The Red Room

Tara's POV
Not long after Dusty had come back in the room claiming that Killer was still being stubborn about the whole deal we were all standing around the door area with bags of supplies ready to go. "You swear you packed snacks?" I asked Buster for the third time.

"Yes!" He laughed. "I swear on my life." He gave me a look like I needed to trust him.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. Everyone ready?"

They all nodded and I pushed through the door. The cool breeze of the soft smelling morning air hit me immediately and I breathed it in. There were birds chirping and the few trees we had around danced in the wind. I just love outside. What a wonderful thing for someone to invent.

We started on the path that led towards the woods. That's where they came from so that was likely where they went back to.

The further through the woods we tracked the more beautiful it got. Brown autumn leaves crunched under my shoes and my heart filled with the feeling of fall. I filled my joy with the prospect of warm sweaters and decorative pumpkins.

I shook my head and decided I needed to focus. If I were aimlessly walking through the woods I would follow the path that is sort of already marked out. What Iz wouldn't have known was that the path was made by Dusty when he hunts. He uses the same path every time because "it's close enough to water so animals will be near, but far enough away so they don't scare off."

"This is the way you take, right, Dusty?" I asked him.

"Huh?" He blinked as if trying to get himself to focus. Marlee showed a small smile beside him.

"Are you okay? You seem distracted." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Uh...yeah. I'm fine, just a little tired." He half smiled.

"Dude." Buster shook his head and snickered.

Dusty tried and failed to discretely warn him to stop. Buster just shook his head and laughed some more causing Dusty to shove him playfully and eventually smile bashfully.

I rolled my eyes. I will never understand boys. I wondered if other girls who grew up around them understood the male half of humanity better than I did.

"I asked if this was the right path." I repeated.

"Oh. Yeah." Dusty nodded.

"Are you certain?" Marlee pondered. "There are not any creatures around here apart from us."

"That's because we're making too much noise and scaring them off." He eyed Buster.

Peep dropped his head to one side. "We are not really being that loud. These are some sensitive animals."

"Yep. They're used to no one ever going in these woods, so when I hunt I have to be completely silent. The leaves during the fall are never very helpful." Dusty scowled at the ground. "Or maybe it's just because you're so big and intimidating." He ruffled Peep's hair and smile down at him fondly.

"I'm personally intimidated by him." Buster raised one of his hands.

We all nodded in agreement. "Good!" Peep puffed out his chest and balled his fists. "You should be. I could take out all of you at once before you even knew what hit you." He crossed his arms and held his chin high.

"I am certain that is accurate, but there is no need to be a braggart." Marlee smiled humorously down at him.

"I am not!" Peep's eyes grew big and he cocked his head towards her. "Stating pure facts doesn't count. I'm restating what was already said!" He smiled, satisfied with his comeback.