At least a dozen eyes locked onto Cricket, so she was more than happy to make a b-line for Sophia as she called her over and extended the bowl of fruits and oats with her usual vigor.
"He's working really hard." She murmured as she took a seat beside the other woman. It looked like she had been right about his recovery time.
Sophia smiled hard enough for her eyes to close.
"He's fired up. Been at it for hours. He actually woke me up!" Sophia shook her head, still awestruck by the way Abel used his attacks. "I've never seen anything like it. The way he uses momentum to strike, it's beautiful."
Beautiful was a very odd word to describe it but with her love of arms, anyone who shared it would understand.
Abel's attacks were unnaturally fluid in how fast a greatsword could move, yet the impacts were powerful enough for the blade to cleave through several large logs of oak. If he had a better sword, the wood might as well have been butter.
"Avara tried to get him to rest some more. Still has a few symptoms apparently but he seems fine to me!" Sophia continued to munch on her food until the bowl was emptied, eyes looking over to the rest of the group who began to make their way towards them. Abel, too, was called over by a small gesture from Sophia, dropping his sword onto the patch of dirt and walking through the crowd to sit with the two ladies.
Gael and Thorne would do the same, meeting up to sit across from them. Despite the heavy loss yesterday, Thorne was smiling. He was in a good mood somehow.
"As you all know, we received a vicious surprise attack that decimated every branch of our group. Whoever you see here with us today, this is it." The small whispers among the silence were haunting. The band had a total of 300 members. They were now reduced to only 20 with all of the Moryan troops dead. Everyone, including Gael, had thought that the band would disband. But Thorne obviously had other plans.
Cricket would have liked something to distract her, something to keep her eyes on that wasn't Thorne or anyone else.
"This was the result of a combination of things. One, was that we were unknowingly harboring a queen. Powerful, empowered Innate knights were dispatched to the camp as a result." Thorne gazed at Cricket, his warm smile attempting to ease her. "More importantly, the location of our operating base was found. What was odd though, was the number of troops that had been sent. Morya's support was accounted for when Nadia attacked. The amount of preparation for this takes several weeks, I would even say several months when it comes to moving as many troops as they did."
"So there was a traitor." Abel deduced.
"Mm. Had to be." Thorne nodded.
"Mud princess!" Velstadt came in through the crowd with his large dagger pointed at her. "I knew something wasn't right about you. Keeping secrets and telling others theirs. I ought to—"
Thorne quickly interrupted.
"Months. Velstadt. Months. I'll remind everyone that Abel found Cricket days ago. She can't be the traitor." Velstadt sheathed his dagger and glanced up as if he tried to remember. He scratched the stubble on his cheeks, completely silent while he pondered in disbelief.
Cricket thought just then, that Thorne had a cool head on his shoulders. The man was in charge, which was obvious to everyone there but it was still new to Cricket.
"I didn't gather everyone here to witch hunt. The traitor is not important." Thorne pulled out a large map and placed it in front of them. "Until now, we've been operating as a small army with separate branches to accommodate the objectives. But now, we are going to consolidate everything into our raiding unit. The band of wolves is the raiding unit." Gael looked over to Thorne, obviously in disagreement. "Raiders are assigned to carry out more demanding and riskier tasks. We need an army to face an army, don't we? We cannot do this as we are."
Thorne began to place chess pieces onto the map, as he usually did with his plans. He never wavered on his smile since the start. "I still have deep ties with Morya even after losing their troops in the attack. Morya will be sparing more men. They are essential in our next move."
"And what is that?" Sophia watched the pieces being placed with optimism.
"We are going to take Fort Allum."
Five queen pieces were placed in Nadia alongside a golden one, while in the outskirts of Morya, a blue one was placed.
"The impenetrable fort?" Gael questioned.
"Yes. The unbreakable border fortress, Fort Allum." He pointed at its location, surrounded by mountains. The fort was pivotal in defending Nadia's capital. "Morya's not the only one decimated from the attack yesterday. Though we had lost, Nadia did not expect heavy casualties on their end. They are wounded. And they are not expecting a counterattack on one of the most guarded places in the mainland."
Thorne picked up one of Nadia's red queens and placed it in her respective region, the castle town, Coldreach. The northern regional queen had Cricket on the run before she met the wolves.
