Journey To Vale
The four men looked at each other, each recognizing them as others from their home, but never really talked to each other, and didn't even know each others names. The giant smiled, with the warmth that others made it out. The cowboy started to laugh with glee or madness, hard to tell. The blue-haired man simply stared. The last, who resembles a pirate when closely observed, returned to cleaning himself off. The cowboy, being the only one to speak so far, decided to further break the ice.
"The names Patch, what about you guys?" The now identified Patch asks.
"Robin, funny considering I'm a eagle faunas." Robin states, earning a slight look from the pirate.
"Mines Manfred, pleasure to meet you all." Manfred says.
"I think I'll call you Manny instead, Manfred sounds to formal." Patch says, causing 'Manny' to give out a slight chuckle.
"Lamprey." The pirate said, voice grown cold, whether from the state he is in, or the loss of his family.
"So," Manny started," did anyone else make it out?" The question hanging in the air around them. Robin looked down, lost in thought, Patch gave a shake of his head, and Lamprey gave a sad look toward the giant. Manny just looked down," I see. Lets get going then, I am headed to Vale, anyone else is free to come with me." He says as he starts walking west.
Robin, who seemed to come out of his thinking, quickly caught up with the giant. Lamprey finished drying his hair and followed. Patch however, deciding that he was going to lead, turned to smoke to get in front, shocking the group, but then nodding in acceptance as he lead the four-man team to their only real chance of survival.
They walked in relative silence, with the sounds of nature echoing around them in the night, and Patch's whistling, which seemed reminiscent of a old lullaby, kept the group going for an hour, before Robin began to fall behind. Manfred noticed this and waited, before telling Robin to get on his back, after a short argument, Robin gave in, climbing atop the mans back and falling asleep, shortly afterward Manfred grabbed a leaf on a tree, and looked happier with his burden. The other two, seeing this, gave short nods of approval, followed by Patch proclaiming,
"I think it's time we all got some rest. I can take first watch. Robin can have last watch. You two decide who gets second and third." This declaration of leadership from the cowboy meets no objections as the other two quickly play a game of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors' to determine who got second shift, ending with Manfred on duty.
The three conscious ones soon found a shallow cave near a river, settling in for the night, with some strange looks at Manfred as he revealed his weapon to the other two, who seemed shocked he could carry that and Robin at the same time, before concluding that he was simply stronger than he looked. Shortly after this, they made some makeshift bedding from leaves and Manfred's cloak, and while not being the most comfortable, was better than stone.
With the others settled in, Patch made his way outside, and sat in a near-by tree for close to three uneventful hours, and switched with Manfred, telling him to switch when the sun rose. Manfred did as Patch had, and besides some Beowolf's straying towards them, who were dispatched easily, nothing of note happened.
The sun, breaking through the darkness like a beacon, noted Manfred that it was time to wake Lamprey. The pirate grumbled as he got up, and took the place of Manfred. A little over an hour later, a large pack of Nevermores was flying overhead, and seemed to be angry, he ran back inside, to avoid being seen, and quickly woke Patch and Robin, leaving Manfred to sleep for a few minutes, informing them of the large force flying overhead.
"It's obvious," Robin said," leave them be and hope they don't bother us tomorrow. Vale is to far away to risk any serious injury, so we have to be careful."
"I agree with Robin, though I would like to play with them again." Patch exclaimed, gaining a look of confusion from the other two. After a second of this, Lamprey decided to say,
"Once they are out of sight, we wake Manfred-"
"Manny," Patch interjected.
"...Manny, and leave. A pack that large has to have a nest close to here, and I would like to get away from it sooner rather than later." The pirate finished.
"I'm fine with it, I'll watch while you all gather up the site." Robin says, walking out of the cave, watching the sky for it to be clear. Once it was, he motioned for them to wake Manfred, and soon the group left the cave. They wasted no time in leaving, and after an hour of walking felt their stomachs rumble.
"We need some food." Manfred said, expecting one of the others to have some.
"Well, anyone know how to hunt?" Lamprey asked, looking to see a smirking Robin.
"I do, I can get us some while we walk, though due to your weaker immune systems, we will need to stop to cook it." Robin said, scratching his cheek toward the end.
