Mysterious Girl part 2

The first thing that Kim did when they returned to their camp was to collect her pack and then change into her other set of clothing. Naturally, she didn't change right where she was, but rather walked behind some trees and bushes before doing so.

When she had on clothing that didn't feel like it would fall apart if she moved wrong in it, she couldn't say how much better it felt, just that it was almost like sitting in a hot tub after an intense workout.

As she then returned to the camp, she couldn't say that she liked the way the conversation had gone. Though, part of her wondered if it was something that changed in Stanley as part of his politician system. If it was, then she wasn't sure how much she could blame him. If not, then she wouldn't feel guilty at all in helping administer any necessary justice to him if he tried anything against that girl.

Though, what shocked her the most was that the girl seemed to have found Patrick as a kind of protector. Mostly because she was pretty sure that the girl was still uneasy around even Patrick. Which almost felt a little contradictory to Kim.

When she spoke briefly to Jonas about when they should leave, she hardly felt like anything was really accomplished in that conversation. As while they agreed they would remain in the camp as long as Stanley and his group were there, Kim wasn't sure what to expect during that time.

She hoped that the girl would leave on her own, if she chose that route, rather than deciding to go with Stanley and his group. As even if she suspected that Stanley used anything from his system to affect the girl's state of mind, it wouldn't be her place to tell the girl what to do or not to do. At least unless she could prove for a fact that she was essentially being forced against her will.

Which would be a whole other matter entirely to accomplish.

In the end, she just had to hope things wouldn't end up quite like that. That there wouldn't be any questions in her mind about how things turned out. Which would be completely out of her control and rather aggravating to deal with.

"Think Owen and Patricia's group will stay with us when we're done here?" Kim asked as she sat down near the edge of the camp, keeping her eyes on the events going on in the main part of the camp involving the girl.

"Not really sure, but I have a feeling they'd rather survive this than really strive to win the competition," Jonas answered without missing a beat. "Though, I can't be sure if they've given up on getting back to their own worlds or not."

Kim sighed. Maybe it was the amount of activity she'd engaged in for the past few days or the fact that she hadn't really had much time to just sit and relax, but she was starting to feel rather tired right then. While she trusted Jonas enough to not worry about what he might do around her while she slept, she couldn't help but worry what Stanley and his group would do during that time.

Yet, her eyes were starting to close of their own accord, ignoring her attempts to keep them open. Kim thought she might have mumbled something as she descended into a dreamless slumber, but she wasn't sure.

When she woke up, she couldn't even remember what she'd wanted to say. The sun had set when she was awake again, though sadly Stanley and his group were still present then. Though, the girl, in addition to the critter she was cooking, was gone. No one seemed alarmed or concerned about the matter, so Kim had to assume that it had occurred while she slept.

She also couldn't help but notice that some of the raw bear meat that they'd brought with them was getting cooked up. While it was at least something to fill her stomach, she wished there was something they could do to it to add a little more flavor to it. Especially with how it was barely palatable for her as it was.

However, food a was still food. Which meant that it would keep her from starving, no matter how it tasted. Which she supposed was why she was willing to try it in the first place.

"What happened to the girl?" Kim asked Patrick quietly as she at her bear steak.

"She left as soon as her meal was cooked through," he replied. 'Though, I think she called me a 'brother of fire' or something. Not sure what she exactly meant by that."

"You did use your system to help cook her meal, right?" Kim asked after swallowing her latest bite.

"I guess," Patrick replied. "Not sure if I really remember doing that , though."

"In that case, maybe her people would hold someone like you in high regard or something," Kim said, not sure what the chances of her statement being correct was. All she could be certain of was that the culture the girl was from was pretty different than what Kim herself knew.

"Hard to say if I'd like that or not," Patrick mused. "I mean, it'd be great to be looked at as something great, but at the same time, it's not like I earned this system or anything. I was merely given it because I was unfortunate enough to get pulled into this stupid competition."

Kim wasn't sure how to respond to that, but she had a feeling that if the girl heard what he'd said, that she'd probably be a little confused about what he was talking about. Whether he explained it or not, didn't matter to Kim that much. She wasn't sure if they really needed to keep the secret, even with how that dragon, Aquis, had reacted to learning about them being in the competition. Although, Kim couldn't be sure that he still would have done what he'd did to them earlier. It just likely changed things in a small way, if nothing else.

"Just wondering, did she say anything else while her critter finished cooking?" Kim asked, not convinced that the girl was only comfortable because Patrick was there. If she really was that uneasy around them, she'd likely have split the moment she realized they were there, even with the manner with how they appeared in the camp.

Something didn't add up and Kim couldn't say that the girl hadn't been following them. For how long or for what reason, she couldn't say. Just that she had been likely following them. Which was how she recognized how they'd likely react with her being there as well as why Patrick being so close to her didn't bother her as much as a complete stranger probably would have.

However, if that was true, then the girl likely was still close by. While she wanted to talk to the others about that, she didn't want to make Stanley aware of that if he wasn't already. Otherwise she wouldn't put it past him to seek her out and find some way to get her under his control.

Like how he somehow had most of the others when she'd come back from her 'walk' that one day. Which she still couldn't figure out how he did it. Though, she kept herself on guard around him since that time.

As such, she would be happy when he wasn't around them anymore. The only problem with it in Kim's mind was that it hadn't happened already.

Later, as the night was starting to deepen and others started to make their way to whatever they could use as a bed to get comfortable, Elwin drew Kim's attention as he looked around.

"So, who's watch is it?" he asked yawning. "If I remember the schedule correctly, it was supposed to be Elmo's and Bart's turn for the first watches."

"I'll take them," Kim offered. She really didn't care right then, plus she had essentially taken a nap, so she should be fine staying up later. "The rest of you don't look like you've gotten any sleep since we got back here."

"Remember, Patricia's watch will be after yours then," Jonas informed Kim. She was pretty sure she already knew that, but didn't feel like saying anything about that. She didn't care enough to say anything about it.

"Go to sleep then," Kim said instead. "Otherwise I might knock you out so I can get some peace around here."

What Kim found most aggravating at Jonas' response to her threat was that he chuckled. She would have knocked him out if she felt he needed it, but he merely acted like it was a joke!

The sensation brought to mind someone who she knew had died long ago. Back when she was twelve, her older brother hadn't come back from school when he was supposed to and she'd never seen him again. He was about sixteen then.

Though, Kim couldn't figure out why Jonas chuckling at that moment would make her suddenly remember that. The only thing that she could think of was that she was starting to get so used to Jonas that she was able to pick up on smaller details about him that were more like how her brother had been.

Still, as she settled down to keep her watch, she struggled to get that out of her mind. As well as keep it out, since it kept popping back in periodically. Much to her annoyance.