Fredric left the cages with hesitant steps, clutching the blanket Berry had tossed to him earlier.
He glanced back once, almost guiltily, before hurrying off to the small hut that had been assigned for his rest. His figure soon disappeared into the mist that curled low in the valley air.
For a long moment, silence lingered in the cage.
The only sound was the faint rustle of the sprouting grass beneath their feet and the muffled trickle of water running somewhere deeper in the valley.
Then one of the bound men let out a breath.
"...Did you see the way they treated him?"
Another scoffed, though not with conviction.
"Of course I saw. They're treating him better than any team leader ever treated us back home."
"Better than the higher-ups too. Food. Shelter. Even a blanket for the night. When was the last time we weren't seen as disposable?"
Another muttered, shifting uncomfortably.
