Calm and Calamity

Chapter 4

Day: 212 (Food Drop-Off)

Days Left: 5268

Lives Saved: 1

The next food drop-off went successfully. With their overwhelming numbers, Corinna and the others got first pickings once again and were able to retrieve enough food packets for all of their allies. The imps, surprisingly, behaved themselves and did not incite any fights as Corinna had threatened that she would not hold any other their hands if they did.

Despite it going so smoothly, Corinna was still anxious, seeing the looks of discontent from the other prisoners, especially from the fire demon. Corinna had half-expected the demon and its followers to attack, but they strangely remained where they stood until it was their turn.

Ivette was, of course, still wary of them when they arrived at her shop but Calixte's etiquette lessons seemed to be slowly sinking in, so they were less of a nuisance and danger to her trading post.

After all of the food packets had been divided, Corinna offered to take Salim's share over to him. Harmony tagged along whilst Calixte remained at the trading post as he was already too invested in his conversation with Rin about murder mystery novels.

Corinna and Harmony walked through the marshland surrounding Ivette's tradepost until they saw a small campsite where pitched was a multicoloured tent that stood out like a rainbow amongst a canvas of grey and brown.

Outside of the tent, sitting upon one of the rocks that scattered around the place, was Salim. Today he wore a clementine orange sweatshirt with a deer on it along with pyjama bottoms and a headwrap in matching colour. Lying down beside him was Reginald the rottweiler, otherwise known as 'Reggie'.

Upon their arrival, Reggie greeted his guests by charging at Harmony and leaping in an attempt to get her to catch and carry him.

It worked. Harmony caught the large rottweiler and almost toppled from the sudden force. She laughed as the dog's tongue licked her face enthusiastically. "Good to see you too, Reg."

"Good afternoon," said Salim, giving a respectful nod to the two young women.

"Afternoon." Corinna smiled. "We brought you your food." She set the bag of food packets down. "There's some dog food in here too for Reggie."

"Ah, splendid!" Salim inspected the bag. "Thank you for bringing it, Corinna."

"No problem," said Corinna.

"Will you be heading back to the trading post?"

"Ah yes, we need to pick up Calixte."

"Could you please tell Ivette that I shall have her order ready."

"Her order?"

Salim motioned to a nearby wooden chair.

"Did you make it yourself?" asked Corinna, excited at the prospect of meeting a fellow carpentry enthusiast.

"Oh no." Salim shook his head and chuckled. "I believe Sumit found it at the Land of the Lost. No, I am merely renovating it. If you look at the legs..."

Corinna did so and saw that two of the chair's legs had been cleaned and smoothened and a floral pattern had been chiselled into it.

Whilst Corinna and Salim continued to share their own carpentry skills and experience with each other, Harmony sat on the ground and rubbed Reggie's belly, the rottweiler drooling from the attention.

"That dog really likes you, huh?" Corinna sat down beside Harmony.

"I don't really remember, but I feel like I usually dislike interacting with other humans," said Harmony as she scratched the rottweiler's ears. "Guess I prefer animals." She glanced over at Corinna then bit her lip, hiding a smile. "But I suppose you're an exception."