Rot || ONC2024

──●Seventeen●──

    "Oh, Koda! Hey!"

    "I hope we aren't disturbing you Sera, we can come back if you're busy."

   Sera gestured for us to come in. "Nah, I'm not busy at all! The hunt last night was a bummer anyways, you're not disturbing me from much."

     "Good, I have a favor to ask you."

    Sera sat down, swung her long, fiery braid over her shoulder, and propped her feet up on her chipped, wooden desk. "Shoot fella, I'm here to help!"

    Koda gestured to me. "This is Mara, she's from one of the neighboring camps. She's come here on a mission. She's been having strange visions about someone, she believes they're from this camp. She was wondering if she could look at some files-"

    "But if not, it's totally okay," I quickly interrupted, feeling a wave of nerves wash over me. Secretly, it wouldn't be okay. I'd be devastated. If it kept me safe, I was all for it. Avoiding another Alastor-esque situation, and avoiding a certain death, would be greatly appreciated.

    Sera waved off my comment with a small chuckle. "Please, it's no worries! I'm always here to help out other camps, it is my job after all!"

    Sera turned around and, pulling a large yellowed map off the wall, sprawled it out on her desk and extended her hand out towards me. "It's nice to meet you Mara! As Koda already mentioned, I'm Sera. I'm the Commander of these parts." She chuckled to herself, which caused Koda to giggle as well.

    I reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too."

    "Ou, claws! I like your camp's style, Mara! Lots of attention to detail!"

    I quickly stuck my hand in my pocket. Shit shit shit. 

    "Now," Sera begun, "lets talk about what we all hate upon arriving at a new camp, the dreaded conversation of politics."

    Koda giggled.

    "So, Miss Mara, what region do you come from?"

    "I, uh, come from the south?" Shit, that wasn't very convincing.

    Upon my response, Koda let out a sigh of disapproval, while Sera gave me a quizzical look. 

    "You seem unsure," she noted. Her silvered eyes were stern and intense.

     "I'm not good with directions," I lied, hoping she wouldn't catch on.

     "I've never met a Hunter who isn't good with directions. If you're trying to pull something on us-"

    "She's new," Koda spoke up. They cleared their throat, then continued. "I'm sorry for speaking over you Sera, but Mara indicated to me she was a new recruit. This was her first mission, to make it to our camp to talk politics, then report back. All in a timely matter, and all without being eaten. As mentioned previously, she also wanted some help distinguishing a fallen member from this camp that she's been having visions about."

    I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. That was close, too close.

    "Oh, that makes sense! My apologies, Mara."

    "It's alright," I whispered.

    "How about this, can you point on the map where you're from?"

    I nodded and quickly point towards an area that laid near a stream. Camps had to be around streams, water was important.

    Sera nodded. "We haven't had a conversation with your camp in a while, have we? It's good to see you river folk again."

    I let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, yeah it is."

    "With that, we have a lot to discuss." Sera pointed to a spot on the map which was a little bit away from here. "We believe we found a Night Walker gathering spot, right over yonder. Some Hunters from other encampments report seeing Walkers emerge from this general area during night fall. As well, to add on, the village nearby also has a high amount of Walker attacks."

    As all the information was relayed onto me, I felt my face drop. She was talking about my camp. Somehow, they found us.

    "We have plans to storm the camp. Burn that bitch to the ground and all the lil' vermin inside. As far as I'm aware, all the other camps in the vicinity have the same idea. With us being the largest, it's our responsibility to lead the hunt."

    "Oh." It was the only thing my mouth willed me to say. My mind ran, for once, with thoughts other than distinguishing visions. Camp was in danger. Yarrow was in danger. 

    "In the next coming lunar cycle, we'll be huntin. It'll be their turn to be the prey for once. Once the full moon, we strike." Sera jabbed her finger into the paper, causing a brown, dirt covered splotch. A dirt splotch that was on my camp.

    In my mind, I did a mental calculation. In the sky the night prior was a large, waning crescent. That meant that in a least a couple day, the full moon would be here. 

    In a few days, my home would be nothing but ashes.

    "Why do you want to attack," I questioned. Despite the hard shove to the side from Koda, I continued. "I mean, isn't it better to, ya know, sit back? Don't risk loosing anymore members?"

    "Absolutely not! Other Walker spawns, we'd sit back and monitor, but not this one! With this camp, we believe we found their chambers."

    "Their what now?"

    Sera chuckled. "Chambers." She quickly looked to Koda. "Do you mind leaving for a quick second? Just confidential stuff."

    "I hear ya loud and clear, I'll just be outside."

     Koda quickly patted my shoulder, then closed the door behind them. I was now in this weird cave office all by myself. Now, it'd be all the more easier for me to accidentally screw up. To accidentally give my identity away.

    "Okay," Sera started, "so, we believe we found the area where Walkers bring our members to turn them into members of their own. The area happens to be located at that camp. If we can, at least, bomb the chambers, I think we'll be okay."

     "They what now."

     "I know it's a lot, my apologies for springing it all up on ya. This is what camp intel usually entails, I promise you'll get used to it. Just make sure you relay this information to your camp in full, alright?"

    I nodded, too stunned to currently speak.

    "Good good. Now, If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get you some weapons, then go get you those files, alright? I'll give you the odds and ends of our plan, and you'll be free to head on your merry little way."

    When I failed to do anything, Sera took it as her cue to leave. "I'll be right back, just hang tight."

    Hell, she could take however long she wanted. Nothing could have prepared me for the information I learned about my kind.