Waypoint

Survey Mission 12 part 2: lunch time

Mum and Dad,

Is this what it was like for you? Being part of a team, learning to build off each other is strange. Caleb and Cassie run around with papers everywhere, and Cassie usually ends up covered in ink everytime she tries to draw her maps. Wallace showed me how to find notable ingredients he prefers. Mostly the kind of trees that provided good building and crafting material. Each of us bring something to the team, but I only ever thought that was regarding our different proficiencies. Proclus is smart, and a good leader, but he's quick to rely on others, especially Hota or Wallace for advice. Cassie and Caleb are good friends, especially when you let them ramble on about their respective studies. Wallace is quick to help you find a tool to make your work easier.

Hota is... distant. He's proven himself incredibly reliable, but tends to avoid talking. He tends to teach me in his own ways though, walking over to point out a mistake I might have made. This one time during a hike, he stopped to point out safer areas, and pointed out if we were being watched by an animal.

Lyra

Riding through a forest in a wagon was bumpier than Lyra had imagined. She wasn't sure what she had imagined exactly, but it never occurred to her how uneven unpaved roads were, especially in the wilds. The wagon was relatively smooth over the cobblestone roads, but here there were only natural paths set in between the trees, carved out by whatever strange animals lived nearby. The morning fog chilled them, but it lay at a thin enough layer to not obscure their vision as they rode through. Lyra had decided to catch up on her reading of the Corps' bestiary, leaning her upper half out of the front of the wagon with Proclus and Cassie, absentmindedly kicking her legs up and down. Caleb was cleaning some brushes and Wallace was tinkering in the bag, mumbling about the bumpy road.

"So wait, wulves are how big?" Lyra was looking at a drawing of a shaggy haired four legged creature.

"They come up to our horse's bellies. Last one I saw was about four feet. They like to hunt in groups so we should watch for those. The wagons and horses make it easier to fend them off if they get too brave."

"And what about the Ursa?" Lyra had flipped the page, landing on a creature with thick and stocky hind legs and long forearms. Its face was drawn in a way that Lyra found cute, except for the long claws

"Too big, too fast. Best to avoid their territories.' Hota called out from the back. Lyra turned to see him eyeing her from the corner of his eye.

"Really? They can't be that dangerous, they look so cute here."

"Well they're as deadly as they are cute, especially when there are cubs around."

"So these things hunt people?"

"Rare. Attacks are more often a result of defending their territory or young." Hota spoke up again.

"Don't mean we should walk up to one regardless." Wallace added. Lyra kept flipping through pages as they gave her basic information. The Felinus, large yet sleek creatures that, according to Hota, were so stealthy that one wouldn't notice it until its jaws were sinking into one's throat. The Mustell, various rodent-like animals that displayed more aggression than their bigger counterparts. Lyra moved on to the text on Herbalism, scanning through the various plants and herbs, trying to connect what was drawn or described with what was around her. She began to notice a change in the trees, from oaks and various other similar trees to massive trees with brownish red wood. They were taller than Lyra could possibly understand, and so thick that the natural path carved by the forest's ancient wandering beasts curved around them.

"All these creatures are incredible." Lyra said as she looked through page after page of illustrations and details of creatures. As a scout Lyra was able to study these creatures, but only behavior wise, as well as studying the natural weapons they possessed. Scouts served as fledgling Rangers in the corps, as they were simply designed to gather information and materials if need be. It was in trips such as this where one would typically be paired with a Ranger, in a simpler form of apprenticeship. However, Lyra's situation had been a unique one, as due to her excellent performance in her academics in this field, she had been given express permission to skip ahead to the apprenticeships. Lyra had made the correct assumption Hota was a substitute for the team's Ranger, but only after she had inquired of the team's previous one.