Somehow I Find Myself Camping With 2 Strangers For The Second Time Which Isn't A Lot But Its Odd Its Happened Twice, No? / Heading Up Stream (3)

The river wasn't loud.

It whispered.

Bubbling over rocks, flowing gently around curves and bends. Clear enough to reflect the morning sun in soft glints, the water slid along the forest edge like it belonged there—like it had always been there.

The group walked upstream, the air damp and cool. Branches snapped underfoot as they followed the bank. Kaela had taken the lead, moving with the kind of ease that could only come from familiarity.

"Settlement's still a few days out," she called back, voice casual. "But we're on the right path. This river will take us the rest of the way. Its a important location for a new comer to learn about , the river is a major connector. Links the settlement to other key spots in the region."

Warren's brow twitched.

'Key spots, huh?'

She didn't say what they were.

Didn't offer names. Or descriptions. Or even directions.

Just... "key spots."

'Convenient.'

But he didn't press. Not yet.

The quiet rhythm of footsteps and flowing water was suddenly cut short.

Vin stopped walking.

His entire posture shifted.

Still. Focused.

His eyes scanned the dense treeline to their right. Narrowed like a hawk tracking prey mid-flight.

Warren followed his gaze but saw nothing but thick woods and the dull shimmer of leaves.

Vin took a single step forward.

Still scanning.

Still searching.

Then he spoke.

"In front. Two beasts."

Warren's head whipped forward.

Still nothing.

'Is this guy insane?'

Vin didn't blink.

"Three hundred meters."

Warren's eyes widened.

'Three hundred meters? Through all this brush? Does he have x ray vision?!? . That's… not normal , right?'

He swallowed.

"So what do we do? Run?"

Kaela stepped closer, voice calm.

"If we detour, we risk drawing deeper into the woods. Which means more beasts. We will wait. See if they move first."

Vin said nothing.

Instead, he shrugged his pack off and dropped it on the ground. The soft thud of gear hitting dirt felt heavier than it should have.

He disappeared into the tree line briefly.

When he returned, he carried a bundle of long, straight branches. He bent them gently, tested their flexibility, and began stripping them with a short knife, working methodically.

Warren glanced toward Kaela, confused.

She met his look with a smile

Warren felt his heart race a little bit quicker.

"I should... go check on him."

Kaela nodded, already pulling out supplies to set up a quick camp.

Vin knelt by the river now, barefoot and shirtless, spear nearly finished. His lean muscles moved like ropes under his skin as he crouched, studying the water's surface.

Warren stepped closer.

"You building a weapon or...?"

Vin didn't look up.

"Getting us food."

Then, suddenly, he sprang.

The water exploded around him as he leapt in with a splash. The current churned with motion, and for a moment, Warren lost sight of him entirely.

Warren waited.

And waited.

And waited.

'He didn't drown did he?'

Warren waited some more

Warrens heart racing even faster than when Kaela smiled at him he started to become a little nervous

'DID HE DROWN?!?'

Slightly overtaken by panic Warren looked back searching for Kaela she was calmly gathering sticks and leaves and placing them into a pile.

'Should i do something?'

Warren continued to look at the water now pushing up the sleeves of his shirt getting ready to jump in after Vin.

Then—

A flash of silver.

Vin breached the surface like something from a war film, spear raised high—and skewered through it was a fish the size of a grown man.

Water streamed off his body as he stepped onto the bank, dragging the thing behind him. Its scales shimmered like metal, fins long and sharp-edged. Its gills opened and closed slowly, still alive even with a spear through its skull.

Warren stared.

"That... that's not a regular fish, is it?"

Vin glanced at him, water still dripping from his hair.

"Is anything in this world regular?"

Warrens face was blank.

"Point taken."

By the time they returned to the camp, Kaela had a small fire going. It barely gave off smoke, just a gentle heat and the faint smell of charred leaves.

She was tending to it with surgical care.

Vin dropped the fish on a flat stone and crouched over it with his knife, beginning to skin it. His eyes flicked constantly—one moment on the fish, the next scanning the trees, and most frequently landing on Warren, as if expecting him to try something.

Warren sat near the fire, unsure of what to do with his hands.

Kaela joined him, sliding down beside him with a soft sigh.

"That's one way to fish," Warren muttered.

"He always does it that way. Says it saves time."

Warren nodded, watching her as she leaned back on her hands, eyes half-lidded toward the smoke.

"So... you've been here two years?"

Kaela hummed.

"Yeah."

"And you came here at... what Rank?"

"Seven."

Warren blinked.

"And now?"

"Five."

He whistled low.

"Two whole Ranks? In two years? That's... impressive." 

Or at least Warren assumed it was impressive in all truth he didn't know how long it took on average to ascend a rank but seeing as to how the 2 introduced themselves as veterans for 2 years alive and being scouts that ventured into the forest often it only made sense that 2 ranks was quite the accomplishment.

Kaela smiled at the compliment.

"Thanks. It wasn't easy. I got lucky early on. Found a few groups that helped me learn fast. Survived some nasty things."

Warren looked at her a bit longer.

The firelight framed her face in warm tones. She looked soft like this. Less like a hardened scout, more like a girl close to his age who had just seen too much too quickly.

"It must have been tough"

She locked eyes with him for a few moments.

"it was, at times" She added softly "But it was also wonderful, at times" 

He opened his mouth to say something else.

But—

"Focus on the fire," Vin said without looking up.

Warren turned his head.

The smoke had thickened. It was starting to curl higher than it should have.

Kaela cursed under her breath and rushed to adjust the leaves. She moved quickly, layering more green into the pile and fanning the edges with a flat branch.

Warren let out a small chuckle.

'So cute.'

They ate in silence for a while.

The fish was good. Not fishy at all. Almost like gamey chicken, with a hint of sweetness.

Warren chewed thoughtfully.

He was still thinking about ranks. About Kaela. About the system and how little he understood of any of it. How crappy this world could be. How wonderful this world could be 

'On one hand I'm eating food for free. On the other hand I am a few stones throws away from beasts that could rip me apart without bating a eye , despite that this is the best I've felt since coming to this world'

A wide grin spread across Warrens face

***

They finished dinner quickly and packed the remnants. The fire was stamped out, their tracks minimal.

"Shifts?" Kaela asked, already cleaning the knife she lent Vin.

Vin nodded.

"I'll take first. You two rest."

Warren agreed, curling into his makeshift bedroll as Kaela settled beside him.

The night passed slower than he expected.

But just before dawn, Vin's voice cut through the quiet.

"Get up. They're moving."

Kaela sat up instantly.

Warren rubbed his eyes.

"The beasts?"

Vin's face was unreadable.

"They're coming this way."