For the rest of the afternoon, Rob hides in his room, unable to relax after what he had heard in the botanical gardens. Talking about killing so casually… they can't be typical of the Scarves. Can they? They've been blamed for so much… No, it can't be normal. There must be some mistake. Danny will set the record straight. I hope…
As afternoon turns into evening, Rob realises he's getting hungry again. Reluctantly, he leaves his room and starts to slowly make his way to the mess hall, sticking to the shadows where he can. But just outside the mess hall, he spots the two pandas from the botanical gardens. Fighting back a fresh wave of nausea, he ducks into hiding.
A few minutes later, Danny arrives. Confused about why Rob is hiding, he approaches with caution. "Why are you hiding?" he asks when close enough.
Rob almost leaps out of his fur in surprise. "Oh, it's you," he breathes in relief.
"What's the matter?" Danny asks, concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"No, it's just… I need to ask you something."
"Ask away."
"Not here, elsewhere."
What's going on? "OK, but can we get food first?"
"Sure, but… I don't want to eat here."
Something has Rob really spooked. "If you insist. I'll get two to go, then back to yours?"
"OK."
Thirty minutes later, the two friends are in Rob's room. Danny's meal is fully consumed, while Rob's lies half-eaten.
"It's obvious something's really troubling you," Danny prompts. "What is it?"
"Well…" Rob swallows hard, fighting back a mild nausea. "I was walking through the gardens earlier, and I overheard these two older Scarves talking about…"
"About what?"
"About how many people they've killed."
"I see."
"That's not normal. Tell me that's not normal."
"No it isn't."
"So the Scarves aren't killers?"
Oh boy… Danny takes a deep breath. "There's some things that are normally kept from trainees-"
"So it's true?"
Danny pauses a moment. "Yes, but-"
"How could you not tell me?"
"Because it's not my place to do so."
Rob tears off his scarf and discards it on the floor. "I can't stay here."
"What?"
"I'm no killer, never will be. And I won't be part of a guild that kills for pleasure."
Before Danny can respond, Rob runs out of his room, and doesn't stop running until he's deep into Jade Creek.