[Cailin - 4th day - Main Camp] #142

Cailin shakes her head "No, not really. It's more along the lines of rebellion. Well, that's what started it, but one way or another, it was bound to happen. Too many different people unable to work together. It was only a matter of time before something like that happened." She pauses, then grimaces "Though I didn't expect it to go that spectacularly..."

[???? - 4th day - Main Camp] #4

[Cailin - 4th day - Main Camp] #143

Cailin snorts "I don't think you could have found us at a good time anyway." She pauses then, raising an eyebrow, asks "So, have I answered enough of your questions for you to tell me who you are, where you were this past few days and what you want?"

Day 4, Remains of the Big Camp



Sim looks surprised and confused and very much his age as he stares up at the imposing spirit and Lindsey’s retreating back… “What…? But Rick…? Shit… Lindsey, wait…” and he was thwarted from following by the spirit…

Day 4, Maya’s Group



“Fuck that, you and princess scar may be in your camp, this lot are with us… you want to go with them?” addressing the newcomers… “They going to protect you or preach at you? Rick is the only one that has seen us right…fuck, they even managed to get Grok killed on his first night with them…you want to be next? Now get off your arses and get back down the hill, we need to clear up the camp and salvage what we can…once Rick has dealt with that frag up Muhammed we’ll be moving out…

Heh, what the hell does that little shit think he’s doing with the tent…? And where the frag is Lindsey off to…?” and he began to run back down the hill…


Day 4, South West of the Big Camp



Rick sighed… “Fight you? I have no intention of fighting you… execute maybe, but why would I waste my time fighting you? Stop playing the dumb trog and look around you…this all look familiar to you? Really? You are right that this isn’t civilisation and that the rules have changed…but have you worked out those rules yet? Got some insight you could share with us all? No? I thought not…so your genius led you to believe that burning shit that might keep us alive and then wandering off into the woods was a great idea? Sure, we’re stronger and can see in the dark, but there are less of us, those weaklings you have dismissed, would you rather they got snagged first or one of us? Right now there’s only you… what are you going to do when the toxic comes to play?

So, you’ve got a choice, there’s always a choice…run away and stick your head up your arse, try and fight me or Dana and get diced, or just perhaps swallow all that shit and come back…assuming we let you that is, what do you think Dana?”

Halfway back with the tent, Raf thought he might have to deal with that bully Simon over it. He had said he wouldn't fight anyone for it, but now that he had it if that fellow tried taking it...

But then the blowhard went running after the far better prize of Lindsay and all the girls - a social division even more doomed than the band of young male orks - and Raf was left to shake his head as he went back to his own group. Let them have each other, he thought.

After Simon runs off, Maya looks at the eight, no now ten, kids that have gravitated to her group. "It is your decision as to where you go and who you follow. We will not force you to stay if you think that you will be better in another group." She points to two of the boys, "If you are going to stay, why don't you go help Raferty move the tent over here?

The pair nod and move off to help Raf with the tent. The others seem a bit confused about everything going on but make no move to leave the group. Maya gives them a reassuring smile then focuses her attention what the girl talking to Cailin is saying.

Dana said "Naturam quidem mutare difficile est" and could feel the fear in Muhammad's face as she pronounced the Latin words. "Don't worry Muhammad, this is Seneca, not some arcane magic." She looks at Rick and feels weak in her knees - but her code of honor the warrior code forbids her to just resolve internal conflicts with violence. and Dana cannot just strike a mundane unarmed orc that is of no threat to her.

To Rick she said "It means that it is difficult to change nature, Orcs always stick together, no matter their background it seems - you guys feel comfortable with each other. This is what I always envied about your kind, you never seem to be alone - at least it looks that way from the outside - and I accepted that I will always look at this kinship from the outside." She shrugs and say "Sorry, I am not the point" and then continue.

"In Maya's group, we all are free spirits, chaotic and difficult to control. We do as we please and would have all struggled with the order and discipline of your camp. With someone like Addie or Sim bossing us around. Just look how difficult we are to work with, think Maya, think Caillin think Vincent that just stormed without explanations in the middle of a discussion to scout around."

She looks at Rick, all blushing, he is probably not interested - but Dana sees an idealist in him.
How do you think the girls of your camp feel after two sexual assaults in just a few days? They are terrified, they do not care about a toxic mage, their daemons live inside the perimeter. Would you force them to live with people who might rape them again?

