Torches flicker in sconces along the walls of the great hall. A new dawn rises, a special dawn. The skies are to be clear and the wind at rest. They stand gathered in prayer, for the new year, led by their lady as had always been the case.

“Gods in heaven hear our prayers. Kalador’s light shines upon us once again. A year begins, a year ends. Through ice and frost we have endured, and from that darkest night, springs your dawn. Guard our home from the dark as we venture forth into the morn, in service to your court.

“Itova, please forgive our wickedness towards ourselves and our fellows. In your embrace we find the warmth in our hearts. Lead us in kindness and in love. Guard our hearts from evil that would turn us from our friends and from ourselves. 

“Norik, guide our wrath as we purge the evil wherever it lies, and temper us should we be mistaken. May we be true and just in thy name, as evil faces its reckoning by your wisdom and might.

“Ishan, welcome those who shall leave us this year, care for those who departed in the last. May your gates swing wide to your eternal realm where finally we may know peace. We remember our fallen, we cherish their past. One year we shall join them once our duty is done.

“Naulk, we beseech you for your bounty, from your endless forests that we be sworn to guard and keep. From every deer and tree we take only what is needed, to sustain and to strengthen our home amidst yours. Through greed and destruction we risk our undoing at your guardian’s hand, for so says the accord. Today is your day, we shall hunt your forests with your blessings bestowed upon our people.” 

There was silence for a moment. They were supposed to recite the oath of the huntress, then be sent off by Nunuk, but she kept her head bowed as she waited, like she wasn’t done yet. Normally they would only give prayer to the five gods of the court of light. The five all knew to worship, however little one believed. But instead she carried on.

“Oleg, god of craftsmanship, hear our prayers this year. We have done much to earn thy favor. Please, bless our creations and our people. Should they falter our craft shall be snuffed, forever, depriving the world of your brilliance and that of your disciples. Every rivet is hammered in your name, steel polished to your song, let it sing forever more.”

It was no prayer Sapphire had heard before, no one even hummed along. It must be of Nunuk’s own design then. Or at least not one anyone knew. ‘Not like praying for a human has been tried before I suppose.’

“Tula, God of war, hear our prayers this year. Long you have been idle in these lands. The dying year saw your return once more, and for our victories we are thankful. The blue moon shall rise, drenched in blood. We solemnly swear, your teachings are not forgotten here. Guide our blade against the coward, the traitor, and the cruel. Help us stand against the foes at our door, who have never listened to thine decree…”

‘Ho boi… that sure is a way to put it,’ Sapphire thought to herself as the hall went quiet. 

Slowly Nunuk raised her head, then she placed her right hand over her chest. “In the name of Naulk, we shall have our first hunt today. A new year begins, a new year of duty, work, and sacrifice. We shall stand together, as family and keep. Guards step forward to affirm your oath, for a new year is upon us.”

As ordered, all six of the keep’s guards stepped up, receiving the lady’s attention. They stood proud, armor polished, blades at their sides, guns at their shoulders, eyes front. With a cough and a quick shove from Jacky, Tom too stepped forwards from the line of huntresses, ducking his head at Nunuk briefly. 

The lady gave him a simple nod before placing her fist over her chest, the guards mirroring in kind.

“Recite after me… I solemnly swear to uphold the good name of this keep and the name of Bizmati.

“I shall stand in the defense of my keep, against any that would harm it or those who call it home.

“I shall perform my duty by the will of my Lord or Lady and always remain vigilant in my duty.

“I shall not seek to do harm to that which I have sworn to protect. For such would be my undoing.”

Nunuk lowered her hand once more, looking them over. “There is no question, your oath shall be tested this year. Stand firm, stand vigilant. We shall survive, and we shall prosper. Do not falter, for the sake of your home and for the sake of your friends. My son leads you. Look to him should you ever doubt. His word is my command. He will not lead you astray.”

Rachuck gave his mother a nod then turned to the nearly straight line of guardsmen. “I shall lead you with pride.”

Nunuk looked to the next group amongst them. The craftsmen and labourers, who made everything that was needed at the keep. Tink, Junior, and Ray standing with them in this new year.

“Crafters, step forward please.”

They did so, with less poise or precision than the guards. Heads shifted to Tom, as he hesitated once more before shrugging and taking a step forwards. 

‘Tom, you don’t shrug when taking oaths,’ Sapphire chuckled. ‘Then again I guess taking three isn’t normal, either.’

