"Dinner is here!"
Audrey’s voice completely shattered the tension that had ford around the campfire.
The huntress erged from between the snow-covered pines, dragging the massive body of a deer behind her, while Claws followed close behind with several wolf squirrels hanging from his thick fur.
Nox sighed.
The mont had been completely ruined.
Tessa closed her mouth before answering the question he had asked her.
And for so reason, that only made the atmosphere feel even stranger.
Audrey approached the campfire and dropped the deer onto the snow.
Claws did the sa with the wolf squirrels.
The huntress looked at the three of them for a few seconds.
They all seed a little uncomfortable.
As if she had interrupted sothing important.
"What’s going on here?"
Audrey asked.
"What?"
Nox replied.
"That’s exactly what I’m asking."
The huntress pointed at the group.
"It looks like I’m interrupting sothing."
"It’s nothing."
Nox answered quickly.
Tessa turned her head away.
Clearly, she had no intention of helping.
Fortunately for Audrey...
Misty did.
The dancer smiled and began helping the huntress unload the wolf squirrels.
"Nothing strange happened."
"No?"
"Of course not."
Misty kept smiling.
"I simply suggested that we should keep an eye on the mont the Church takes Tessa’s title away, so Nox can give her a new one and officially make her part of the group."
The wolf squirrels slipped from Audrey’s hands.
Every single one landed in the snow.
Nox covered his face with one hand.
"It’s a misunderstanding."
Audrey slowly turned her head toward him.
"No, it isn’t."
"Yes, it is."
"No."
The huntress stared at him for a few seconds.
Then she shifted her gaze toward Tessa.
The inquisitor looked like she wanted to disappear.
And for the first ti...
Audrey didn’t seem angry.
Only thoughtful.
"I knew this was going to happen."
She muttered.
Nox raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I saw it coming."
The huntress crossed her arms.
"I’ll never be able to forgive what she did to ."
Tessa lowered her gaze.
But Audrey continued.
"However..."
The woman sighed.
"...I’ve been thinking about that possibility for several days now."
Nox blinked.
He hadn’t expected to hear that.
Neither had Misty.
"Really?"
The dancer asked.
Audrey nodded.
"Yes."
Nox watched her for a few seconds.
"And what exactly do you think?"
The huntress remained silent for a mont.
The sound of the wind drifted through the trees.
Finally, she answered.
"Even though it bothers ..."
She looked directly at Tessa.
"...I think she could be a great addition to strengthen the group."
The inquisitor’s eyes widened.
She clearly hadn’t expected to hear that either.
Misty imdiately smiled.
"That’s exactly what I said."
Audrey ignored the comnt.
She was still looking at Nox.
"I trust you."
The demon was genuinely surprised.
The woman continued.
"If you think it’s what’s best for the group..."
She picked one of the wolf squirrels up from the ground.
"...I’ll accept it."
Nox didn’t respond.
He simply listened.
"After all..."
Audrey began inspecting the prey.
"...that legless woman got us a room."
Tessa raised an eyebrow.
"Thanks for reminding I don’t have legs."
"She never tried to escape."
Audrey continued.
"And she hasn’t caused us any trouble either."
The huntress let out a long sigh.
"I don’t promise I’ll get along with her."
"That would be impossible."
Nox comnted.
"Exactly."
Audrey replied.
"But I’ll try not to cause problems."
Then she pointed at the demon.
"The final decision is yours."
Misty imdiately started clapping.
"Perfect!"
Everyone looked at her.
"What?"
She asked.
"Then it’s settled."
Audrey pointed at the food.
"No."
The huntress grabbed a knife.
"What’s settled is that while I prepare this..."
She looked at Nox.
"...you prepare the cooking pots."
Then she pointed at Misty.
"And keep the fire alive."
The dancer gave a small bow.
"Yes, Chef."
Audrey smiled and got to work.
◇◆◇
An hour later, dinner was ready.
The aroma of roasting at mixed with the scent of burning wood.
Snow continued falling slowly.
And the group sat gathered around the campfire.
Eating.
In silence.
An uncomfortable silence.
Because they were all thinking about exactly the sa thing.
The possibility of making Tessa part of the group.
Nox cut off a piece of at and looked at Audrey.
The huntress was sitting beside Claws.
She fed pieces of food to the massive bear while stroking his fur.
And she seed completely calm.
As if the previous conversation had never happened.
What a strange woman.
Then he looked at Misty.
The dancer was the only one who seed immune to the tension.
She ate happily.
Smiling.
Praising the food every few seconds.
"This is incredible."
She said while taking another bite.
"Audrey, you cook way too well."
"Thank you very much, Misty."
The huntress replied.
"I think I could eat this every day."
"So could I."
Misty gave a thumbs-up.
"If we keep eating like this, I’m going to get fat."
"That’s impossible."
Audrey replied.
"Not with the number of spins you do while fighting."
The dancer burst into laughter and continued eating.
Finally, Nox turned his gaze toward Tessa.
The inquisitor was no longer tied up.
She sat beside the campfire.
Staring at the plate in front of her.
Wolf squirrel at.
Still warm.
And untouched.
She seed completely lost in thought.
She wasn’t talking.
Wasn’t complaining.
Wasn’t arguing with Audrey.
She was simply staring at the food.
She’s definitely thinking about the sa thing we are.
Nox knew that expression.
It was the look of soone considering sothing they had never thought possible.
The demon looked at every mber of the group.
Audrey.
Misty.
Tessa.
Even Claws.
And he felt the situation beginning to give him a headache.
"Well..."
He muttered.
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a bottle of liquor.
Audrey raised an eyebrow.
Misty smiled.
Tessa finally looked up.
Nox uncorked the bottle.
"If we’re going to have an uncomfortable conversation sooner or later..."
He took a long drink.
"...I’d rather be drunk when it happens."
Misty burst out laughing.
Audrey shook her head.
Even Tessa let out a small smile.
The decision still hadn’t been made.
But sooner or later, they would have to talk about it.
And everyone knew it.
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