Her eyes are back to Muhammad but Dana is talking to Rick.

And Muhammad, you are a rapist and a cowered, but these people followed you because they do not feel comfortable in the camp. Because they feel that they are not treated fairly. They prefer to be with each other than with everyone.

She turns back to Rick, and say, " I do not think we should strike Muhammad,
he is not the problem, just a symptom. The damage is done, it is easier to brake something than to put it back together. Trust was broken and I do not see how it can be gained back to form a large camp again. "

Addie, small hours of day 5, @Addie's collapsing point.


Addie woke up to darkness and disappointment.

That she woke up was the first disappointment; to have somehow disappeared in the night would have been a relief.

That she woke up on cold and rocky ground, wedged between a boulder and a fallen tree was the second disappointment. She wasn’t home in her bed, she wasn’t in a tent with others, nor even curled up against Dot’s side. She was out in the wilderness -- a wilderness which hadn’t even had the good grace to kill her like she deserved.

That it was still in the dark of the night was third disappointment. Once the sky brightened as dawn came close she’d be able to see well enough, but whatever light came from the weird sky here wasn’t enough to let her do anything safely. And with nothing to do, she’d have to think. About crying like a baby and running away like a coward, and how probably everyone was laughing at her for that. About not being able to move the council how she wanted, and how Rick and everyone could see how useless she’d been. And about Niyaf.

Tears trickled down her face and she had to hold back a sob -- being killed in her sleep might have been a mercy, but being awake as she was assaulted in the dark was more terrifying than she could embrace. A little thought observed “For all I know I could be sitting on a rattlesnake den.” That brought a ghost of a smile to her face -- poison sounded better than getting eaten alive, and at that she’d beat one snake already. Snakes were still sneaky and scary and all, but being truly freaked out by the thought of them just seemed like a waste of energy anymore.

That thought diversion done, she huddled herself up more tightly against the cold, then relaxed the defensive curl of her mind. She threw open her mental arms and invited all her failures and errors and inadequacies to come and say their piece. They rushed in like so many mental predators, all sharp claws and slashing tails and rasping skin, rampaging around the furniture of her mind, reeking their havoc. The darkness outside faded from her awareness as she wallowed in the darkness within.

Lindsey leads the girls away from the camp, breathing a small sigh of relief that Sim didn't seem confident enough to really challenge them with Rick out of the camp. Her relief is short lived, however, as Simon comes charging down the hill. "What the frag do you think you lot are doing? You're supposed to be packing stuff up, not running off with it!"

Lindsey puts on a patronizing face and shakes her head, "No, we're done here. We're taking *our* share of the supplies and getting out of here before even more bad drek happens. I already explained it to Sim; go talk to him. Or better yet, maybe you should be more concerned about Maya's group stealing your last intact tent..." She points at Rafferty dragging the tent up the hill.

[Nimlaniel - 4th day - Main Camp] #5

The girl is clearly surprised and flustered

Maya asks several of the new kids help Raferty set up the tent so it will provide a shelter against the wind for the night. Finally able to stand and walk about, she keeps an eye out for other kids who might gravitate to her position.

[Cailin - 4th day - Main Camp] #143

Cailin smiles thinly "I don't really mind, but it felt like you could have continued asking question for a while so..." She shrugs "As for my name, it's Cailin." pointing at each of the others in turn, she says "Maya, Summer and Raf'. I...don't know most of the other I think, so you'd have to ask them directly. Though you would have to do it in english I'm afraid, not a lot of people speak Sperethiel around here."

At Lindsey's words, Simon looks over his shoulder and his face collapses in dismay, "Frag! Rick is going to kill me!" Looking again at Lindsey's group, and then the spirit walking behind them, he hangs his head and trudges back towards Sim. Lindsey smirks and turns back to the girls, "Well, let's keep going. We need to get out of here before Rick gets back, with or without Muhammad, and causes more problems." At the mention of Muhammad, Niyaf growls under her breath and the other girls seem to draw some motivation from that. The two tallest, Gem and Janice shoulder the tent and the others pick up what packs and bundles they were able to assemble quickly and the nine of them follow Lindsey away from the camp as the spirit continues to stand there, arms crossed.

