Chapter 79: 74

Chapter 73

The night quickly passed by, and the next thing they knew—it was already 4 o'clock in the morning. Amber woke up, refreshed and all. She couldn't believe that she passed out early, and skipped dinner because she was craving rest.

She stood side by side with Pepper while watching Caitlin's group prepare for departure. They all looked tense, and Amber felt partly guilty for that. She was too tired to be acting lively in front of them last night—they probably took it as if she was feeling down.

Amber has this bad habit of blaming herself, even though there's nothing to blame for. She just can't help it. As long as she's part of the team, everyone is accountable for someone's actions. That's what it means to be a team. That's how they operate.

"We're taking a different route this time. Wish us luck," Caitlin informed, smiling. Her lips were quivering ever-so-slightly that if you weren't paying attention to the smallest details, you wouldn't have noticed it. This is it. Their group is finally leaving.

Pepper gave her an ecstatic thumbs up. She was genuinely hoping that their group would make a breakthrough. "Remember the three important 'don'ts' that the Beta shared. Don't get too caught up in the moment." That piece of advice was all she could give. It's hard to act like a 'know-it-all' when she barely knows anything in the first place.

Amber just returned Caitlin's smile. She couldn't find the appropriate words to say right now. Salt is part of Caitlin's group, so she thinks that they will get through it somehow. Besides, Caitlin is an acknowledged trainee. She's the leader of their own squad. She probably possesses skills that live up to people's expectations.

Drake saluted to them as a farewell. Meanwhile, Salt didn't bother to say another word. As soon as Caitlin ended the conversation, he shifted and left. Pepper pouted in dismay, but she already expected nothing less from that person. That poor group will have to keep up with his pace, and she's not sure whether that's a bad thing or not.

"You're well-rested," Pepper teased her best friend. "I bet you're going to stay up all day along—being the physically active person that you are." There's no doubt about it. Amber is probably going to volunteer to hunt for them.

"No," said Amber. "I'll try to save some energy, too. If Caitlin and the boys don't produce significant results, our group is up next. Not to mention, I'm one of the monitors tonight," she briefly explained. It's a vicious cycle, yes. Still, they had to put up with it because that's what was agreed upon.

"Oh, that almost slipped my mind. I'm your partner for tonight's task by the way." Pepper wagged her brows excitedly. "I'm looking forward to the collaboration." She stretched out her hand in a playful manner. "Let's get the bad guys out there."

Amber let out a low chuckle. "Silly." Aries immediately went back to their tent after seeing the other group off. He was probably craving more sleep, so Amber shrugged it off. After all, he and Caitlin were the watchmen last night.

"I'll patrol the east," Amber suddenly spoke. "You may stay here, and do what you want. I won't disturb you." Drake reassured them that he double-checked the traps earlier to confirm that they were still in good condition, and perfectly working. Being complacent doesn't sit right with her, though. So, she wanted to make sure that the area was secure beyond a person's comprehension level.

Pepper looked at her suspiciously. "Can you swear to me that you're not going to track someone down like what you did before? Because if you're doing that, then I'm in. I'll just wake Aries up, and have him look after himself." Losing sight of Amber is a sin.

She's a walking disaster, waiting for her new target.

Amber could only smile halfheartedly. Well, it's not like she can blame Pepper for thinking that way. She practically said she was leaving, and going for a run—which was similar to the excuse that she made in their first mission. It's understandable if Pepper gets the wrong impression this time.

"I'm not tracking down anybody." Amber's features softened. Her friend really had to go there, and it was just out of concern. "I haven't had a good look of the surroundings, and I think now is a good chance." Besides, she wanted to check if being a lookout from outside their camp perimeters was feasible.

Pepper made a face. "Fine," she bit out. To be honest, she feels hesitant to let Amber go without any company. "I suppose you're not stepping outside the trap lines, right?" She might sound as if she was nagging—she couldn't care less about it.

As long as Amber makes a promise that she won't do dangerous things by herself, she can enjoy her peace of mind.

