You Versus The Universe

7.

><>2nd person POV<><
::: Previously: After some rest and preparations -- with a newly healed wound -- you set off to find the best way northwest. Your best option was to join a man named Andrew Marshall, on his quest to rescue a young king who had been stolen from his kingdom. There, you meet a young man named Carter, who is probably only sixteen or seventeen years old. You all set off over the hills; you, hoping the town you left behind doesn't really get attacked. :::

     "So, all you have to do with the little nuggets is get a rope, tie their legs..." The lady in the group ever so delicately step-by-step tells you and the rest of the small group the best way to, execute, a chicken. Carter looks like he is holding in barf by the end, and you stare off into oblivion, letting Prince, your stallion, keep up with the others' horses. The only one who seems remotely interested by the lady's how-to lecture is a man you had shrugged off a while back; a slightly older man with a wild red beard and a pair of round glasses on his face. His plump figure makes you wonder if he really is capable of taking on such a hearty task.

     "Psst, Cody!" Carter whispers loudly for your attention. You turn your head right to see him looking at you for answers to whatever question was in his head.

     "Yeah?" You ask with little interest. After a full day of nothing but riding and listening to this lady's farming stories, you have become pretty tired.

     "Um, why do you think our town will be attacked anyways?" Carter questions. You sigh, unable to stop thinking about it, but finally having to talk about it.

     "Listen. I have learned from experience how some things do and don't work. Okay?" You start. "First off, I am not from that town, I just came by for a visit and to know exactly where I should go next and stuff like that.. On my way in, it was dark, and mobs started coming out."

     "Um, yeah! They do that every night!" Carter looks like he was about to just laugh it off as you being stupid.

     "-But that wasn't the thing that stood out to me. The mobs, they were good. REALLY GOOD." You say, catching Carter by surprise a little by your sudden wavering look. "..And that is what always happens before a raid. Skilled archers are sent in to scout the place out. Skilled enough to kill anyone who sees them or tries to stop them from returning the information they collected. Even I with my skill had trouble deflecting their fast arrows. After the scouts make it back to wherever they came from, the raid preparations begain.. Usually, it takes only a few days for a raid to be full-on." You inform solemnly.

     "..Wow, how do you know all this?" Carter asks.

     "Heh, you pay attention enough and you tend to learn a few things." You smile. He smiles weakly in return, probably having second thoughts of being so quick to throw away your idea.

     "Hey, everyone." Andrew speaks up enough to catch all of your guys' attention. "I think we should stop pretty soon for the night. Let me know if you spot any caves-"

     "-No, a cave would be the worst place to stay the night." You speak up, grabbing everyone's attention and disbelief. The stereotype goes that the muscle of the group is never the intellectual member as well; however, here you are claiming that the idea the very leader is suggesting is wrong. Andrew and the group stop and turn to you, mostly shocked because you hadn't talked the entire trip.

     "Well, Cody, what is so bad about a cave?" Andrew asks. You suddenly feel awkward. You didn't know the simple rebuttal would escalate the way it has.

     "Um," you think, "Caves are often the perfect places for mobs to ambush. In general, for anyone, caves are some of the best places to ambush. If anyone wanting to hurt us, and happens to know where we are going, then they might be smart enough to wait for us to fall asleep in a cave, don't you think?" You question. Everyone thinks for a moment.