"Morya's already about to begin their attack." Three green pawns were placed on Coldreach with three red pawns being placed there to retaliate.
"Over the next six months, the battle of Coldreach will still be going on. Morya is not expected to win. But the goal is for Nadia to focus their resources.
Gael leaned forward, only partially convinced as he voiced his concern. "Fort Allum will still be heavily guarded. It is an extremely important fort for the capital. It serves as the foothold for it.
Thorne nodded. "Yes. But they cannot properly allocate troops that are dedicated elsewhere. When it is time to attack, Morya's resources will be spent attacking Coldreach head-on. They will not be able to take on the fort. But that is when we come in."
Velstadt walked over and crouched down over the map. He could tell where this was going.
"Instead of us assisting directly on the battlefield, the band of wolves' fight will be within the fort." Velstadt deduced, stroking his chin.
The blue queen was picked up and placed at the fort's location. This made Abel's gaze sharpen slightly.
"Cricket's bond with Abel has completely pulled us out of the fire we're currently in. We are capable of destroying the Fort's heavy defenses. And once the fort is taken, we can assist Morya with a pincer attack. Coldreach will surrender."
Abel looked over to Cricket, unable to tell how she felt about any of this.
"The band's potential has stretched beyond what I envisioned. This right here is exactly what the great queen is afraid of. A stray queen capable of unlocking the potential of those who stand with her."
Cricket's high view of him immediately changed.
Considering that Cricket had risked everything to run away from Nadia, she was fairly certain that Thorne's high hopes of her were based more on dreams than reality.
Velstadt scratched his stubble again, eying the fort. "If it falls, Morya also has a staging point for invading through Nadia. That's big. Bigger than anything we've done for them."
"What's stopping the traitor from just telling this whole plan to Nadia?" Abel asked.
"Let's just say that the traitor would be in a bit of a precarious situation after what had happened to the camp. We don't have three hundred wolves to deduce from anymore. I have my suspicions but if they slip up and give away important information so soon, I'd know exactly who the traitor is. Besides, you don't think I have another plan in place?"
"We're going to be neck deep in gold if we pull this off, I'd assume?" Velstadt's mind is, of course, on the money.
"We'll be formally granted nobility in Morya." The group all looked at one another with morale, the whispers steadily transitioning into an eruption of cheers and enthusiasm.
"So," Bolvin, an older and long-surviving member of the Wolves spoke up, scratching at his overgrown red beard and eyeing both Abel and Cricket pointedly.
"Will we all be made Innates then? If we are going to be dealing with Fort Allum, it'd be nice to know I can melt my enemy's head with my eyes."
He offered up a belly laugh--but his question drew quite a bit of attention from the crowd. He clearly wasn't the only one who'd considered the opportunity in front of them. Who hadn't, at least at some point when they were children, tried to imagine what sort of magic they'd have if they could become an innate?
Abel looked over to Bolvin, not exactly a glare. He was starting to realize that things were getting slightly out of hand. Even if Cricket could grant everyone innates, Abel personally didn't like it.
Cricket had finally looked back to Abel, How could she say absolutely anything without lying right in his face? She barely knew any of these people. Barely knew any of their names.
"If I form bonds with twenty people..If Fort Allum is taken by a stray Queen, none of you will have enough time to enjoy any noble titles or gold."
She looked Thorne in the eye.
"The Great Queen won't rest until all of our heads are on spikes." And that would be if she were feeling merciful.
Abel chimed in as well, defensive. "We should look at this more realistically. She's not going to bond with everyone before we raid the fort. She's not some kind of machine that will spit out empowered soldiers because you want to. I won't tolerate it."
Cricket silently gasped with surprise, and something warm and fuzzy filled her heart. It was nice to know that she wasn't alone in defending herself anymore. She'd do well to remember that the next time she considered speaking up, or really considered any of her plans moving forward.
Thorne smiled a bit wider at Abel, finding it intriguing that he got so defensive. "Relax. If you really care for her well being then you know my intention isn't to use her like that. The bonds formed from Cricket will not be forced. Fort Allum will fall regardless."
