Beth sighed as she looked back down the mountain she'd been climbing. She hadn't had any luck so far at finding any of the rocks that she and her friends had seen plenty of when they'd first arrived at these mountains, but so far she hadn't seen anything.
The settlement being built when she'd first come through the gate had been a surprise for her, but she wasn't sure if that was significant or anything. She hoped it was just something that would have happened anyway, but she had a sinking suspicion that Charlie was somehow behind it. That she'd shared the location of the gate with others.
While that itself wasn't a problem, since they hadn't made any kind of rule about that, especially considering how they'd shown the elves the gates, they'd enlisted help for the pronghorn-kin through Petals' forest, and even the succubus girl, whose name Beth couldn't remember right off hand, had been told about the gate leading to her world.
Yet, somehow this felt different. Beth wasn't sure how, but just knew that it was.
However, she pushed that thought from her mind again. She didn't care at the moment about that. She needed to find more of those rocks so she could bring back more fuel for Heanith's ship-flying engine. She knew even a small piece was at least a week's worth of fuel for them, so whatever she was able to find would be worth a lot, she knew.
Yet, the reason she was continuing to climb the mountainside was because where she and her friends had seen them most had been above the treeline. Which meant she might be too low in elevation to find them.
She doubted it worked like that, but it was all she could think of right then. Although, part of her couldn't help but consider that without the trees, it'd at least be easier to see them. As there'd be fewer obstacles before her, but that still didn't mean that she was enjoying this any. Not when she was having to take breaks every so often from just the sheer exertion of climbing a steep slope like this.
Also, while there had been a few mountains that she'd seen that had spots clear of trees that she couldn't see any of the rocks on. She wasn't sure if that meant anything or not, but that wasn't what she was there for right then. She needed to hurry up and find them so she could potentially figure out if there was any particular reason for that settlement to being built on this side of the gate.
Shaking her head to dispel that thought, Beth refocused herself on the task before her. She had refused to let anyone accompany her on the trip precisely because she didn't want any distractions and thinking about that settlement was a distraction for her, though, she had relented when it came to Flare. It took her focus off of what she was supposed to be doing, even as she knew it wasn't what she should be thinking about.
Allowing herself a minute to stop climbing so she could rest, she felt Flare laying across her feet, as if to tell her that Flare herself was done climbing and begging Beth to stop because she was tired.
"I'm not sure how long it'll be before we're where some of those rocks grow, but I'm sure it'll be sooner than either of us think," Beth said, doing her best to stay optimistic, even as her own doubts started filling the back of her mind again.
Flare didn't even offer a whimper in response so Beth had to assume the hellhound pup was just trying to be strong. At that moment, Beth idly wondered if Charlie could use her magic to see what animals were thinking. Or if that wasn't possible with the species gap that existed or something. Something that would make their thoughts incompatible or whatever the term would be.
Beth took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them only when she heard a growling sound nearby. She looked and saw Flare growling at a shadow moving in the twilight of the evening. Beth wasn't sure if it was a danger to her or not, but whatever it was, disappeared almost the moment Beth saw it.
She couldn't be sure if it was because of the fact that she'd seen it or if it was scared off from Flare's growling. Either way, Beth had to assume that it wasn't a threat to her. That it didn't see her as a potential prey or threat or whatever.
Beth carefully stood up so she wouldn't fall down the slope and said, "Come on Flare. We won't get to the rocks just by staying here."
While she'd rather not travel in the dark, she felt that the time she napped needed to be made up. If that meant she travel a distance in the dark, then she likely would need to just accept that and press on.
Three times that shadow appeared as Beth moved along, making her worry that it wasn't in fact scared off. That it was potentially stalking her and Flare. That it was either trying to figure out what they were up to or were trying to find a time when their guard would be let down. Both of which Beth was certain would happen sooner or later given the fact that both of them had to sleep at some point. A point Beth worried was going to happen sooner rather than later.
As Beth was debating what to do, an idea suddenly struck her. She pulled on her magic to create a light over where the shadow was moving. If she couldn't scare whatever it was away, she'd at least be able to take a chance to see what it was that was following her.
If it was a threat she knew she'd be able to do something about it. If it wasn't, then she'd at least be able to relax around it. Briefly she also realized that she should have brought at least Tim with her. That way they could have someone keeping watch while the other slept, as she suddenly realized that she and her friends really didn't know what kind of dangers this world had. Whether or not they were dangers that they needed to worry about or if they were ones that weren't that big of a deal if they took the correct precautions.
