“Nate.”

“Anthony, hello.” he returns, smiling and waving off the man he was talking to (the archer, I think). “What…” he gestures around at the camp “do you think?” His eyes settle on me, an intensity in his look that wasn’t there the first time we spoke.

“I honestly don’t know how you managed to band these people together, and I understand even less why they seem to be *staying* together, but it’s good. What you’ve done here is very impressive.”

“High praise, certainly. It takes a certain effort to keep things in order, but what I lack in combat ability I try to make up for in management. I’m glad it shows.” I’m used to people acting humble while their egos get inflated, but this guy looks like he’s *acting* like he’s acting humble. As though he genuinely thinks nothing of it, but wants me to think he is actually proud. The question is, why would anyone do that? Expose badly hidden faults so that the real ones don’t draw attention? I don’t think he has to bother, if that’s the case. Everyone here is probably a train wreck in their own, unique way anyway…

Ohhhhh. To fit in better. Obvious flaws that convince people he’s just like them while he maintains a competency level far above what they expect. He can lead effectively and people don’t feel threatened by his ability. No wonder he’s the leader, he’s thought this through, at least a little bit.

I smile back, a genuine smile. I won’t deny it brings me satisfaction to pick people apart, even if I end up being wrong. The logical deductions are entertaining.

“I want to go hunting, see if I can raise my fighting ability a bit. As nice as healing is, I would rather fight well enough not to need to.”

“Ah, well feel free. I’d stay away from the forest, and avoid getting too close to the… battlefield… but you should be able to find something aggressive a mile or two from camp. We’ll have dinner before the sun passes.” ‘We’. Tempting me with food. There are worse things, honestly.

“I’ll keep it in mind. Do you think I can bring Rav? I’d rather have someone watching my back.”

He frowns slightly “Do you think Rav is up to it? I know he’s feeling better, but I don’t want to strain him.” At least Nate values his mage, but I need someone I can trust.

“I’ll bring it up with him. I’m sure he’s stir crazy -well, as much as he *can* be- after not doing much for so long. Plus he’s obviously looking forward to testing his magic on live targets again, he’s been shooting off spells for the last hour.” I finish with a grin.

“Too true. I see no issue with it. Normally I would tell you to grow and learn, but this time, I think I’d rather you come back safely.” His words intensify strangely throughout the sentence, but not like he’s putting emphasis on any of it. It’s like… the bass suddenly being turned on in music where there previously was no bass. It’s merely a light thumping, nothing wall shaking. Maybe that's what keeps causing my headaches?

[You are under the effect of Leadership Aura. Health and Toughness temporarily increased]

I maintain eye contact with him as I bring up my status and see that my HP and Toughness have both risen. HP by a whopping 10 points, toughness by 2. The two stats are also highlighted in a slight green. Interesting. As usual, his orders offer a great boon, but I wonder how easily he could turn that into a debuff. Something like ‘die quickly’ to lower defence and health. And how many people can he buff/debuff at once? Does the power of the buff depend on anything? Can he debuff a monster that can’t understand him? One that can? I’d ask him, but then I’d have to dance around accidentally making him suspicious. Ask too many questions and if he has any mischievous ideas, I might have to deal with them. I can always leave to avoid such things, but… safety in numbers. I’m sure there are other groups, but I’m also sure they would consider joining Nate if they knew the benefits.

I nod at him in gratitude, emphasizing it with a slight widening of my eyes, as if in shock, and a surprised “T-thanks...”

What, he can lie, I can lie. Besides, I do appreciate it.

My Cathid crawls around my neck and looks at me as I walk away from Nate. I honestly forget it’s there it’s so quiet. That and the way I can’t feel it move even when it’s on me… It’s like a ghost. “Hey, how would you like the name ‘Kaythe’?”

It just stares at me. Several long moments pass with us just staring back at each other, but with a steadily growing smile on my face. “You like it, don’t you. It’s so fantastic that you’re speechless. Well, more-so than usual. Can’t even clack at me you’re so excited. Right?”

*Click* (Name?) *Click-clak CLACK click* (Confusion. K...a...e...th…)

Oof. I guess it doesn’t translate well. “You’ll get the hang of it. Just as long as you don’t hate it, it’ll be much easier for me if I’m not just thinking of you as ‘that one cathid I hang out with.’”

Kaythe stares at me for another moment before *Click*ing in affirmation, and continues with a resounding *CLICK* (Food?).

“Yeah, that’s what we’re going to go find. I’m fine with the fruits and nuts, but I…” I glance around quickly “-don’t see any meat around here, and I know these guys have done some hunting. So either the meat tastes really bad or they just… didn’t think about it. Either way, we can cart back some smaller monsters for you.” Kaythe returns with a slightly more enthusiastic Click of acknowledgement.