Thorne spoke confidently, his gaze going to Cricket to address her warning. "I've considered the wolves' vulnerability after the raid. Yes, the Great Queen will not take a stray queen's retaliation lightly. But there are a few things after the raid that will come into play. One, is that we are already under Morya's protection. Even with the knowledge of you being queen, they are still sworn allies under oath. And two, there are underlying plans in place for an armistice treaty between them. Morya isn't after expansion or power. They only want to keep their independence."
...A treaty? Abel thought.
"I see. As nobles under Morya, we will all fall under the treaty. Even a Queen." Abel explained, his blue eyes drifting to Cricket.
"And it would be in their best interest to sign the treaty after Allum's fall. With Morya being able to stage troops at Allum, Things will get ugly afterwards. I'll explain as we draw closer to the raid. You know, precautions and all that."
Thorne was certain that his plan would work. Experience radiated from his confident smile and his belief echoed from every member of the wolves, even Abel, who was usually skeptical and curious. Thorne watched Cricket, his smile eventually fading as he came to realize something. "You're young. Smart. Much like your friend." He looked over at Abel knowing that what he was going to say next would be unfair to him.
Thorne got up, resting a forearm on one of the battle axe handles on his hip. "I really think you should think this through. Trying to leave now and travel past Nadia's borders, you'll be caught. Even if you manage to get through thanks to your bond, you'll be hunted. Bounty Hunters, Bandits, running for the rest of your life."
Thorne looked at the slightly saddened Sophia, a hand coming down to ruffle her red hair until it was messy. "Or you could fight for your own life for once. You'll be safer with us. Eventually, you'll be on your own slice of land."
Cricket's eyes sharpened a little. After Abel had just created that line in the sand, she decided there wouldn't be bonds with anyone else.
Thorne gestured to everyone.
"Round up your belongings, we're heading to Morya!"
The wolves began to disperse and Cricket turned right to Abel. She wanted to speak to him.
"We should-"
Bolvin took the opportunity of the finished speech to plop himself right in front of them. The sound of Bolvin's heavy frame hitting the grass in front of him was impossible to ignore. Abel felt the earth faintly rock below him, his attention frankly forced on Bolvin. The ginger's grin was almost contagious as his thirst for battle.
"So what's it like then?" The four-foot-three man said with a grin, shoving Abel in the shoulder. "I saw your training before--do you feel any stronger?"
Bolvin's question had Abel look down at his own open palm in thought.
"...Yeah." He said simply, clenching his fist a few times. "It's hard to explain. It feels like a door that had been locked my whole life has just been opened. It doesn't feel strange. It feels normal. But that normal is different."
Sophia watched Abel with some admiration in her eyes, resting a palm on her cheek as she pointed out what she saw was different.
"Your build changed. You actually look like you've gained some definition." Sophia hummed.
A surprising twinge of jealousy ran through Cricket as the other girl admired him. Abel had spent the previous night in the other girls' tent, hadn't he? What was their connection?
"Hm?" Abel blinked a few times and looked down, noticing that there actually was more definition in his body than before. Then the faint, embarrassed look came onto his face. It was enough to make Sophia snicker to herself.
Bolvin only seemed to grow more elated as he heard Abel's confirmation, and he gave the other man's biceps a quick squeeze. "You've got a look to you now, you know. Not as scrawny as you were before!"
Any harshness that could have been felt from the words had little choice but to fade away under the large man's booming laugh and obvious good will.
Suddenly realizing something, Sophia faced Cricket with some curiosity.
"Sooo...what kind of bond do you two have? Seemed to happen pretty quickly." Sophia examined the two with a finger pressing on her lip. "Or can neither of you tell unless it's obvious?"
She pursed her lips with just a tiny curvy smile on them. The large scar across her nose didn't match her mischievous and energetic personality.
Cricket felt doubly embarrassed and uncomfortable but she answered truthfully.
"Trust." She explained, glancing back at Abel. "We trust each other."
"Wow," Vix whispered, gazing at them with nearly a star in her eye. "That makes it all the more confusing. Maybe that's why you both stayed in the cave together."
Abel and Cricket both rolled their eyes.
"We'll have to spar--see just what you're made of. Especially now." Bolvin leaned back, rubbing at his chin as he looked between Cricket and Abel with unapologetic curiosity and interest.