Since, as far as she knew, dinosaurs lived on this world still even the trees hardly seemed like they'd be the kind that dinosaurs would be drawn towards.
Still, she needed to know what it was that was either following her or stalking her. The difference being only in if whatever it was, was hostile towards her or not.
As she cast her spell outwards towards where the shadow moved, a she heard a cry of pain. Likely from the sudden light, as even with the distance between herself and the light, her own eyes hurt a little. However, the cry she heard sounded like it came more from a humanoid creature that than something that was an animal.
Leaving the light where it was, and abandoning her ascent for the moment, she turned to heard towards where she'd seen the shadow moving. She moved quickly so whatever it was wouldn't be able to recover quick enough to hide.
Yet, when Beth reached it, she felt stunned. Not only from the fact that there were several women there, groaning and shielding their eyes from Beth's light, but they were all clearly wearing what looked like it was supposed to be a uniform. Or at least ones that might have seen better days.
None of them had their weapons drawn, so Beth dimmed her light a little. She wasn't fully ready to trust these people just yet, but she at least had determined that they weren't an immediate threat. Though, Flare seemed as carefree as ever with how she had already started to investigate the new people, as any puppy would have.
"Who are you and why'd you do that?" the one who seemed to be in charge demanded from Beth as the light dimmed.
"I'm Beth," Beth replied conversationally, as if she hadn't just blinded them herself, "and I created that light to see what was over here. I thought it might have been a dangerous animal rather than other people."
"Couldn't you have just called out or something? I mean, it's not like there's any one else here other than the ogres," the woman griped.
At the mention of 'ogres' Beth felt her entire body go cold. She wasn't sure why they were mentioned so casually, but she recalled where the name came from. How it meant 'man eater' or something like that. Yet, with how it was said made them sound like they weren't a threat, or at least not that big of one.
However, she didn't have time to get into the details of something that had nothing to do with what she was there for. As that would only delay her even more when she'd much rather get through this search as fast as she could.
"I could have, but if it was an animal, it might have run off and not returned until after I was asleep, where it might then try to attack me," Beth replied, looking at each of the women before her, some of which could be best described as 'young women' rather than just 'women.' "What're you doing here anyway? I thought everyone was down at the settlement right now."
"We came up here looking to see if we could find some hardwood or metal," the leader answered sound a little exasperated. "What're you doing up here?"
"I'm looking for more rocks like this one," Beth said, pulling out of her pocket, one of the rocks that she and her friends had acquired on their first trip to this world.
"What're these for?" the woman asked. "I know we found some stone to work with on starting to build stone buildings, but this feels different."
Beth suddenly felt like she might actually be in danger, even though it wouldn't be an immediate danger right then.
However, she was certain that if she explained what the rocks could do, at least in part, then the danger would abate quick enough. "Well, these are magic rocks. Not only do they hold magic power for devices that use magic to power them, but they can also recharge a person's magic stamina if they hold it," Beth replied, taking note of the woman's expression.
If she detected anything that would be negative, she was ready to take off. She was certain Flare would keep up, but she would know that she'd need to find a way to disappear if so.
"Really?" the woman asked, looking a little doubtful but otherwise the same as she had been. "Why would you think that it's up this far?"
Beth wanted to explain where she'd gotten this one, but she suddenly had a feeling that she should be a little more circumspect in her response. She wasn't sure what prompted it, just that it was there.
"Well, I haven't seen any yet as I've been climbing this mountain," she said, hoping that this woman wouldn't press the matter too much.
"Huh, I guess that makes sense, but are you sure it'd be on this mountain?" she asked. "What if it's only on certain mountains?"
Beth sighed. That was part of the problem she'd already known about. "If it's not on this mountain, then I'll have to move to the next one. Though, I can't be sure it's not on this one unless I thoroughly check this one first."
The woman nodded, "I understand. Though, was there any reason you were chosen for this job? And alone?"
Beth shook her head. "I prefer working alone," she lied, hoping it wouldn't get caught. Though, she couldn't say that this woman had any reason to doubt her assertion about her statement. "Besides, I'm still training Flare here, so having others around could be a pain as they'd just distract Flare."
