The Lost Ones

Chapter 16

Over the next couple of days, they took it easy as they recovered and goofed off as they traveled.

Despite the hundreds of blocks that they traveled the beacon didn't seem to get any closer. Days and nights past, all being uneventful. A few days later the sun was setting and the two decided to settle down for the night.

It was Stampy's turn to be lookout while Jason got some sleep. His night vision helped a lot as he looked around, silently.

There was a quiet rustling noise in the bushes despite the fact that there was no breeze that night.

Stampy's ears twitched and he lowered himself into a stance, ready to pounce and attack if needed.

A hooded figure could be spotted in the distance, appearing to be looking around.

Stampy narrowed his eyes, watching them carefully, silently moving forward.

The figure noticed the light coming from their torches and began to slowly advance.

Stampy waited until they were closer and he leapt, tackling them to the ground, pinned on top of them.

The figure yelped, attempting to push Stampy off. Fear in their eyes.

Stampy stayed onto, clinging to their shirt. "Who are you?!" He hissed but kept his voice low as not to wake Jason.

The figure's hood fell off of his head, revealing a blue fish-like face underneath with a white chin and orange cheeks. Stampy would know that face from anywhere.

Stampy growled. "You!" He hissed. "What do you want from us?! Were you not satisfied with the trouble you caused the first time?!"

"W-what?" He was confused, "W-who are you?" He's voice shook. "Are you gonna... kill me?!"

"I should for all the trouble you and your friends put us through!" Stampy hissed. "and what do you mean, who am I? We just ran into you lot a couple days ago!" Stampy seemed to notice something and tensed. "Where's the rest of your friends?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"W-what friends? You're the first person I've seen in months! Years even!" He yelled.

Stampy stopped and leaned back and stared at him for a moment before hesitantly calling out. "Jase?"

Jason stirred from his sleep and rubbed his eyes . "Stamps...? What's going on?" He stood up.

The figure froze when he heard his voice.

Stampy narrowed his eyes at him again. "Be careful when you come over here... And brace yourself." Was all Stampy told him.

Jason slowly walked over, and when seeing the figure he gasped, taking a step back. He covered his mouth.

"N-no..."

"Jason..?" The figure gasped.

Stampy looked between the two, still not trusting the one he was still sitting on. "Jase, what do you think?"

"Look at his eyes." Jason said. "They should be plain black." He squinted down at the figure, he looked... different.

Stampy looked at Jason. "Bring a torch over. I can't tell in this light."

Jason brought over the torch, holding it in front of the figure's face. Dark grey eyes stared back in fear. He didn't look like the shadows from before.

Stampy frowned in confusion and looked at Jason. "He doesn't look like the ones from before." Stampy informed him.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked. "Is this another one of his tricks?"

The figure squirmed in an attempt to get free.

"I mean, the others bled black so we could test it that way." Hs suggested, fighting his grip on the shirt.

"Fine." Jason said coldly.

"P-please don't!" The figure cried, fear in his eyes.

Stampy glanced at him slightly and remembered what Jason had said when they had seen the shadow versions of his friends and decided something. He grabbed the figures wrist, pinning it to the ground and made a small scratch on it with a claw, nothing deep just enough to draw blood.

"Gah..!" The figure yelled and flinched, pulling his arm away. Red blood dripping onto his jacket.

Stampy held the claw to the torch light to see the results and stared at it before looking up at Jason, eyes disbelieving but concerned. His tail swished slightly in anxiety.

"He's... real?" Jason's eyes widened. "I mean... this can't be just an illusion again! Why would he do that?"

Stampy gave a small shrug but did move to let the other up now, just standing defensively.

The figure stood up in a daze, looking at the others. "What's your problem dude! I thought you were gonna kill me!"

Stampy shifted. "Sorry. We couldn't be too sure... We saw some... creatures, earlier and one looked like you. Almost identically." He explained.

"Really?" The figure paused and looked at Jason. "I saw you earlier too..." he quickly looked away.

"So you're trapped here like us..."

Stampy nodded slightly, glancing at Jason, unsure how he felt about all of this. "Yeah. You're the only other real person we've seen so far... well, besides each other of course."

"I didn't even know there were other people here. I've been alone for so long." He looked at the ground.

"You've got us now." Jason smiled.

Stampy nodded. "I'm Stampy. I'm sorry about scaring you... and scratching you..."

"You're Stampy? Nice to meet you then." The figure smiled.

"Come on Husky." Jason grabbed onto his arm and began to walk back to where they had set up camp. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"Please, just call me Quentin..."

Stampy trailed after them. "Nice to meet you, Quentin."