As she followed her squad leader through the forest, Kiena couldn't help but question Commander Garskull's decision to send Arthur's group on such an important mission. For starters, they hadn't been working together for very long (or at all, really), which would make communication and tactics challenging for a while. Hell, they barely even knew each other! How could the Commander expect them to be of any use on this job? She wasn't trying to undermine Arthur's leadership skills or anything - for all she knew, he could be the most effective squad captain in the whole bloody forest - but it still didn't make much sense.

[i]I suppose the Commander's son gets special privileges,[/i] Kiena thought, eyeing her squad leader's back as he walked in front of her.

As they moved deeper into the forest, her idle thoughts transformed into an acute focus on her surroundings. [i]They're out there somewhere, maybe watching us already.[/i] Her sea green eyes darted at the snap of any twig or the flutter of any bird's wings, and she kept one hand poised by the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. She was so hyper-aware of everything else that she almost collided with Arthur when he stopped walking to survey the area. She watched as the squad leader identified a set of Orc tracks and asked the group if they would like to hunt them down. It was a good idea. If he was right, they outnumbered the Orcs and, as an added bonus, it would be good practice for them to start learning to work together as a team.

"Sounds like a plan," Kiena replied, smirking. "The huntee becomes the hunter. I like it."