Finally, Lana was able to explain. "The beast in question has a flower on its back. It looks a bit like a hedgehog but when sleeping, its back is as smooth as a rock. It's a level-1 beast so we can easily defeat it. Just don't… scare it. When sleeping, the head is tucked under its body. When visible, the head resembles that of a turtle. It comes in various shades of greens and browns."
"And what makes you such an expert?" Star sniped.
"I listen," Lana said sharply.
To the rest, "I think our teams need to join forces. Given the threats, Star's… appetite and Blaine's… repulsion, there needs to be a line of protection as well as some privacy in case someone else is hit. "
All the males readily agreed as did Kattie and Rene. Star glared at her.
"Am I to understand Star, you are fine with being stripped naked in front of everyone and having barbs removed as Blaine just endured? Did that sound fun to you?"
"Fine!" she growled, "we join forces."
Lana didn't even respond to her. She was busy looking at the map the trees were showing her. She needed a clearing. A big one. The trees showed her one but it would take about 30 minutes to get there without any combat.
"Did anyone bring a tablet?"
Dobin was first to present one already predicting where she was going. He even had it turned on and a drawing app open.
"Gather around, everyone. Okay, my team needs rest and there are beasts between it and us." She drew as she spoke what the trees were showing her.
"We don't need rest, we just got here!" Star complained.
Lana looked at her, "My team has been at it for three hours."
Her eyes went wide, "What? How?"
"By being smart." Lana didn't even look up. She was still drawing. Blaine reached over and hit the hologram button then proclaimed the lights to be pretty.
"Okay, thank you, Blaine," then she shuddered as he whispered "any time" in her ear.
She cleared her throat, "this," she pointed, "is where we are. This," she pointed again, "is the clearing we need to get to so we can rest. Between is," she started drawing Xs, "the lairs of beasts. Whether anyone will be home or not, we will soon find out. Most of my team is low on MC so we will need your help getting there."
"That's why you wanted to team up!" Star stomped her foot again.
"We were almost there when Blaine got … injured. We used a lot of MC on that route. Pray this one is safer based on what we already killed."
Star huffed.
Lana continued, "the beast that attacked Blaine is called the hedgipine. These 2 Xs here are lairs." She pointed to them, "this has a family so let's try to avoid the couple and their babies, shall we?"
She looked to Chekof and Karlen, "since you are part of this team, I'll let you set the marching order. I should be up front, even in this situation. When we get close, you guys can stay out for a bit longer then come to the clearing and join us so Star can get a taste of beast blood all over her pretty, expensive outfit."
Karlen spoke up, "I'd prefer if you led from the back on this one."
Lana shook her head, "I'm still good. I think being able to throw up the vine walls if we encounter hedgipines would be beneficial."
He and Chekof both nodded.
Karlen chose to be in the lead with Chekof at the back. Star was in front of Chekof with Kattie in front of her. Lana was behind Karlen with Blaine all too comfortable draped over her shoulder. The rest were in between. They staggered their formation in case they got snuck up on even though this was unlikely with the trees telling Lana where the threats were. It wasn't long before Lana started throwing out vinewalls just on one side of the group, her left.
"Just keep going. It's the family of hedgipines. There's no need to attack them."
From the back, Lana heard, "no need to attack them? How about for their cry… Get your hands off me, you big brute! Put me down!"
Lana chuckled.
"There are a few dens around the area. I'd like Star, Rene, and Chekof to come with me and check them out before we head to camp. Lana and her team will get the tents set up. The clearing is just up ahead." Karlen said, nodding to Lana.
Lana nodded and headed toward the clearing and her team followed, Blaine still on her shoulder. She was tired but she was also suspecting he wasn't as out of it as he seemed. She would know soon enough.
Lana whispered to Blaine she needed to put up a tree but this was going to be a bit special if she could pull it off. He needed to carry his own weight. He did but he made it look like he wasn't. She smirked.
In a circle, Lana touched the ground with her toes. Each time she did, a small sapling grew to about one foot tall. She left one gap of about 4 feet to use as an entrance. Back at the first sapling, she tapped the ground with her toes once more. The saplings began intertwining in a lattice-like weave of over and under. The trunks were getting thicker and taller as Lana sent the picture in her head to the trees.
Soon they were standing under a tall stand of weeping willows that were intertwined to create the appearance of one big tree. In the middle of the trunks was a room that was 10-foot in diameter. Up in the branches, there were three rooms, each were 10-foot by 10-foot.
Blaine, leaning on Lana, set up the main trunk area as a bedroom using an earth ability then sealed the entrance. While he was doing this, Lana whispered, "how long are you going to keep up the façade?"
"As long as I can," he whispered, kissed her cheek and resumed the slurred speech of I love you's and thank you's.
Lana chuckled.
"We should probably cook in here as well. I want the kitchen under protection without someone checking it out."
Blaine nodded and opened the doorway back up. "It's a small space," he whispered, "do you think it will deter her?"
"We can have it closed when we aren't in here but we do need to cook now."
"You got it. Do we need to go get them now?"
Lana shook her head, "you need to either get a little better or lie down over there and pretend to still be out of it."
"Kyle doesn't want to leave you but I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."
"Just act groggy then?"
"Okay."
"Kattie, I'm laying Blaine down. Do you want to get the kitchen out and set up? I'll grow food once he's settled."
While Kattie set the kitchen up, she got Blaine laid down. She put her bedroll down on the stone bed he created for added comfort. "I need to go talk to Dobin really quick."
"Call him to the doorway?"
She nodded and did so. "Dobin, can you set up an area out there to eat? We'll use this as a kitchen and bedroom for Blaine and I. You three will have a room, Chekof and Karlen get a room and the girls in the third room."
Lana could tell they were near. Even from the entryway, she could hear Star screaming about a bug touching her. Next thing Lana heard was her screaming because an insect beast stung her. Based on the volume, Lana could tell they were heading her direction.
As they approached, "Karlen, I have to admire your brilliance. Miss Princess wants crystals so badly, you took her to a beast which would evoke her screaming to call more beasts over!"
Star was instantly silent and glowering at Lana.
"As you can see, I misread the map. It wasn't a clearing, it was a tree shelter."
Lana grew the food required on the floor of the new bedroom/kitchen area. Dobin, Alto, and Almin harvested it while Blaine grabbed Lana He wrapped his arm around her waist making her sit with him. He eventually pretended he was asleep.
Lana sat there facing Blaine's face, stroking his hair but Star was inching her way toward Blaine. It forced Kattie to handle the cooking while Lana stood watch over the fake sleeper who somehow snaked his arm back around her after she turned and moved a bit.
Kattie let everyone know the food was ready but Lana wanted to sit with Blaine. Star refused to sit on the earth bench outside and insisted on sitting at Blaine's feet.
Because Star only cared about herself, she didn't understand Lana's ability. She slowly moved down the edge of the bed, pretending to eat while Lana and the rest were actually eating. When she thought no one was looking, she reached out and put her hand right where it didn't belong.
Lana had her engulfed in roots within seconds. Star screamed and Blaine sat straight up on the bed.
Unable to move and use her telekinesis, Lana had free reign to do as she wished. She slammed her fist into Star's stomach and grabbed her face in the next second. Without even understanding what was happening, the back of Star's head was rammed into the tree. She screamed from insult and injury.
Kattie was eating in there as well while the others were at the table outside under the branches. The others were caught on whether they should intervene or not. Blaine was holding his head because the scream was painful in such a close area.
Lana slid her hand down to Star's chin and pushed her head into the tree. "I don't know who raised you but it is not okay to sexually assault someone!"