After a full month of the hard training, we finally got the assignment to go out on patrol duty, a little deeper than what we used to take before. We will be starting it from tomorrow and we will have to patrol the farmland plains once every 2 days.
We will be training the other days with only a day to get rest from the activities that we will doing. For the patrol duty, Jack told us to come to the Hammerand tent that is near the southern defense wall the next day before 7:30 AM.
The next day everyone assembled in the Hammerand tent by 7:20 AM, 10 minutes before the agreed time to see Jack already waiting for us. I would have reached early, but Snowfa wanted all of us to go together to show our effort to be a single unit.
"Good morning trainer." I say and the team follows by greeting him in a chorus. He just nods and says "Today is going to be an exciting day people. We are going to patrol the middle rim of the farmlands, so you should be ready to fight the animals anytime. Be Vigilant." With a serious face.
The farmland is separated into outer, middle and inner rims. The outer rim has less animals with more travelers, the inner rim has a little stronger animals with less travelers and many hunters and the middle rim has more animals which could be as strong as High-F grade.
I know what he says about. Good thing I have experience in handling multiple low grade animals thanks to the missions I have taken in the Hunter's Guild and no animals can come close within 20 meters without me sensing them.
I take the lead and explain to the team about the formation that I have decided to use in the patrols. Lucksonlay and I will be at the front for scouting and defense with Sylas and Clevis in the middle with their ranged weapons while Snowfa and Mara will be the ones watching our backs.
I can see a smile on Jack's face after hearing the formation I wanted the team to be in, so I ask "Did I miss something trainer?" To which he replies "I would prefer you to be in the middle with the archers, to protect them and to sense the maximum area around the team."
I understand what he is trying to tell and say "Thank you for your insight trainer." and ask the team to go into the formation with 2 meters gap between each of us to check if there are anything which I might have overlooked. It took us more than 30 minutes for us to get used to the formation and confirm what everyone's roles are.
After confirming the formation is good, we take the mini van that is ready to take us to the middle rim of the farmlands. I can see the excitement in everyone's faces as this is the 1st time they are leaving the defense wall into the wilderness. I am glad they are excited and not worried as I was when I came out for the 1st time.
I can see Snowfa talking to Mara trying to help her relax as she has concerns about going to the middle rim for patrol. I am feeling proud to see this, as Snowfa was scared even to face the robot animals which had less power that the real animals in the beginning. But she has shown tremendous improvement from then.
We reach the rendezvous point where the team we are going to relieve is waiting by 8:50 AM. Once Jack confirms our team's identity by showing the documents that he has for us to start the patrol, they left in the same van we came in.
We immediately move into the formation and start the patrol of the middle rim. Jack also joins us and stays in the middle of the formation with me and clearly said he will join a fight only if it is more than we can handle (The same which he said when Snowfa and I did our patrols).
I start focusing on the surroundings while Lucksonlay will be at the front of the formation moving in the predefined path that has been given to us by the town's Defense Corp to patrol the area.
We circled the area once before we decided to have our lunch as it took us 3 hours to patrol the full area as we are very cautious about our surroundings and the team stopped every time they hear a sound.
I can see Sylas trying his best to control his growing eager to fight. I couldn't control my smile seeing him being impatient wanting to fight someone or something. I am starting to get a little worried because of this as we are here to patrol and not on a mission to hunt.
After lunch, we again started our patrol and continued till 5:30 PM. We started to move towards the rendezvous point so the team who will be relieving us will be coming in by 6:00 PM. It is a slow walk for us as we are so tired after walking for 5 hours without any rest.
I could see the team that is going to relieve us is already at the rendezvous point when we reach there. After going through the documents, Jack nods in affirmation and we board the minivan to return to the town.
BANG
I turn to see a red flare blasting and signalling a nearby people who are maybe hunters or travelers needs help. I get down from the minivan to go and help, but stop after taking 2 steps to look back at my team.
They are looking at me with clear tiredness on their faces. After a little hesitation I say "I want to help the people who are in need. I am not going to force you to join me, but you are welcome to join if you want to."
I have known these people only for a month now and I am not sure if they will be joining me in this as our patrol time is over and they are looking too tired. The team who relieved us still standing there talking to themselves.