After eating some of the trail food she had in her pack, Cora rearranged the contents, taking stock of what she had. A week of food, maybe two if she stretched it. Water enough for a couple of days if she drank sparingly. Several days worth of clothing in vacuum bags, her tent, firestarters, dog food, a small hygiene bag, a solar charger, her phone, a hatchet, a knife, a compass, a length of rope and a small pot rounded out her gear. The others were similarly burdened, give or take a few things they found essential. They were fairly well prepared for an extended hike, but to survive in an unknown place like this?

Cora shook the thought away and glanced toward where Tillie sniffed in the mud near the water. The dog seemed to think this whole thing was a grand adventure, her furry tail was wagging excitedly. After watching for a long moment, Cora watched for a long moment then dug though her pack once more. She fixed her survival knife and her hatchet to her belt. At first she felt ridiculous attaching them, but as soon as the weight of them settled against her hips, she felt better. They may be more tool than weapon, but both were better than nothing.

“Are we ready?” She asked the others.

“How can we be ready?” It was Kat who spoke, she was sitting at the base of one of the trees, knees drawn up against her chest and wrapped tightly with her arms. Jet had been crouched next to her, but now he rose, leaving one hand on her shoulder until he could no longer reach.

“We just have to be ready for anything until we figure this place out.” He said. There was a hint of his usual good natured humor in his voice as he continued, “We’re probably better prepared than anyone else who could have ended up here. We’ve been surviving off the grid for months.”

“Yeah, but the grid was always there when we needed it.” This came from Sophie, a little away from everyone else. She had her survival knife in her hand and a long, mostly straight, length of wood.

“True. We just need to stick together and be careful and we’ll get through this. We’ve seen hard times before.” Jet offered Kat his hand while he spoke and helped her to her feet. “We just need to get a feel for this place and look for civilization.”

“If only there were a river or something, we could follow it. Settlements are usually near water.” Sophie continued working the wood with her survival knife while she spoke, making an exceptionally crude spear.

“Maybe we should just pick a direction and head out?” Cora suggested.

“That would be most unwise.” Came a strange voice from the other side of the watering hole.

Sophie leapt to her feet, brandishing her half carved spear. Jet stepped in front of Kat, between her and the voice.

“Be at ease, young ones. You have nothing to fear from me.” The voice continued speaking as a figure began to emerge from the grasses, rising from the crouch that had kept it hidden. Cora’s first impression of the stranger was of writhing smoke colored tentacles. She screamed and backed away, even though it was already across the water from her.

The creature emerged more fully, leonine face inscrutable as he looked across the water at the four humans. “I will swear to you again, I mean you no harm. In fact, I could be helpful to you, if you will let me.” He was tall, almost as tall as Sophie at his shoulder, and largely resembled a rust colored lion with a mane of black fur and those gray tentacles. “I am called Hastor.” Massive fangs were revealed as the lion spoke.

“How do we know you can be trusted?” Jet asked, hand on his knife as he stood between his wife and the rust colored lion.

The lion tilted his head to the side, his inhuman face still wearing an unreadable expression. “I understand that you are wary, but you must choose to trust something in this world, or you will face its dangers alone.”

Cora stepped up next to Jet, Sophie coming from the other side, the four of them now facing the stranger. “What can you tell us about this place?”

The lion-like creature sat daintily, barbed tails curling around its feet, tentacles waving around its mane. “That is a good question that requires a very long explanation to be fully answered. If I may ask a question first, you are not from here are you? I overheard some of your conversation.”

“No, we’re not from this place.” Jet was the one to answer. “We did not mean to come here.”

“I would be surprised if you did.” Hastor nodded his head as he considered them. “You are in the Midlands of Charan. You seek civilization? I could take you to Brazen Hold, it is the closest, but you will not likely find your kind there. The closest bastion of humanity would be Ward. I could direct you there.”

“If this Brazen Hold is closer, shouldn’t we just go there?” Cora asked.

“Brazen Hold is the home of the awakened. Those like myself. If you have difficulty with my appearance, you will find none more to your liking there.” Hastor’s voice was soft and deep, but Cora thought she could hear bitterness in it.

“How far away is Ward?” Jet asked.

“It would likely take you several weeks to reach it.” Hastor answered.

“And Brazen Hold?”

“We could be there in two days.”

Tillie had been slowly approaching Hastor around the watering hole and now she was eagerly sniffing at his tails. The massive lion spared only a small glance for the dog at his feet, though one of the tentacles stretched out toward Tillie like an offered hand. The dog sniffed and her tail wagged slowly.

“We don’t have enough supplies to make it all the way to Ward.” Sophie said.

“Tillie seems to like him.” Cora said.

“Tillie would like Satan if he pet her.” Kat said.

Cora opened her mouth to protest, but shook her head instead. “You’re probably right.”

“Either way, Soph has a point. We don’t have enough supplies to make it all the way to Ward.” Jet said. “And honestly, we should probably grab some sort of weapon if we can. This place seems dangerous.”

Tillie rolled over on her back at Hastor’s feet as one tentacle pet her belly. “The Midlands are quite dangerous, but only if you are incautious. If you are prepared, we may set out for the Hold immediately.”

“I don’t suppose there’s much else we could do here.” Jet answered. “Lead the way then.”

They were still wary as they followed Hestor westward, but at least they had some hope for civilization and perhaps a way home.