Nunuk didn’t acknowledge or admonish him. Maybe she didn’t even see as she looked over the line of craftsmen, especially their new additions, as she placed her fist over her chest.

“Repeat after me… I solemnly swear to grow the good virtue of this keep and the name of Bizmati.

“I shall labor for my keep to provide what my home and its people shall need.

“I ply my craft by the will of my Lord or Lady and always make what they require.

“I shall not betray my craft or make lacking items that endanger my keep. For such would be my undoing.”

Tink and Junior did their best, but Sapphire suspected there were a few words that got mouthed silently rather than spoken aloud. She remembered how it was being a greenhorn, too. It was the intent that mattered at the end of the day, not the words themselves.

“You shall be led by Shiva, my trusted friend. Her words are my command. There is no finer smith on the frontier, and by Oleg we shall need you all this year.”

“I expect nothing but the finest craftsmanship. We haven’t the time nor patience for shoddy work,” Shiva said, in a firm tone, harsher than Nunuk or Rachuck. This was Shiva after all.

Some smiled, some gulped. Sapphire blamed neither as Nunuk turned her attention to the last group. Those who would feed them all this year, like they always did. Normally they were the ones who earned their coin too, but this year that would probably not be the case.

“Huntresses, step forward. And hunter,” Nunuk called, this time looking to Tom as well.

They did so, as one. All seven huntresses, and one hunter. Standing proud before their lady, armor freshly polished, fur linings cleaned, and fletchings straightened for the occasion. And as she spoke they repeated after her.

“I solemnly swear to show the good virtue of this keep and the name of Bizmati.

“I shall provide for this, my keep, and hunt far and wide for it and those who call it home.

“I shall take to the wing by the will of my Lord or Lady and always hunt what they require.

“I shall not seek to keep my spoils from those who I have sworn to feed. For such would be my undoing.”

“The air brings dark tidings. You not only hunt for us, but search for those who would threaten our keep, and the island that is our home. You shall be led by my daughter, Dakota. She shall not lead you astray, nor shrink from her duties. Her word is my command. Heed it well, one day she shall be Lady of this keep.”

Dakota nodded in acknowledgment of her mother before looking to the line of huntresses and Tom. “The air is cold, but the sky is clear. We shall fly far today, our first hunt, and our first searches for those who would infect our home. Wherever evil is found, we cut it out by the root and throw it into the depths of hell. Jarix shall aid us in our duty on this day. May his wings carry us further and faster.”

“Do I have to swear something too?” Jarix questioned, sounding quite amused at the spectacle playing out in the hall beneath him. Saph figured he probably hadn’t actually seen anyone swear the keep oaths before. Though surely he had his own to the crown.

Nunuk gently turned around to face the dragon, a warm smile on her face. “No, Jarix. Though you stay within our walls, you are not my subject. Much the same is true for many of the new faces we have welcomed in the past year. Instead we shall swear to you that you are welcomed here for as long as we stand. You have done more than could be expected of any guest.”

“Well I won’t say you’re wrong, but my pleasure.” The dragon chuckled, Nunuk maintaining the serene demeanor a day such as today demanded as she turned back to the huntresses.

“Dakota, I believe it is time.”

“Of course mother. Very well girls and Tom. It may be spring, but we are burning daylight. Tom, you are flying with Jarix. We head for the mountains in formation. We shall make camp on the leeward side to shelter. Weather permitting, Jarix shall carry on for Deriva. He and Tom shall stand the cold better than us. In the morn, they will return, bearing good news, and once our load is fat and heavy, we head for home. Do you think this shall be possible, Jarix?”

“Suure, I’m nice and warm, and I’m betting they have a fire going at Deriva. I’m more worried about the little one.” The young dragon snickered, evidently excited to get underway. They had been flying about a touch, but nothing much. This would be the first time he got to properly stretch his wings for a whole season.

“I’ve brought the thick gloves, don’t you worry,” Tom replied in equally good spirits, holding up a pair of black mittens of some kind.

“You will fall from the sky before that one freezes, Jarix,” Jacky spoke up, sounding cheery as ever. “But don’t you dare sit on him for warmth.”

“Don’t tread on me, I sting,” Tom added as Nunuk stood patiently, and Dakota considered if this could indeed be considered proper procedure. Eventually she arrived at a conclusion and cleared her throat.

