the tent and the fading scent of blood meets her nose, not nearly as pungent as the first time she popped in.
Besides a few patients spread across wood panels and the ground, Vaeic is the only person in the room. Her black hair, which was usually in a loose bun, is laying on her back and sweat soaked, despite the feel of late autumn everywhere. Her eyes flicker to Leiea and she holds up a hand while finishing wrapping a man's mangled arm in cloth.
She finishes and approaches Leiea, crossing her arms and throwing a towel on the ground. "You made quite the impression here last time," She says with a small grin.
Leiea stiffens but doesn't move otherwise. "It wasn't on purpose. That Clyra lady-"
"I know, I know, she set you up for something you didn't know. She sucked as a caregiver and we don't need many nurses anyway, so I kicked her out. So, If you want another chance here, have at it. Although I'm sure you're much better off working with that stud Ranulf."
She holds back a laugh and shakes her head. "I'll keep going there, but I'll keep that in mind. However, I came to ask something else of you."
Vaeic raises an eyebrow and nods. Leiea recites exactly what she told to Ryn, going back to Sheyric's investigation. She interrupts her after that point.
"I have no idea where this is leading, but is that why your boyfriend's not hunting anymore?" Leiea nods but clenches her fists at the second mention of the two of them courting. "Okay, maybe tell him sometime? When he got those deer there were barely enough for the patients here and my blood was really boiling. Continue."
She starts back on the story with the rest of the plan and how it would work, even including that Ryn's joining in. By the way Vaeic receives the invitation and her body language, it's obvious she's nervous about leaving her job for a while, but is also willing- or maybe even eager- to help.
She finishes her telling with a simple statement. "If you can do this, I suggest bringing Clyra back while you are out. She does suck, but give her a chance when neither of us are there."
"I will." Vaeic's answer is so immediate and vigorous that Leiea's taken aback. "I don't like leaving this place, but I haven't had any real adventure or excitement in a while. Well, excitement that doesn't have fire and death. Wait didn't you say there might be fire and death?" Leiea nods. "Oh. Well, nothing can be worse than losing my husband. Nursing was my escape from depression." She dips her head for a moment and Leiea almost approaches her to comfort, but knows it's not appropriate.
"I've been in the forest before. Hunted regularly, so maybe I can help."
"Great, thank you. Be there by dusk, and... I'm so sorry about your husband." Leiea can barely get the right words out. She steps forward to offer a hug or handshake but she's waved off again.
"I'll need to work as much as I can before then. Only a few hours, though, so not much. Or enough, at this point. Bye."
Leiea nods and jumps out of the doorway she's hardly moved from the whole time. She wonders how many people Sheyric has rounded up. Knowing him, she probably went to overfilled tents with large families in it, targeting to get multiple at a time. Hoping for his charm and positivity to power over the horrid scratches still streaking his skin.
Leiea walks a ways from all the tents and props herself up against an iron plough that was left in the middle of the grass. The encampment really isn't busy or populated at all, certainly not when compared to the old village, but something is getting to her. The kind of ever-present feeling when you're done with the stress, and need to take a real break away from home. Of course when she did that last time, nearly everyone died, but her past visits to the forest is closer to what she's a fan of. Still, she doesn't understand why that feeling has been so prevealent. It's almost like a different form of what she was like leaving for Galerus, closed off from the world.
She's almost dozed off on the plough when someone nudges her shoulder. With a start, she gasps and finds Sheyric at her side, bending down and with an accomplished expression.
"Of course you found me," She says bitterly, setting her head back on the hard metal surface and resting her eyes.
"It's not that hard." He glances at her red hair, "But that's besides the point. How many people did you ask? How many were willing?"
"I asked the most obvious people, ones that are sure to agree. Ryn and Vaeic."
"Vaeic?"
She completely forgot he's not familiar with her, only seeing her for a split moment the second they walked in the camp. "She's that black haired nurse,"
He nods but doesn't look sure. "And did they agree or not?"
"It's not like Ryn isn't. And Vaeic only agreed to go because she misses 'excitement' and 'adventure'. Still, I think I trust her the most. I'm guessing you got tons of people to bring alone on the team."
Sheyric grins and nods a bit. "Let see... I've got four. Ailpein, Hania, Therin, and someone known as 'Heron'"
Her eyes snap open to see if he was joking or not, and she sighs seeing he's dead serious. "You invited Therin? And how did you find Hania, because I was hoping to get her."
"Therin might be one of the best contenders. I hate him, but know it's your job to deal with it. Hania was getting water for her family and she was very inclined to join in. Ailpein is the older man I've been lodging with, a tough fellow that will go far." He stops to count off who he has mentioned and Leiea snorts at the idea of some old man going into the forest with this group.
"Who knows, he might decline after seeing the rest of us. Anyways, this Heron guy is very mysterious and doesn't even like sharing his real name. I've known him long enough to see the strength in him. I would stay away until he comes to you."
She nods and stands up, stretching her legs and walking around the plough. She doesn't know where she was intending to go, but Sheyric soon catches up and starts guiding them into the direction of the meeting tent. It's not very close to dusk yet, but close enough that Sheyric will think people will start coming.
Before they enter, Leiea notices a sign on the canvas flap of the tent. Scrawled on a piece of tree bark are the words, 𝓥𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓓𝓾𝓼𝓴.
She chuckles as he walks up behind her. "Venture is a friendly way to put it."
He turns to her with a stern look. "We didn't exactly talk for long enough to discuss a name for any of this, so I settled on that myself. Maybe with the others here we can think of something more...discrete." He flips the tent open and groans.
