The Beasts of Ire: The Watcher

Hunting For a Way Out

Mina came to a halt.. listening carefully, pulling out her roughly drawn map and pressing it against the wall next to the sliding door.

So far so good.. she hadn't heard in clacking claws or growls, or saw any telltale signs of the Watcher playing ambush tactics.

Sometimes the Watcher liked to stay absolutely still and shut it's glowing red eyes so you'd go right next to it.. and then.. ambush.

However, it wasn't a reliable tactic, as closing it's eyes meant it couldn't see it's prey passing by, it had rely on hearing. While it's hearing was immensely good, as well as it's sight and smell.. Mina knew that by rubbing herself in enough dirt.. she smelled just like the rocks in this place.

It was also important to bind wounds as soon as possible, since blood was a sharper more familiar scent to the old monster.  One time when Mina was around 7, she cut herself on a sharp rock, and before she knew it, the Watcher was barreling into the room, roaring triumphantly. 

Which reminded her.. she had a very cleanly girl travelling with her.

"Yo!" said Mina. "Be sure to rub yourself in dirt as much as possible.. this thing's got good smell.."

"R-rub in dirt!?" stammered Sarah looking aghast. "B-but.."

"You wanna live or end up as dinner?" said Mina.

Sarah moved a quivering hand over to some mud in the corner of some cave stone that had grown over the metal of the room and began rubbing herself in dirt. The pained expression on her face annoyed Mina.. what a wimpy spoiled... well.. it ALMOST annoyed Mina.. frankly she kind of pitied Sarah. 

She didn't ask for this, she had suddenly been thrown into a world where a monster was suddenly hunting her so it could squeeze her eyes into jelly.. being thrown into a hellish nightmare like that.. perhaps Mina could be a little more thoughtful..

Then again, Mina was also a little grumpy that the first other human she ever met was a snobby princess with an ego.

"So.." said Mina pointing at the map she was pressing against the wall. "We have around a quarter of a mile to go before we reach the main door to the Lost City. The first thing we're going to want to do once we get there.. we need to assess which are the nearest buildings to us at all times.. that way we can escape into a place with plenty to hide in if the Watcher comes searching.. Running to one of those buildings is our best shot if we run into it there.."

"Ok.." said Sarah. "But.. what do we do for sleep? I mean.. I'll be honest.. it feels like we've been moving for hours.."

Mina looked Sarah up and down. She was slender, very pretty, but not really fit.. in comparison, Mina was also quite slender but whenever she stretched or moved her legs, it could already be seen that she was quite toned... in comparison with the fit Mina, Sarah probably was absolutely exhausted.

Mina sighed. This would be totally worth it once she found a way out of this place to the outside world.. that was the ONLY reason she was helping.. she just had to remember that goal.. that solid light at the end of the tunnel. 

"Okay.. sleep for 2 hours.. then we go." said Mina. 

"What!? Only 2? How do you not have bags under your eyes!?" stammered Sarah.

"Cause I take brief sleep breaks followed by brief running and then brief sleep breaks." said Mina. "I take it in intervals.. but.. we're not going to be able to do that once we're in the Lost City.  The edge of it is the farthest I've been, and besides the Watcher that place is filled with some old defenses.. "