D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 1508: Chapter 1508 Guardian of the Morning

--- Lily ---

Kamiko did actually find some tracks once she got sweeping… but it took quite a while and it was decided as a group that they'd turn in for the night and look into things in the morning. Kat took the first, and largest shift, staying awake for a further six hours watching… and then it was Lily that took over afterwards. "Are you sure about this?" asked Kat.

"Yes. I'm the only one in the group that can sleep during the day, and you already know I trust you enough to sleep while I'm being carried around. I might sleep a lot of the time but I also dream a lot during that and get plenty of ideas so I can't say it's time wasted. At the end of the day, I am not just a cat and I can deal with having to stay awake for a while. Besides, it's only two hours Kat.

Everyone else needs the sleep more," said Lily firmly.

Kat gave Lily a long kiss in response. Lily melted into her embrace and Kat simply enjoyed the warmth of having Lily pressed against her, basking more in the feelings Lily projected along their link than any physical sensation. All the way up until Lily was getting a touch lightheaded from the lack of oxygen.

Kat carefully put her girlfriend back down on the ground, because apparently Kat had picked her up at some point. Lily was a bit unsteady as her brain rebooted but Kat kept a steady hand on Lily's shoulder to ensure that she didn't just topple over. "I trust you Lily, and while I don't know that I really NEED the sleep I do appreciate that you were willing to do this,"

"Really Kat, it's the least I can do," said Lily with a big smile, showing off her sharpened teeth. Kat gave Lily one more quick kiss and then headed into the tent they were meant to share. Lily had just slept on Kat's lap for those six hours, but sadly, Kat couldn't do the same. Especially not safely.

Once Kat vanished into the tent, Lily let out a long sigh but didn't think anything too hard just yet. Kat hadn't quite gone to sleep. Instead, Lily hopped up onto one of the branches and then spread her awareness out into the darkness nearby. It didn't work spectacularly, but it was a full moon out and that was apparently enough for a lot of the darkness around to count as shadows.

*I wonder if it's more of a framing issue on my end, or if I'm just not practice enough to use any darkness as a shadow. Because really, a shadow is just the absence of light created when an object blocks said light… but in magic it really is quite different. Urgh. I wish I had a teacher for this stuff sometimes but whatever.*

With the shadows not really covering everything the way she wanted, and honestly being a touch overwhelming anyway, Lily switched tactics. Instead of using the shadows, Lily closed her eyes and focused on her ears. This was much better, especially because of how far away essentially all of the sounds were.

Sure there was a bit of movement from the wind winding through the trees, but monsters were clearly keeping their distance. Lily wasn't certain just how far her hearing stretched but she could tell nothing threatening was anywhere close to nearby. There wasn't even any bugs around from what she could tell.

The drake really did scour away everything that lived in the area… though it was shockingly limited in some ways.

*Like why reach out just this far? Is it really a matter or just chasing a bunch of animals and giving up when they got too far away? I could maybe believe it… if it wasn't for the fact that everywhere the drake has walked destroyed the ground as well.*

Lily let out a long sigh and focused back on her task. It only took a bit of inattention to be snuck on after all. With that in mind, time stretched on for Lily… and she found that while concentrating wasn't too bad it was the pull of sleep that was getting to her. Lying down, eyes closed, listening to the sounds of nature? Yeah that was the call of sleep right there. Enjoy new stories from ???

To counteract this Lily got up, shook herself off, and started to patrol the area. Her soft footfalls didn't contribute much sound to the area and the light of the moon and stars was enough for her to see the area they'd chosen to camp in pretty well so she wasn't bumping into the tents or the trees.

As Lily slowly wound her way around the camp she felt her spirits lifting. Even if things were quiet, even if this was a bit boring… it felt REAL in a way not all that many things had before. Lily could safely say that even just for a night, she was contributing to the group. Kat, despite her words otherwise, needed some sleep to stay in top form.

She'd been meditating and keeping watch that way for quite some time after all.

Even if Lily would admit the proper sleep they got back in town was nice, it'd been some days since that break and Kat had been through quite a lot in that time. Especially in the day just gone. So for Lily to be able to step up to the plate? For her to be given a real chance to guard everyone? That was something great. It was something real.

It was something that made her feel useful and Lily was loving it, no matter how boring.

Sure when she was just sitting in place the call of sleep was strong and she hadn't been considering it from this new angle… but now that she was up and moving? She felt great. So great in fact she had to let out a bit of this newfound energy. Lily found herself not just slowly walking around camp, but stalking around it.

Slicking from hiding place to hiding place, sometimes pouncing on a particularly uppity piece of grass when she felt like it.

Lily tried not to let her mind wander too much while she was doing this. Sure she was awake and active but when she stopped focusing on her ears and instead on how best to move through the environment her hearing did take a hit. It wasn't a major concern, she still heard not monsters close by, but it wouldn't do to be caught flatfooted.

Lily knew she'd never forgive herself if anyone got hurt because she took over the job of guarding the camp and failed.

*Though… it is interesting that I don't hear the drake at all. I mean, if it's some massive beast like the tracks we found seemed to suggest where is it? Something so big can't just vanish… except it CAN. There are plenty of ways for things with magic to vanish. So I guess I have to wonder what happened in this case.

The mist seems like the primary culprit. That it did something to trap and hold the drake… but what does that mean for us? Can we get in? Can it get out? How do we even check such a thing? I mean… what if after eating a bunch of space infused mist it can now somehow teleport all around the place.

I would hate to find out that the drake can teleport and it's now on the other side of the world… but the demons who sent us here wouldn't have sent us if that was likely… right? And hang on. We've got someone watching us for medical issues, perhaps constantly. So like… if it COULD teleport really far away would they have pulled us out already because the mission is now impossible?*

Lily let out another long sigh in an attempt to calm herself down. She was letting herself got worked up. She had to trust that the mission was possible. If that meant they needed to track down a teleporting monster then so be it. There was probably some way to follow along if that was the case. Maybe Hunter knew how to follow old spatial tunnels or something?

Lily didn't know how that sort of thing worked.

So instead she turned her mind back to happier things. Back to knowing that she was helping. She was… the watcher in the night! She would ensure that everyone could get there proper rest. *If anything attacks… well they better watch out! I'll be ready to take them all head on!

Though… would Hunter be mad she missed out on a fight? I know Kat would be annoyed with me if I had a fight with something and didn't tell her… ok maybe this plan is a bad idea. Well, it's not like there's anything nearby for the moment so it's going to be fine. I can keep watch until everyone else wakes and smile knowing a did a good job.*