Chapter 23: Chapter 22

Elijah held up a small, skinny rabbit by the scruff of its neck, “the pickings just get slimmer by the day.”

His companion, Whitler, sighed, “the Darkness is spreading, we'll have to widen our ring.”

Elijah sighed as well, tossing the rabbit into the cage, “ain’t we getting home late enough already?”

“Can’t be helped.”

Then the sound of whispered voices and the clanking of armor sent them into high alert, “who’s there?” 

A fox leapt from the bushes surrounding their clearing and shortly after- “Waaah-!” a teenage girl in full armor, with leaves and twigs stuck to her twin afro puffs, fell out of the bushes as well.

Just behind her was a boy in mage robes with shoulder-length black hair. He gave an awkward smile and wave.

*

“We got poachers.” Suzie pressed her back against a tree. Unfortunately, the fox did not take her cue to be stealthy. It yipped and started running for the clearing. “Wait!” Suzie hissed, trying and failing to catch the fox. She followed it closer to the clearing while crouching low to the ground.

“Suzie, wait up.” Hiro whispered, following as well.

Suzie misstepped, her armor clanging. Spooked by the loud sound, the fox jumped and bolted, just as the poachers called out, “who’s there?”

Suzie made the split second, foolish decision to try to catch the fox once more, instead tripping, falling, and crushing a bush underneath her.

With Suzie flat on the ground and the bushes destroyed, Hiro was suddenly facing the poachers. His lips twitched into a nervous smile and he awkwardly raised a hand, “...hi...”

A few feet back, still smartly hiding behind a tree, Alphonse facepalmed. Glancing over at where Kelsi had been and finding she had disappeared, Alphonse just rolled his eyes and started walking back towards the path.

The pair of poachers stared at Hiro and Suzie for a moment, then exchanged a confused look.

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“Kids...?” one of them asked. 

“Looks like adventurers?”

“Why would adventurers be after us?”
“Maybe they aren’t... Hey! Did someone hire you?”

“No.” Hiro answered automatically with honesty.

At the same time Suzie, who had pushed herself up on her knees and put her hands on her hips answered, “yes,” then glared at Hiro.

Hiro mouthed, “what?” in confusion.

Suzie pointed at the fox, who was now pawing at a cage filled with 4 smaller foxes, “that’s who hired us.”

One of the poachers snorted, “a fox? And how is it paying you?”

Finally Suzie stood back up and once more put her hands on her hips, “don’t need to be paid to do the right thing!”

The other poacher sneered and reached for the crossbow strapped to his back, “I’m so fucking tired of hypocritical adventurer’s. You wanna fucking lecture me, little bitch?”

Suzie reached for her ax as well, lowering into a defensive posture. Hiro got out his staff and prepared to cast Shield.

Then the first poacher grabbed his companion’s arm to stop him from aiming his crossbow at Suzie. “Come on, Whitler, they're just kids. And they may not even be from Heroes’ Rock Guild!”

Suzie’s shoulder untensed and she straightened up a bit, frowning. “Heroes’ Rock Guild? You guys are having issues with Heroes’ Rock Guild?”

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