It didn't take long for a group of felynes to bring Amara and the girl, that Amara had called Astra, their meat platters and drinks. Amara ate like the veteran hunter she was, while Astra ate at a pace that would probably be considered normal.
Well normal for a girl that definitely hadn't eaten in a while.
Ryo wondered how long it'd been since they were last in civilisation. From their appearance it seemed that the first and only thing they'd done since arriving is get freshly washed. They both still looked exhausted, especially the girl.
"So the quest is to escort and protect this girl?" Ryo asked. "Astra was it?"
"Yes," Amara admitted but then glared. "But don't say her name in public. I don't mind you knowing but, it needs to stay a secret. Not even the people on the quest will know." She told him in a tone sterner than he'd ever heard her use. It was so stern he didn't even bother pointing out the hypocrisy that he only knew it because she had stated it.
"What's going on Amara?" Ryo asked, concerned on how his friend was acting.
"I can't tell you," Amara stated, grimacing slightly with regret.
Ryo exhaled already tired of the secrecy. "Alright. So your quest is to escort and protect this person to where exactly? Can you at least tell me that?"
"The Citadel."
"Fucking hell," Ryo stated failing to hide his surprise.
The original Citadel had been destroyed many years ago however, a new city named after the fallen settlement was built on a large remote island safe from near all monster attacks. However, the new Citadel was still on the other side of the continent, an extremely long and dangerous journey from Silva, even by air travel. "You should really include that in the quest sheet. I wouldn't be surprised if all the hunters interested backed out after hearing that."
"So you're really not interested?" she asked him as she ate the remaining meat on her platter.
Ryo shook his head.
"I'm assuming you're leaving soon anyway right. What way are you going? Maybe we could travel to together for a bit?" she suggested.
Ryo cracked a smile. "Nice try, but I'm not as naïve as I was when we were in the academy. If I travel with you, for even a bit, I know you'll somehow lock me down." He got up from the table and patted Amara's shoulder as he went to leave. "It was good seeing you again," he then glanced towards Astra who was currently trying her hardest to rip off a piece of meat from a skewer "Good meeting you too kid. Good luck on your adventures." She nodded and made a noise that Ryo assumed meant 'you too'.
"We're leaving later today if you change your mind," Amara told him as he started walking towards the door.
"I'll try and catch you before you leave. Come and say goodbye," he told her. But he knew he wouldn't. He then left the guild hall.
As he walked back through the village towards his room he ran back into Leo. The giant, monster clade hunter was talking to some people outside a café. He caught sight of Ryo and excused himself from the conversation.
"So did the girl find you two alright?" he asked as he started walking along side Ryo. Ryo's expression creased. "She was walking around the village looking like a stray felyne. She must've recognised me from earlier and asked me for directions," Leo informed.
"Nice of you," said Ryo.
"So … did you join the quest?"
"No."
"Did you see if any other interesting quests got posted?" he asked.
"Never checked," Ryo admitted.
"… I guess that means you're leaving then. When?"
"Tomorrow morning," said Ryo, deciding there and then. There'd be no point in hanging around anyway.
Leo sighed disappointingly. "I won't see you then." He then turned to fully face Ryo and, concluding what this meant, Ryo done the same. "From your complete lack of sentiment of the past weeks. I can tell you're not a guy who likes a big goodbye, so I'll do this," he said before sticking out his arm. "I don't know if we'll meet again but I can only hope, and when that day comes we'll have a hunt. Until then Farewell," Leo said a smile cracking through his expression as he finished.
"Farewell," Ryo said and firmly grasped Leo's arm. As soon as they parted they went their separate ways.
Ryo made it back his room and was instantly greeted by an annoyed Nix. Ryo guessed he had been gone a lot longer than he thought he'd be. Best not tell him he also ate in the canteen, Nix would probably try and kill him if he knew he'd missed out on that meat platter. After his palico calmed down Ryo told him what had happened since he left. From the escort quest to seeing Amara again. Like he predicted, Nix expressed his annoyance about Ryo not accepting Amara's quest. Luckily his palico quickly let it go. They both knew It wasn't their quest.
"We're leaving first thing in the morning" he informed his palico. "So don't bother cooking tonight. Seeming that it's our last night here, we'll eat out, try one of those restaurants we keep passing by." Instantly Nix began excitedly dancing around the room, he'd been asking to eat out ever since arriving at Silva.
The two of them relaxed for the rest of the day and went to a restaurant as night began to rise.
Ryo never went down to the bottom of village to say goodbye to Amara, but he'd heard she was able to get a full hunting team of hunters and after stocking up on supplies, they had left a few hours before dusk. He found it strange that they didn't wait till the morning to leave but then again everything about that quest was strange. From their short conversation he knew there was a lot she was keeping from him, especially from the fact that she was so desperate for him to join. The Amara he knew would have rather impaled herself on her own longsword than ask him for help. There was definitely something strange going on, but they were gone now and worrying wouldn't help anyone, so he simply let it go.
After their meal they returned to their room and slept for the night. They once again woke up as the first rays of light entered his room and he could see a light navy sky through the roof's air vent.
After their morning routine, they made sure all their belongings were packed up and Nix made sure the room was in an immaculate condition. Ryo then equipped his armour and charge blade and they left. Under the protection of the early hours, they easily made their way through the village. This time of day, all the streets and pathways were pretty much empty, which Ryo was happy about, he didn't know if he could be bothered with all the attention his image brought.
They gave their room key back to the village's inn keeper, a large and buff felyne who thanked them with a gruff 'Nya' and then travelled to their last stop.
Ryo entered the stables, which were found near the outer edges of the village, and walked along until he found her.
In front of him was a magnificent stallion. She had a thick black coat with stormy blue eyes. Thick, wild fur covered her legs and formed a dishevelled mane and long tail. However the most noticeable thing about the horse was her sheer size, in the dark you might've thought a monster had got into the village. She stood at almost twice Ryo's height and was chiselled completely from muscle, barley fitting inside the stable. Her name was Cali and Ryo had found her abandoned many years ago when she was just a foal. Her mother and father had been slaughtered by the Glavenus he was hunting, and her siblings had fled in fear. After killing the Glavenus he found the abnormally large foal crying for its parents and decided to take her in. A decision he's never once regretted. She was an extremely rare species of horse called Equstrum for short or its full ecological name Monstrum equus. Her species is believed to be descended from the elder dragon Kirin and to just own one never mind ride one is considered an extreme luxury.
With careful precision, he led Cali out of the stables and equipped her saddle as well some armour that guarded important parts of her body without impeding her movement or comfort. He then took their large bag of supplies and belongings from Nix and strapped it onto Cali's saddle whose size made it seem like a normal sized bag.
Nix climbed onto Ryo's head and Ryo leapt up onto Cali's back. He then took control of the reins, and they left the village of Silva, travelling into fading shadows of the Great Forest Mori.
As the towering walls of trees engulfed them, Ryo realised Leo had been right, and they didn't end up seeing each other again. Ryo glanced back at the village remembering their last conversation. He guessed it wouldn't be an awful thing if they met again.
'Just not here in this village. That guy needs to get out and see the world,' Ryo thought letting out a small laugh.