“Should the cold prove too fierce, we shall cut the journey short, camp and construct fires on the mesas in the forest, and return come dusk, carrying Naulk’s bounty.”

Nods and glances were exchanged. It was a longer first hunt than Sapphire had expected, but it made sense with Jarix’s mission. 

“Excelent. Now before we leave, one last thing.” The gilded huntress drew her knife, sharp as a razor, glinting in the torch light. “Linkosta.”

Her younger sister stepped up beside her holding out a small glass vial, the cork in her other hand. In one simple motion Dakota nicked her palm and held her hand over the vial as deep blue blood started to drip. 

They watched on in confusion. This was no ritual Sapphire remembered. She sure had heard of blood rituals and sacrifices before, but she never would have taken Dakota for a believer.

“For Jackalope’s blade, should you become lost. Tom, Jarix, you as well.”

Heads turned to look at Jacky, the only person not seeming taken aback by the display. As if to explain, Jacky drew her own dagger, the enchanted weapon she had been gifted in the fall by the Inquisition. It was an even more elaborate piece than even Nunuk carried. 

“So I can smell you out. Bit of blood, I’ll find you lying in a hole no matter where you managed to screw up.”

“Oooh,” they all hummed together. That made a lot more sense. 

“Linkosta will write your names. Get on with it,” Dakota ordered as the young mage went person to person, everyone drawing their knife and giving themselves a small nick.

‘For your sake I hope that knife is clean, Pho,’ Sapphire thought to herself as the greenhorn mimicked the gesture, cutting a touch too deep. ‘At least it’s sharp now.’

---

“Feeling cold yet you overgrown lizard?” Tom called out over the roaring wind. It was still quite bitey even if the dragon had slowed a touch. Tom sure was happy he had put quite a bit of effort into wrapping his face up for the long flight. Out of everyone present, he felt he was definitely the most comfortable one. He almost considered getting out the phone to play some mine sweeper. The view was lovely, but it hadn’t really changed much for the past hour. 

“Noooo… But they are,” Jarix replied, failing to convince Tom. He sounded like he was about to start shivering. The pair of them both looked back at the huntresses flying in a wedge behind the boys.

“They are slowing down, aren’t they?” Tom questioned rhetorically, considering if maybe he would have to scoot over to make room for whoever was slowing down the wing. Probably Fengi or Pho. They were quite scrawny after all. He looked back ahead, spying the rising mountains in the distance. 

“Yeah. We’re barely cruising anymore,” Jarix confirmed. “Do you think we have to stop again?”

“Well the mountain is right there, should be fine, right?” Tom tried to gauge the distance. It didn’t seem like they were that terribly far away. And they were going the right way now too, which was a plus.

“I think so. Dakota can see the mountain just as well. If she wanted us to stop or go somewhere else she would tell us… right?” Jarix fired back without much confidence.

“Yeah yeah, she’s the one leading us after all. Even if she isn’t in the lead,” Tom confirmed, looking back at the gilded huntress. She was flying closest to the dragon, sitting just off his right flank. Esmeralda was on the left. Sapphire and Jacky brought up the rear being their strongest fliers leaving the rest to fill up the middle of the wedge. 

“Yeah, totally her fault we were off course. I mean why does she think I know where the mountains are? I’ve only been there once before,” Jarix carried on in a lowered voice, possibly worried she would hear him as he looked back ahead.

“No, you’ve definitely been there several times,” Tom argued as he once more got comfortable. 

He had considered saying no to coming along. Zarko could have made the trip in winter gear just fine. But at the same time he was grateful to be out and about. He had of course been luckier than most, getting the chance to go out and see the winter wonderland with Nik and Elsa. Everyone else had been locked up for months. Though they had all been sleeping so time had sorta passed in a blink for them… Save for the nightmares of course. He surmised that must leave Rachuck as the truly least fortunate at the keep.

More importantly though, he quite wanted to see the people at Deriva again. They had not heard from them since the dragons departed for the capital, and it had been a fairly long winter. When he learned that he was at least expected to take part in this important first hunt, he used the excuse to get both things sorted in one go. He just had to make sure he brought something home that resembled game. Though apparently even roots and such counted.

“I have?” the dragon questioned after a moment to ponder. He sounded genuinely confused, much to Tom’s surprise.

“Collecting the guano, remember?”

“That’s the one I was talking about.”

