13

After Zumwraek had explained to them that he wanted them to keep an eye out during the day and make sure they paid enough attention to the animals in the forest surrounding the village that they didn't get lost, Dib immediately volunteered himself to be the lookout while the rest of them continued to make camp.

Smidge was happy with his suggestion, although she wasn't entirely certain that she understood why he'd decided to stay outside the village with them instead of returning home. After all, she thought as she watched her brother settle himself down near the fire that he should be resting up and recovering while they were staying overnight in the woods. He was still injured and hadn't yet regained the strength he usually possessed. And besides, she had seen the way he had looked exhausted just a few minutes ago while they had been riding the wagons and while the sun had been still shining brightly the moment Zumwraek had called them back, she suspected that that might not necessarily be the case when they entered the woods tomorrow. If they were in the same predicament that they'd faced a few nights prior it would certainly be wise to avoid wandering too close to town.

Dib remained silent for most of the evening, allowing Zumwraek to keep an eye on him. As he sat beside the flickering flames, his eyes darted across the clearing occasionally, checking for predators and making sure that Smidge wasn't watching him, before he suddenly jerked forwards, his ears suddenly perking upwards as he began listening intently to the sounds around them. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and turned towards him. A look of fear passed over Zumwraek's face as he realised that Dib had heard the sound of approaching footsteps. All four of them froze and waited with bated breath, hoping and praying that whoever was approaching wasn't a predator or would be able to see them in the dark. But moments later, as it came closer, they relaxed once they recognized the familiar sound of footsteps that belonged to the person approaching their campsite.

A few seconds later Smidge saw a flash of orange dart through the darkness and quickly move towards her and Gaz. It took her a second to realise that her vision was blurred due to the tears streaming down her cheeks. But she wiped at the tear tracks before anyone noticed and stood up quickly. Gaz moved behind her and wrapped both arms around her waist protectively. She didn't bother to wipe away the tears that rolled steadily down her cheek as she sniffled loudly, her eyes fixated on the person who had just approached the camp. It was Mr. Smelti.

He was dressed in a pair of leather pants similar to the ones that his sister wore and was holding a large bag over his shoulder, which he tossed on top of the small pile of belongings that he carried. His head was raised upwards slightly to observe the canopy above them, his eyes narrowing when he spotted the five children huddled together in front of the fire.

"There seems to be more people than usual gathered here. I'm guessing this is some sort of gathering for new arrivals like ourselves to help us settle in and learn the ropes of living among humans?" He questioned.

Zim stepped forward and stood in front of Smidge. "Yes, you could say that we are here for that reason. It is good that you arrived safely Mr. Smelti."

The older gentleman nodded. "Of course. I'm glad I found a place like this to put my stuff; it's much quieter than the other towns I've visited. It has good lighting. I'm glad I didn't arrive on a cold night like last time."

Dib frowned slightly. "What happened last time? Did you encounter another traveler?"

"Yes, actually. It was a long story, but suffice it to say that we came across a couple of travelers passing through, who were obviously travellers. They were also carrying bags. They were clearly heading towards the city and were probably travelling as fast as they possibly could so they could get somewhere warm as soon as possible before having to confront people who would undoubtedly be hostile to them. That is why we are not taking any unnecessary risks tonight. So please don't be surprised if you see some strange creatures lurking around the area, especially when we're not here anymore."

Dib furrowed his eyebrows again. "Strange creatures… What kind of strange creatures?"

Mr. Smelti shook his head. "I can't answer that question. Maybe you'll find out in the future." With a wave of his hands, he indicated that he was going to leave them, leaving the children to fend for themselves.

As soon as he was out of sight, Irkens started piling into the group once more. At first Gaz refused to come and sit down with them, claiming to only accept being included because her brothers were already there and therefore required her attendance, but she gave in after a little persuasion.

Dib didn't quite know what to think about the entire situation. It seemed that Mr. Smelti was aware of the dangers that lurked in the dark forest and was willing to risk coming out in order to warn those who were in danger, but he apparently wasn't willing to let those people know about their presence. Why wasn't he worried about the people who were travelling through and were likely in a hurry to reach civilization? Dib felt like he was missing something crucial here and it bothered him a great deal.

He kept a close eye on everyone, making sure that they stayed safe and that nothing untoward happened to them whilst they were out here in these unfamiliar circumstances.

When he finally made it back to bed that night, he lay awake staring up at the ceiling for a very long time. The silence and stillness of the room only added to the sense of uneasiness that he had been feeling throughout the day. His mind was busy running round in circles trying to comprehend everything that was happening and try to work out why he was so uncomfortable. When eventually the sleep overtook him, his dreams filled with visions of fire and screams, his body shaking in terror as he desperately tried to escape the burning pain, unable to open his mouth to scream, unable to fight his own panic-stricken thoughts.