Well, here's the next chapter.

Thanks to all readers and reviewers!

Rana Kane:
hehe, yes, there will be a moment when Venger shows up and then he'll be... well, vengerish ;)
Um, at least I hope he will
But I don't want to give away too much
:) yes, I even thought that to myself after writing it down (I actually imagined him saying it lol)
Hm, there will be another 'curious kid moment' of him in this chapter...
No, definitely not!
'Vacation? What's that? No, no relaxing, keep on going on my quests immediately!' DM
Thanks for reviewing, btw

D.B. Cooper:
Yeah, you did and also inspired me in some ways.
Great update on your story, btw. I really love it
Thanks for your nice comment and thanks for reviewing my other story as well.
I'm pleased that it seems that my English isn't that horrible, is it?
oh, no. Sorry to disappoint you but there will be no vampires here in this story (even though I've 'borrowed' the name 'Marius' from the movie 'Queen of the Damned')
well, I just love to write them arguing, and that's probably 'cause they are my favourite characters of the show (is this obvious? lol)
and they will go on in this chapter, promised ;)

2.

The group has been walking during the day until the late afternoon.
They decided to take a rest and set their camp for the coming night on a small shielded hill near a forest.
So they lit a small campfire to sit around and warm up.

"Do you think that it was a good idea to send those two to get something to eat, Hank?" Sheila asked, turning towards Hank, who was leaning against a rock, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.

"Honestly, I don't know. Anyway, I hope that they won't have a real go at each other...
But I'm sure that nothing's gonna happen to them. They're not supposed to go far away from our camp after all.
Well, at least we have some peace and quiet, haven't we?
And I hope fervently that the arguments between those two will finally be stopped.
That would really be better for all of us! I would be a bad leader if I let them get away with their constant bickering and do nothing for the peace, which is supposed to be within the group.
I'm sorry, Sheila, but the two have to learn to get along with each other.
It's the only way to establish solidarity. That's why I've sent them together." Hank answered, reassuring himself.

"Well, let's just hope that this psychological measure will help..." Sheila sighed and looked behind the two, who were making their way towards the adjoining forest, but weren't supposed to depart too far from the others.

Presto and Diana were sitting around the small campfire.
Presto was busy with his Hat while Diana watched him.
Uni has settled down next to Diana, being petted by her. She was so tired from the past walk that she didn't even accompany Bobby when he was sent searching for food by Hank.
She just hasn't given in to Bobby's requests to come with him, something what normally is absolutely no subject for any discussions, because you sure will have difficulties in separating the two youngest.
So Bobby had to go with Eric alone - without the support of his young, devoted unicorn.
That's why Bobby wasn't in a very good mood.

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"Why did Hank have to send me searching for food with you of all people?" Eric complained to no one in particular.

"Do you think I get a kick out of it? Nope, it's no fun!
You only should have dug your heels in, as usual. You're doing well in that!
Then Hank surely would have sent me with Diana or with Presto instead or I finally could have gone by myself. But no..." Bobby shot back scowling and fought his way through the high grass of the forest they both were sent to by Hank with his Club.

Since Hank has given them this request, Bobby didn't want to contradict, although it didn't suit him at all to be in search for something to eat with Eric of all people.

He was glad, though, that Hank has entrusted him with a more 'challenging' task than only have to search for firewood in close vicinity to the camp, just to make sure he won't disappear from the other's sight.
But why did it have to be with Eric?
He didn't see the sense of this unusual cooperation because he had no clue about Hank's well-meant plans of their final reconciliation.
In addition, he didn't know why they have to search for food anyway, because Presto had conjured them something out of his Hat more than one time, which could be partly called 'eatable' at least.
Anyhow, the things that Presto got out of the Hat often ensured general amusement, even if he wasn't able to summon pizza yet, unfortunately.

Eric, who fought his own way through the weeds next to Bobby's with his Shield, made a snidely gesture and answered, "It's more logical to call certain things into question sceptically than to believe everything naively. And this is no stubbornness but common sense, which some people here were probably lacking!"
And after a short pause he added, "I hate to be pushed around by our oh-so-good leader!"

"Aw. What are Cavaliers good for anyway?" Bobby mumbled in a low voice.

"And what are small, annoying Barbarians good for?" Eric mimicked Bobby.

"Er-ic!" Bobby snapped, turned around and glared at Eric.

"What? Do you wanna storm off again, so that we - in this case actually only me - have to run behind you and search for you again?
You certainly remember what happened last time.
The main reason we got into this mess was your impetuous act of running away.
If you hadn't run off, we wouldn't have searched for you. So we also wouldn't have run into this vampire Pankratius, who turned your sister into a vampire as well and then set her on us - on me - like a dog!"