“Well you flew past them at least twice when going to Deriva last time,” Tom insisted, not believing the dragon could have forgotten the flight that ended with a fight for his life last time. Thinking back they really had cut it rather close, even then.

“Oh yeah… Well that was a long time ago,” the dragon dismissed, to Tom’s astonishment.

“Dude it was like uh… eight months? I don’t know. Not that long. And you damn near had your ticket punched.”

“I ain’t even gonna ask why you would punch a ticket. I don’t know man, half a year is a long time. I’m only eighty and winter just doesn’t exist really. Not my fault.”

“If you say so,” Tom conceded, then a worry started to form. “Say… You can actually get there, right?”

“What, to Deriva? Sure, weather is nice, wind is good. No problem. But I’m gonna want to come inside when we get there, I’ll be cold as hell… Maybe I could warm up a little when we make camp.”

“No, no, I mean, can you find it?”

“Oh yeah sure, no problem. It’s at the place with the craggy cliffs and the goats and stuff. Easy as diving.”

“Right… and you’re sure we shouldn’t have brought Zarko along, big fella?” Tom questioned, feeling less than confident in the dragon’s bluster.

“Oh shut up man it’s fine. You know where the keep is too. We’ll work it out.”

“Uhh… no?” Tom replied deadpan. He genuinely had no idea how to find the keep other than what the surrounding terrain generally looked like.

“What do you mean? You’ve been there too?” Jarix questioned accusingly.

“Yeah, once. And I don’t like… look where we are, I’m just a passenger. It’s very pretty to look around and all that, but at the end of the day I know we are roughly east of Bizmati right now. That’s about it.”

“Right… uuuhhhh… I’m sure it will be fine,” the dragon replied, sounding less sure of himself as he started scanning the treeline.

‘Hooo this can only end well.’

---

“Hooo this is just what we needed,” Sapphire mused as she basked in the sun’s rays, the fire crackling in front of her. The craggy sides of the mountain provided shelter from the wind and the sun’s rays held some power. They had found the old cave they had used many times before to seek shelter. It would be their camping spot for the night and where they could retreat to warm up as they hunted. 

The unscheduled stop they had been forced to make had delayed them somewhat. But the sun was still yet to reach its peak in the sky. The early departure had meant flying through colder air, but it would be worth it. They had time to gather more than they could carry and prepare it so no weight was wasted on their return flight.

Normally they would not venture so far for their first hunt of the year. But with Jarix carrying onwards and able to carry much of their burden home tomorrow, it was a safer bet. The mesas found in the forest left you mightily exposed should the spring weather decide to turn on them despite Raulf’s assurances.

“You’re sure there ain’t room for me around that fire?” Jarix asked hopefully, craning his head above them.

“Quite sure. Besides, you’re not the one who glided in on stiff wings,” Sapphire rebuked in good spirits. Though poor Fengi wasn’t quite so upbeat. She had been very cold by the time they arrived, hardly even able to help construct the fire.

“Awww man… Tom you don’t have like a super warm blanket or something, right?”

“What, you mean like a heated blanket?” Heads turned with curiosity until their hopes were dashed. “Ain’t got one of those. But I suppose that could be neat. I don’t think they come in dragon size, though.”

“Nothing comes in dragon size,” Jarix moped as he laid his head back down atop his forelegs. His wings were stretched out up and down the mountainside, soaking up every bit of heat they could. “Not fair.”

“I’ll see about fixing that in like, ten years,” Tom joked back, leaning comfortably against the dragon’s side. He didn’t even seem worried about staying by the fire. Or perhaps he was simply giving up his space for those who needed it more.

Serenity reigned on the mountain as everyone recovered, only broken by the snore of the human who had managed to fall asleep.

“Someone has had a hard day.” Fengi chuckled, her cheery disposition returning once she warmed up a little. 

“I know, right? So much work figuring out how to lay down most comfortably,” Jarix mockingly replied. “He’ll want to sleep in the belly netting next.”

“Awww man, why didn’t I think of that?” Pho protested. “There’s a few nice furs packed in there. I could totally have had a nap coming out here.”

“I think Jarix has done plenty already, carrying our camping gear as he has,” Dakota interjected, to the dragon’s evident approval. “But I do believe it is time, girls. The boys have done their part. Or well, Jarix has. Someone else is very busy at the moment,” Dakota half-joked as she stood up, soon followed by her fellow huntresses. 

“Give him this won’t you? He’s not seemed that content for weeks. He’s had it hard enough sleeping at all,” Jacky said somberly, looking at the human with longing eyes.

