Damon on the other hand still wasn't so sure, it wasn't because he saw through his story or anything, in fact the boy's story made all his suspicion go away, but it was one thing that bothered him. Which was something he relied on heavy. A simple gut feeling.
"Well, looks like you'll be tagging along with us uhhhh."
"Knox, my name is Knox."
With everything that happened, they finally settled and Damon threw some boar meat over the fire. Knox had many questions as well, mainly about how they managed to escape and what was the plan to find help.
Damon sat in silence mostly and didn't say much, he let Jasper and Raya tell the story while he continued to peel through his head as to why his intuition was screaming at him not to trust Knox.
He considered that he was just being over cautious and paranoid, but dismissed the thought every time he looked at Knox. It was bugging him, he felt it was something simple he was overlooking that would shed true light on the whole situation but it just wouldn't come to his mind.
"Sounds like you were a fly on a wall for a while in your story, besides learning the guy who tortured us name, did you hear anything about what all of this is for?" Jasper asked before turning the meat on the fire.
"Actually yes." Knox responded while trying to reposition himself for better comfort.
Damon, who wasn't participating in they're let's get to know each other conversation neck snapped towards Knox in anticipation to hear his response.
"Its not much, but at one point I heard the masked man speaking to someone over a comms device confirming the number of captives and they're ages. Apparently all captives are supposed to be unawakened and only from the ages eight to twelve. "
"But you're thirteen and so am i." Jasper interrupted with a confused frown.
"Im just telling you what I heard."
Jasper nodded and Knox continued.
"All of this is about a fighting future. That's what he said, He said all of the captives would become the world's future, a fighting future. "
They each glanced around in thought even more confused than before. Damon mumbled the words repeatedly trying to make sense of it.
"They didn't plan on killing us, but wants to use us for something that supposedly will give the future of our world a fighting chance."
"I don't know what all of that mean, but im not willing to be some experiment in the hands of whoever they are." Knox said while lazily flicking small wood pieces, trying to hit his mark, which was the fire.
"Well whatever it is they're trying to do, they can count us out." Jasper responded throwing his hands behind his head leaning back against a tree.
The boar meat was done and Raya spilt it among them. While eating Knox went over a few things in his head. He noticed Damon was still weary of him and that Jasper was the only one that seemed uncaring without suspicion.
He didn't really know what Raya was thinking, she was mostly quiet, but when she spoke. Her voice carried no suspicious vibrations as if she was skeptical of him.
"Damon must be in charge, they seem to respect him but why. He's clearly not the strongest, and considering Jasper words he's younger than me and must be an unawakened. Raya has to be as well, so that must have been Jasper's power i saw that night in the sky." He thought while taking a small bite.
"Maybe they respect Damon because he was the one that freed them. Then again he seems pretty smart and not so easily fooled. No matter, I can take them all out if needed, but that won't do me any good. The plan is to get them to the main road within the next four days before noon."
A small yellow and red caterpillar caught his attention. Its smooth elastic skin partially coated in yellow silk. The corner of his mouth curled a bit.
"Hmph, ill have them trusting me completely within a full day he thought. "
Knox asked to hold the canteen which was now empty, Damon was just about to refill it with the water flowing through the gully when Knox stopped him.
"I can help it hold the water better, im sure you noticed it leaks. Want me to show you?" He asked Damon with a smile.
Damon twisted his lips in thought while handing it over and watching with careful eyes. Knox grabbed the caterpillar which was just about to dissappear in a hole in the ground.
"This is a botch worm, its many species of them with different color patterns but they all provide the same essential ingredients for creating things such as bags and clothes. Its thread is very strong and creates a seal by releasing waste threading. "
Knox carefully grabbed it by its oval shaped head. It was no bigger than three inches and didn't put up any type of fight. He lightly pressed behind its back and head making it shoot out thin yellow coated sticky threads. He positioned its narrow mouth near the small spaces the thin vines couldn't cover tight enough on the canteen.
