Chapter 5 — Scouting the Unknown
Morning broke gray and heavy, mist curling low through the alien forest. The air felt thick, almost damp enough to drink, carrying the faint stink of rot and something sweeter, like fruit left too long in the sun.
Our crooked tent creaked as Mara crawled out first, tugging her hood over messy hair. "Still standing," she said, giving the canvas a pat.
"Barely," I muttered, stretching stiff arms. My back ached from the hard ground, but it beat the orphanage bunks.
At the firepit, Laura was already awake, speaking with the other squad leaders. She spotted me and gestured us closer. "Today, we scout. Ten squads, four directions. East, west, north, south. We'll cover as much ground as possible, then regroup at dusk."
Her voice carried steady authority. Even those who disliked her listened.
Tyler leaned against a tree nearby, arms crossed, his smirk sharp as a blade. "Scout if you want. I'll be hunting."
Laura ignored him. "Avon, take Mara and three others. You'll go west."
The three assigned to us shuffled over. Two tower-born boys with nervous eyes, and a girl named Kira from the lower floors who carried herself like she'd fought before. Not much of a squad, but it would have to do.
"Fine," I said. "We'll be back before dark."
---
The western woods grew denser as we pressed forward, trees coiling together into walls of black bark veined with faint green light. Strange insects buzzed overhead, their wings glinting like shards of glass.
We moved slow, careful not to draw attention. Every sound seemed too loud—the crunch of leaves under boots, the rasp of rope against packs, even the thud of my own heart.
Mara whispered, "Feels like the forest is watching."
"It probably is," I said.
Kira signaled us to stop, crouching low. Through the mist ahead, movement stirred.
A hulking shape emerged, knuckles dragging across the moss. Then another. Then three more.
The beasts were apes, but wrong. Eight feet tall, their bodies coiled with muscle, eyes glowing faint red in the shadows. Their black fur smoked faintly, like embers under ash. Tusks jutted from their jaws.
Mara's voice trembled despite herself. "Hell Apes."
Kira spat into the dirt. "Mutated class. No way a squad of five kills one of those, not without half of us dying."
The apes paused, sniffing the air, then bellowed in unison. The sound shook the trees. Birds—if they were birds—scattered from the canopy. My sword felt like a toy in my hand.
"They're too big," the tower-born boy whispered, his face pale. "One swing and we're done."
"Exactly why we don't fight," I hissed. "Mark it down. We circle wide."
We moved carefully, hearts thundering until the apes lumbered off into the mist.
---
Further west, the forest opened into a clearing scorched black. The air shimmered with heat. At its center lay a predator out of nightmare.
A lion—jet black fur, eyes burning like molten gold. Seven feet at the shoulder. Its mane writhed faintly, smoke curling upward, and when it yawned, flame licked between jagged teeth.
The Black Flame Lion.
We froze behind the treeline. Even breathing too loud felt like suicide.
"Mutated tier," Mara whispered. "Maybe higher."
Kira shook her head slowly. "That thing would roast an entire squad before anyone even touched it."
The beast lifted its head, sniffed the air, then exhaled. A thin tongue of fire licked across the grass, setting it alight. I swallowed hard, memorizing the way the ground charred instantly under its breath.
We backed away, silent as shadows.
---
By mid-day, we had filled the map strip in our packs with crude marks.
West quadrant: Hell Apes (8 ft), Black Flame Lion (7 ft).
Unknown screeching creature near the cliffs.
Tracks of something massive—claws the size of my hand—too deep to be anything but a heavy predator.
When the Rift's alien sun began to dip, we returned to camp.
---
The firepit burned bright as squads trickled back. Laura stood waiting, listening to reports. Most squads had found danger. Few had fought.
She raised her voice for all to hear. "The Rift isn't forgiving. Mutated beasts are everywhere. If we waste time fighting them alone, we'll die one by one. We need to pool strength. Hunt together. Share the kills."
Tyler snorted from the far side of the fire. "Pathetic. If you can't take a beast yourself, you don't deserve its Trait. That's the law of nature."
I stepped forward before Laura could answer. "Nature's law is survival. A single person can't kill a Hell Ape. Not even you. But if we fight together, we can take them down. Share the spoils. That's the only way fifty of us walk out of here."
Murmurs spread. The tower-born kids nodded. Even some of the nobles shifted uncomfortably.
Laura's eyes met mine. "I agree. Cooperation is our best chance."
Tyler's lip curled. "Cooperate if you want. I'll lead my squad, and we'll be stronger while you waste time protecting the weak."
"Or," I said evenly, "you'll be dead while we're still standing."
The fire crackled. The line between us was drawn deeper than before.
---
Later, in our crooked tent, Mara lay back against her pack. "Hell Apes. Flame Lions. Claw tracks as long as your arm. We're ants walking through gods."
"Ants can survive if they swarm," I said.
She smirked faintly. "That's your captain's speech?"
"It's the truth." I stared at the ceiling canvas, hearing the forest's distant roars. "One on one, we'll die. Together, maybe—just maybe—we'll win."
And if we did, maybe the world would start taking the name Avon Standfeild seriously.