‘That or the effects finally wore off,’ Sapphire sighed to herself as they all looked to the sleeping human for a moment.

“Maybe I’ll give him a bit longer,” Jarix gracefully offered, laying his own head back down again comfortably.

“Such a noble sacrifice,” Pho chuckled. “You’ll be sure to get a medal for that one.”

“I in fact already have medals,” Jarix commented cockily as he got himself extra comfortable. 

“Just you wait. Come the end of year, I’ll have a whole string of ’em. Mark my words.”

“And I shall have turned yellow.”

---

“Oi, down there!” Tom called out as he pointed down at the craggy rocks below. A small group of green dots flying back the other way towards the forest they had just left. “Ain’t those the geese things?”

“Oh yeah,” Jarix confirmed, also spotting the birds. 

“It would be pretty swell to bring’em something fresh for dinner, right?”

“Oh yeah. Good idea.” The dragon was clearly picking up what Tom was putting down. Tom put his arms through the loops on the harness, pushed his legs under the straps, and prepared to hang on for dear life. 

“So you gonna just snatch one, or do I have to blow it away?” Tom was the only one carrying a shotgun today. That was to say Jarix was carrying it. The huntresses were sporting bows like the olden days to conserve their ammunition. But he didn’t know how to even use a bow, so here they were.

“You gonna fall off?” Jarix questioned as Tom felt him starting to lever over to the left.

“No, I’m good!” Tom called as he got the shotgun from the modified sling and braced.

“Diving!” The dragon rolled over into a vertical descent, heading for the flock of geese at a massive rate of speed.

Tom hunkered down as he started to work out his firing angles. Jarix had been taught to keep his head perfectly still when someone called out “Firing,” but Tom still had some fairly limited arcs to work with as the dragon hurtled towards the ground. 

The wind deafened Tom completely as the dragon started to pull up, slotting in behind the geese. Tom tried to crane his neck to get a look at them dead ahead. Then Jarix raised his head and flared, Tom getting pushed hard into the dragons back as they decelerated.

“Ahr shit,” was all he heard, Jarix apparently resigning himself to some terrible fate. Then there was a panicked honk and a cloud of feathers. Jarix quickly leveled back out again, head turning to look behind him. “Whoops.”

“The fuck was that?” Tom demanded as he too looked behind them, seeing a puff of feathers with a suspiciously dragon shaped hole punched through it. 

“I didn’t think they would break like that.”

“Dude, you hit that thing at a hundred kph closing, easy. Of course the goose broke,” Tom cursed, though he couldn’t help but find it funny.

“Nah man, like, broke formation you know? Fucking combat geese I tell you.”

“Did you at least catch the thing?” Tom replied, laughing.

“Yeah yeah. Well, some of it.”

---

“There is one!” Sapphire roared out, pointing into the grass below, a small form parting the reeds as it darted for safety. “Go on, shoot it!”

Pho had lead as the pair followed the panicked animal. An arrow was loosed. It was close, but ultimately it hit the ground with a thud. Pho broke away enough to give Sapphire her shot. She surged forward and drew the compound bow, letting the string hang by a single claw as she waited for a clean line. 

The fleeing jackalope darted side to side, then it jumped up into the air to avoid a log and Sapphire let fly. The arrow went a touch wide, but with a quick correction it bent nicely into her target and the jackalope was no more as it tumbled to a stop in the grass.

“CHEATER!” Pho declared as they both pulled up and around to collect their prey. 

“I let you try first,” Sapphire defended herself with a chuckle as they set down in the cold grass, Sapphire scooping up her prey and pushing the arrow the rest of the way through. “Speaking of, where did your arrow go?”

“Ahr fuck,” Pho muttered as she looked back the way they came. 

“If you say please I might help you look for it,” Sapphire teased as she wiped off the jackalope before hanging it from her belt. The arrow she would just wipe clean in the grass, that would do for now.

The silence was deafening as Sapphire took her sweet time cleaning the singular arrow. By the time Pho opened her mouth she might even have got it clean enough she wouldn’t need to worry about it when they got home tomorrow.

“Would you pleeeeaaase help me look for my arrow? I know it’s back there somewhere,” the greenhorn finally went with great pain and suffering as she looked back from whence they came.

“Well since you asked so very nicely. And it wasn’t a bad shot. You’re getting the hang of that thing,” Sapphire praised as she stowed her shiny arrow.