It's easy going as they head down the slope and eventually catch sight of a small creek where they turn right to follow it to the south. Silence reigns for awhile as the girls all think about all the things that have happened and the big step they all just took separating from the others. Gradually, the upbeat mood shifts as the walking and thinking both take their toll. Noticing the changing vibe, Lindsey calls a break as they approach a Y in the river. "I know everyone's tired, but we're free now! We don't have to worry about the boys anymore, and we don't have to listen to Rick and Maya arguing about who should be the one telling us what to do. We haven't discussed it much, but there's something man-made in this direction, and we should be able to get there tomorrow. We've got a tent that fits all of us, and supplies to last us for at least a little while. Who knows, tomorrow we might even be able to figure out why we're here, or even how to get out! That said, I don't want to just replace Rick or Maya, so if anyone has suggestions, speak up. It's just us now, and we're in this together!"

Her words seem to have the desired effect as most of the girls seem to perk up at the thought of being more in control and especially with the hope that tomorrow might bring some answers. Gem, however, has been fairly obviously taking mental inventory of what the other girls are carrying and speaks up, "It looks like we got out with about three days of food; what are we going to do once that runs out?" Lindsey smiles, "Three days from now, we might be home! But even if not, a lot can change in three days, just look at us... Plus, you saw all that meat we ate today; if Maya's group can hunt something like that, we should be able to also, right?" The other girls grin and nod at each other and Gem seems placated for the moment, but is obviously still dubious. "Okay, well lets see what tomorrow brings..."

The girls settle into more innocuous gossip, mainly centered around speculation about where they are, who put them there, and what they might find tomorrow. After a few more minutes of this, Lindsey calls an end to the break and the group picks their things back up and heads along the right fork of the river.

Day 4, River Valley South of the Main Camp

While Lindsey is sitting resting, watching over her charges with a proprietorial air, little Aria comes up and smiles her angelic smile…completely without guile

“Is this the right thing to do really? We don’t know what’s out here… I know you don’t want to rely on the boys but wasn’t it better when we worked together? What Muhammed did was bad, but they weren’t all like him were they! It was nice being part of the big group, having a goal…”

Day 4, Maya’s Group

Down below you Simon can be seen, helplessly trailed by Sim, rounding up the stragglers…a considerable number of them…and then marching up towards you all with them in tow. From his expression, and their retreating backs, his conversation with Lindsey didn’t go to plan and he’s looking for someone to blaim…looks like he has selected you lot…the fact that you seem to have absconded with one of the two tents is only going to add fuel to that particular fire…

Day 4, Road, South West of the Big Camp

Rick sighed “Nothing is broken that can’t be repaired, yet…and quite frankly I’m beyond caring about trust issues. Muhammed can choose to play nicely and we can go back to the others and salvage this debacle before whatever is out there picks us off in small groups…” he flicked his wrist so that the monowhip shaved the air by Muhammed’s ear “or I can kill him now and take the others back regardless. I am going to say this very clearly so that everyone is in no doubt…we need each other, like it or not…keep your cliques and your factions if that makes you feel better about things…but we are going to pull in the direction I dictate even if I have to use the whip to steer you all with. So, let’s turn the frag around and get back before it gets too bloody dark to see what’s underfoot…those clouds could make life really difficult for us, even with our vision…”

Lindsey raises an eyebrow at Aria, "No, they're most likely not all like him, but how can you tell? In a situation this this fragged up mess, a boy that never thought about doing stuff like that might start getting ideas. Threat of punishment sure doesn't seem to work... And what was their goal? Wander around and hope they find something? Play at government? That obviously didn't work out either. *We've* got a goal, and there's enough of us here to carry it out. Once we get there and see what there is to see, then we'll pick another goal and keep going till we get out of this place!"

[Nim - 4th day - Main Camp] #6

Raf listened to the conversation in Sperethiel as he and some others set up the tent.

He didn't know what they were saying, but wasn't too concerned - he was far more worried about Maya wandering about. Apparently it had taken her only a few minutes to forget her promise to spend some time healing, so as not to exacerbate her injuries by moving around.

Then Raf saw Simon and the others approaching.

