Heroes to Hunted

***Agawa POV***

We all sat around a familiar sight with unfamiliar surroundings.

The Sun had already set, painting the sky black with the exception of the brightened stars.

Though there was a chill in the air, the roaring campfire between us kept the cold at bay. Lining the rock-bordered firepit were a variety of skewered meat cubes and mushrooms.

As I said, it was a familiar sight. The only difference was we'd been surrounded by walls, giving us the guise of safety.

Even so, I somehow managed to feel uneasy. I felt like any second now, a monster could burst through, tearing apart everything in its path. I broke into a nervous sweat thinking about it.

So, while the others exchanged banter, I hand-combed my hair in an attempt to distract myself from my panicked thoughts. It was frayed and filthy from a week without bathing.

My skin felt heavy from the grime. Mud, twigs, and pine needles, I was covered from head to toe with the definition of the word "wilderness."

"Agawa! Aren't you going to eat?" Ayame interrupted my thoughts. "You should. It's important to keep your strength!" she said, tearing off a roasted white mushroom and smiling.

'She sure adapted quickly to the food,' I chuckled.

I followed her advice and reached for one. The browned meat glistened with the moonlight, and the escaping juices dripped onto the veggies, flavoring them further.

Before I ate, an image of the man we left behind appeared in my mind. "Do you think Sato will be alright?" I asked nobody in particular.

I looked to Takagi, expecting a response from him first, but his attention was lost in the dancing flames of the firepit.

Though he was eating, I could tell even those motions were him on "autopilot." His condition had improved since his confrontation with Sato, but he still hadn't fully returned to his old self.

So I looked to my other group members, only to be answered by Mizuno instead.

"Sato will be fine. Furuya is irritatingly carefree, despite how he sounds," she scowled and drank from a wooden cup of water. His mention seemed to frustrate her.

"Yeahhh," Suda smiled, "the boss is eccentric but harmless so long as you don't pose a threat as an enemy."

"That's good; I know Sato is no ene-" A picture of him covered in blood, wielding a crimson-stained knife in a jail cell flashed before me. Though I knew he was no threat to me, I couldn't help feeling terrified after seeing that side of him.

After everything we experienced, I overcame most of it. I could even sit beside him! Or, at least, while he was unconscious. But now that he was awake, I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. Every time I did, I saw that same horrific scene.

'So much blood...' though my eyes were open to the present, all I could see was that gore-filled moment of the past. Then a warm sensation pressed against my shoulder. It was Suda, and she leaned in toward me.

"Are ya okay? Yer a little pale." Within her eyes was genuine concern. It made sense, considering we spent quite a bit of time bonding while hunting together during our weeklong travels in the wilderness.

"I'm fine, just a little tired, is all," I leaned forward and cradled my head in my arms. That's when I felt the familiar sensation of metal against my throat's skin.

I brushed my fingertips against the base of my neck. My touch stung my raw, swollen flesh, causing me to visibly wince. I cursed to myself and lifted my head toward Suda.

"Actually, you said we could get these collars off when we got here, right? When can we do that? My neck is getting a rash from this thing." I tugged at the collar, showing what I was referring to.

"Absolutely! Though it'll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. Our local nerd is probably sleepin' right now," Suda smiled and shrugged.

As much as I wanted to get this damn thing off as soon as possible, it couldn't be helped with how late it was.

'Just a little longer...' I consoled myself.

Then, Takashi spoke up. He asked the question on all our minds but was too afraid to ask. "So...what's gonna happen to us now?"

"You'll be assigned roles," Mizuno responded. "You'll contribute to this camp based on your skills and what you can do. It's how we survive."

"Y-You won't force me to fight, will you?" Takahashi asked nervously.

"Only if you seem suited for it," Mizuno said flatly.

Takahashi became restless and tried to make himself seem as small as possible. He must've been afraid they'd turn him into a warrior, though I doubted it, given his demeanor and physical ability.

Speaking of Mizuno mentioning roles, I was reminded of our first encounter within the camp. The burly guy with the eyepatch, Barrett, assigned Sato, Takagi, and me to groups. 'Is that what she referred to?'

"So is what that Barrett guy said about the 'enforcers' and 'scouts' true? Will we be assigned to groups like those?" I asked, not wanting to leave it to speculation.

