Chapter Eight: Traveling with Strangers

 CHAPTER EIGHT (NEW MOON)

ARC TWO: Re-journey

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Chapter Eight: Traveling with Strangers

The unit had traveled a distance away from the scene in silence.

Everyone had one way, or another agreed to travel without a single noise except for the sharp stomps of the horses and the crisp sounds of the dried leaves under their hooves. They would stop occasionally to see if they were still on the right track and to take a break.

Oddny and Mallory huddled together whenever that happened, and aside from giving them a few rations, the others ignored them. The two were relieved from the lack of attention and ate the small dinner they had in silence.

Someone approached them and sat a polite distance away. Mallory looked up and realized that it was the person who shared his horse with her.

Sensing her gaze, he smiled at her. Mallory froze dumbly, unsure what to do. Meanwhile, Oddny retreated at her back, not even bothering to greet the man. She didn’t look at him and kept her head down.

Seeing Oddny’s attitude to him, the man didn’t take it negatively, instead; he looked at them warmly. “Had you had your fill? Sorry to give you such a small portion of the food. The travel will take three weeks. And we haven’t expected that there would be additional in our crew.”

Mallory took a second to respond. “No, it’s enough. Thank you.”

The man nodded his head. “I’m glad.” He looked at the dark forest and sincerely advised them. “I know what happened to you was shocking, but you have to immediately adjust your mood to survive. I assume you already know about hunting? If not, please familiarize yourself with that, and, oh, don’t forget about foraging. During this trip, it’s better to get more food to get by.”

The two listened attentively, but only Mallory nodded her head. 

Mallory knew how limited the resources of a traveling unit were. Even their rations that supposedly would last all throughout their journey are sometimes not enough. They did not have enough food to feed themselves. What’s more, if they add another two mouths to feed?

Mallory understood that, but she also knew that Oddny couldn’t. 

She felt her grip on her clothes tighten.

Mallory can’t help but smile sadly in her mind. 

It has already been a couple of hours since they traveled with this unit. 

It was ‘already’ for them, but to Oddny and Mallory, it was still ‘only’ a couple of hours since they left their home. Especially with Oddny. 

Mallory can’t begin to imagine how overwhelmed Oddny is from the situation earlier and for the next few days. Out from the comfort of her own home, Mallory was sure that Oddny felt so small and insignificant. She was still young, at the age of fifteen years old. The sudden separation of her and her family shocked her to the core that she doesn’t want to do anything let alone speak. Whenever someone tries to communicate with them, she would shrink back to hide on Mallory’s back.

Mallory is filled with empathy. 

She, too, was just like that. 

She was six when she was first deprived of her first home. She remembered being so confused and terrified, but she had someone by her side, holding her hand and giving her warm smiles all throughout the journey to find a new home. 

Her mother. 

Mallory felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Lyall, that’s her mother’s name.

She was a wonderful and sweet lady. She helped everyone whenever she could, and Mallory felt that she really loved her with all her heart. But she still wonders why sometimes her mother looks at her differently, especially when it’s a full moon and when Mallory’s curling up in her bed in pain.

Mallory remembers that she asked her once in passing, and she still remembers her mother’s response.

“Soon, I will tell you everything soon.”

But of course, she couldn’t.

Her mother died before she could. 

But one of her mother’s secrets was eventually revealed, not in an ideal way. 

When she learned about it, she erupted with questions and doubts. 

What was the reason why she hid the fact from her? Why would she not tell her about it? 

Melita… Melita tried, but just like Lyall, she ran out of time…

Mallory shook her head and pushed the negativity away from her heart and mind. Instead, she focused on the present. 

They had to remain in this wilderness for three weeks at most…

While transferring from one pack to another, Mallory noticed one thing.

Every pack is away from each other with a wide gap and distance. The shortest Mallory had traveled for is a month, other than that, everything exceeds thirty days. She always wondered why and then soon understood it from her mother’s explanations.

The distance was a hindrance, as well as a form of protection. The ridiculously long distances prevented other packs from sending help when necessary, but it was also a precaution to prevent the vampires from picking them off like berries.

Fortunately, the travel will only take them three weeks. When they arrived at the village, there are still six days away from the Full Moon of this month.

Mallory thought carefully. 

On every full moon, her head throbs without fail. With was mild when she was younger, but as she got older, she felt it getting stronger. Is this… A consequence of being the Goddess’ Blessed? Will this disappear next month after I get Blessed?

There was no way she could answer that question right now, so Mallory set the thought aside.

Mallory thoughtfully nodded her head and thanked him with sincerity. “Thank you, Uhm–”

She paused, just now remembering that she didn’t know his name.

The man looked at them seriously. “Leofric. That’s my name. You can call me Leo.”

“Thank you. I’m Mallory,” she simply said and didn’t take the initiative to introduce Oddny. Oddny didn’t say anything, expressing her unwillingness to communicate with the other. She hasn’t even raised her head to look at the other, not even once.

Mallory saw pity in his eyes. He paused for a bit before opening his mouth again. “Sorry for not providing any help to your pack. We were only there to scout. We’re an Exploration Unit. We didn’t prepare anything for a fight.”

Mallory pursed her lips. Both she and Oddny went oddly silent. It was the older one who broke the silence. “… We know. You’ve done enough. Thank your commander for taking us in.”

She said it so sincerely, but she still can’t hide the pain in her voice.

Mallory and Oddny understood it, and if they were in their shoes, they would do the same. Heading to a pack that is under attack by a vampire unit is like bumping into a thick wall head straight. So instead of signing their names for the afterlife, they’ll choose to watch in silence and wait for survivors. 

Although they understood it so well, they still can’t help but feel that the world is so unfair to them.

‘But,’ Mallory mocked herself. ‘You should be ashamed more of yourself. The Goddess’ Blessed? What a joke.’

Seeing them unwilling to talk any further, Leofric stood up to bid his farewell. “The moon is already hung up so high–although we can’t see it will all the thick clouds. You two should be ready to sleep. They have decided to stop here to rest and get ready for tomorrow’s arduous journey.”

Mallory simply nodded her head and watched him go. But before he totally left their earshot, Mallory remembered something.

“Leofric?” She stood up and said seriously. “The vampires had developed a drug to temporarily paralyze the werewolves and sever the connections of the wolves and the humans.”

Upon that, she saw his smiley face turned 180 degrees. He thought over the serious matter she just revealed and nodded at her in thanks before speeding up away.

Mallory stood there as she watched his back disappear from the crowd.

The heavy clouds in the sky finally cleared up, and the moon shared its light with them. Mallory tilted her head upwards and saw the silver halo oozing out from the perfectly round celestial body hanging up in the sky. Looking at it, Mallory just realized that it was the very first time she saw the moon out that night.