Apparently they were going to pick up where Sim had left off after Cailin had sent the weaker boy packing. He imagined that Maya would want to just give them back their tent if they asked for it. He wasn't quite sure what his own position might be, so stood, picked up his bow (not quite as shock & awe as that Lindsey girl's spirit), and decided to let Simon speak first.

Pierre - main camp - Day 4

Ever since awakening in this forsaken place, Pierre had been flashing back to a conversation a couple of years ago. All evening Oncle Antoine had been drinking and hinting at his adventures on behalf of CatCo. Not long before he'd fallen asleep, his face flushed from all he'd drunk, he'd stared his nephew in the eye and very seriously told him that he was to always remember one thing: "Quand on est dans la merde, c'est encore mieux ensemble." Pierre had repeated to himself many times over the past few days "When one is in the shit, it's even better together."

When the orcs started posturing he looked around. He didn't have Addie's golden hair and silver tongue but he'd been trying to make friends or at least allies. Speaking of Addie he was surprised not to see her here, trying to defuse things -- but he could worry about that later. Who was here, and what could they protect besides each other's backs?

Dot was easy to spot, so he grabbed Widget and guided them over to the troll. He wasn't surprised to find Rusty near the Troll -- the quiet human boy seemed to have developed some sort of attachment to the troll and since she'd made it back to the camp he'd seldom been far from her. With a few muttered words he got them to head towards the lean-to -- knocking it over seemed like the sort of easy vandalism that an angry crowd of boys might do, and he didn't want that to happen.

Who else might listen to him? He carefully worked his way through the crowd, trying not to draw attention, looking for boys who might trust him and who he could trust. There -- Leslie and he had mostly argued about what species some of the trees might be, but that was something, and Addie had drafted him for foraging so he must have some useful skills. A tap on the shoulder and a tip of his head and Leslie was willing to follow him back out of the crowd, and when Pierre asked if he'd help them watch over the lean-to, the farm-boy was willing.

He'd have liked to have drafted more, but the orcs were getting agitated enough that he thought it was time to stand with the others. And to pull out a few other resources. He pulled some of the extra poles from the top of the lean-to and handed them out. They weren't as thick as he might have liked, or as long as might have been useful for Dot or even Widget, but the sticks still gave them some reach, should anyone feel like pushing the issue. He gave his a couple of quick swishes -- longer than a baseball bat, with a different balance, but he was confident he could still slug pretty hard with one.

Then he gathered some of the rocks he'd lined the side of the lean-to with. Rocks small enough to get a good grip on, big enough to carry some hurt. He tossed one from hand to hand and thought about sending a bean-ball at Muhammad and maybe ending this nonsense, but he decided that it was best not to provoke something that he'd never be able to control. Besides, he might be dangerous enough to make the orcs think twice about going after him, but he doubted he could actually beat them in a fight.

It was only after the orcs and the girls had moved off that Leslie asked him what was so important about the lean-to. Pierre smiled and admitted "I may have hidden some of the ration bars at the back, and a selection of possibly useful bits and bobs I salvaged from the crates. Not the contents, material from the crates themselves. Nothing awesome, but I'd hate lose any of it. But more importantly, I've been stashing the tools and a couple of the water bottles at the back when they aren't being used, and since none of the foraging or work parties had gone out yet today, most of them are in there still. I can't believe none of the others thought to look for them, but I was hoping that out of sight meant out of mind, and I guess it was."

At that news the others straightened up, realizing how important their guard duty actually was. Dot smiled and suggested "If anyone asks, I told you all to protect my lean-to, and you didn't dare question me, OK?" Pierre grimaced, thinking "A troll is handling our public relations and I'm in charge of security, c'est bien et belle la merde."

Somehow he didn't feel a need to flag down Sim or Simon from their flurried fussing to tell them about what had been protected. After all, Simon's parents worked for Ares, so it was safe to assume that Simon couldn't be trusted either. Hopefully Rick would be coming back -- Pierre wasn't sure what he'd do if Simon tried to take over -- not follow him, that's for sure.

Maya had promised to not go wandering and she meant to keep that promise by merely stretching her legs as she moved to and fro in the small group. Her eyes picked out Simon, Sim, and some others as they started coming up the hill towards her somewhat smaller group. She looked over to where Cailin and the new Elf were still talking and interrupted their conversation to point out the imminent arrival of what is sure to be trouble. From the corner of her eye she sees Raferty take up his bow and arrow and move to where he can provide covering fire. She leans on the walking stick one of the others had thrust into her hands when she had stood up and waits for the storm.

