On the next day everyone gathers at the south gate for group assignment in Cinder wood. Our team look around for Amy who is missing.

“Did you saw her when you wake up?” Bill asks Biscuit.

“Yes” Biscuit voices her concern “She told me to head out first and said will follow later but...” her voices fade as she fails to find her friend in the crowd.

‘Amy must had always thought it was other races fault her whole life that responsible for her species down fall, the truth must have impact her a lot but still...’

“Amy is a strong” said Eirian “What happen yesterday may have shaken her a little but I believed she will come for today assignment.”

‘Her sense of duty is too strong for that to stop her’

“She just needs a little bit more time so we’ll wait for her here even if it past time to depart.” Eirian direct to the group.

“There is no need for that” Amy arrives without any bagpack just before time for them to leave.

“Amy” Biscuit go and hold one of her legs to comfort her.

“Amy, are you ok?” Josh walk up to asked.

“I’m fine. You guy don’t have to worry about me” she looks at Eirian “You should be our leader for this assignment and I’ll be a leader on the next one is that ok for you?”

“Of course,” Eirian nods. Seeing Amy doesn’t want to talk about yesterday he tells everyone to head out. Eirian wave to Marco as they head off in other direction

The assignment is to collect a few plants and hunt an animal in Cinder wood. Due to the large area and time where some plant and animal will show up student are required to sleep in the forest for one night which seem to be for training how to live in the wood. Each group was designated an area of the wood so they don’t come into conflict with one other. Everything they need to collect can be found anywhere in the wood but some ingredient does concentrate in some area more than other.

“Did they just send us out without any teacher at all? What if there are dangerous animal or outlaw in the wood?” Bill voices his concern and mention his encounter with a group of bandits.

“Don’t worry we are still within Alana territory; no bandit or criminal would dare to operate too close in this area since it means being wanted by all 6 nations. And each of us are stronger than any wild animal even you Bill” Bill surprise at Eirian remark “your MAM simple fire ball would chase away any predator but if you’re still worry just stick close to me.”

“Well that a relieve then” Bill swaps a new rune into his MAM to turn it into a flamethrower.

“Speaking of which, Biscuit you should stick with Amy too since you also don’t know how to fight.”

“Yes that is properly for the best” said Biscuit and Amy agree.

As they are walking along a great red river where the water flow down south Eirian tell everyone about the river “Do you know the great red river starts as a glazier in the far north near Fortress of Corvidia then slowly become river that run through continents. It's used to be called many names such as, Avon, Whiteflow, Jamuna (holy river). In some part it can be as width as 500 meters to over 2000 meter with 20-30 meter deep.”

“And do you know why everyone change its name?” Amy interjects which cause Eirian to stumble since he knew why everyone change its name to red but other doesn’t seem to know and look to Amy.

Amy seeing Eirian hesitate so she tells the story herself “after the first coalition that almost wipe off all Fire Ant, the river said to be cover in red for weeks from blood of hundred thousand ant and other species that fallen that day. Later everyone just refers to it as Great red river from just how much red there is that day. It’s was here in Cinder Forest that my people were betrayed.”

Eirian surprises “Wait betrayed?” he never read or heard about any betrayal at the first coalition war.

“Our people didn’t just lose the battle and pushed to drown in the river you know. We already surrender to the coalition and they agree to let us live in exchange for Haldor life, the first ant who awaken us, so that we may never raise to challenge them again. Haldor agrees to be executed so our people maybe spare which Princess Alana herself gave her word that we’ll be left in peace. At the time every ant had left the underground so the coalition can destroy all tunnel and force us to move to the west in the land of Fia per our agreement but that night someone had broken the promised and light a fire in the forest just as my ancestor are retreating back after we sign an agreement. The fire circle and kill all the remainder of our people after the war, many drown in an attempt to cross the river right here on the map. Luckily one of the queen egg survive along with few of worker ant who manage to cross and took care of the egg. That is the day our people come closest to extinction.”