I… guess I have a pet now. Hopefully it can get to the point where I don’t need to maintain it, but I have no idea how these things work. Do monsters have skills? Stats? Because no matter how I view Kaythe, it’s still a monster. A creation of this world…

I feel like I should distrust Kaythe more, but I don’t. It seems to trust me, and I’m a sucker for that kind of thing.

---

“Rav, how do you fancy a hunt to stretch the new muscles?” Rav hasn’t moved too much since I left. I guess he’s a mostly sedentary type.

“I’d be more than happy.” he returned, his usual smile reflecting his newly positive attitude.

“Great, let’s head ou- oh hey Dean.” Uh oh.

“Hey.” He must have been trying to move quietly or something because I really didn’t know he was approaching before I turned mid-sentence and saw him standing there. It looks like his mood hasn’t improved.

A moment passes in which he says nothing, and I shoot him a questioning look.

“I o-overheard you talking to Nate. Going for a hunt?” Fuck, it’s like every ounce of deadness and dread that Rav had before I healed him got transferred to this guy. The composure he had before is gone, he’s stuttering… I’m worried. About him and about myself, what he might be thinking of doing.

“Yeah,” I reply slowly, “Rav and I were thinking of stretching our legs.” It would be so easy to let my politeness slip in and invite him along. And, usually? I wouldn’t mind. But… I’m almost sure that Dean is a better fighter than me. Probably better than Rav too. And where I have a foot and a half stick, Dean has a fucking greatsword. My stick is stronger than a normal stick, but it isn’t *greatsword resistant*. I’m in no hurry to figure out who would win that exchange, and he’s acting weird enough. Why is everyone giving off all these unstable vibes…

I mean, beside the fact that society is dead, they’ve been robbed of all their previous social attachments, and they’ve watched hundreds of their fellow humans get massacred... But, I mean… that made me want to protect what’s left even more. Not… make it worse.

Maybe I’m thinking too much about it. Paranoia is a bitch after all.

I let another few moments pass with utter silence between the three of us, and only when it has reached levels of discomfort previously unknown to me, do I nod at Dean and start to walk in the direction of the monster camp.

After walking for a few minutes, hearing mostly just the ambient sounds of some insects that look oddly like grasshoppers, but with strange proportions, and being mostly the size of a penny, I feel my weight shift slightly. I ignore it, thinking it’s just Kayth looking around, but a few moments later my weight shifts again, twice. They’re small shifts, not enough to make me stumble, but when I turn in the direction they’ve been pulling me in I realize that Dean has just been following right behind Rav. Rav, of course, looked entirely unconcerned with the whole deal, but this was greatly unnerving to me.

“Dean, you decided to tag along?” God damnit why.

He looked startled for a moment before recovering slightly “Y-yeah, figured you guys could use more close combat backup, considering you’re unarmed and R-Rav is all ranged.”

I’m sure. Also, unarmed? Bitch. I have a stick.

“Well why didn’t you just say so. But, I’m sure you’ve been on hunts before, so you should lead us. I was just wandering in the direction Nate recommended, we would be much better off with a guide, so, do you mind leading the way?”

He starts shaking, looking even more nervous. “N-no, I just came to help out anyway. I wouldn’t know w-where to go.” … enough of this.

My tone moves from something fairly polite and amiable to something hard. “Dean, you look like you’re about to collapse from fright, and now you’re refusing to lead? What’s the matter with you? Skulking around, sneaking into this expedition… that’s not something people usually do. Tell me.” Our eyes meet for a moment, but he quickly tears his away to look at something else. Anything else.

“It’s… nothing.” he states, the tension in his shoulders releasing slightly as he turns around without another word.

I stand there for long minutes watching him walk back to camp. I… I know what I think. I think he was trying to make an ‘accident’ happen. Working himself up to put me in the wrong place at the wrong time during combat and… yeah. Nobody would blame him too much, things happen. He might regret it if he loses a hand, but… my life isn’t worth someone’s regret.

Now, I could be wrong. He could just be super awkward and trying to be helpful, but he *wasn’t* before. Even seeing him walk away now, the tension, the strange stuttering gait, it’s all gone. That was prompted by him giving up on the hunt, and we didn’t ask him along so it’s really unlikely he was afraid of whatever monsters we’re going to find.

It all stinks to me.

Dean’s on the watch list.

“Get sleep now, I’ll need you awake later.” I murmur to Kaythe. It clicks lightly in return, a question I don’t answer.

“Did you say something friend?” Rav is still smiling his passive, congenial smile, like nothing happened.

“Ah, sorry, was speaking to Kaythe. Did you find that strange at all?”

“Not a bit, many pet owners speak to their animals-”

“No” I interrupt, “The thing with Dean.”

“Hmm?”

“You didn’t notice anything odd about that?”

“Dean… I’ve only known for a day more than you have. All those that follow Nate are… new, to me. You are new to me, and have many eccentricities as well.”

… “Ok fair. But he seemed very different from when I talked to him earlier, before I healed you.”

“Ah. I remember little of that time, friend. It was… unpleasant.”

Also fair.