Chapter 189: Chapter 189 - Once Again on the Path

Mila was startled awake by a gentle caress on her cheek. She forced her body into inaction as the first thing her senses picked up was Isabel’s comforting presence. She relaxed, then sunk into the embrace of her love.

“Is she alright?”

Mortimer’s tired voice didn’t let Mila rest a moment longer. She forced her eyes open and was greeted by the most beautiful girl ever. “Good morning…” She mumbled, feeling her body already wake awake while her mind still lagged behind.

“...Mornin’...” Isabel lifted Mila a little higher and kissed the smaller girl’s cheek. “...Sleep… Well…”

“I did,” Mila’s mind finally caught up. She nimbly wrapped her hand around Isabel’s shoulder and returned the morning giff.

As her lips left Isabel’s, Mila finally looked around. It was morning, yes. But the sun had just peeked above the horizon. She hadn’t slept longer than an hour or two. It was enough for her body, but…

Mortimer was slumped against a tree. Vatim was still in his hands, yet to be wakened. Kanna was sitting on the ground, her jealousy barely masked by her downcast expression.

The younger girl glared at Mila, noticing her stare. “You were crying.” She bitterly spat out, then turned towards her brother, her animosity replaced by worry and care.

“I see,” Mila touched her cheek, feeling moisture on it. It was no wonder then that Isabel was holding her so tightly. “But truly, I am fine.” She carefully stood up, making Isabel surrender the hold of her.

It was chilly. Mila shuddered, looking down at her still-wet garb. They hadn’t risked a fireplace, fearing smoke would reveal their position.

“We should move.” Unexpectedly, it was Mortimer who suggested it. “W-we can’t stay here. It smells of danger.” He glanced back at where his home had been.

The unintentional mention of ‘smelling danger’ reminded Mila of Viola. She frowned, wondering what had happened to her friend. And then there was Andrew…

But that had to wait. Mila turned around, leaned down and gently picked up Isabel, who feebly tried to protest.

“I know you like it, so stop this foolishness.” Mila weathered the torrent of weak punches against the shoulder.

“...Can… Walk…” Isabel whispered but stopped resisting, sinking deeper into the embrace. She nuzzled against Mila’s nape.

It was a bit awkward, considering their sizes. Not that Mila felt much of the burden. “I might or might not let you go later.” She joked.

While Isabel did crack a smile, it soon faded. “...Why… Cry…” Her gaze was questioning, lingering on the drying trails of tears.

“It’s,” Mila’s expression turned strained. “Because of that…” She didn’t have to explain more. Isabel knew enough to not ask more. “We are moving.” Her voice was resolute as she gave the order.

Once again, Mila had to pace herself. She constantly scanned the surroundings, fearing the pursuers would find them. Her constant vigilance was taxing on the group.

The rest had been too short. Mila didn’t have to look to tell Mortimer and Kanna were barely hanging on. But she didn’t comment on it.

In fact, the group at large barely spoke. Isabel found it taxing, Mortimer was too fearful, and Mila was occupied with her thoughts and lookout.

Only Vatim and Kanna exchanged words now and then. They were scant, mostly touching upon what was ahead and hunger.

Mila felt it, too. They needed to find something to eat. There hadn’t been any game for a while - not even birds.

Stilag’s surroundings were dead and silent. Only wind was a mainstay in the tree canopies. It only added to the eerie air.

Together with the things they had seen yesterday…

Mila stopped those thoughts. This was not the place. She couldn’t risk attracting the attention of higher forces.

Instead, she suddenly steered to the side. She had picked up the sound of flowing water. And they had walked for a while now, earning themselves a moment of respite.

As they stepped out of the shrubbery, Mila found herself standing in front of a small brook. She let Isabel out of her hands and stretched as the rest of the party stepped out of the bush.

“Ten-minute break.” Mila narrowed her eyes as she looked at the trees up the stream. “The water should be safe to drink.” She took a few steps away from the group, trying to peer through the forest.

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It didn’t go unnoticed by Mortimer. “Something wrong?” He was coaxing Vatim to drink while looking at her.

“A sound.” Mila raised her hand in a sign for them to quiet down.

Which was ignored by Mortimer. “A sound? Here?”

“It is a forest,” Kanna grumbled but became more alert, clearly heeding the warning.

Mila stopped Isabel from rising to her feet. “I will go alone. You understand, I hope.” She waited for her girl’s nod, then stepped forward, diving into the foliage.

While she wouldn’t say that to Isabel, it was freeing to move without holding back. It hadn’t been more than a day since her body had been reborn, and every moment was a small wonder for her.

After scaling one of the trees, Mila continued to move through the branches, hopping from tree to tree, listening for anything out of place.

