Rolf had finished his tale, and the captain had asked us questions for more than two hours, before he let us go.
Thomas had led us to the left corner of the wall, at the buildings side. Were his group of survivors was located with their 20 tents. They had cleared the area for us, the area that was adjacent to the largest hole in the wall.
But I didn't mind the hole. The fact that we were alive, that I was as strong as ten men and had a small company on my side. I didn't feel scared at all.
My units had already retrieved their weapons and made some campfires in the area allotted to us.
Two spearmen stood guard outside the hole, and two inside. An archer was sitting on top of the wall. There were no barbed wire in this part of the wall, as it had been destroyed as the wall crumpled.
"I'm starving!" It was Chioma, looking at the rabbits with hungry eyes.
Rolf joined us, sitting down around the campfire my units had prepared. The sun was starting to set. "I guess we sleep on grass tonight. But tomorrow we should start improving this place. We need a proper shelter for at least a month, before we are ready to travel again."
I broke a small branch and threw it into the fire.
"I have been thinking the same. I need to grow stronger before we travel the entire continent. And this is a perfect place to do it."
"Don't worry Frey. I'm sure she's alive and waiting for you." It was Chioma. Of course she knew what I was struggling with. "Next time Rolf and I level up, we will get a class too. And we will be able to help more than we are right now."
It actually lessened the knot in my chest. Hearing her comforting words like that.
"Thank you Chioma. I'm really glad you want to go with me."
Chioma started laughing, and Rolf started to smile even more, not knowing why she laughed, but happy to see her like that, just the same.
"Don't be happy too soon. If you don't start to prepare those rabbits, I might turn into a very bad mood!"
"Ohhh that sounds dangerous!" Rolf teased her. And they continued to small talk as I commanded my units to skin and cut the rabbits.
After a while, a group of women appeared. They walked to our campfire, avoiding the 5 other campfires, while looking nervously at the strong and strangely dressed men around them.
"Hello there. My name is Charlotte."
I stood up, shaking her hand. "Well hello there Charlotte. I'm Frey, and this is Rolf and Chioma. The men you see here are under my command."
"I see." She still seemed nervous as she threw glances at the men. "We brought some blankets we could spare. We gathered them as Thomas told us about you. Thank you for helping him, and please take the blankets. It will get cold tonight."
I was surprised at her generosity. Most of the groups in the camp was keeping their possessions close by, looking harshly at anyone who came near, that they didn't know.
"Oh that's very kind of you Charlotte! Let me repay you in kind. Tomorrow a lot of things will change here. And I want to invite you with us when we go out tomorrow."
She looked terrified. "Go out?! What do you mean? How is that repaying us! There is monsters outside!"
I realized I had grown accustomed to the monsters faster than I would admit.
"I'm sorry Charlotte. I didn't mean to scare you. You will be completely safe with us, I promise you. And once we get to our location, you will understand completely. Besides, Thomas and his men will come too."
That seemed to ease her a bit, because she trusted Thomas. And if he went as well, maybe it wouldn't be that bad.
Seeing her relax, I quickly continued to offer her four of the rabbits once they where cut, to gain hers and the group of women's favor.
She was very happy about it, and when the group of women left, they all carried a whole lot of meat and threw smiles at all the men they passed.
They had only eaten canned food the whole day, obviously without any taste. But they were overseeing a very large group of kids and teenagers, and fresh meat meant nourishment that weren't easy to come by, in times like these.
I had made my units distribute the remaining meat equally around the campfires. I even bought a large jug of fresh water, and a loaf of bread for each unit.
My spirit was high. I felt safe. Sitting at a campfire under the night sky. With my warm wolf cloak wrapped around me, and a blanket around my legs. I didn't feel cold at all.
I even withdrew two silver coins and handed one to Rolf and Chioma accordingly.
"For when you level up tomorrow. Buy some leather armor to celebrate when you open the shop. It's cheap and provides stamina. It's also more warm than my old jeans and shirt."
While we ate, Rolf told us he had seen Magnus. He was surely alive after Rolf had forced his minor health potion down his throat, when nobody was looking. But he thought he wouldn't wake up properly, before tomorrow.
We also planned to go to the orc portal tomorrow. It seemed the most dangerous, the immediate threat to our newfound, but temporary home. But inside myself I also thought that it might have the best loot as well.
I slept trough the whole night. Nothing happened, and the sun was just starting to appear as I opened my eyes.
It was still gloomy, the camp was still quiet, people still sleeping.
I went to the hole in the wall, with my cloak wrapped around me. It was misty outside, the huge trees barely visibly in the mist.
Wait up. Huge trees?
"Report! What have happened in the night. Why is there an entire forest outside camp?"
I spoke fast and clear to my spear-units on guard duty.
"Commander! Nothing have happened. No monsters or threats to report. The trees just started to grow rapidly when the moon appeared, in the middle of the night."
I guess that explanation would have to do. It was the same the first night. Rapid growth of plants, bushes, vines and countless of flowers and greens I didn't have any knowledge of.
"Good work. Find the 5 units, that have had the most sleep, and make them report at my campfire."
He disappeared as I returned to my campfire.
Rolf had woken up, and was kindling the embers back to life.
"I think we should leave early. I will prepare the rest of the meat, so we can eat when Chioma wakes up."
I just nodded at him. Leaving early would be the best choice.
I sat down and warmed my hands over the newly formed flames. Then I remembered.
"Oh Rolf. Take these, I completely forgot I had them." I threw the rabbit gloves to him. When he touched them, and felt the soft fur, that could have kept his hands nice and warm all night. He looked at me with murder in his eyes.
"Jesus Christ Frey! An apocalypse, the end of the world. Magical skills and a tiny army of your own, and you're still as stupid as ever! You've had these all the time, and my hands and fingers have frozen all night, when they didn't have to!"
I didn't answer him, I just looked at him and smiled. He started to smile as well, and we burst into laughter. It was nice to have a tiny piece of our old lives like this. Even if it meant that my forgetfulness was the cause.
"Why are you guys so noisy! Damn, I was dreaming about a barbecue!"
Chioma had finally awoken. I had the woman unit escort her to the trees, where she could do her thing in private. We ate the last of the meat before we got ready to move out.
We were standing by the hole in our wall. The mist had lifted and the sun was starting to warm the air. 10 units was on either side of the hole, standing in presentation.
Thomas had arrived with a group of 40ish men and women. Some young adults between them as well. Charlotte had joined Thomas, with additional 15 women.
Earlier in the morning, when people had awoken. The fat captain had made a speech.
That he had discovered a way for us to survive, and by following his advice, he could build this camp into a proper town.
So, by the gate and the other holes. Groups was forming, all being lead by military personal. Getting ready to find a portal of their own. The captain himself, was with the larger, more military-dense group by the gate.
We moved along the trees. Everyone seemed to talk about how they had suddenly grown so tall, and so many of them. But people seemed to just accept it. And why shouldn't they? With all the unexplainable things that had continued to happen.
Some people was even trying to make conversation with my units. But they seemed to stop that rather fast, as the fact that my units was all somewhat slow, or incapable of rational thinking, became clear for the people.
I was in the lead with 5 units. Chioma in the center with Thomas, his men and 5 units. Rolf took the rear, with 10 units. The rest of the people was spread out between us.