Venus Sleeps

Despite some very tempting thoughts, Venus felt it wasn't her place to intrude. After all, if Meera and Hilde wanted her to join them, they would have offered. Instead, she closed her eyes and did her best to tune out the sound of their soft moans, even throwing her covers over herself. Sleep did not come swiftly or easily, but it eventually came all the same. Even still, her mind assaulted her dreams with visions of her companions and herself in the throes of ecstasy, most likely as punishment for not fulfilling her more base desires.

The huntress wasn't sure how much rest she got, probably only a few hours worth, before Meera woke her to take the last watch. Venus nodded and crawled out of her bedroll, eating a dry ration and sipping at her waterskin as she kept an eye out. The sky had a faint purplish hue to it already, and only a few hours passed before the sun began to peek out. The shadow hunter hadn't heard anything other than the chirping of birds and the soft trod of a squirrel, rabbit, or other small animal. She decided that there wasn't much point in sitting around waiting for the others to wake up, so Venus got up and scouted ahead.

On her own, she was able to travel much faster, slinking along the path in the faint beginnings of dawn light. She quickly closed the distance to the village of Moyer, the sun rising high enough to shine some of its glory onto the town. From what she could see, it was rather quiet and still. Too quiet for her taste, in fact. Venus was beginning to think that they had not been quick enough and that the bugbear had simply slaughtered everyone when she heard a voice cry out from nearby. A female voice, though not that of Meera or Hilde. A survivor, perhaps?

Venus grit her teeth, trying to decide what she should do next. If the bugbear had destroyed the village, it wasn't going to be a pushover, and she'd need the help of her companions to deal with it. However, whoever had cried out was possibly in danger. Her duty as a shadow hunter was to slay evil creatures and protect the innocent. Could she just abandon this unknown woman to **** while she ran back to camp?