With a groan I rolled over on my back, my muscles stiff from the cold ground, and opened my eyes. My movement scattered some nearby scavengers feasting on the corpse of the panther.

  It was hard to tell how long I had been out, but judging from how my body felt and the fact that it was noticeably darker, it must have been some hours at least. The air was chill and heavy with the scent of blood, although that might be coming from me just as much as from the dead panther, I was covered in dried blood from Stalker, the panther and myself.

  I could feel the warmth from Stalker next to me, and I quietly rolled over to watch him. He looked peaceful in his sleep, the wounds pretty much healed, some mild scarring where the panther had gotten its claws in.

  “What the hell happened?” I thought to myself. When I had passed out I could feel my life being drained and it looked like it was going into Stalker…

  Now I would gladly give up some hitpoints to save a dying friend. In a heartbeat!

  But was this part of Stalker following his path? What path contained health draining? In games that sort of power was often used by necromancers… No, that didn’t seem right... I could feel my thoughts starting to spiral again.

  I would have to wait and see what happened, besides the health draining had only been the most obvious thing that had changed after Stalker ate the acorn. I remembered that weird strength in me when I had attacked in coordination with Stalker… That felt like it could have been the effect of a spell, skill or ability.

  Using my skill lore I learned that skills that provided synergy from people or abilities working together was not uncommon, at least not in the past.

  Did monster paths include skills too?

  Wonder if I had access to a knowledge skill related to monster paths? I tried to shift from my skill lore, but couldn’t connect with a memory that provided what I was looking for. Too bad, would have been nice to have right now.

  Still I did learn that trying, and failing, to change skills didn’t burn a cooldown. Also it seemed that my Echo ability was tied to memories I had been in contact with, not automatically granting me access to every skill in existence… Meaning I might have to do more memory diving to enhance the utility of it.

  As I was watching him sleep, his legs started to move a bit as if he was running and the ear twitched. He was looking adorable and I knew that if I told him that he would probably bite me again. Still it brought a smile to my face. If there was corruption or poison from that system acorn in Stalker… We would find a way to clear him of it.

  But first we needed to get out of here. I sat up and gently nudged Stalker awake and with a yawn he stood up and started stretching. He looked okay, and I said, “What happened there, Stalker?” emoting Tiny protector hurt, Tiny protector eat pack?

  He tilted his head and looked at me and then sat down facing me, the tail softly swaying behind him. He emoted back Tiny protector hurt, scared dying, Tiny protector borrow pack strength.

  Yes, he definitely was clearer in my mind. The concepts and images he sent to me were easily understandable, he had been dying and scared and had drawn upon our health to survive.

  “Did you get that ability from the acorn you ate?” I asked, and then added “what happened when you ate it?”

  Stalker started scanning the surroundings, locked onto the corpse of the panther and went over to sniff it and then looked back, he came back and sat down, just to stand up and then with a huf of air, he sat down again. If he had been a human, I would think he was acting nervous or scared of something, maybe stalling?

  He looked at me, and emoted Tiny protector eat strong food, Tiny protector get strong, Tiny protector pack leader, Pack leader strong pack strong!

  Huh? He had just confirmed something that had been on my mind for some time now… He could understand me, without me using our link. Just to be sure I asked him, “You understand me?”

  He tilted his head and gave me a look, as if I was being unreasonably dense, then huffed amused and emoted yes small.

  Ok, so not everything, but some of what I was saying. Looking back, I realized I had seen this in effect before, just never really registered it. But I was getting sidetracked again.

  “So the acorn made you strong… and packleader?” I asked, trying to fully understand what he was saying.

  Stalker quickly replied with a yes.

  “Being packleader helps the pack, makes it stronger?” I asked this, thinking about the strange combination attack that we had executed against the panther.

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  Stalker again, answered quickly with a yes.

  “So how does that work, do you have abilities? That you use, like that attack where we worked together and at the end where you took my health to heal?” I asked, feeling we were getting somewhere.

  Stalker hesitated a bit and then answered yes, pack attack, pack strong, pack heal pack.

  This… This was significant! If Stalker had received these abilities from the acorn, that was indeed a great boon! I was still wary of the acorn being poisoned though, so I had to ask, “what of the corruption that the acorn came from? Was there any lingering taste of it?”