Amber stared at her. "I may need to. Along with patrolling is exploring." Actually, she was just thinking that finding a good spot beyond the perimeters might do the trick. Sometimes, you need to get out of the safety zone to see the bigger picture.

"Amber, you're not on a field trip. That's just so risky. I can't let you go." Pepper was desperate. Her friend couldn't give her the guarantee that she'd never put her safety on the line. Amber has always responded to her curiosity because her hunger for learning is absolute. Anything that has the potential to help her grow as a pack warrior—she will gladly embrace the experience.

Even if it's going to be painful.

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Amber blinked at her, surprised by her strong assertion. "Are you… mad?" She must admit that she didn't expect she'd get so frustrated over her plan. Is it really that bad of an idea? Amber would never know. Even if it were the case, she knew when to back out, too. "I… I won't do that, then."

"Really?" Pepper sighed in relief. She thought she was going to have a hard time changing her mind. "For the record, I'm not mad. I can't be mad at you. I'm just worried, that's why I reacted like that. Were you shocked? I'm not usually overbearing after all." That word is a bit for her twin brother instead.

Amber nodded happily. At least, she was able to confirm that Pepper didn't feel vexed or anything. It's a shame that she won't be able to do as she pleases, though. She considers her plan brilliant, but since Pepper thinks otherwise—she will just have to put it off.

'The Wolves of the South'.

Luckily, Amber decided to bring that book here. There may be some parts that she can't understand, it's better to re-read to refresh her memory with the information that she may have already forgotten by now. She will lend it to Pepper once she's done.

The traps were meticulously placed, courtesy of Drake. She checked it one by one until she found a place where she could relax while watching over the eastern part of the camp at the same time. First of all, she literally could smell Salt everywhere. Had he been here all night? His scent stably lingers in the air for some reason.

Well…

Amber sat comfortably under a tree, and began to read the book. Her eyes were trained on the pages, but her ears were doing their job as well. Amber knows how to filter what she wants to smell or hear. The number one requirement is a great sense of focus. The fact that she can read just fine while trying to sound out her surroundings means she has that focus.

Focus isn't innate. It's something that needs to be persistently worked on. Its mastery isn't something one can obtain within a day of training. Amber has been working on that skill for quite a long time already, and sometimes—she still gets sidetracked. It really depends on the person, on how driven they are to get rid of the distractions that they face every day.

It could be a hassle, though. Setting your focus on one thing means you're also disregarding any information available around you—which could be fatal. Amber moved a bit closer to the roots so that she could lean her back when she heard a 'crunch' at the same time.

She looked under her bum to check if there were dead leaves there, but her mouth twitched as she slowly drowned in confusion. She closed the book, and got up, her eyes scanning the area carefully. There were no dead leaves around these parts. That means the sound wasn't of a dry, cracking leaf—but something else.

She didn't go beyond the traps. Her current location should be safe. It was within the area of the traps. The traps would activate before animals could get there. Unless… they were able to dodge the traps, or just small enough to not be captured or injured by them.

'What am I doing? I look paranoid.' Amber slapped the nasty thoughts away, and return to her reading. This time, she placed herself above ground. While going over the pages, she realized that the book smelled familiar. Old books share almost similar musty, organic smell. This book is no different.

Therefore, it shouldn't be a shock to her that it smells familiar. She has seen and read lots of old books in the past. Her chest, however, felt constricted. Aside from labeling it under the scent of any other books, there's something else.

She couldn't pinpoint it right away, though.

"Amber…!"

Her eyes widened. That voice was Pepper's.

"Where are you?"

Amber jumped off the tree, and sped her way to her. She was within her field of vision. "Did something happen?" Thankfully, Pepper wasn't harmed. Her breathing was ragged, her pupils dilated. She looked… spooked.

"Did you run into anything around here? I swear it came from this side."

"What are you pertaining to? What came from this side?" Amber asked, perplexed. "I've been here the whole time, and no—I didn't run into anything, even smaller creatures."

"Our duffel bags were stolen," Pepper hissed.. "We're left with nothing."

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