'Naive...'
That's my first impression of the boy, who introduced himself and even offered a handshake to a stranger, who may be dangerous.
But looking at his short black hairs and brown eyes on his charming and smiling face, though his height was a little short a sentence rang through my mind...
'Prince charming'.
'Let's see how prince charming would react to blood'.
Not bothering to wipe my hands I took his hands and shook them with my bloody one.
Looking down Gautam kept his head down for some time before lifting it, locking his eyes with mine he said...
"You should clean your hands there's still blood on it."
'Direct...'
"Anyways you killed those wolves on your own?"
He asked with admiration as he looked behind me.
"It does look that way, what do you think?"
I asked back maintaining our eye contact.
"Wow. You are amazing. I mean you took down five wolves on your own!"
He said with admiration and continued...
"To think that the first person we would find beside our group would be so strong. Don't you feel the same way guys?"
He finally broke our eye contact looking behind him.
I observed the two people beside Gautam. Black hair reaching down her shoulder with brown eyes and a face identical to Gautam, the cute girl looked at me with curiosity.
"Wow! Brother Tommy must be strong."
She said after feeling my gaze.
Giving her a mysterious smile I looked at the last person of the trio.
Short brown hair in military cut, with reddish-brown eyes the man's body was packed with muscles, I have to admit he has the dream body of every teenager who loved muscles.
The man was looking warily at me, holding his club in a battle stance, ready to spring in action at any moment.
Looking at him I smiled putting my spear on the ground. Understanding my gesture he did the same with his club, though he was still held its end.
Just then people started appearing behind the trio all with their sticks raised high ready for an attack.
"Guys this is Tommy. Tommy this is our group."
Gautam said as he waved at the group of around 50 people looking behind me in surprise.
The people were broken from their astonishment by Gautam, who I presumed to be the leader of the group. Resting their weapons one by one, they looked at me with curiosity.
None of us spoke a word silently observing each other.
"Why don't you accompany us?"
The sudden proposal from Gautam put an end to our starting section.
As he asked, a small frown appeared on the faces of the little girl and the big guy behind him. Though he didn't seem to notice it just looking at me with anticipation.
"Oh! And why should I accompany you?"
He seemed ready for my question, as he walked towards the big guy.
"Well, we have food, a strong brother."
He said patting the pouch followed by the shoulder of the big guy. A small smile appeared on the big guy's till now wary face. Gautam then moved to his left...
"A cute and smart sister."
He patted her head, a smile appeared on her face as well. He then walked behind arriving in front of the group...
"Two uncles who always complain, but are very caring.
"A guy who loves anime."
He started introducing every member of the group with a special remark, walking past them. What he didn't realise however was each time he walked past someone a smile would bloom on their face.
"And most importantly we have a family. So what do you say Tommy, want to be a part of our family?"
He asked me with his ever charming smile.
'Native, charming, smart, and an amazing speaker. I see why so many adults are willing to follow a kid'.
'He is a natural leader, I don't know if his Nativity is an act or not but... It's dangerous! It invokes the feeling of protecting him, like a small brother unaware of the cruel world'.
"Well, who am I to refuse such a unique family, of course, I would like to accompany 'your' family."
I made sure to put special emphasis on the word 'your', it was my way of drawing a line between us, I wanted to make it clear that I was just a travel partner not a part of their family.
"Oh! That's great. Welcome to the family Tonny."
Though it looks like my message wasn't delivered to the dense guy.
"Sigh..."
As a sigh escaped my mouth surprisingly it matched the timing with two others. I looked at the sources of sigh.
'Well looks like some people got my message'. Cute and smart sister, and strong brother, they seem to fill the shortcomings of Gautam. A good team.
"Now that you know about us, how about you share something about yourself as well brother Tommy, so that we can introduce ourselves, by our names of course."
The little girl asked me looking at her brother with a cute pout, that instantly earned smiles from the group.
'Oh! Smart girl. Phrasing the question in a way that it sounds like a question from a curious child, but if you go over it again she is saying that 'First answer our question only then would we give our names.''
"I was part of a group. We had yet to start our journey when we were attacked by a pack of wolves. It was chaotic, everyone had to run for their lives, I too being one of them. Unfortunately, I have been travelling for a while and haven't come across any member of the group."
Pausing for some time I looked at the ground with depression clenching my fists.
"I was moving to the safe zones when a saw some wolves, fighting among themselves... The fight had reached its conclusion and since there was only one wolf left that too with injury, I decided to take it down."
I said as I looked at Gautam and the group with an apologetic smile.
The latter just looked at me with pity.
"Oh! So you didn't defeat them yourself?"
The anime guy asked me, with a little disappointment.
"What, you thought I took down five wolves twice their original size, alone? Not to mention with a wooden spear. And came out victorious without a single scratch"
I answered in amusement.
"Yeah, if you had done that I would think of you as some superhero."
The boy scratched his head in embarrassment.
'I don't think you need to be some superhero to do that, just set some traps familiarise yourself with their behaviour and you can do it'.
"That makes sense."
"Yes indeed, and here I thought that he killed them alone."
"He doesn't even have any injury."
"But you are brave, boy."
The people in the group nodded their heads in understanding.
"There doesn't seem to be any bite mark on their bodies, it's just wound from a spear."
"Oh you are right big brother they don't have any bite marks, could it be that brother Tommy is hiding something from us?"
'Looks like not everyone brought the story'. Looking at the confused little girl and the big guy, I nodded my head inwardly.
I looked at the carcasses with 'anger' gritting my teeth, I said.
"I made sure these damn monsters are dead, never getting up to wreak havoc on another group. But, looks like I went a bit overboard."
I grabbed my forehead giving a 'desperate' smile.
"Come on guy, stop interrogating Tonny."
Thankfully my knight came to my rescue.
"Let's not waste our time it's getting dark, we can have all the talk we want in the way."
Gautam scolded the duo and suggested the group continue the journey.
'I wouldn't have gone to such extremes just to travel with a group, but...'
I looked at the yellow barrier in the distance, 'the barrier has changed so I need to change my strategy as well, I am not sure if the safe zone has the same function of healing or not'.
'Besides I have a feeling that this time, things are bound to be different'.