The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 103

Chapter 103 Setting Camp

Setting up the camp proved that there had been some serious oversights in their mission training. It was assumed that the leaders would be experienced, and not just powerful first years who had never actually used any of the kit before.

So, an hour after dark, they were only just finally managing to get the tents set up around a small magical fire that they assumed was intended to be their campsite.

It was made of flaming rocks, which gave off a gentle blue glow, as well as a level of warmth that reminded everyone that while this was a magical realm, it was still getting colder at night.

For most of the students that wasn't a big deal, but some of them came from the warmer climates, or from the big cities, where the apartment buildings were maintained at a steady temperature. They weren't expecting how fast it got cold out, even with the fire nearby, and many had chosen to pitch their tents further away for privacy.

That situation changed quickly, and the students who had camped further from the fire found themselves moving out of their tents and coming forward.

Karl and Dana had both chosen spots near the fire, but not because they knew about the temperature. They were both used to it getting cold at night and were somewhat used to the change, but they had wanted to be closer to the centre so that they could respond evenly to an attack from any direction.

Both Golems and Rae were on lookout for the early portion of the evening, while Hawk would be taking over from Rae later so that they would both have enough sleep tonight. They could both see well enough in the dark, with the simulated stars overhead, but nothing that they were seeing was enough to concern them, and Karl didn't wake until Hawk informed him that it was first light and that Thor was being annoying.

The Lightning Cerro had realized that many of the students couldn't sleep in their cold tents, so he had volunteered his large, warm body to help them out. Which naturally led to the students going around in the morning to find snacks for their scaly benefactor, and a lot more movement than the grumpy Hawk would have preferred.

One of the students tapped a spoon against his metal canteen to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone, bring out the breakfast packs and anything you have to season them. If you brought something that you think looks good, you can bring it out as well. What I'm going to make this morning is known as a cowboy stew.

I'm not sure how many of you know how to cook at all, but I grew up on a cattle ranch, and we learned that if everyone brings a different bit of the basics, we can actually make one large decent meal out of ten lousy ones." The boy explained.

The students that Karl had set to pick berries each brought out a couple, as well as the packs of dry oatmeal, granola and dried fruit that were in the breakfast ration pack.

The rancher's son brought out a pot that he had managed to stuff into the bottom of his pack, and one of the mages filled it halfway up with a water spell. Then he added all the various ingredients in, and Karl brought him three sticks to create a tripod to hang it over the fire, the way his mother did at home in the summer.

It got too hot to cook inside, and this method was much better for cooking over the fire pit in the yard.

Then, Karl brought out the masterpiece of the meal, much to Hawk's annoyance. A large piece of Iron Tusk Boar meat at the Common Rank. One of the last pieces from the very first boars that they had killed during the fight against the Goblin Tribe, and a food product that Hawk routinely ignored, in favour of the many better options in his space.

Food didn't go bad in there, it seemed to be in stasis. So, though Karl couldn't keep books in there, all forms of food and other resources were a valid option, and it was going to make their breakfast much more enjoyable.

One of the mages scrubbed off a flat rock, and began cutting the meat into small cubes, making forty of them in total, then conjured a collection of long sticks and began to skewer them.

"Now, this is what I'm talking about. See, everyone, with just one chunk of meat and a few berries, we're all going to be eating well today." The warrior stirring the oatmeal gloated.