"I can fry it, I have enough lightning dust. Just gotta clean it." Lamprey said in reply, and as a after thought added, "It will taste a little strange the first time, but you grow to enjoy it."
"Keep your eyes out then, anyone else got something to help us go a little faster?" Patch asks, hoping he wasn't the only one starting to feel the strain of walking constantly.
"I do," Manfred spoke up, "my semblance lets me swap weights. I can change our weights with leafs or pebbles. It only lasts five minutes though. We should be able to sprint for a while like that while fed. I'll do it after we eat though, just to make sure we don't miss out on breakfast."
"That's a weird semblance Manny," Patch said, while giving the man a thankful smile.
Another hour came and went, with the group finding enough to eat and Manfred switching the weights of the group to leaves. They all started to sprint, covering a few hours worth of ground in just half an hour, only stopping to get water and food. They continued like this until nightfall, when they let Robin go off on his own to hunt for dinner.
They set up a small covering, and were thankful for the lack of Grimm along their journey, and looked at each other with a look of seriousness now that the youngest of the group had left.
Lamprey asked the question that hung on everyone's mind, "So, how did it go for you two?"
Manfred started, after seeing Patch cringe at the question," I was with my parents in the living room, while my brother slept upstairs. When I first heard the warning, I grabbed my sword, as did my father, and went outside to help defend our home." Tears formed at the edge of his eyes as he went on," My dad and me got separated, and I was toward the center of town. I saw some Boarbatusks heading toward my home, and I took off toward it. I found my house in shambles, I hoped that no one was inside, but those hopes were crushed. I say three people inside the structure, torn and crushed, if by the house or Grimm I don't know. I then just fled, heading out of town the fastest way I could. I guess that along the way I came to terms with it, because I couldn't feel tears anymore. When I was out, I killed some Grimm that followed me, then around the long way, to the river, and you know the rest." As he finished the other two were giving him looks full of empathy, and understanding, as the man wept into his hands the mourning process still affecting him.
Lamprey took up the talking while the man wept, "I was with my mother, who was my only parent at this point, and was helping her with the laundry. She was getting older, having me late in life meant it was up to me to watch after her. The attack came, and she asked me to do what I thought was impossible, run. I fought with her, argued with her to the point of both of us in tears. She didn't take no for an answer though. She forced my fathers blade into my hand and told me to never return, no matter what I heard. I ran away from my home, listening to the sounds of her screaming, and life decided I hadn't had enough, and forced me to fight a King Taijitu that swallowed me whole." He finished his tale, with a look of hard sorrow etched into his face. By this time, Manfred had stopped crying and watched with a pain in his eyes as the man before him locked his face in a look of pure sorrow, but didn't let it out.
Patch was about to begin his story when they all heard Robin coming back, with a cheer as he had caught some large rabbits and a few fish. They each congratulated the young man on his efforts and set forth to having dinner.
The dinner was good, as they each then talked about their lives, and joked, but avoided, or strayed away from the subject of family. And if one was looking, they would notice each man looking into the others like they were the last bits of that family they had lost. They went on the same watch schedule as last night and the night went without incident.
In the mourning, they ate what was left of the meal, and began their fast pace across the land. Thanks to Manfred semblance they had covered in two days what would normally take weeks, or more if they were weighed down.
Late in the afternoon, they saw the brilliant city of Vale spread out before them, its brilliance sending with it the celebration of the four men. However one problem with this was, they were atop a cliff, and the city was still a few hours hike away from their point, not to mention the fact that they would have to find a way down.
Patch however solved this when he pushed all of them off the cliff.
"Aim for the leafy parts!" He yelled after the, as he himself fell, turning to smoke to land safely. Manfred slammed into the ground, coming out unscathed thanks to his aura, and caught Robin. Lamprey however, had a rougher time, as he hit the 'leafy' parts. They were in fact braches and he hit the ground shortly afterwards with mild discomfort, and a few bruises and cuts. He got up a little mad, but shoved it off, as he followed the self-proclaimed leader, whom he now deemed mad, toward Vale at full speed.
It took an hour, and they reached the large walls of the city, and the guard on top of the walls, seeing them, called for a door to open, letting them in.
After only three days, two nights, and a fall, the group had finally made it to their new home, one they each swore to protect with their lives, regardless of the circumstances.