When Simon is still a short distance away, she calls out in her loudest and most stern voice. "Hold there, Simon. Turn about if you are coming to fight. You may approach if you are here to talk." At least she hope it is a stern voice.

Dana looked at Rick with a mixture of excitement, arousal and plain horror.
As much as she yearned to see Rick strike down Muhammad, as much as he actually deserved it - she could not allow Rick to bully an unarmed person like that and to threaten the rest into submission. She placed herself between Rick and Muhammad and said:

"This is the problem with you, all of you. You think that because you are stronger you get to do whatever you want. You can rape, threaten and murder others. Rick, if you are going to use your whip on your fellow men then you better start with me because I will not stand idly while you execute an unarmed person that is of no threat to you... If you St..."

[Cailin - 4th day - Main Camp] #144

Cailin seems a bit surprised "Oh. Well then I suppose you'd better stay nearby, I'm pretty sure I'm the only other native speaker around." She was about to say more, but was interrupted by Maya. Looking in the direction of Simon and Sim, she frowns, then sighs. Things were likely to go sour soon...

Dana did not finish that sentence, as a sharp object poked her in the back.
That waste of air Muhammad was holding a knife and even with surprise on his side he did not even manage to pierce Dana's armor.

Dana's response was swift, she reacted fast and kicked the much larger orc knocking him to the ground. Muhammad clearly had some broken bones and was in no condition to continue fighting. He could barely move, and it was clear that a second strike would kill him. Dana looked at the rest of his pack and bluntly asked "Any more heroes?". She was more interested than mad, to her it was nothing but self defense an eye for an eye.

Maya watches as Simon pauses a bit, not quite sure what is going on anymore. Maya takes advantage of the slight delay and calls out to those behind him. "Those of you who are blindly following this man ought to consider that my friends are not targeting him, but rather the first one of the rest of you that comes with him. Do not use him as your excuse to be hurt and do not let him use you as his shield. Simon, you are smarter than many of the others. You are also tougher and meaner than most of the others. None of those traits are particularly well suited for leadership, which is why you follow a man like Rick. He makes you feel strong and useful. If you come with me, I can make you feel strong and useful as well, but in a far different manner. You have a lot of talent to add to any group, so why choose a group that lets you be angry all the time? It is only by working together and respecting each other that we will survive, no matter what drivel Rick has filled your head with. If you ask, I will put your name to my group and we will consider you for membership. But if you attack me, you will surely fail, just as the cat who thought I was a good meal did, and that was five years ago. I have only gotten better since then. I carry the scars as a reminder that I killed the cat despite my apparent weakness. Do you really want to find out that your impression of me as a weakling is dead wrong?" She shifts her head to include his followers. "Do any of you?"

Maya's words have a sort of effect, as a number of those following Simon hesitate to step forward and be the first to be targeted. Others, including Simon himself, pause, wondering a bit at what Maya has said. She appears to be confident and her words bear the ring of truth. After all, if she did survive that cat's attack and kill it, perhaps she is a stronger fighter than she appears to be. Bullies and followers tend to stay away from those who can defend themselves and those not afraid of them, and Maya is obviously not afraid of these boys. Is it enough?

Day 4, Maya’s Group

Simon looked back at his erstwhile followers, up at Raf’s bow and then back to Maya…and he laughed, a nasty snide sound

“The mighty Maya has spoken…cat killer…” and his tone implies how impressed he is with that “so very different from us, so very noble…but not at all above stealing from the larger group…” nodding towards the tent and meagre supplies that Raf and others have brought up the hill… “Rick wanted you to be in charge while he was off…well fuck you bitch, you got your wish…king of the fucking hill. These sheep want to follow you that’s their loss! I’m out of here, I don’t need you fraggers slowing me down…watch your backs out there, you never know what might be waiting for you!”

And laughing again he set off back towards the mess of the main camp, gathering a few bits and pieces and rounding up a couple more boys before heading north in the direction that Blank had set off in…

Leaving Maya more or less lord of all she surveyed…a pathetic rag tag bunch of kids who now seem to be looking to her, whether she wants them or not

Sim shrugged “Rick is going to be pissed off, but perhaps not as much as you might think…so what now?”


