4. Finding Montul

Kasel couldn't find a way to cross these rivers. Since the current were so rapid, a simple raft wouldn't do the job and might be destroyed easily.

While Esme and the Dwende waits for his plan, both of them had a good time together.

"What is your name?' Esme asks. The Dwende was timid enough to talk so he remains silent, just as Kasel says.

Esme smiles at the creature. "I might as well name you myself, then. From now on I'll call you, Loo"

The dwende smiles genuinely as if he's never been so happy in his life.

Kasel sees them both having fun, but in doubt of what really the intention of that dwende, and plans of leaving them behind. He quickly runs deep in the forest to think more of how to cross the river and to outrun both of the woman and the creature but in just a quick moment the woman startles him.

"Where do you think you're going? " Esme furiously asks while she pulls her bow towards him from behind. "The raft is already built we should go."

"You know what?, I shouldn't trust you. Considering that dwende, you must be out of your mind bringing him." Kasel panics.

"Don't try to run from me again." Esme warns him.

Kasel was mesmerized of the woman with her determination and her reflex of movements. Althought, it is not hard for Kasel to outrun the woman if he really is desperate. If given the chance and right timing, he could.

Or could he?

"Don't trust the dwende." He whispers.

"Likewise, with you." she replies.

"But you chose to come with me." Kasel silently says sarcastically, smirking.

"Instead of murmuring why don't we just go to the river and find Montul."

"Sshh," Kasel hisses and grabs Esme to stay low as he notices people on his sight.

A group of hunters and a wealthy man in a wagon are heading to the river from the forest. They start eavesdropping the hunters as they pass by. One of the Royal hunters wear white sleeves and a cargo-like pants with a huge axe on his back holding a log from old Boy's cabin and another hunter was wearing white sleeve with a bit of red and black pants, wielding a sword. The two hunters were having a private conversation.

"If one wins the so-called tournament, they could earn a trophy worth a hundred thousand kuarta." the man with a huge axe says in low voice.

'Kuarta' is the currency of the money in the City of Ozima and 'Dula' means a tournament or competition.

"Nobody knows if that is true or not, but it's too good to be true, though." the other hunter says in a very low voice.

As both Kasel and Esme heard them, they just watch the men passing by along with the best hunters of Malau.

Kasel gets intrigued and thought that these men are recruiting hunters that will be ranked and given a position. He also thought that they might head to the tribe of Boong as the next place to employ.

Kasel and Esme still stays low for no one should see them both. They carefully start following the group.

Kasel thought in his mind that the hunter colluded with the others, as he did not hear this so called Dula.

In deep silence and concentration while staying low just to avoid getting caught. However, one of the hunters gets startled as he notices a strange shadow was following them.

"Hala!" He yells in his language, shocked and starts to panic. "Someone is following us." The hunter warns.

A tikbalang jumps and kicks the wagon with an overwhelming force causing its wheels to break down. Then, the tikbalang made a horse-like sound that is ready to race and continues to attack the hunters, the tikbalang kicks one of the hunters from Malau on the chest and it blown the hunter away, cracking the chest heavily. The tikbalang continues attacking with another stomp and a quick turnaround kick to the other hunter, breaking his nose and distorting its face. The creature then acts to throw a hard punch to the Royal hunter but it got blocked by his huge axe, then kicks the tikbalang in the stomach wielding his weapon to the head of the tikbalang and its blood scatters the whole place, instantly killing the creature.

While the conflict happened, Kasel and Esme, along with the dwende, Loo, runs to the river, being aware that the group of hunters had a boat that can keep up with the water current. Loo hands him nylon to tie the bottom of the boat. He did not flinch and did it as soon as possible and then stays hidden.

As the men was distracted by the tikbalang, they did not notice the group of Kasel ran away, let alone their presence. So, they just continued with their business.

"Sir, the wagon's wheels has broken, I'm afraid that we must walk." The lead hunter says to the wealthy man.

The wealthy man gets irritated but walks anyway saying, "If the others cannot walk leave them behind, we can't afford to lose medical supplies for them."

The remaining hunters of Malau shocks with what they heard as they were hunters who got injured from the attack of the tikbalang.

"Wait, if that's what happens, then may I ask where your conscience is? " one of the Malau hunter says, surprised of the lack of empathy from the wealthy yet arrogant man.

"Don't talk too much." one of the Royal hunter orders him to remain silent.

The suffering hunters from Malau were left behind without the pity of the group and it was the vilest circumstance saw by the other hunters but they could not disobey an order from the Royalty, otherwise they cannot go back to Oxtracks.

Of course, if the choice is to get rich, then leaving the burden behind is just rational. Or at least, that is what the current society is supposed to act.

The hunters don't have the choice but to follow their orders, for living an opulent life is their dream they want and need to achieve.

The group continues unpleasantly.

They get in to the boat and starts to row across to the other side to reach Boong.

On the other hand, Kasel and his group hides in the empty barrels.