Suda smiled and rubbed the back of her head. "Ahhhh, no. I knew he'd do somethin' like that..." she paused and swore under her breath. "Look, ya can just ignore 'im, okay?"

I was puzzled. Mizuno, moments ago, said we were to be assigned jobs to be useful. Now Suda was directly conflicting that by telling us to ignore it?

"We should 'ignore him?' What do you mean?" I asked.

"Wellll," she chuckled, "Barrett is actually in charge of our supplies. He's our camp quartermaster. He directs material and food, not manpower. I'm sure Hearth told you she's responsible for that."

"So why did he assign a few of us to groups?" I followed up.

"Because he wants to be the camp's leader," Suda said flatly with a blank face. "He doesn't like how carefree Cap'n Furuya is sometimes. He thinks it's a sign of weakness. So he's tryin' to build a faction to back his own leadership."

I was visibly shocked by such a lackadaisical response.

She calmly admitted to having knowledge of Barrett trying to stage a coup! I obviously wasn't versed in the politics of running a settlement. Still, I was sure an active mutiny wasn't to be taken lightly!

"And you'd let him do something like that?! Isn't that something you'd explicitly stop?!" I had to stop myself from shouting too loudly. The surprise was too much.

She laughed more before continuing. "Yeahhh, that's what I said tah the cap too, but he shrugged it off and assured me Barrett wasn't a problem. He also said we can't stop 'im because the settlement has a right to free leadership. It's kinda stupid, but I trust the cap. Plus, I made sure Barrett wasn't plottin' anythin' too nefarious, so we're good...hopefully."

At first, I was too astonished to speak, but another question popped into my mind. "What roles will we get then?"

"Whatever Hearth assigns you," Mizuno responded, pointing me to my skewer. "You should eat; we won't stay out here forever."

Though the answer wasn't satisfying, I quieted down and focused on my food like she and Ayame instructed.

For the next several minutes, all talking ceased between us. The chattering of crickets and the snapping of burning sticks became all we could hear. However, Kamida soon broke the silence.

He stood up with an expression of pride and held up a wooden cup filled with water. He then cast his gaze on each of us and smiled. "My friends, though I've only known you for a week's time, it feels like we've spent a lifetime together!"

He wiped a tear from his eye and drank from his cup. After clearing his throat, he continued. "Together, we escaped that accursed town! Together, we survived a perilous journey through the wilds! Together, we made it to this safe haven and survived! I'm proud to call all of you my allies!"

However, contrary to what everyone expected, cheers of camaraderie weren't what Kamida received. Instead, Takagi ripped his gaze from the campfire and focused angrily on Kamida.

"What about Nakamura, Conman?" Takagi sullenly snapped. "Where's the 'together' for him?"

Kamida looked at Takagi with a pained look. "Nakamura was a good man. A man of integrity. A man that demanded only the highest of respect. He was a man we'll never forget for his sacrifice against that monster. It's because of him I'm alive. Because of him, I can say this speech; I know this."

"So why the hell are you so cheery?! How can you celebrate when you know he died for us? For you?!" Takagi swiped his skewer at Kamida.

Kamida took a breath and a hard swallow. "It's because I know he sacrificed himself for my life. In appreciation for him, I can't dwell on his death. If I stayed depressed, It would waste the gift he gave me."

Takagi jeered in disagreement and returned to silence.

Likewise, Kamida sat back down, and the once joyous air became cripplingly somber. It remained that way for the rest of dinner until we began our journey to bed.

While Mizuno and Suda led the sisters and me to the ladies' sleeping quarters, Shrug led the rest of our group to the men's. On our way there, Suda pulled me aside.

"Psssst, Agawa," she whispered, "wanna go hunting with me early in the morning? We're kinda screwed 'cause of that bear. Yer good fer spottin' and catchin' things, and I think we've got good chemistry. Whatcha say?"

My muscles, bones, and even my cells hurt from fatigue. I knew they'd ache even more in the morning, thanks to my insomnia.

Despite my pained body, I knew this was a perfect opportunity to show my usefulness. I'd fulfill my requirements to stay here and be allowed to work with someone I knew! It was a good deal.

Besides... I needed something to distract myself from my own thoughts. My very bloody and very terrifying thoughts.

"Sure thing," I whispered back and forced a tired smile.