47 Fire

Marcus stood up groggily like his companions and rubbed his eyes and winced at the light which bathed the surroundings in a soft orange glow, looking towards its source their guide sat there motionless staring into the flames with what looked to be his hunt laid out on his side on the cold stone.

"I must say you have an interesting morning routine "

The guide didn't even notice him

Marcus closed the distance and went to tap the guide's shoulder and with an aggressive twitch the guide instantly locked eyes tenseness filled them with a savage glint in their blue depths.

"No need to be aggressive, we're friends here "

Almost coming to his senses it seemed theglint of aggravation emptied out of the guide's eyes and shoulders slouched releasing tension

'must of been a weird ritual after the end of the hunt i disturbed, never mind"

Glancing away from there guide Marcus stared towards the rable what he called his party and shouted

"Rea ,Ellie you awake "

"Yes"

"Noooooooooooo let me sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep"

"get up Ellie our friend has got some meat to cook, let's not let it be wasted "

"ooooooook then " pouting Ellie woke up wiping the bags under her eyes while Rea happily trudged over with her massive bulk

"The rain is pretty bad isnt it '

Looking towards there guide he was soaked to the bone, he felt sorry for the poor guy, maybe he could get him a set of waterproof clothes after they get rewarded

"guide stay by the fire or you'll freeze, thanks again for the hunt"

The guide still half drowsy recovering nodded and went back to basking in the fire warm glow

"Looking at the rain well be stuck here for a bit or if we leave it will be like dredging through a swamp and with our gear that is going to just exhaust us, lets hunker down, John mind using those hands of yours to fix up the leeks or at least find something to store the water "

"Lets get pre....

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Caleb stared into the crackling flames everything else blurred like a multicoloured splodge and colours raced through the collage every so often, breathing in he could feel the biting cold in his chest mixed with the warm lick of the flame, the tangy ash on his tongue as the open flame spat up and the familiar smell,it swayed as if alive with ashen images in the depths Caleb stared in finding clarity within the iridescent form .

'System what purpose do you actually serve'

[Laments terms i believe my purpose is to fulfil the host's wishes to a capacity and in another a guide]

'Well that's one way to word torturing '

[Thanks for the compliment]

'So what wish are you fulfilling with me , what do i want?'

[I cannot say ,its too uncertain]

'What's stumping you oh great system '

[ You are undergoing ...changes, for good and for worse you're adapting to this world and that is affecting you mentally and physically, a few days ago you could not take even a rabbits life now its like second nature , certain events are occurring outside even my purview and understanding the least i can do is make decisions that both benefit us and.... ]

'And?'

[To twist for my own fun]

'Figures'

Caleb sat there silent as the early morning went on just staring and as he focused into the flickering flame he swore he saw a face , confused he closed to the flame and as he looked into the depths it licked at his face tinging the end of his hair in its heat but he saw something he looked at it deeply

Suddenly he was yanked back

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Marcus remembering the last time he tried to disturbhim quickly tried to diffuse the situation

"I know you wild people have weird rituals but I can't have you burn yourself "

'Why do we need to be stuck with the wild guide who likes fire too much, need to make sure he doesn't get any ideas and set the forestalight '

The guideseemed agitated but calmed like before it seemed what took him in the flames dissipated when away from its touch

Marcus looking around ensured everyone was inside and ready to leave and there was a blonde midget missing

"Ellie,Ellie , bloody hell where have you got up too"

"Shes outside, she'll be fine"

"Thanks Lela oh what could i do without you "

Marcus turned towards there guide who looked up at him with eyes without the previous aggression but with a determined stare

"Looks like you finished you're ritual in good time, Stormclouds have cleared were be ready to move, better get ready guide we don't want to lose what light we have left,"