As the sky began to darken, the caravan made their next camp. This time they chose a spot near some woods instead of near a water source. They also chose to make camp separately instead of making it with other groups.
This time all the new trainees were awake. Though they travelled in coaches with roof, the roofs were wooden and the entire caravan became quite hot by afternoon.
Even sitting inside the coach made them sweat a lot and the new trainees who had spent the entire last month eating well, suddenly found it hard to bear. They felt tired and feared that they might not get to eat again if they accidentally dozed off. So, even if the sun was bright and the coaches were hot and they were sweating a lot, they continued to stay awake. They didn't want to starve for another time.
Even though they got to eat during lunch time, Pete and Ajax also were the same. When they got out of the coaches to make camp, they saw their fellow peers who were rubbing their stomachs. The rumbling noises made by their stomachs and their expressions made them feel justified for staying awake over the day.
Jean was the only one who didn't have to go through this issue. Syam had decided to provide him some food inside the cabin. This was because they wanted to maintain their cover. It was one thing for the mercenaries to treat the new recruits this way, but no mercenary would treat their customer in the same manner.
So, after giving a severe warning and explaining the state of the other trainees, Syam provided him some food during late afternoon when he woke up.
As soon as everyone got down, Syam started to issue commands.
He quickly had them setup up the coaches in a circle in the center of the camp. They had dug a small trench outside and a few of the veterans quickly laid traps around them.
"Derek take Timothy and two others. There is a small lake a bit away to the east. Get enough water," said Syam and then continued giving instructions.
"Feed the horses and then tie up the horses to the trees,' he ordered two others.
"Get some firewood. We are making at least three fires around us," he continued pointing to a few others.
"Find some fruits or anything we can eat in those woods."
"Hunt some game. Enough for tomorrow too. Our customer is too young and is feeling a bit under the weather. He isn't used to travelling like this. So, get more of everything."
As soon as Syam started giving instructions, Ajax began to feel something was odd. Except for the trainees, all the ones there were veteran members of the hunter division. Tasks needn't be assigned specifically to any of them as they would usually have such things planned and allocated before hand according to their talents and specializations.
So, he only expected Syam or the others to given instructions to the new trainees who were on their first mission. It was only when the Syam told at the and that Jean was under the weather that Ajax realized that he was intentionally doing so.
Jean was a proper noble who was trained to fight from when he was a kid. He was headstrong and tougher than any of the other trainees. He was the only one still wanted to fight Ajax and improve unlike the others who have already given up.
Also, it isn't his first long trip. He had come to the fort a month ago from his home town. So, he wouldn't just get so tired due to a simple ride for one day. Thus, Ajax didn't believe it and was sure that Syam said those words with other intentions.
He still kept his calm but continued to be vigilant while continued to do whatever chores he was asked to do. After the trenches, he was asked to help clean the hunted animals and cook.
Within an hour, the food was ready with a big pot full of meat stew cooked over the fire. They also had a few small birds and stuff like squirrels which were roasted over the fire. This time all the new trainees also got to eat the stomach full.
"Take some into the coach for the customer," said Syam to Ajax suddenly.
"Ok," said Ajax understanding. He took a few bowls full of stew along with a roasted rabbit to the coach where Jean was staying.
There he found Jean dressed as a normal mercenary while someone else was wearing his armor with the helmet placed towards the side. Jean was acting as a mercenary who was guarding the customer.
Looking at this, he confirmed his suspicions. He was sure that Syam found something or someone tracking them. So, those words were his way of alerting the other members in other coaches while it also laid bait for any who were possibly observing them.
He calmly provided them the food to the one dressed in armor while winking at Jean.
"Holler, if you want more," said Ajax as he passed the food to the ones there.
"Hmm," said the man wearing Jeans armor loudly. "I tend to eat more. Get another rabbit for now."
"Someone following us," mouthed Jean from the side. Ajax nodded to it indicating that he had understood it.
As he went back, Syam beckoned to him to sit by his side.
"So, I guess you understood the situation, right?" asked Syam barely audible as he put some food into his mouth.
"You know who is following us?" whispered Ajax.
"Hmm," said Syam nodding his head as he chewed. A few seconds later, he said, "Not really. We have no clue."
"You sure someone's following us?" asked Ajax confused. Though he slept for quite some time, he was completely awake after lunch. He hadn't seen anything that might indicate to him that someone was following or observing them.
All the time the coaches were closed with the drivers being the only ones visible outside. There were a few coaches which sped past them occasionally and some riders who overtook them, but he didn't notice anyone lingering around their coaches. Moreover, they had the doors closed and only occasionally opened the small windows to look outside when they heard someone moving close to them.
So, Ajax found it hard to believe that someone was tracking or observing them. Even if someone continuously moved behind them at a certain distance, such kind of methods would be easily noticed on open plains. Those tricks were only valid in crowded areas in cities or towns, not on plains when on coaches or horseback.
