It was a strange silence. Round-ribbon eyes around the table swayed- To Saul- To Carrie- To Jorgen- To Ruach- To Tracker- To Myer- Never quite settling on anything that wasn’t the table of the ceiling. Carrie swaddled her axe. Myer picked at his plate. Ruachstood. Tracker set his napkin on his plate. Jorgen rocked in his chair. All were in equal reluctance to proceed. Even as he sat at the head of the table, Saul found words escaping him. He rolled his papers about and shuffled them, as if trying to search for something to recite from. He never had seen himself take up the role of a quartermaster, it was all very new to him- 

Carrie stood, stumbling into words, “Uhmm… So I was told about an errand we were supposed to be running tonight… I’m very glad to be working with you all but… What are we doing?”

Tracker glanced at Saul in wait. 

Saul glanced back, “Oh, I thought Tracker had taken to explaining it-”

Jorgen, with volume and direction, pointed at Myer, “He didn’t want to because he was eating!”

Myer threw himself back, half aghast, “Don’t you try to blame me! Are you even supposed to be here playing with the adults?”

Jorgen climbed his chair and took Carrie’s stance, “I can do it, I’m now Eight!”

Tracker shot a look towards Saul, “Right… I was under the impression that I was not here to childrear.”

Saul stammered, “Yes, yes! I know you are particular about these sorts of things… Jorgen, would you explain why you are here?”

Jorgen continued to climb about his chair, “Oh! Mr. Kreese told me to help you!”

Saul began to message his temples, “Yes- yes he did. Though he specifically said that he thought some experience in the world would do you well, some time away from the ‘dojo’ I suppose…” With the conclusion of his statement, Jorgen jumped atop the table. To himself Saul thought, that puzzle pieces fell into place, the reasoning on his time away became clearer with each stomp across the table.

Sheepishly Carrie rose, trying to puff her chest out, becoming bolder than the parade on the table, waving to the table, “I- Uhh- Hello! I joined recently as well! Now, I will not lie, I am… New to this sort of work, however, I will refuse to be a burden and will do all that I can to support The Sun League! Uhh… Myer, Tracker, Ruach, why do you all join?

With united cadence and energy Tracker and Myer spoke plainly, “Money.”

“Oh… I suppose that makes sense… Frankly I forgot that we were getting paid… What about you, Ruach?”

Ruach stood without response.

Saul intervened on his behalf, “We’ve got a rather… Interesting, situation with him. Our, uhh, friend had been found by a traveling mage and her apprentice. She dropped him off this morning, spoke of his memory being blinded, ‘amnesia’ she called it I believe- Though she left before we could ask anything else. Her apprentice mentioned something about traveling East so we will be sending a courier to find the both of them, though in the meantime please just keep an eye on him… Ruach, would you like to say anything?”

With a sheepish paw and a light he waved and spoke, “Hello…”

Each person sat or stood at the table carried the same thought, “What odd people…”

Each thought diverged. Saul had noticed the splinters of the chair, he was determined to rescue this room, to have these people out by night. Jorgen wanted to know if he could pick up and throw Ruach or Tracker. Myer was nothing but grateful for the food, for such a remote place it was quick to sate his hunger, though he wished that the specter of work did not linger over this meal. Tracker let himself simmer in memories; old peoples and nations and lands he had witnessed, their forms and dispositions, names and histories and cultures. He thought himself well traveled enough to have seen the races of the world, yet he struggled to identify the one responsible for Ruach. 

Carie asked, “So… Sir Saul! Were we going to find some Vampires to fight- Or rescue people they’re attacking! What did you want us doin’?”

Saul bent down, picking up a length of split wood, “Oh no, nothing of that intensity yet. I am sure you will all be pleased to hear that I’ve got something nice and easy for you all. We’ve been running low on fresh supplies, all I need is for you all to take a couple of days to set up some snares, maybe see if you can drag in something larger, just anything to lighten the load.”

‘Low on fresh supplies?’ Myer thought. This meal seemed rather fresh, to his taste, was unsalted meat after all… He wasn’t one to hunt as well, though he’d been taken on the odd expedition- Riding through the forest, firing arrows at fleeting beasts- Never set up snares, others did but never him, didn’t seem like it needed a group of five… 

“Isn’t this a bit excessive for a hunt?” Myer tapped in.

Tracker nodded, “Quite.”

Saul exclaimed, “A little. Though, I’m not too worried about that. Each of you are rather… Fresh. I wanted Tracker to take the lead, showing you a thing or two, getting a feel for how you operate either alone or together.”

Myer laid back in his chair, “Ahh… I suppose that makes sense.”

Slowly Sir Saul lifted himself from his seat, stepping towards the wall sat behind him. Across it was a patchwork of maps; yellow and white pages, crossed with dotted lines and letters of red and black and blue, all of it nearly empty save for vague names. He continued, “I understand that some of you are firebrands… But just stick with me here please, bigger missions will come if you can prove yourself. Until then I wish you the best of luck!”.