"Well, if you'd be willing to accompany us back down the mountain, we'd be happy to see if there's anyone that can be spared to assist you in searching for that kind of stone," the woman said. "Besides, I'd really like to see whose idea it was to send you up here alone. Even if you prefer it or not."
Beth felt an alarm bell ringing in her head with the woman's statement. "Uh, no one down there actually sent me," Beth quickly admitted. "I just decided to look for it on my own."
Beth hoped that these lies weren't going to come back an haunt her. Even though she still doubted that this woman would have any reason to think that she was lying in the first place.
The woman sighed and Beth couldn't help but wish that she had Charlie's ability to read minds. It would make it so much easier if she knew if this woman suspected she was lying or not. Although, if she did suspect that, Beth wasn't sure what she'd be able to do about it in the first place. That was just something that she wasn't able to figure out right then.
"You seem distracted," the woman asked. "Are you alright?"
Beth nodded. "Maybe just a little tired," she admitted, suddenly hoping that this woman would be willing to allow Beth to sleep among their party, where she wouldn't have to worry about what might come across her while she slept. Which she hoped would allow her to get better sleep than she had been getting. Something she told herself she had to consider before going out on her own like this in the future.
"I'd offer you a place to sleep, but you did say that you didn't like to work with others," the woman said.
"Uh, I just realized, I never caught your name," Beth interrupted, realizing she'd introduced herself but this woman hadn't done the same.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, looking a little embarrassed. "I guess who I am hasn't reached all the new recruits yet." The woman paused to take a deep breath before continuing, "I am Riewis, second in command of the Silverthorns of the Order of the Blue Rose."
Beth nodded, feeling like the name 'Silverthorns' was out of place in this world. She wasn't sure how, just that it was. Like she herself should be able to figure out its origin, but her mind remained blank of the subject for the time being.
"Thanks," Beth said instead of asking about the name. She felt that if she asked, she might as well admit directly to Riewis that she herself wasn't part of the band. Not that she knew what would happen at that point anyway.
"Anyway, as I was saying, I would offer you a place to sleep, but I don't really know what your assignment is and doing so could affect your assertion that you prefer working alone," Riewis continued.
Beth shook her head. "Just because I prefer to work alone doesn't mean I reject help when I need it. Especially when I need someone to watch my back while I get a little shuteye when I can't be sure about the dangers around me," Beth said, before sighing as she realized something. "If you and your party would keep an eye on me while I sleep, I'll do what I can to help you search for metal."
Riewis looked like she was considering Beth's proposal. Which Beth couldn't say that she was surprised about. As Riewis certainly had seemed like the cautious type. Beth just hoped that her desire to finish up on this mountain would allow Beth an opportunity that she wouldn't otherwise be able to enjoy. An opportunity that she wasn't sure she'd be able to come across again.
Although she'd already sabotaged her own chance to enlist Riewis' help in searching for the rocks that she'd been trying to find, but it wasn't like she had thought that far ahead at that moment. Besides, it wasn't like she had any other reason she could come up with to explain why she was by herself when the settlement by the gate made her wonder if these people wouldn't take too kindly to someone who just happened to know about where that gate was as well as the fact that they were building a home for themselves here.
"How would you be able to help us?" Riewis said after being quiet for a few minutes. My squad and I have been out here for days and we haven't been able to find anything. What can you do other than be another set of eyes for us to work with?"
Beth nodded, understanding Riewis' skepticism. After all, it wasn't like Riewis knew all of Beth's abilities. "Well, a couple of my friends demonstrated this trick on learning things about plants with their magic."
"And you said you'd help us look for metal, not plants," Riewis interrupted, sounding like she was losing her patience with Beth.
However, Beth understood her impatience. It wasn't like she hadn't expected a skeptical response at all. "Exactly," Beth said, as if that proved a point she'd been trying to make. "I'm not good at plants myself, but I thought I could at least try to see if I could do the same for the mountain, or at least part of it, and see if I could scan that to find if there's any metal in the mountain, even if it's below the surface."
Riewis blinked, looking rather surprised at Beth's proposal. "Why wouldn't you do that yourself? You know, for the rocks you were looking for?"
This time it was Beth's turn to blink. She hadn't considered doing that herself partly because it would cost so much of her power. An amount that she suspected would leave her vulnerable to anything that was a danger to her here. At least for a time.