But still Ajax couldn't be entirely sure that there was no one following them. This is because with the use of magic, there could be a lot of other methods. Even without magic, there were methods to track people using devices and phones. Now, in a world with magic, there could be similar or much more advanced methods of tracking. So, couldn't deny Syam.
"Do you know how they are tracking?" asked Ajax.
"Birds," said Syam.
It was a single word, but it was more than enough. Many others of his age would hardly know much, but Ajax understood that Syam had enough reason to doubt that they were being observed.
In this world, there is a kind of professional who tame beasts and train them for various purposes. They observe, analyze and understand the various beasts and use their knowledge adept to make them form various tasks. These tasks can be widely different. Construction, demolitions, guarding assets and assassinations, travel, hunting other beasts and tracking, surveillance, and many other tasks can be performed by the appropriate beasts
"They have a tamer," said Ajax. This has a lot more implications. Tamers can have other beasts attack their targets. Sometimes, they just even attract a bunch of beasts towards their targets and let them fight one another and attacked both the weakened parties later.
So, if the opponent has a tamer, one could expect a lot more trouble. Thus, it should be harder for them to handle the opponent. This made Ajax wonder the reason why they would think, they would be sufficient to handle them.
"If they have a tamer, would we be enough to handle them?" asked Ajax.
"We have a combination of four teams and all are experts in guerilla warfare," said Syam, but he received a confused look from Ajax.
"Guerilla warfare means hit and run tactics. In such situations, it is better to direct our enemies towards traps which we have previously prepared and then defeat them," explained Syam misunderstanding the reason for Ajax's look.
"I know that," said Ajax. "But, what about us new guys. We aren't that trained. There is a bigger chance of us triggering the traps before our enemies."
"Oh," said Syam. "Good. I like that you question me without blindly believing my words. Most trainees don't dare."
"Ya. I have different experiences compared to most trainees," said Ajax.
"Hmm. Well, your identity itself would give you enough courage," said Syam. "Anyways, we also have a tamer among us. We had counter tracked them. There are 27 members along with a pack of wolves."
"Oh," said Ajax surprised.
He didn't expect that someone among them managed to counter track them.
"Who is the tamer among us?" Ajax wondered.
"Why me, of course," said Syam smiling at him.
"What?" asked Ajax surprised.
"Me. I am the tamer," said Syam.
It took a few seconds for Ajax to get that. The fact that Syam was a tamer was hard for him to believe. He had learned a few basics from his mother who is an alchemist about other professions. He was told that tamers need to be disciplined, strong, careful and are usually kind. Because they raise and usually feed the beasts and are responsible for getting wild beasts get used to a normal civilized life among humans, such qualities were considered necessary.
But Syam was anything but all of those. He was strong and disciplined in a manner of speaking, but he just never felt that careful, kind and forethought. Moreover, hunters who have such professions usually would be seen practicing them.
Especially, something like a tamer would need to usually get in contact with his beasts and check on them regularly. Tamers tend to have their own pet tamed beasts which they meet regularly at the very least.
"I have never seen you interacting or taking care of any beasts," said Ajax.
"To be frank, you hardly take care of your team or students," he wondered silently in his mind.
"I don't go after beasts who need someone else to take care of them. I chose ones which could handle themselves to establish pet contracts," said Syam smirking obviously proud of his pets. "I only help them when they have to evolve, hurt or in trouble. They are trained to handle their daily needs."
"Well, I guess that should have been expected of Syam," thought Ajax. "Still, it is quite a good way to handle for his specific case, but for a professional tamer whose livelihood depends on taming wouldn't be able to be so much selective."
"What pet did you use to track them?" wondered Ajax.
"I have a dragonhawk," said Syam.
"Another bird? Wouldn't their bird notice?" asked Ajax.
"It travels at much greater height than their owl or most others," said Syam. Hearing that Ajax understood how Syam managed to observe them covertly.
"So, we wait then?" asked Ajax.
"We wait. Raban will direct you trainees. You handle the beasts that they will send towards Jean and we will handle the actual trouble. Keep an eye on the other recruits and wake them up as soon as it starts. Jean would be hidden in the couch and you have already proven yourself with the golden eater. So, I trusted you to keep your calm, but I can't expect the same of the other trainees. I won't inform them. When the attack starts, you alert them," said Syam.
"Ok," said Ajax nodding his head.
"Finish eating quick and get ready. I already noticed that they are moving. It will take them a bit more than 10 minutes to get close enough," said Syam before getting up and moving away. He casually walked up to someone else began conversing with them.
Nodding his head, Ajax gobbled up whatever was left in his bowl.
"Can probably resume eating after attack if I am still hungry," thought Ajax.
He put away the bowls, went to the couches. He quickly made a nod to Jean and the other man acting as Jean before taking a sit on another couch. He took out his axe from his storage and twirl and play with it. He tried to practice with it and made mistakes intentionally acting like a clumsy novice as he waited.