“That horrible” said Biscuit “Did they ever found out who light the fire?”

“No” said Amy “All the major races were present that day but it would be impossible to find out who is responsible now. Whoever broke the agreement is likely long dead and it’ll forever remain mystery. All other races have already forgotten this chapter in their history but I promise you that our people will never forget what happen.”

Eirian is now deeply regretting his decision to talk about the river so he stays quiet.

Everyone walks in awkward silent for a while before Josh speaks up when he sees a dozen sheet of papers in Bill’s bag and trying to change the mood “You made quite a few runes Bill.”

“Yeah, I plan to test some of it here since using MAM in our room is dangerous and I’m too busy to make time for a shooting range.”

“Can’t wait to see it. How further do we have to go Eirian? I can scout ahead to find our spot” Josh turns to offer.

“Sure, our spot is just on the riverside of Great red river here on the map. Also look for any animal nearby see if you spot any predator we should watch out for or where the hare is hiding.

Josh takes off and everyone keep walking down the river and enter into Cinder wood.

Each step takes them deeper into Cinder wood and the further they go the more Eirian is remind of his home in Medina Forest. There is a smell of old root in the air wash with cold wind that refresh your spirit. The magic in the air is not as fulfill as his home but the sound of rustling leaves and stream is enough to give Eirian a sense of deep peaceful bliss he misses.

‘A city has its convenience but there is no place like a forest to calm your soul’

Eirian looks at Amy hoping the forest will help her calm down but she is still grumpy. Calamity seems more relax through; his tail is not wagging but he doesn’t pose ready to fight like he usually does.

When they arrive at the area Josh recommend a spot by the riverside to make camp and Eirian start telling everyone a list of what they are looking for.

“A few trees sap, some mushroom, marigold, panax and 6 hares”

“The mushroom we’ll need to wait till dark when it glows and easier to find.” said Eirian “all of us have a picture of everything in school book so I think we should separate and scout the area for these plants. Josh, is there is anything we should look out for?”

“No predator as far as I can see. Some squirrel but no luck on hare, must be in their burrow.”

“Ok Bill you with me. Calamity are you ok going alone?” seeing how Josh would rather fly than walk.

“I’ll be fine.”

Everyone starts heading off in every direction and Eirian found himself having to slow down to wait for Bill who having difficulty navigate the wood.

“I take you don’t walk in forest often huh.”

Bill stumbles on a root and almost hit his head with a tree “I spent all of my life in a city so yeah you’re right. I never thought it would be this hard just to walk around in the wood.”

“Depend on the wood and the landscape, some are easier than other but you’ll get used to it. Try to focus on where your feet are going and where you will step next, unlike in city where all road is pave straight a jungle path is not always safe as it seems.”

“Oh, trust me I have walk on shitty road so I know how to watch where I step, a normal brick on the street that look safe might in fact be a death trap that will sink your leg into a wet black pit on your way to work.”

Eirian disbelieved that there would be a road that horrible “Is New Terra street that bad?”

“Depend on the street”

As they keep walking Eirian start to look around “humid place under a tree shape where you can smell a strong fishy ordor”

“I do smell something” Bill tries to breath only to have one of the bugs fly into his nose and he quickly attempt to get it out.

"There” Eirian point under a tree, a mushroom just like in a school book.

“Sho shoo! The forest has too many bug” Bill tries to swat another bug that fly into his ear as Eirian is collecting a mushroom.

“You’ll get used to it” Eirian then remembers one of the herbalists from his home “maybe you can find a repellent ointment from one of the shops in the city for next times”

“Is it expensive?”

“I don’t know I never brought one before.” since it made from simple herb it shouldn’t be too expensive right?

“Thank I’ll look it up.”

The two of them forage for a few hours before head back to camp with only a mushroom and a tree sap they found “Hope the other have more luck.”

At the camp everyone gathers and stare at Calamity raid of 10 hare on the ground.

