"... Why can't I tell that you're lying or telling the truth?" Amene asked Lawrend doubtfully.
"Hahahaha… It's because I'm joking," Lawrend said to her.
"Okay." Amene nodded her head skeptically.
"Anyways, what is it that is making you anxious?" Lawrend asked her calmly.
He acted like he wasn't just caught by her speaking to no one.
"I feel homesick," Amene said to Lawrend.
"You haven't left your tribe before?" Lawrend asked her curiously.
"I haven't. This is my first time," Amene replied.
"You shouldn't worry about it too much," Lawrend patted the spot beside him.
Amene understood his meaning and sat beside him.
"There are many things in the outside world that will make you think back today. You would think that it was the best choice of your life," Lawrend said to her with a smile.
"Can I rest on your shoulder?" Amene asked Lawrend shyly.
"Sure," Lawrend nodded his head.
Amene slowly rested her head on Lawrend's shoulder. She stared in front of them in a daze. She was thinking back to her life in the tribe.
"Will I really meet my little sister..?" Amene asked Lawrend dejectedly.
"No doubt. You know that I haven't lied to you, right?" Lawrend said to her in reassurance.
"Yes. That's why I'm trusting you right now," Amene replied.
"Mm," Lawrend mumbled.
Amene and Lawrend stayed in that position for a long time. The two of them silently enjoyed the company of each other.
Before long, Lawrend realized that Amene had already fallen asleep.
He stared at her sleeping face and smiled warmly. He found such a cute catgirl like her. This journey wasn't bad. Though, he still wasn't sure what will happen once Joseph finds out that Logan is dead. He would surely ask them about it.
Lawrend was still unsure if he should come clean or lie that something else killed Logan.
Lawrend waited till he felt sleepy before he nudged Amene beside him.
"Amene, it's time for you to watch over us," Lawrend said to her.
"Nyaa..?" Amene opened her eyes slowly.
She stared at Lawrend's face and tried to make sense of who he was.
"L-Lawrend!"
Amene widened her eyes in realization. Lawrend was so close to her.
"I will go sleep. Wake us up immediately if something weird happens," Lawrend said to her.
He didn't wait for her to respond before he stood up and headed to his shelter to sleep. He was too tired to pay any more attention to his surroundings.
"Okay," Amene nodded her head and watched Lawrend leave.
…
The next morning, Lawrend woke up to Nuon sitting cross-legged in the center of their camp.
"Oh, Lawrend. Good morning. Are we going already?" Nuon opened his eyes and asked him.
"Maybe later. We should be close to the town," Lawrend replied.
A map appeared in his hand, and he opened it to double-check.
"Yep. It should take us less than half a day to reach the town," Lawrend said to him.
"That's good. I want to take a nap," Nuon said to him as he stood up and walked toward his shelter.
Lawrend nodded his head.
A bag of meat jerky appeared in his hand, and he started eating its contents while he sat on his previous spot last night.
Lawrend waited for Amene and Nuon to wake up before the three of them headed out once again.
They reached halfway when Lawrend noticed a green python in front of them. It was at least as thick as his waist, and it had thick scales on its body. The python didn't seem to have noticed them.
"Why are we so unlucky? Aren't we leaving the forest?" Nuon complained from the side.
"Shh. Let's go around it."
Lawrend silenced Nuon and urged them.
Thus, the three of them carefully circled around the python. They made sure to keep their eyes on it.
"Phew. We made it past," Nuon sighed in relief.
*Hissss*
The trio immediately turned their heads around and saw the python staring at them with its golden eyes and flicking tongue.
"Don't move," Lawrend said to Nuon and Amene.
"N-No. Lawrend, that is a Verdant Golden-Eyed Python. Its eyes track its target using body heat," Amene said to Lawrend with fear evident on her face.
"What!? It has heat-seeking capabilities!?" Lawrend exclaimed in disbelief. "Let's run!"
Lawrend took the lead and ran away. Since it tracks its target using body heat, then it would be able to tell that they are its prey even if they try to not move.
"Heat-seeking?" Amene repeated the term in confusion as she ran with them.
*HISSS*
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python focused its eyes on them and slithered towards them speedily.
Lawrend couldn't help but be concerned and turned around to look behind them.
"It's fast!" Lawrend shouted in alarm.
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python had almost caught up with them.
"F*ck it!" Lawrend shouted and turned around.
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python took this as its chance and attacked with its mouth open wide and its fangs bared to Lawrend.
Lawrend pointed his palm towards the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python and shouted, "+Shock Arc+!"
BOOM
A thick bolt of lightning shot out from his palm and entered directly into the throat of the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python. That was the moment it knew it f*cked up. The insides of the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python were not protected by its scales. It was just meat inside it.
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python stopped and twisted around in front of Lawrend as it writhed in agony.
"It didn't die?"
Lawrend stared at the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python in shock. It took the full brunt of his Shock Arc yet it managed to survive his attack.
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python stopped wriggling and oriented itself before staring at Lawrend. There was a ferocity in its eyes that was not there before.
Before, it only saw Lawrend as its lowly prey. Now, it saw Lawrend as its enemy. An enemy to use its full strength on.
*HISSSSSS*
Suddenly, hissing noises sounded around them. It came out of nowhere, and there were no visible signs of any snakes.