Leiea sticks her head in to find Therin inside already, balancing his weight on one of the few pieces of furniture in the room. He stumbles and falls off, landing painfully on his shoulder but managing to cause the floor to rumble. He jumps up and pulls Sheyric into a bear hug like last him.
"Thanks for inviting me here," His voice booms and Sheyric gives Leiea a look of regret and utter despair. "You two are such good friends."
"Ha, no," Sheyric says right after, pulling out from his grasp. "I was never your friend, not even in school. I avoided you for years for a reason, and it's quite refreshing. There is no point in calling me a friend, and calling her one is just unreasonable." He motions to Leiea and she nods with vigor.
"C'mon little man! I know you're-"
"Stop. Don't do that again," He interrupts, anger transforming his tone. "I am not little, you're just a giant that no one can compete with. If you continue on with this behavior or name calling you'll be kicked out. I don't want to go off ranting again on you seconds after the last time."
Leiea, although surprised and intimidated by Sheyric's intensity, whispers to him. "I think we should just get it over with already. It's not like he's going to stop at this point,"
He cocks his head in thought but dismisses it. "He's horrible in that sense but an absolute physical wonder, you have to admit," He whispers back, motioning to Therin balancing on the stool again on one foot.
"Just consider it, please."
"I have been for 15 years."
They sit and wait for the others to come, watching Therin fall off everything. Sheyric eventually gets more and more paranoid about where everyone could be as the sun begins to set behind the hills.
"I can look for them!" Therin yells out, somehow not sore or tired after hours of toppling from furniture. "You know how fast I am at finding people."
Sheyric glances up and shoots him a glance of annoyance. "First of all, don't listen to my mutterings, it's just talking out loud and you're creepy for taking it to heart."
Leiea nods. "I learned that quickly."
"Yes," He continues, "And second, You've never seen any of the other people, and knowing you, you'll make a random guess based on name only and pretend it was correct. Third, you shouldn't have-"
Just as his scolding was getting more fierce, the tent flutters open. Hania and Vaeic walk in, talking and laughing loudly. "She's hilarious!" Hania says amid her hysterics, pointing to Vaeic. She keeps her smug smile until seeing Therin and immediately begins looking disgusted.
Hania sits down on the floor next to Leiea. "So," She flips her bangs into the rest of her short hair. "What's this all about? Your hunting partner here didn't explain much."
"We need more strong people to join us in exploring the forest, to see what's happening in there. Neither of us trust it, especially me, but we need to get to the bottom of it. I was hoping to find you first but I guess he did..." Leeia finishes and makes a shaky laugh. Hania grins and looks to the front before her.
Ryn walks in next, quiet as to not draw attention. He notices Leiea's and Hania's gaze and walks over in light feet. "Am I late?" He asks in a whisper, sitting down next to the girls.
"Not at all," Leiea responds, "I think we still have a few to come. Also, ignore that guy, he's not worth the trouble," she gestures to Therin and poor Sheyric, still stuck talking with the brute. She turns to Hania. "You must have sharp ears to hear Ryn of all people walk in."
She chuckles and nods. "Hunter's ears, my father called them. I come from a huge family, and the second oldest. My older sister didn't like getting dirty, so I was left to hunt and provide most of the food. I always had a partner with me, though, in case of something strange like with Sheyric. He was brave to do that in the first place." She gives a small, hesitant smile that suggests that she isn't exactly a brave one herself. Leiea blushes without meaning to.
Ryn snorts. "More crazy than brave," He says, using a similar tone as Leiea would talking about Sheyric's antics.
While she grins at him, the tent blows open from the chilly night wind again. It's even more dark out, yet the lantern that was put outside the tent illuminates in the interior well. The wind seems to startle Therin, who goes toppling again and almost onto Sheyric; Vaeic, next to the two, holds back a laugh. The tent flap begins to settle back down when it's passed open by a delicate hand.
A dark robed figure walks in, standing off to the corner without another look inside. "Heron... I was told he'd be here," Hania says, glancing at the figure for a moment. Leiea nods, remembering Sheyric telling her about a mysterious man called Heron. The mental picture of his short description was close to what Heron actually looks like. Still in the corner, he lets the hood of the black robe fall, revealing an equally dark head of hair hitting the length of his chin. The most surprising, though, is the apparent gentleness set on his freckled face.
"I should stay away from him," Hania continues, "I was a bratty little kid to him at school. You always think of the older boys picking on the little girls, but it was the other way around."
Leiea steals a look at her. It seems implausible for the sweet girl right next to her to be a past bully. She must have let her bad actions as a child shape herself now, She realizes.
Hania continues. "After seeing me here he might come over to finish off that revenge he's been ranting about for years. Well, it's not like he has any idea I'm better than that now." She sighs and fixes her eyes off in the distance.
Just then, Sheyric straightens his posture and clears his throat, walking to the front of the tent. Heron flinches and moves away, Hania doing similar and making Ryn move. Sheyric smiles and Therin gives an enthusiastic but unnecessary round of applause.
"As you can see," His accented voice is much stronger sounding at night than usual during the day, "You've all been collected for a reason. Leiea and I need more than the two of us to investigate what I... saw. It wasn't natural, nor trustworthy. I know all of you have different skills and attributes that will-" His speech is cut off by the tent flap busting inward, and the edge of it clipping his calves.
He turns with a warm smile. "Ailpein, finally. I thought you gave up on this. I'll start over again, just take a seat," Sheyric moves out of the way to let Ailpein by. Leiea feels her palms grow sweaty immediately, and she suppresses an animalistic scream of surprise, shock, and whatever else a beast can feel that is bad nostalgia.
This apparent stranger, Ailpein, no other than a man she knew as "Father".