Holding it like he was harvesting venom from a snake, Knox perfectly covered all the small gaps. Afterwards he swung the canteen over the fire, briefly letting the heat touch the threads which melted into a thick paste like glue. He smeared it with a finger making sure even the smallest gap was covered.
The substance hardened incredibly fast like candlewax, but it wasn't stiff at all. It was actually flexible allowing him to scrunch up the canteen making it easier to store.
"Here ya go, that should hold water much better. You can also use the same method when creating a mouth piece for the canteen. If i could get my hands on some bamboo, I could do it within seconds." Knox said with a smile.
Jasper nodded his head in approval.
"Wow, better watch out Damon. Knox may be a better crafter than you. " Jasper said jokingly.
After giving Jasper a sharp look, Damon thanked Knox in a somewhat dry manner and walked along the gully looking for an area that was high enough to simply scoop up some water without him having to get in.
"Is he ok, he seems disturbed ?" Knox asked while returning to his meal.
"Oh yeah he's fine, I think he's just ready to get out of here." Responded Jasper.
"So, that was your ability i saw light up the sky a couple nights ago?"
Jasper brows frowned deeply and his face distorted in disgust, but before he could respond Raya spoke for him.
"Yes, such a colorful and beautiful ability for a man to have. I hope when I awaken my ability has similar beauty. The way his power lit up the night sky illuminating it with magnificent colors." She said with a smile putting her hand on Jasper shoulder clutching it a bit.
Jasper twisted his face in disdain, but remembered Raya and Damon was hiding they're abilities. Knox saw Raya's ability that night, but since Jasper was the only one in they're group that was of the awakened age, he naturally assumed it was Jasper's ability.
Releasing a small sigh, Jasper nodded confirming Knox's words.
Knox laughed seeing Jasper's expression.
"I take it you're not completely happy with your ability. I agree with her though, its beautiful. " he said with a smile.
Jasper snapped to his feet with twitching brows. " no, a real man's power isn't beautiful, its supposed to be destructive, dangerous, and, and."...Jasper paused a moment trying to think of another word, but failed.
"Cute." Raya cut in saying making Jasper give her a strong glare while biting his lips and mumbling to himself in brewing anger.
Knox held his stomach in laughter retrieving a glare from Jasper as well that made him cover his mouth and look away, his attention moved to a tree, he gazed up with balled lips as if the tree was suddenly interesting.
"Its not my.....fault." he said with a pause nearly shouting out it wasn't his ability. Jasper had pride in his ability even though he didn't know it well. In his eyes it was the type of power a man should have. Having Knox believe he had such a power that makes beautiful flares and burning lights with girly colors really got under his skin.
"Its ok, we have no say so in what kind of ability we develop. Its purely chance." Knox spoke with a smirk that nearly made Jasper launch at his throat. Jasper's red eyes became darker, casting a blood red glare because of the fire.
"Ok i apologize, its clear you hate your powers, let's change the subject. I hate to offend our leader." Knox said with clear observational eyes.
"Leader, im not...Jasper paused for a moment before continuing.
"Im not the leader, well am i." He thought looking up in thought.
Raya rolled her eyes clearly annoyed where the conversation was headed.
"No you're not, we all make decisions together, We decide as a group." She said firmly.
At that moment shuffling leaves and foot steps were heard as Damon returned. Still in thought, a smile crawled across Jasper's face.
"What did i miss, why is Jasper smiling like that." Damon asked.
"Its no telling what's going on in that muscle brain of his." Raya responded while shaking her head.
"I know the prize for whoever wins the killing bet. Whoever wins becomes the leader of our group." He said with folded arms and a smile as if he had just finished a difficult task and was standing back looking at his work proudly.
"Like I said, muscle for brains." She said giving Damon a look as if saying she told him so.
"What makes you think you can be a leader, its much more than a title, you literally have the power over other people lives with the choices you make. If anyone should be the leader of our group its Damon." Raya said with confidence making Damon nearly choke on air.
"Wait, wait, im not a leader either. We decide things as a group " he hurriedly spoke.
"Excuse me, I know im new, but can someone explain this bet you all are talking about. Knox asked looking lost.
After giving Knox the rundown the conversation continued.