The surroundings were still too quiet. It didn’t take Mila long to pick up the direction from where the previous sound came.

With her target pinpointed, Mila zipped towards the place where someone was muffling their scream.

As she got closer, Mila started to pick up voices - several of them. Men, women and children. And, from the crying and the repeated screaming, she judged their situation was dire.

Mila erased her presence as best she could, then made the few last jumps to find the group of refugees. Her senses told them they were just commoners - none of them any threat.

They were in dire straits. Mila needed just a moment to asses their situation as practically hopeless.

The twelve-person group consisted of six men, four women and two children not older than ten. They were clearly people from Stilag, and they had not escaped unscathed.

Currently, one of the men was trying to stop his bleeding by burning the wound on his thigh. The smell of burnt flesh spread under the trees. The rest of the group gathered around the man, wanting to help but unable to.

This wasn’t good. Mila understood the need to treat the wound, but they hadn’t even bothered to smother the fire after heating the piece of metal they were using for the burning.

After a moment of hesitation, Mila decided to act. She gathered strength, then jumped towards the fire, silently landing next to it. She immediately began throwing mud and dirt on it, trying to erase it and the danger the smoke presented.

At the same time, she addressed the small crowd. “It is careless to leave fire burning.” Mila ignored the startled reactions and exclamations. “The smoke will bring pursuers. They will not spare your lives.” She hesitated, not quite sure what to do next.

With the warning delivered, Mila wanted to leave, but… She hesitated.

“Who are you?” Two of the men stepped forward, holding knives in their hands. The question was almost a shout, trying to overcome the continued grunts of pain behind them. “Why are you here?”

Mila assessed the kitchenware they held. They were in a hopeless situation. Which was why she was hesitating to leave. Isabel wouldn’t leave…

No. It was time to stop using Isabel as a justification for her actions. She could do better than that, be better than that.

Logically, Mila still felt she should leave them. But what if she found a use for them?

Ignoring the questions, Mila turned towards what she thought was the leader - the very man currently burning his wound shut. “Where are you heading?”

“Hey! Answer us!” The knife-wielding due made threatening movements, but their trembling bodies betrayed their true state.

“Nghhh, enough!” The man removed the hot piece of metal from his flesh and threw it away. He panted, large beads of sweat pouring down his face. “Fuck!” His face was twisted with pain. “Shit. Calm down, you two.”

The two men quickly stood down, still verily glancing at Mila. She didn’t react to it and simply took a couple steps closer to the group to avoid raising her voice. “Well. Will you answer?”

“She is suspicious,” One of the women whispered. “She didn’t attack us. Maybe we could…” The oldest man whispered to the leader but didn’t finish as his voice was drowned by a sudden chatter. Only the children stayed silent, holding onto their mothers’ thighs.

Mila waited for the answer. Depending on what the man said, she could choose to abandon them. She hoped he would be reasonable.

After what seemed forever, the Leader of the refugees spoke again. “Quiet.” He silenced the heated debate about Mila’s goals of confronting them. “We are heading for a village a day's walk from here.” He continued. “We hope to get some help there. Food. Supplies. Maybe a place to sleep. Warmth…”

This was what Mila had hoped for. Her group had just blindly walked forward with no clear goal in sight. She did know where the Hidden Village was, but she needed to find a location from where to orient. These people could help.

And in return…

“I have a few people with me,” Mila revealed. “We have been running away from Stilag, just like you.” She continued to observe their expressions.

Upon mention of the city, their faces turned sorrowful. A couple of them started to shed tears. Clearly, they had lost everything.

“But we are not locals.” She continued. Mila was now sure she could trust these people. “And we don’t know any pathways. The roads are not safe. Perhaps not even the village you speak of…”

“We know,” The man ruffled his grizzled hair. “But it’s all we have. We just need a few hours and some supplies. Then, we will run further north. We know they will chase us…” His voice didn’t carry much hope.

“They will,” Mila agreed. “But unless an Inquisitor comes, I can protect you.” She offered.

The claim elected a series of excited and doubtful exclamations. For a moment, the group of refugees turned into chaos.

Only when the grizzly man spoke again did they calm down. “Can you protect us?” He questioned before shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter, I guess. Sticking together is still safer. We are common folk just so you know. We can’t fight.”

“I know.” Mila nodded. “And that is why you earned this chance.” She turned to head back. “Wait here. I will go and get my party. Then, we will proceed towards the place you mentioned.”

Just like that, Mila was back among the trees, leaving the tattered group behind. She had found the reason to help them. They wouldn’t slow them down either, perhaps even help them move faster.

It was enough. Now, they were part of her responsibility.