Others still peered at him after witnessing the young man hack away at a target for hours on end in ways a blade shouldn't be used. Abel already had some renown for his swordsmanship within the wolves but being empowered by a queens bond had seemed to gain the eyes of those who didn't seem as interested before.
"Sure. Whenever you want to." Abel had a touch of a smile towards Bolvin, slowly not minding his invading examination of him.
"Anyway, we should get going. Everyone's already walking to Morya." Abel reminded, walking over to his small pile of belongings. Quickly he slipped on a black shirt, sheathing his sword and draping it over his shoulder.
Sophia's exuberance and excitement over, Cricket and Abel, and then her and Sophia herself--gave Cricket an opportunity to examine the group's interactions with one another. There was a familiarity that existed that was clear--a dynamic and rhythm to them all. Even outside of their little party--she could see other mini-groups forming. Friends and allies molding in with one another. Maybe it was easier to observe because she was still such an outsider.
With Abel meeting back with the small group, Sophia looked over to Cricket with a small stretch.
"Your assessment, I never got to tell you what I was going to assign you as." She smiled, folding her arms. "You've got a natural talent for a scout. Fast on your feet, quick with a dagger, and an affinity for the bow. You remind me so much of myself, We're nearly the same soul when it comes to preference. We really are soulmates!"
Abel began their walk as he listened, a little uncomfortable with the conversation. He and Cricket didn't decide whether or not they were going to stay. Though...Sophia wasn't exactly assuming that they were.
"A scout?" Cricket echoed, eyes widening a fraction. "I think I've a long way to go before I can say I've got an affinity for anything." She shifted a bit in discomfort as Sophia branded her as a soulmate. Was Sophia trying to form a bond? Or was this just Sophia being Sophia?
"Don't get me wrong, you need a lot of work." Sophia took a look at Cricket, noting how underweight she was well before they had even spoken. "But I have a knack for these things, once you gain back some weight and practice with weapons more it'll be difficult for you to ever fumble an arrow.
"How long have you been a scout?" Cricket asked as she glanced at Abel. They still needed to talk.
It took a moment, Sophia folding her hands behind her back while she thought.
"This year would make twelve." She grinned, looking back up ahead.
"I joined the wolves when I was just a bit older than you, but before that I fought with the rebellion against The Kingdom of Seta, in the south."
There was another pause, her grin fading.
"It's a Kingdom that thrives on the fear of others. Their methods are terrible and inhumane. They are terribly feared because of their practices. Laws are in place that can have you tortured and executed for honest and innocent mistakes. You can't even leave the kingdom without paying impossible sums of gold." She lowered her gaze, obviously a hard topic for her to speak on.
Bolvin kept at Abel's side as the slow march to Morya began, and he continued being obvious in his examination of the younger man. "Try out your power on me." He urged the newly formed innate, still eager for a new opportunity to see just what this sort of magic was capable of.
Bolvin's words thankfully caught Sophia's attention, her lips gradually turning into a smile once again.
"You've been training against a tree all morning. You can't tell me you aren't a little bit curious about using it against something with a bit more meat." Bolvin slapped at his belly in amusement.
Abel blinked blankly, looking down at Bolvin with a frown
"Right now? Are you sure?" Abel stopped walking, turning to face him with uncertainty. He knew though, that the ginger would not take no for an answer.
"Alright but if Avara scolds me, it was your idea." Abel took a deep breath, clenching his left fist tightly. He pulled it back and flexed his arm as he delivered a strong haymaker right into Bolvin's large, round stomach. Abel could have sworn he heard his stomach ripple from the impact but he had no idea to what extent of power he had just been hit with.
Bolvin's feet lifted from the ground as he flew backwards, a glob of saliva flying out from his bottom lip. His feet planted onto the ground as he slid at least 10 yards from where Abel punched him, the rest of the wolves stopping their walk in confusion as to what had just happened.
"All—" Bolvin gurgled his words as he turned and ran off to hurl his large breakfast at the side of the pathway. A hand went up and waved them off.
"All—Hrrrk! All good!" He spat and turned back around with a rub of his large stomach, walking back to the group with a nauseated sigh.