A Decision
Chapter 15:
previously: (chapter 13) the small hunting party of village crossed paths with the ranger, Caelum, who warned them about continuing their pursuit of the creature
then: (chapter 14) a flashback to Martin, where we learn how he achieved his status as an acolyte of The Arm
and now: we learn how Martin attained his status as an acolyte with The Arm
Six pairs of eyes watched Caelum turn, and with a couple strides, meld into the thick foliage of The Wilds.
Six pairs of ears didn’t hear so much as a twig snap or a leaf rustle as the ranger slipped out of earshot.
Six pairs of feet remained planted in the ground, unsure of their next step.
Five pairs of hands hung at their sides — some with fingers balled into fists while others fidgeted nervously.
“Maybe we should do as the ranger says,” Brain said, breaking the silence.
The four villagers of their party knew that was not a question.
“But what of Carpin?” Fitcher’s asked. “What of my brother and that … that creature?”
Two heads nodded.
“We aren’t doing him any good stomping around The Wilds,” Brann replied.
That earned him one angry stare.
“I could find the creature’s trail again if we returned to last night’s camp,” Zilla offered.
Several grunts of approval were followed by a huff of dissent.
The one acolyte of The Arm in the group only half listened to what was being said. He still eyed the spot where the ranger had disappeared into The Wilds. Martin was tempted to cast his awareness out after Caelum in order to make sure he hadn’t simply dissolved into the shadows. But his senses were still muddled from what the ranger had done to his awareness a few short moments ago.
Caelum’s departure had left Martin with several new, unanswered questions. The ranger had attempted to scare them from their task, sneaking into camp last night disguised as the creature they hunted.
How had he done that so convincingly?
Then he had misled them, setting down a false trail to follow.
Why the ruse?
And moments ago he had warned them off their pursuit of the creature.
What isn’t he telling us, hiding from me?
Martin barely had a moment to ponder the mystery those questions posed.
“What say you, Martin?” Tack asked.
Five pairs of eyes fixed on him.
Being pulled into their conversation surprised Martin. He was the outlier in their group — the stranger and the youngest by a handful of seasons. Yet, they shared similar reasons for being?
We all have something to prove, Martin thought.
He to his fellow members of The Arm: he had earned his status as an acolyte.
Zilla to her father: she deserved to join the Tracker’s Guild
Renkle to a barmaid at the Bottomless Pint who he yearned to impress her.
Fitcher to his father: he was as good a son as his injured older brother.
Tack … Martin was unsure of his reason for joining the hunting party, other than he was with Carpin when the attack occurred.
Perhaps he has something to prove to himself, Martin wondered.
Then there was Brann. His goal was to return to his wife and daughter as soon as his duty was done. While he had nothing to prove, it was not in his nature to allow this group of youths to wander The Wilds without his protection.
Brann’s eyes were the hardest to meet. They were set. Stone. He had already made his mind up on what they should do.
Martin didn’t want to question his decision. Wanted to agree with Brann, so he could return to the monastery. While there was no comfort of family to be had for him, he would still have familiarity. His porridge would be less lumpy than what Renkle prepared. He would have his daily training instead of stomping through the endlessness of The Wilds. And he would no longer feel out of place in a world where family, friends, and crushes could hold sway over decisions of importance.
But stronger than the worry of the preceptor’s reaction to failure, Martin felt an unexplainable pull to continue on. Not necessarily to pursue the creature. The beast now seemed a secondary concern in his mind to the inexorable tug at the root of his being, drawing him toward a not-too-far-off destination.
“Have any of you seen The Waste?” Martin asked.
Five faces contorted in confusion at the unexpected question.
Then four heads shook no.
“What does that have to do with any of this?” Brann asked.
Four pairs of eyes turned from Brann to Martin.
“We are a half day from The Waste,” Martin said. “And that is where the creature was headed.”
Do they also feel it, Martin wondered. Would the pull of The Waste affect their decisions as well.
“True. It’s due east from us,” Zilla added.
“We could turn back after seeing it,” Martin said. “And say we tracked the creature to its border.”
“No one would expect us to pursue it beyond that,” Tack said.
Two others nodded vigorously in agreement.
“Fine,” Brann said.
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