"Kanda? Are you alright?" Lenalee questioned as soon as the sword-wielding my stepped foot back into camp.
"You sure took your time getting back, we were just about to put the fire out." Lavi also chimed in.
"I ended up taking a deer out of a bear trap." Kanda grumbled.
"Seriously? And you let it go? What are we going to do for dinner?" Lavi whined and held a hand to his stomach.
"We can last one night without food Lavi, it won't kill us." Lenalee sighed, "You did a good thing Kanda. We can go looking for berries tomorrow. It'd be safer in light so we can see what we're picking anyway." With that said the three went to sit around the fire for a few moments before calling lights out.
"How long are we supposed to be out here anyway?" Kanda turned to Lavi with a glare.
"Only a few nights." Lavi pouted in response. "I really want to try and find a myth!"
"There's more of you? I should have figured…" Eyes turned to face the darkened woods. Kanda scowled as he remembered that voice.
"Get lost!" Kanda hisses out.
"Kanda!" Lenalee gasps.
"I'm already lost so jokes on you!" It was the creature from earlier; tongue sticking out in a teasing manner. He ended up walking closer to the light and a small basket could be seen in his hand.
"Woah, a real centaur…though he looks pretty beat up." Lavi muttered almost under his breath.
"Look I don't know where I am or where my herd is but…" The centaur just sighed, "You helped me out and I wanted to return the favor." He then held out the basket to the humans. Kanda walked up and took the basket, looking inside he could see a good deal of blackberries.
"Berries?" Lenalee came over and looked over Kanda's shoulder, "Thank you so much."
"I'm guessing it wasn't really a deer you saved from a bear trap was it?" Lavi snickered as he too came to look in the basket.
"If that's the case you must be hurt!" Lenalee turned to face the centaur.
"I'm going to be okay. I cleaned myself up in the river." The centaur gave a shy smile, "Um, would it be rude to ask to stay with you guys for the night?" At that Kanda turned to look at Lavi.
"You're not going to turn him in to the Black Order are you?"
"What?" Lavi squeaked, "No, no!" He waved his hands around for emphasize.
"That means yes, and let us properly introduce ourselves." Lenalee rolled her eyes at her companions' actions. "I'm Lenalee, the redhead is Lavi, and the one with the long hair is Kanda."
"My name is Allen, it's nice to meet you." The centaur started to lay down.
"Likewise." Lenalee replied. Meanwhile Kanda and Lavi seemed to still be talking to one another about something else entirely.
"There's no way we can leave him be. We have to do something. He's super lost and we aren't the only people that come out to these woods." Lavi muttered.
"What do you suggest, take him home? He's not some lost cat you stupid rabbit." Kanda hissed back.
"You don't leave deep in the city like Lenalee and I. You have Mugen right, your mare? Why can't he stay with her?" Lavi whined.
"Things aren't that easy." Kanda huffed.
"Will you cut it out and come get some berries before Allen and I eat them all?" Lenalee got both males to refocus their attentions.
"Hey!" Lavi was quick to rush over and nab a handful of berries from the basket. Kanda was much slower and calmer about getting a share and pretty much right after that the small group was arranged around a campfire. At first things grew into an awkward silence around the fire. Only the cackling of the flames and a few birds in the trees could be made out.
"So what happens now?" Lavi broke the silence with a whine.
"I didn't really think about that." Allen sighed and doodled random pictures in the dirt with a finger.
"Well we have to help you home, right?" Lenalee offered, "If you're lost then it'd be wrong to just up and leave you come morning."
"But humans should never find the herd…and they never liked me anyway, so I don't know if going back is really an option anyway." Allen replied in a quite tone.
"You're just going to give up." Kanda huffed. Allen glared at the man, but made no verbal reply.
"Why don't you let us help you Allen? We all can promise not to do anything to your herd or even speak about this." Lavi got up to go and lean on the centaur's shoulder. Allen muttered something under his breath before looking all the human's in the eye.
"How do I know your word is good enough?" Allen questioned.
"You came to us despite being freed. Something in these damned woods wants us to interact, besides, I'm the one that freed you. I could have left you for dead or killed you myself. Surely having your life is proof of our word…or at least mine." Kanda explained. Allen pouted, but had a look of deep thought on his face.
"It's late guys. Let's take the night to think on it and come with a solution in the morning?" Lenalee stands and dusts herself off.
"I guess that's all we can really do right now." Lavi moves away from Allen and wanders over to one of the tents. "Come on Yu."
"Shut it Lavi, or did you want to die in your sleep." Kanda growled as he followed Lavi to the tent.
"Don't worry they do that all the time." Lenalee waved a hand around. "Feel free to lay by the campfire, or leave come morning." She shrugs and ducks into the remaining tent. Allen had waited for all the humans to fall asleep in their tents before he put out the dwindling fire.
"That one guy, Kanda…You're right the forest does want us together one way or another. I guess getting to know the world outside these woods won't hurt. Forgive me Mana, but it is probably going to be awhile before I come home." Allen sighs and looks to the stars above.