“You manage to find and kill all of them alone? Aren’t they usually quite fast?”

“I live in a forest my whole life. I know how hunt a few hares.”

‘Fews?’ everyone seems to thought.

“Well now we just have to worry about a few more mushroom and panax since Josh spot a patch of marigold a few hundred meter north of here” Eirian looks at the extra mushroom they got since it is easy to find so everyone gathers more than they need “How about we used the left over to cook for lunch? Me, Calamity, Bill and Josh know how to cook right so let’s see whose dish is the best.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Biscuit offer with Amy standing next to her.

‘Let them help cook would probably cheer Amy up’

“Can you skin a hare” asked Calamity which Biscuit quicky shake her head.

“Then you can wash the blood from the meat.” Calamity immediate start to cut the hare up with his claw and pull the skin out with both hands follow by organ.

“Ba...Blood?” Biscuit horrifies by the sight of hare being pull apart by a wolf.

“Don’t worry Biscuit I can do it alone” said Amy.

“No no I want to help” Biscuit shake as she takes a piece of meat and a leg with bone which Calamity somehow chops it right off with just a force from his hand.

‘Chop bone with his hand? Who does that!’

‘I bring knife but I guess we don’t need it’ Eirian quietly put a knife back into his bag then realize he still need to cut mushroom so he pulls it out again and feel like an idiot since Josh is clearly confuse from watching him.

Biscuit shake as she holds a blood-soaked meat in her hoof and try to wash it in the river.

Amy looks at her red hand and go “I though sheep and goat love water, blood is just water isn’t it?”

“It not the same”

“How so? do you even try to feel it yet?”

“Feel the blood?” Biscuits look at a dish Calamity place a hare with a small pool of red. She dips her hoof into the blood and try to feel what it like.

“It’s weird...it’s water but there something inside that make it not water, I don’t know how to descript it but it is heavy.”

“Really?” Eirian gets up from his mushroom and dip his finger in the blood but it feels like normal water to him “I can’t tell the different but sheep always has a close connection with water than anyone if blood is different that would explain why no one can ever control blood with water magic.” said Eirian.

“Right” Biscuits lift her hoof up and gently wash the remaining meat. “It’s so sad that they die like this”

“Well at least we will eat them and not just throw them away, will you eat meat with us this time?” said Amy.

“Yes” Biscuit lay all the cleaned meat down and press her hand together to pray for them. She thanks them and wish for their soul to rest.

Seeing Biscuit everyone keeps silent for a moment before divide the meat for our 4 cooks.

Josh said he will smoke the meat so they can keep it for dinner while other 3 menu will be their lunch.

Eirian will make a stew with some spice he brings with him.

Calamity will grill the meat.

Bill will make a soup but after being stare intensely by Biscuit he allows her to help and teach her how to cook as well.

Amy enjoys watching on the side since she doesn’t usually see someone cook before just watching Bill stir the soup is amusing.

“I have perfected the art of cooking soup with minimum ingredient” Bill claims.

Finally, everyone is finish except Josh meat that still cover in smoke up on the branch but he said it’s fine to left it as it is.

Bill’s soup and Eirian stew look simple and smell delicious contrast to Calamity black charcoal.

“Calamity what is this?” Eirian asked even thought if he knew it was once a hare meat.

“Grilled hare” Calamity speak as if he doesn’t see anything wrong and nobody would drop dead from a bite.

“I’m not touching that” Amy declares. She can eat raw food but this seems too raw.

In the end no one would eat Calamity black dish and even Biscuit who doesn’t want to waste food stops after second bite and cry since she almost throws up and waste a life.

Calamity clearly confuses from everyone reaction “My brother always said my cooking is fine. I don’t understand, is it that bad?”

“So, you always cook for your brother?” Bill asked horrifies.

“No, he said his cooking is better so he never let me touch the pan.”

‘Ah’ Everyone look at each other with understanding. And so, Calamity is forever shadow ban from cooking in their group. Forever.