Day 4, River Valley South of the Main Camp

Aria twisted her hand in to Lindsey’s in a show of affection that took any sting out of her words

“I think you are wrong you know, but we’ll see…”


Day 4, Road, South West of the Big Camp

Rick tsked in annoyance “Stupid girl! For all your warrior shit you still turn your back on someone like him…if he wasn’t so fragging incompetent he might actually have hurt you! Guess fancy training can’t make up for street experience…? Have you not been listening at all? I had no intention of killing him, he isn’t worth the effort! Now we need to drag his sorry arse back up the big bloody hill when he could have walked up it himself!

The rest of you…you want to follow this idiot? Really? So you’re dissatisfied with your lot in this? Grow the frag up! When have orcs ever got a good deal, you think this should be different? Well it fragging is! Until you took it in to your heads to wreck shit we had a good deal, working together! Brawn isn’t the only way we’re going to get out of this mess…it will help but what we need are smarts! So show me you’ve got those by picking this fragger up and getting back to camp! It’s going to be fragging dark as it is and I fancy sleeping in a tent tonight rather than in the open! You?”

And so the trudge back towards camp began…

Dana approaches Muhammad and takes his knife, "I'll hold to that one for a while if you do not object." Dana looked at Rick and said "It is your camp, Rick but do you really want to bring Muhammad back to camp? He raped, burned the supplies and physically assulted me unprovoked with a knife - do you really want to care for him until he gets well and then protect him? I am fine with just leaving him to the wolfs, his night vision will give him front row seats."

On the way she asked Rick "So where you come from do people often behave like that? I mean I never - actually attacked someone unprovoked. "

Maya is caught in a trap of her own making. Her mind shift gears from wondering if Simon was going to call her bluff to trying to figure out what to do next. Still, some of that is pretty obvious. She nods at Sim and the other newcomers, who seem to have accepted her for the time being. She speaks loudly enough for everyone to hear her. "What is next is setting up the tent and seeing who might need medical care. There are bound to be some scrapes and cuts from what has happened here. At the moment, the group will entertain any requests to join us and will meet in the morning to decide on that. Working together and contributing to the overall benefit of the camp will go a long ways to being allowed to join. I expect that Rick will be back at some point and make a demand of some kind and I will not stop anyone from going back to his style of leadership." She sweeps her arm out at the ruin of the camp. "This sort of disaster was just waiting to happen with people like Lindsey and Simon working from inside the group to destroy it through whispers, lies, and innuendos."

"The first thing about this group is acceptance. We are made up of several different races and backgrounds, which can be a problem, but it can also be a blessing. We can take advantages of each other's strengths to overcome any sort of general weakness. But that means giving up any sort of distrust for Orks or humans or Elves. For corp kids and street rats and mages. This group is bound together by a need to work to survive. Those who are not willing to do that can please uninvite yourselves now."

Maya looks out at everyone. "For now, it is not about leadership, but survival. Sim, we could use a nice warming fire. And you four, please help set the tent up. It will serve two purposes here. First, and most important, it will be where we can treat and care for anyone injured in the chaos. Second, it is a beacon of calm. I know there must be other stragglers that are lost and confused and they can make their way here. Raferty, please take those five and set up a watch rotation. Simon is right that we need to watch our backs, but we also need to have someone up and ready to show others where to park until morning."

She turns to Cailin and talks to her quietly. "Please help me. I need your strength here. You and Summer and Raferty. Dana and Vincent if they return. Advise me and tell me when I am being stupid. But please stay."

Once the tent was set up, Raf organized the watches.

He didn't know any of these five kids, but none of them seemed horribly reliable. Four boys, one girl. He figured they attracted some of the least sturdy or proactive of the whole group, but the boys hadn't followed Simon, and the girl hadn't joined that Lindsay girl's doomed sexists, so maybe they'd be okay.

It occurred to him - well, more a natural conclusion of some of the things he'd been saying all along - that the best chance of ever getting out of here would be to form a small group of the strongest and start travelling fast. But there were some serious problems with that idea. First, the list started with Dana and then pretty much went nowhere. Rick and Maya were both too emotionally invested in the leadership thing. Grok was dead. The orks were renegade. Lindsay was a summoner, it seemed, but he had a bad feeling about her. Simon was an asshole, and Sim was magical but weak. The fellow he dealt with on the first day, he was gone - probably already implementing Raf's idea as an army of one.