Bobby realized that Eric only wanted to tease him.
And he didn't want to do him this favour, not now anyway.
On any other occasion, he very likely would have given Eric a cheeky answer, but not today as they were sent on a mission by Hank and he wanted Hank to be proud of him.
He sought the acceptance of his adored leader, who he loved and saw as a big brother.
That's why he looked at Eric with crossed arms and asked impatiently and extremely restrained, "Are you finished now? After all, Hank said that we have to be on the lookout for food."

"Oh, yeah, of course! How could I forget that! Our great leader has placed an order which we're gonna implement reverentially!" Eric said sarcastically and saluted massively exaggerated.

"Well, I'm gonna go searching food now. I don't care if you come along or not, but I don't wanna disappoint Hank!" Bobby snorted and stomped off determined.

"Very well then, I don't mind. Go your way there and I keep mine here. Let's see who's rather gonna find something!" Eric called behind him, turned around and walked into the opposite direction.

"Ha! I'm quite sure he won't find anything at all!
He'll certainly chicken out and hide behind his Shield if there's just the slightest sound!
But I'm not scared! After all, I'm not a little kid any more. I am Bobby, the fearless Barbarian!" Bobby mumbled to himself.

So he searched the forest and got into it deeper and deeper until he came across a small clearing.
There was only one tree in the middle of it.
Bobby thought that this tree resembled an ordinary fruit tree.
It had nearly black leaves and bore purple fruits, which seemed to glow despite their dark colour.

But in fact, this wasn't an ordinary fruit tree and the reason that it stood there on its own was that the surrounding plants were downright poisoned by the roots of this tree.
They have been withered, because the tree dispossessed them of the essential water and didn't tolerate any other plants in its close proximity.

But the little Barbarian didn't know and suspect anything of that.
He was fascinated by those glowing plum-like fruits which literally seemed to lure him.

"Gee! I knew that I would find something!" he exclaimed proudly, when he approached the tree.

"Hank and the others will be pleased and surely be astonished that I've found something all by myself! With that, I can prove that I'm able to do something; I'm not useless for the group.
Maybe the others won't treat me like a baby any longer!" Bobby grinned.

When he directly stood in front of the tree, his stomach already rumbled.

"Oh, I didn't notice that I'm that hungry. I wonder if I should eat a few of those fruits right now." he considered aloud and looked around surreptitiously.

"Well, it surely won't do any harm." he finally decided shrugging and picked a few of the tempting fruits.

"Hmm, they're sweet..." he said with his mouth full, "But still very tasty..."

With that he ate ravenously the next juicy fruit...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the meantime Eric returned to the others. Unlike Bobby, he hadn't found anything.

"Hey Eric. Have you been successful with your search?" Presto asked his friend, without any spiteful ulterior motives but truthfully interested.

"Nope; not so if you want to count a horrible skunk-family and a pesky bird as success." Eric replied frustrated and dropped to the soft grass next to Presto.

"And where's Bobby?" Sheila wanted to know right away and watched out for her brother nervously.

"Dunno. Isn't he here yet?" Eric asked and stretched his legs casually at the fire.

"No, he ain't. Haven't you been together in the forest?" Hank demanded.

An odd feeling overcame him as well. It was absolutely no good sign if the two boys haven't been together.

And as if to confirm his worries, Eric shook his head and said shrugging, "Nah, the squirt wanted to keep moving alone and look out for something. He had a touch of snotty self-confidence, if you ask me. Well, just as always."

"What? And you haven't stopped him or followed him at least?" Sheila asked horrified.

"Why should I? He was the one who wanted to walk alone. Do I have to babysit him then?" Eric answered disdainfully and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, no..." Hank moaned.

Actually, he should have thought that it wouldn't work with those two the way he had hoped.
But it seemed that he was too confident with that.
And now they have trouble; they have to search for Bobby in a forest - again!
A great leader he had been! What the heck was he thinking?
He never should have sent the both together!
He only had meant it well, but what did they get out of it? How could he explain this irresponsibility to Sheila?
She was worried only because of him. Everything was his fault.

But he wasn't permitted to think about all these things right now.
First of all it was important to find Bobby.

Diana and Presto already jumped up without being asked and even Eric got up; though a bit grumpy as he just had sat down relaxed.

Then they walked into the forest, calling for Bobby.

"Bobby? Bobby, where are you?" you could hear through the forest, which seemed to be quite peaceful.

"I'm here..." a voice they didn't recognize right away due to its strange tone called all of a sudden.

"Bobby, is that you?" Sheila asked unsure and turned towards the direction the voice came from.
She didn't get an answer.

They only heard the rustle of leaves and a few shuffling footsteps.
Short time after that a small figure appeared out of the thicket.