  Stalker huffed with amusement and emoted strong fruit, good taste, no filth, at this he stood up and looked at the panther and with tongue out emoted hungry!

  I wasn’t sure if the language barrier was at fault, but I felt like I was missing an answer on what actually happened when he ate it and got cocooned. But I had gotten some answers, and even though my worry and curiosity were killing me, Stalker was entitled to his secrets, just as much as I was.

  It was getting late and I did not look forward to taking the trip back to camp through the ghostwoods at night. It might be safe enough, with the woodwraiths pacified, but the oppressive forest itself was like walking through a scene from a nightmare, so the prospect of food and a fire was a welcome thought!

  With a smile I said, “Yes, let us feast upon the monster that sought to feast upon us!” and looking at my friend, I added, “I worry that the acorn was tainted somehow, but both Frino and you say it was not… I trust you Stalker, it is the system I distrust.”

  At this Stalker nodded his head in a very human fashion and emoted agreement.

  As I started chopping up the panther for some bedtime steaks I decided to take the win for now and stop pestering my friend with questions. We would find out in due time and if there was corruption… We would cleanse it!

  Later when we sat at the fire, warm, bellies full of food. I looked around at the dark forest with the creepy leaves and everything and was happy to just be together with Stalker. Sure something to drink would be welcome, I was really thirsty and a bath would be nice as well… less than a day away from civilization and I already looked like some cannibal out of a bad slasher movie!

  I had tried getting the blood off, but missing water it was with limited effect.

  Looking into the crackling fire I said, “This place… This world... It is a second chance for me” Stalker shifted next to me and I felt him listening.

  “I used to hide away from the world, live through stories, even before I got sick and died… That is a weird thing to say isn’t it?”

  Stalker emoted Pack die, Pack live, Tiny protector listens

  I stopped my hand just above Stalkers head, holding back the urge to pet him. Instead I continued.

  “I want to live in peace with those I care for, like you. I want to explore and experience all this world has to offer, preferably with friends like you” Stalker gave a quiet hufhuf in agreement and he moved closer to me.

  “But there is something wrong with this world, something is trying to bury all the stories, the history and the memories of people… and I don’t know why!” I looked at the red and white tree crowns blocking out the night sky “But I feel that I owe those memories we culled to find out what happened and why…”

  “I used to live through stories, but I am done with that, now I want to experience the stories and write my own story as I go, to hell with the system, to hell with the gates and to hell with the concord and to hell with monsters!”

  I could feel Stalker's body moving next to mine, almost vibrating, and a weird huuuuf huuuuf sounded from him. I looked down at him and saw that his body was shaking, his paws over his snout as if he was trying to hold it shut and… was he laughing? Was my best friend in this world, literally rolling on the ground laughing? The betrayal! The gall!

  I started laughing as well, tears rolling down my bloodsoaked chins and we spent the next 5 minutes just sharing a laugh with the crackling of the fire and the soft rustling of the leaves as a backdrop. It felt damn good.

  When the last laugh and amused huf was done, I looked at Stalker and said, “ok, maybe that was just a bit too edgy… too much?” Stalker huffed in agreement.

  Still it had not all been grandstanding. I really did want to figure out what the hell was wrong with Limbo and maybe through that find a way to release all those gathered memories to wherever they were meant to go.

  “I will go to the camp first to deliver Frino’s last message and maybe talk with Torle and my team about what else there is around…” I looked at Stalker and continued with the question I had been scared to ask.

  “I don’t know what future plans you have, Stalker… But I hope you will come with me?”

  Stalker looked at me, all sense of mirth gone. He tilted his head and the tail swiped back and forth in a slow deliberate way. He emoted Tiny protector travel pack, hunt Home pack! He would travel with me! There were some nuances I didn’t quite get in his answer, but the important part was he would go with me.

  After that talk we spent some time in quiet companionship until I finally fell asleep with the warm feel of Stalker at my side.

  It had been quite a day! But I was with my friend, we had both grown in power and tomorrow we would face civilization again! With all its dangers, unanswered questions and hopefully something to drink, baths and maybe a shirt for me.