The second problem was, if they did form such a group, would it even include himself?

Finally, could he be morally justified in leaving these weaker kids to fend for themselves? He decided he could, because, as he'd already realized, escape by one could mean rescue for the others. But could he leave Maya. He felt a certain inexplicable loyalty to her, though he feared it was the doomed sort of Sancho Panza variety. She'd said herself she'd like to stay here. Yes, she'd help them get out, but he didn't think that was really much in her mind. Well, she had plenty else to deal with, to be sure.

He looked at his five watchmen. Watchkids. After the loss of Grok, he decided that even if sleep was the price they couldn't afford single postings, so he set up a staggered rotation of three-hour shifts in which one kid was rotating every ninety minutes. That way at least one of the two would - in theory - be fresh even if the other was nodding off. He assigned himself a double shift, first and last watch.

Then he sat down and got back to work on Maya's bow.

Day 4, Road, South West of the Big Camp


"I trust Sim, he may be lying to himself but I don't think Muhammad meant to rape anyone, so that he's a fragging idiot we agree on, but a malicious rapist? I don't really give a frag what you or Maya say about it, either way he still gets punished, and everyone needs to see he has been, not just left out here. Power is about the statement, if people believe we will back it up with action, otherwise what's the fragging point? And before I get another lecture, I think I've already made it clear that my goals are to live through this and see that as many of us do too. It's a commitment I've made to myself and I fragging well mean to see it done!"


"Where I come from? Same planet little girl, different worlds perhaps" and Rick grinned at Dana "He wasn't unprovoked, this whole situation is all the provocation that's needed! You don't turn your back on someone who is desperate, ever...just makes them more likely to do something stupid!"

Day 4, Maya’s Group

So like it or not the majority have now flocked to you...some ten or so left with Lindsey, the orcs accounted for fifteen, so a rough headcount makes it over twenty, quite an increase from the six originals...

Dana looked at Rick and said "You are a better leader than myself and would not hear any lectures from me. My opinion is already known there is no point in repeating it."



"Well I sort of followed you in case it got ugly, turns out that I am the one who made it ugly. You are a good person Rick, know that wherever I choose to sleep. I'll always be on your side and I can assume that Klarissa has already told you that I can travel faster than the rest so I am never too far away."

She said as the group returned to the camp. The way back was considerably slower because they had to carry Muhammad, Dana avoided him - partly because it offended her that he was still alive after striking her. The few times she did look at him she thought "I should learn how to strike even harder so that my enemy dies instantly".

Maya walks about the people gathered near her then heads to the tent, announcing that anyone that is injured should go there for her to look at. She also asks that anyone else skilled in first aide come to the tent as well to assist her. A lad of perhaps fifteen steps forward, giving his name as Jacques and claiming some knowledge of first aide and Maya asks him to triage anyone who comes up and let her know the most serious. Inside the tent, she tends to the injured as they come in. Her own pain is largely forgotten by the time she deals with the others and she emerges from the tent feeling pretty good about the situation.

Not needing the privacy of the tent, she starts sending kids into it for shelter from the night air. Sim and a couple of others have built a fire that is keeping others warm and she thanks them for their efforts, warming herself in the magically enhanced heat. Looking around, she notices that several others are awake, but that most are asleep or headed that way. Cailin and the new Elf are still chatting, Raferty is working on a second bow, Summer and another girl are humming a song and holding hands. The scene is almost idyllic until one remembers that everyone is here against their will and that the area is dangerous. She feels both calm and nervous; calm because this is how she had hoped the camp would operate, and nervous because she does not know what to expect after the shock of today wears off. And Rick is still an unknown. If he has succeeded in chasing down Muhammed, he will likely be back before long and will probably have the rest of the Orks with him. She gives a few thoughts to Dana and Vincent, hoping that they are safe wherever they are. Maya stifles a yawn and realizes that she cannot do anything about it at this time and that worrying will only make it worse. She lays down near the fire and tries to get some rest.

Lindsey shrugs and squeezes Aria's hand, "Well, if worse comes to worse, we can always rejoin them." She laughs, "It worked for Maya's group, didn't it?"