It took a while to find the errant arrow. One issue with the new bows: they really did stick the arrows in deep. But they eventually found the telltale blue fletching sticking out of the ground. At least it hadn’t broken, but it had eaten into their remaining time. And they didn’t have much to show for their efforts thus far. 

They carried on, scoring a small rabbit. To make up the difference they picked a bag full of fresh spruce shoots for making spruce beer. It would have to do, and there would be another chance in the morning. There really wasn’t much around worth taking down. Most of the birds wouldn’t have made it up from the south yet, and the deer needed time to fatten up. Taking them now would be a waste.

And so they both glided into camp, freezing cold and slack-eared, both hoping and fearing that the others had done better. Jackalope and Fengi were already busy cleaning their kills around the small crackling fire. As they saw the other pair approach they scootched over to make room. Their catch  didn’t look very different from what Pho and Sapphire had managed. A few rabbits and jackalopes and a couple ducks to be seen, but there was fresh meat there so that was good enough. 

“Not much luck either then, ey?” Sapphire questioned in an upbeat tone as she set down.

“About what you’d expect this time of year. Saw some red deer actually. They had a hard winter, skin and bones. Not worth the shot,” Jacky replied plainly as she plucked the fairly plump looking duck. At least that should be tasty.

“Yeah much the same, really. Even the jackalopes are skin only.”

“All except one,” Fengi chuckled, giving Jacky a playful shove to the shoulder. 

“We’ve never eaten this well for a winter. Remember how we’d sit around the fires on the first night of the new year? Fresh meat. First time in months?”

“Yeah. I remember,” Fengi sighed as Sapphire started to unpack, lining up her kills to be processed as best they could out here. Pho dumped hers in a messy pile before sitting down with a heavy sigh.

“At least you got it early out here. In the cities you sometimes wait weeks before fresh food becomes available. And it’s so expensive during the start of the year,” Pho complained as she started picking at her pile for a place to start.

“I remember,” Fengi added with a solemn nod. “You were happy that winter was over, but you still might starve to death.”

“I don’t know about starve, but, I mean, we definitely couldn’t afford all fresh until at least a month or two into the year. Better than some had it though.”

“Sure is… Still better than Ray though. I bet spring doesn’t spur many warm feelings for her either.”

“Probably not, no. But no need to worry about freezing to death. That’s something.”

“What a cheery conversation,” Sapphire broke in. Tales of starvation and frost weren’t exactly her intention. 

They had never starved at Bizmati. Not while she was here at least. Things had gotten tight a few times. But Nunuk, Rachuck, and Dakota were no strangers to the challenges frontier living presented. Of course it certainly helped that they had vast hunting grounds. They definitely had more than even Vulcha Keep, and that place hosted nearly ten times as many people. Here good hunts weren’t so much a matter of survival. It was a matter of profit. Even if they paid a fortune in transport for their goods. 

“Well, we get the first fresh meal this year. No sharing, no matter what that oath might say.”

“Don’t put it like that. You make it sound like we left them to starve back home.”

“Knowing what they have in the stores, I think they’re eating better than us tonight. Did anyone bring salt?”

“I got some,” Sapphire confirmed as she went to rummage through the small tail bag of essentials she had packed. There was plenty of room now that the fire starting kit had been replaced by a borrowed lighter of Tom’s. She got the small leather pouch and threw it over. “Might have a whiff of deer about it. And don’t over salt it. I’m sick of salted meats.”

“Same. Same,” Pho and Fengi called out in unison.

“Trust me, I’ll go light on it. What do you think, is this dinner?” Jacky questioned holding up the plump duck, just like Sapphire had hoped for.

“Hell yes, looks juicy. Might even be a bit of fat on it from wherever it came from.”

“Round as a ball from eating bugs I bet you. Right. I’ll convince mister duck to have dinner. You need to gather some wood and set up the tent then.”

“Camping like nobles, tent and everything,” Fengi snickered as Pho looked at her pile of kills, taking the excuse to sheath her knife.

“I’ll be back with wood. If I don’t come back, a wolf got me.”

“Pairs of two,” Sapphire corrected, standing up herself. They needed fuel, and it would be dark soon. Pho was right, they should get that done now. “Them’s the rules.”

“Aren’t wolves still sleeping or something?”

“Wolves don’t sleep at all. They only prowl. Come on. Let’s go.”