Zone E seems to lack the vibrant colours and life of Zones D, C and B. The sandy beige colour seeps through the landscape, tinted by the dead grey of withered trees. A true no-man's land.
Zone E only has one gate, which connects it to Zone B. Laurel dismounts Aurarius and uses a key to enter the small outpost building joined to the gate. Inside is dusty and filled with sand. There is a lone cobweb-covered chair and a table with nothing on top. A map is nailed to the wall, yellow and torn at the edges but just about legible. How long had it been since someone last guarded this place?
Laurel glances out of the tiny box-shaped window into the distance. The desert is invisible, clouded by a sandstorm. It was hard to believe that an entire tribe lived out there.
Laurel! Aurarius brays quietly from outside. I think you should come and look at this!
Laurel urgently opens the door and joins his friend. "What is it? What have you seen?"
Aurarius responds by tilting his head behind him. Laurel peers over his shoulder at a small cluster of deciduous trees. What was he supposed to be looking at? He squints his eyes until his vision becomes clear. On the log of a fallen tree, there is a pack of three grey spotted canines. Dogs?
"Hey!" he calls excitedly. "Hey there!"
What are you doing?! Aurarius grunts. They're not dogs!
Laurel steps forward to take a closer look and realises that Aurarius is right. Twice the size of dogs, they have beady yellows eyes and a crest of hair down their backs. Wolfos? The mysterious canines continue to glare at the opposition without flinching.
They look like trouble. Aurarius warns him. I hope you've got your weapon ready.
Laurel draws his spear but keeps it by his side. The dogs don't even blink as one of them yaps. A new recruit? You obviously don't know how things are run around here.
"Who are you?" Laurel asks, keeping his spear ready.
Put your weapon down you pathetic excuse for a human! another barks. We own this zone! You're invading our territory!
Don't make us chase you out with your tail between your legs like we did with the old guard!
Aurarius steps in between his master and the pack of wild dogs. Don't agitate them, Laurel! They could rip our heads off with one bite!
"I don't want any trouble!" Laurel calls out to them. "I'm here to protect you!"
'I don't want any trouble!' the leader mimics him. The rest of the pack howl with laughter. Such an easy target! Let's show him just what 'trouble' means!