Chapter 41: Botanica
Foolish. You have no idea what his scouting range is.
“Probably pretty far. But what does it matter? He can’t hurt me.”
If you can run back to your farm first. If nothing wrong happens. The Infinite is a complex place, Tulland. And if he’s shown every card in his hand. Everyone holds a little information back. He has capabilities you have yet to learn.
“I bet. But this is a good enough wager for me.” Tulland leaned a bit further from the thin upper trunk of the tree he was hiding in. From here, he could get a better look at the rogue’s camp. “And it’s worth making bets like this from time to time.”
At least one thing he said was true, though. He is looking for something.
The rogue had so far shown a habit of taking walks that lasted no more than a few hours, coming home and dumping what few animal materials he seemed to harvest in a pit of sorts before covering it with a rock, perhaps eating, and then moving out again.
Following him was not an option, or at least not a safe one. Tulland eventually confirmed that the rogue couldn’t see him from a distance, so long as he was holding still. He was reluctant to test the limits of that, and mostly let the man go on his walks unmonitored.
When Tulland did learn more about what he was up to, it was on accident. Tulland was sticking tight to trees on his way to the man’s camp when the System had suddenly cut into his thoughts.
Be still, Tulland. As still as the grave. It’s a wonder he hasn’t seen you yet.