We had the log house for the materials up by sunset, and we heaved all the bales one by one into it, until the log house was completely full.

The ones in charge of making utensils had outdone themselves, as everybody had a bowl and a plate with crude cutlery.

Ladling out soup garnished with wood bark, edible moss, and other items scrounged from around the clearing; I watched as everyone inhaled it like it was the most heavenly soup ever made, and I marvelled at how these students had changed in barely two months.

Ruefully looking at myself, I realized that I had also changed a lot in the scarce week that I had been here for.

I had starved for a week. I had eaten bugs and other creepy crawlies. I had experienced my dear teacher’s only disciple’s way of expressing his affection.

The rest was pretty standard for me, though. The cooking and the weaving, that is. I quite enjoyed it too.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I was scared that Sia would leave me far behind, I might even have considered becoming a fighting cook.

That fear, as well as the fire that raged at my insides every time I thought of my family and loved ones, whose news we still had nothing of.

If I counted the one who had most changed, it would be without doubt the girl who was right now staring up and down at Apollo and the massive student, with her hands at her hips.

“We’re sorry, Alessia! Please forgive us for our stupidity!” They cried out.

Silence greeted them as Sia tapped her foot and looked at them with appraising eyes.

Quivering, Apollo and the massive student spoke out in unison, “Please!”

Finally speaking, Sia said, “I want you two to keep guard tonight. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Guard?” the two looked at each other in befuddlement.

“Guard,” Sia repeated before adding, “If you slack off, do you believe that I won’t take out my needles and finish what Faustus failed to do?”

Wide-eyed and trembling even more intensely, the two shook their heads frantically.

“Is that a no?” Sia asked dangerously.

“Yes! I mean, no! I mean…” weakly Apollo trailed off as the massive student hid behind him.

“You mean?”

“I mean we would be glad to serve as the night watch,” Apollo said as he glared at the massive student who rubbed his head, embarrassed.

“Good,” and Sia turned away before she walked over to me.

“You think they’ll do something tonight?” I asked, as I ladled out a bowl of soup for her, which she accepted gratefully.

Stirring the soup, Sia looked thoughtfully at the ground and said, “I think that the academy wants to see us survive on our own. As a group.”

“Mmhm,” I said, as I roasted a piece of meat and passed it to Sia.

Accepting the meat, Sia said, “You know what brings a group closer?”

“Danger,” I said as I frowned.

“Danger,” she repeated as she took a bite of the meat.

“What danger do you expect?” I asked as I took a seat beside her.

“The materials. Or the houses. I expect either to be burned tonight.” She spoke matter-of-factly.

Frowning harder, I thought about what she was saying, and found it to be very reasonable.

We had fought for every bit of resource so far, apart from the bales of materials. Which in itself made the bales very suspicious.

Cheering up, I said, “I can get everybody and everything to safety. I’m fire resistant, after all!”

Eyeing me, Sia spoke flatly, as she dampened my enthusiasm. “Have you tested how much resistance you have?”

Quietening down, I shook my head.

Breaking into a small smile, Sia said, “You should, and I look forward to you running around with your hair on fire.”

“Hey! I thought you liked my hair,” I said as I flung my long hair back dramatically.

Laughing, Sia reached out and ran a hand through my hair before nodding, “I do like your hair.”

Conscious of her touch, I reddened, the flush concealed by the flames of the fire before I said, “I like your hair too.”

Laughing harder, Sia said, “Sure you do.”

Animatedly, I leaned forward as I said, “I do! It’s long, silky, beautiful, and-” I trailed off as Sia placed her hand on my mouth as she blushed.

“Enough! I get it, I get it,” she said, before she leaned away from me as I belatedly realized how close our faces had become.

Falling silent, we sat like that for a while before she said softly, “You meant it?”

Gazing at her, I nodded strongly, and she smiled before she said, “Keep watch with the two, will you? I’m going to sleep.” and with a yawn, she walked to the loghouse as I stayed behind to keep vigil.

As time passed, I skinned the last of the meat of the monsters as I waited.

Then, I felt the presence of someone and before I could move; the presence had sat beside me, hands outstretched over the fire.

Turning, I relaxed as I saw it was Marrok who sat beside me, looking intently at the fire as it warmed his hands.

Speaking first, I said, “It’s going to be a long night. Don’t you have to sleep?”

Grunting, Marrok spoke. “Don’t you?’

Falling silent, I continued skinning the monster meat.

Speaking again, Marrok said, “I sense danger tonight.”

Looking at him, I nodded as I held his eyes, “You sense right.”

“Hrhmm.” he said as he fell silent.

Continuing, I said, “We’ll fight though. We’ll fight to protect our community.”

“Community? A strange word. An unfamiliar word.” Marrok said, almost involuntarily, before he fell silent again.

Placing the meat to the side, I stretched my hands to the fire as I spoke. “A strange word indeed. But a warm word.”

This time it was Marrok who turned to look at me, his wild black hair and black eyes gleaming in the dark. “Warm? What do you mean… by this warm word?”

Slowly, I said, “It gives you purpose. It gives you the strength to go on when everything is dark. It is what you remember and give your all to protect. For they are yours, as you are theirs.”

Standing, I held out my hand to Marrok as I grinned and said, “You’re a part of it. Whether you like it or not.”

Hesitating, Marrok reached out his own hand and, standing beside me, he looked off into the darkness as he sniffed deeply.

“Danger.” he said.

“Danger.” I replied as I rolled up my tatttered sleeves.