A sudden change of plans

The forest was quiet. It was a peaceful, temperate silence which betrayed nothing of the monsters that had claimed this place as their own. Nor did it speak to the **** that Liv planned to enact on them.

She waited patiently at her post, perched up in the tree with her rifle resting across her thighs with a fragile sense of casualness. In the span of a moment, she could easily bring it to bear and fire off a shot, but as she sat there, ears trained on the ambiance of the forest, Liv looked as though it was simply a rather violent accessory.

Suddenly hear ears perked up as a noise rang out somewhere off in the distance. It was distant and subtle, but after a moment's focus, Liv realized that it was a voice. A strangled scream, somewhere halfway between pain and pleasure...

Liv sighed. She recognized that voice.

"Stick to the mission," she muttered under her breath. "I.. I hoped you guys were better than just some random mercs, but... should never count on getting lucky like that, I guess."

A soft foot pressed into the grass below and Liv whipper her rifle up to attention, only to see Becky slinking furtively out of the underbrush and toward her post. The blonde spotted her immediately, and as their gaze met, Liv saw the trepidation and pain that was running through her mind.

"Liv! We have to go save Fuu!" Becky spoke in something of a suppressed half yell, half whisper. "She--I think she messed up!"

"Don't you trust her?" Liv asked. She settled the rifle across her lap once more, though her body language didn't relax even in the slightest. The Gnolls would be coming, and she would be ready. "She's fine. You're freaking out over nothing."

"No. Liv. I heard her!" Becky had crossed the clearing by now and was looking up into the tree from below. "Her... her voice screaming! And... and moaning, and..."

"Look, I didn't sign on to throw myself away over someone else's dumb mistake," Liv hissed. "Fuu gave us jobs to do, and so guess what? I'm gonna do my job."