The Monster's Stratagem (Lesbian Story)

22: The Fall

Dawn awoke alone the next morning, eyes blinking blearily as they adjusted to the light of the early morning. Sitting up, she noticed that she was nowhere near as cold as she expected to be and wondered whether the temperature didn't drop as much as she had anticipated.

Movement from outside drained the last remnants of sleep, suddenly causing her to be on high alert. A fully clothed Syrena poked her head into the shelter, quickly assessing as to whether the Venturer had woken. Once she had confirmed that she had, the Commander hastily gathered something from the rocky ground.

"They're dry, put them on." Syrena spoke from a few feet away, tossing Dawn her clothes while facing the other direction.

"Full of demands and the sun has barely risen." The Venturer grumbled as she stood, stretching quickly before getting changed. "A fun day awaits me, I see."

"We are almost there. I did some scouting this morning, it seems as though the river brought us to the base of the mountain range."

"Ah, finally! Some good news!" Dawn cheered, stepping out of their makeshift shelter to stand beside Syrena in the crisp morning air. "It all went according to plan."

"As if I'm going to believe that." The Commander uttered as she handed the human girl some food for breakfast which she happily took.

Dawn hungrily bit into the cured meat once she had taken a seat on the rocks, feeling a bit brighter now that the end was in sight. She just hoped they weren't walking into a trap. As she ate, the Venturer brought out the map again, attempting to decipher the exact location of the cave. The marking seemed to be located in the heart of the mountains at the summit; a prime spot for a cave of mystery and intrigue.

Feeling eyes on her, the Venturer looked up to meet Syrena's gaze, a peculiar expression on her face that she couldn't read. It almost seemed smug, which usually wouldn't strike Dawn as odd behaviour however this was different as the monster had done nothing to boast her abilities.

"What?" Dawn asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing."

"You're acting weird."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"That makes two of us."

"What do you mean?"

The Commander shook her head, obviously unwilling to share her thoughts. "Have you finished eating?"

Dawn would be sure to discover what Syrena was hiding later. For now, she simply nodded and began the process clearing the area of their possessions, removing all traces that they had been there.

It didn't take long to pack what little they had, beginning the process of walking along the river bank towards their final destination. Syrena didn't speak during their walk, and the Venturer couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into her to make her act so strangely? She seemed her usual arrogant self yesterday, what had changed over the course of a night?

Dawn pondered this question as the mountain range grew visible over the cliff face, a wondrous sight of impressive heights and beautiful forests. The clouds hung low, weaving through the trees like wisps of smoke.

Syrena, noting the Venturer's awestruck expression, nodded in understanding. "The cave should be somewhere within those peaks."

"It could take us a while to find it. The map isn't incredibly specific regarding its exact location."

"It's a fortunate thing that this area is desolate, then."

"Of Monstra, anyway." Dawn uttered, remembering the beasts from yesterday in vivid detail. The Commander was staring at her again, but this time her expression she could read. Syrena was both dumbfounded and seemingly overjoyed. "What?"