Letting go of Aria's hand, Lindsey stands and turns to the other resting girls, "Okay, we need to get going if we're going to get where we're going tomorrow!" The other girls grumble a bit but start to stand and then, as the excitement of actually having a goal reasserts itself, they perk up some and the group gets moving along the river. The excitement only lasts so long though and the drudgery of walking with heavy loads starts to set in, especially with the smaller girls.

Sooner than Lindsey would have liked, the moaning and grumbling gets too loud to ignore and she calls a halt to the march on a flat area near a fork in the river. "Let's go ahead and camp here for the night. We should be able to get where we're going from here tomorrow." The girls heave audible sighs of relief and drop their assorted makeshift packs on the ground. "Come on! This isn't *that* bad! We just need to set the tent up and we'll have a nice place to rest and sleep tonight!" Most of the girls duck their heads and start to eat the prepackaged food in silence, but Nora and Gem get up and, along with Lindsey, they work on getting the tent set up.

While they're working, Gem speaks softly to Lindsey, "Are you sure this was a good idea? Most of these girls have never done a bit of actual work in their lives." Pointing to an older girl eating by herself and staring at the river morosely, "Aubrey there had never even been out of the Renraku enclave before this! And I don't think Niyaf is handing Muhammad's escape very well..." Lindsey looks over at Niyaf where she's sitting with her knees to her chest, watching the tree lines.


"Well they're going to have to figure it out quickly then. Even if we'd stayed with the others there was only so long till they made us start pulling our own weight. At least here we've got a smaller, more manageable group. If tomorrow turns out to be a bust, maybe we can think about going back. Assuming there's still a group to go back to..." With that thought in their heads, the other two girls finish setting up the tent with her in silence.

With the tent ready, Lindsey addresses the other girls, "Look, I know this whole situation is fragged up, but we're making the best of it, right? We've got food, shelter, and," pointing at the spirit standing immobile at the edge of camp, "protection. That's more than the rest of the kids can say at this point, neh? Tomorrow we're going to find whatever this thing is that was made by man and hopefully that will give us a clue to getting out of this stupid place. Now everyone eat up, we'll need our strength and that will mean less to carry tomorrow." Catching Niyaf's eye and trying to look reassuring, "The spirit will watch over the tent tonight, so nothing, and *no one*, will be able to get to us. Just don't wander far, and never go alone. We take care of each other and everything will work out!"

After the pep talk the girls seem to perk up a bit and finish their meal. Normal conversation resumes, although muted as the silence of the trees around them seems to press in on them. With no fire, as the sun sets, the girls migrate to the tent and most fall asleep quickly once darkness falls. Lindsey summons another spirit to patrol outside and prevent anyone not already in it from getting within ten feet of the tent and then tries to fall asleep herself. Worries about not wanting to be a leader but also fears of not having a place back with the other kids war in her mind, but she finally latches on to the hope that tomorrow will provide some sort of guidance and drifts off to sleep.

Day 4, Late Evening, Maya’s Group

Settled in around your fires with kids watching the open approaches you almost feel safe for a little while…at least until dusk descends on you and the stars open up above…most of you are so used to light pollution, or industrial smog, blocking all sight of them that the vastness of the heavens is perhaps more intimidating than your current predicament.

When Rick and his group begin their descent from the ridge to the camp below they make no effort to hide, particularly the grunts of pain from those who are more reluctant to re-join the group than others…

“Well, isn’t this cosy…” Rick says “We brought some kill down from the hill so let’s get it on the fire, I’m hungry!”

Once people are settled as best they can be Rick sidles over to Maya and says pleasantly “So, someone care to tell me what the frag is going on? Looks like we’re missing some!?”


Day 5, Early Morning, River Valley South of the Main Camp

You are greeted by a thin patter of rain, the first you have encountered since coming here, and a couple of the more industrious girls, without asking or being told, are harvesting what they can of it. It’s still not cold, even after the shared body heat of the tent, and you can’t help but notice as the sun rises somewhere behind the murk that there is a decidedly unnatural hue to the sky…

Day 5, Early Morning, Bridal Veil Falls

Addie awakens cold and uncomfortable and bloody high up! Now what…? A thin sheen of rain is obscuring your view of the distant side of the rather epic valley you seem to have stumbled on…just as well you didn’t stumble down the cliff face!