Chapter 287: Elin Missing
Elmo wasn't sure what to expect when they'd arrived back at the camp. The hunting trip had gone well, though when Owen had missed his first shot, he'd been asked to take the deer down, only... his magic had been a little too effective.
Not only had he gotten the one Owen had been targeting, but also four others. While that just meant they'd have more, Elmo felt like his control wasn't as precise as he'd really need with using his magic for hunting. As not only did he get more than he'd planned on, but also the deer weren't exactly in prime condition anymore. Not only had he pretty much burned holes in the hides, but some of the meat had also been charred and burned away.
Still, what was edible was more than they'd have gotten with one and it wasn't like they'd had any real use for the hides to begin with. Owen just liked the idea that they could harvest the hides and potentially make some money by selling them when they got near a town.
So, when they arrived back in camp during the early afternoon, Elmo had thought it would be a rather uneventful day. Owen had brought in one of the deer, Elmo had been forced to drag the lightest one back, while Elwin had easily carried two.
What he hadn't anticipated was that about an hour after they'd returned, while they were busy taking care of butchering the deer, Kim woke up from a nap and shortly after seemed to be rather frantic that she couldn't find Elin. Though, Elmo didn't know what to say, since he hadn't been present when she'd apparently left, nor did he have any means to figure out where she'd gone.
They'd found Elin's pack easily enough, which meant that she at least had planned on returning, though it was hard to say when that might be. Elwin helped by apparently finding the tracks she'd left behind when she'd gone for a walk almost right away. Though, Elwin did say that she'd left over an hour before.
Still, Kim seemed determined to track down Elin. Somehow convinced that Elin had gotten in trouble or something. Elmo wasn't sure what her reasoning was, but couldn't say it was rational or anything.
However, he was determined not to get involved in whatever was going on. He was confident that Elin was fine and that she'd be able to either handle herself well enough or that she'd be able to do something to let the rest of them know she was in trouble, even though he couldn't say for sure what that 'something' might be.
So, he volunteered to stay in the camp in the event Elin returned. He didn't see the point in everyone barreling after her, like Kim seemed determined to do. If anything, he suspected that it wasn't going to turn out well, regardless of if Elin was in trouble or not.
Bart and Patricia volunteered to stay behind as well. Though, Elmo suspected that Patricia was like him and didn't see any problems with Elin having been gone just a short period of time. Bart, however, wanted to go, but since he was so young, Elwin insisted that he stay back, in case they needed to move fast against whatever threat might have Elin.
Which Elmo suspected Elwin was making up for dramatic effect. Not that he really cared, just that it seemed a little over the top to him.