Cryptotrappers!

Cryptotrappers- The Forest of the Ice-Hearted

Friday 27. Through a combination of a rest day and excessive Phoenix tear usage, Eva and I were feeling better than we were. Our injuries were a lot less severe and we'd recovered most of our lost blood. The Yamachichi hadn't caused any issues in containment and we'd managed to sort it out somewhere more appropriate than a stark cage. I was sort of expecting yet another rest day today, but Eva clearly had a mission in mind. So, lining up next to the rest of the team, I awaited to hear what it was.

Eva's injuries were no longer present, however her hair was still limp around her head instead of her usual top bun.
"So," she began, "It's been a lot for all of us recently. Everyone here has either been half dead or very close to recently, so I can only apologise for making you all go out again so soon, but this is an important mission that we've been designated for, and an important capturing opportunity."
Eva span her computer monitor around to us, showing us a picture of two sporty looking women, fairly young looking, in a campsite somewhere.
"On the left of the picture is Samantha, on the right is Gabriella. Both girls are lifelong friends who live in the USA, and both love to camp. In fact, they were doing such three days ago with a mutual friend, Jenny. Yesterday, Jenny was found on the side of the road, in ripped clothes, crying. Apparently her friends and her were attacked by something with a head like a deer skull, and she was the only one to get away."

Clearly I was the only one to not get the memo on the situation. Sid's eyes opened in inquisitiveness. Lucy broke our into somewhat of a smirk. Randy, meanwhile turned visibly pale in response to the news.
"So we're going on a rescue mission then?" Sid asked. Eva nodded, a little gravely.
"Preferably so, however depending on the situation, we might just be going to fetch their corpses. And I'll be shutting the shop and coming along too. Don't worry everything's automated in the facility for the weekend, so no need to worry! Time is of the essence, so get packed while I set up a circuit!"

Packing up was fun. Most people seemed at least a little excited for the mission. All except for Randy, who was still noticeably pale.
"So, Randy." I asked casually. "What are we actually going after today then?"
Randy turned to me in clear disbelief that I didn't know.
"Oh you know, one of the cryptids often sighted as one of the most dangerous? You know, the Wendigo?"
The name was familiar, I'd run into the idea of a Wendigo before but I didn't know too much.
"What actually is a Wendigo?" I asked inquisitively, an enthusiastic voice over my shoulder answering quickly.
"It's a Native American cryptid that's said to be a possessive spirit brought on by cannibalism." Lucy explained, as I nodded. "They're transformed humans who have an insatiable hunger for flesh. They also may have a fear of fire, according to some sources."
"And you're excited?" Randy whisper shouted, even more pale.
"Excited? I'm pumped! Wendigos are like cryptozoology MVPs! We're basically officially big league cryptozoologists!" Sid responded, air punching as he finished his packing. By the time we were finished, Eva was ready and waiting for us, so I grabbed onto Seth's cage as we all huddled around her and awaited to see where we'd end up.

Through either precise coordination or sheer dumb luck, Eva has gotten us directly to the campsite we were supposed to be investigating. There were tents there already, of course, but it wouldn't exactly feel right sleeping in the tents of the Wendigo's victims so we set up tents of our own a few feet away.  After unpacking and me letting Seth out to get some fresh air, we holstered our usual tranquillisers to us as Eva suggested a jolly ramble through the woods. Everyone bar Randy was up for it so by process of democracy, we all began our walk.

"So what do you think happened to the girls?" I asked, trying to make some level of conversation as we marched.
"They're either being held captive or they've been torn apart by... what we're chasing. The, uh, Wendigo." Eva responded, to which Sid seemed to nod thoughtfully. This news didn't help my disposition to the mission, and I was starting to get closer in my reactions to Randy.
"Hey, can we stop saying that word. You know, Wendigo? It makes me feel uncomfortable." Randy quietly added, his voice just slightly shaking.
"There's a good reason for that." Lucy responded, cheerfully enough. "In some beliefs the word is actually cursed, and saying it is supposed to attract it to your location. Which is our intention, anyhow."
Randy's face visibly shifted from light peach to the colour of drywall. Everything I heard made me actively want to run into one of these things less, but the rescue outweighed the risk in this case. Everything was going smoothly until Seth flew off from my side deeper into the grove of trees. I knew what this meant by this point so pulling the rest of the team with me, I began to chase.