The Cowardly Benny

The midday sun pierced through the dense leaves of the trees, casting mottled columns of light onto the forest floor, like sharp swords descending from the sky, scarring the deep mountain woods.

It had been some time since Nord and the others set out. Cindy, the little mountain cat, had been quietly nestled in Nord's arms the whole way, curiously observing the unfamiliar forest. Ryman and the others, who were leading the way, were not so relaxed. They had been hacking through thorns and brambles, expending a lot of energy.

"Lord Nord, which way should we go next?"

Ryman caught his breath, glanced at the hunter clearing weeds nearby, then turned to Nord for instructions.

"Based on my observations just now, the mountain to the north is much higher than the surrounding ones. Let's climb to the top and then plan our route."

Nord stroked Cindy's soft fur, his expression calm as he looked at Ryman, a slight smile playing on his lips. His relaxed demeanor made it seem like he was playfully teasing Ryman.

"And I have a feeling that once we climb that tall mountain ahead, there might just be some good news waiting for us."

"As... as you command, Lord Nord."

Ryman was a bit bewildered, looking at Nord's confident smile. He wondered who had given him such confidence – was it that little mountain cat? Ryman had noticed that ever since Nord encountered the Little Mountain Cat, his entire demeanor had changed. He seemed more relaxed and approachable.

Although Lord Nord had always been very benevolent before, Ryman could feel a certain distance between Nord and them. It was as if the person was right in front of you, yet separated by a world. Ryman had initially thought it was the noble's bearing, but the current change was clearly not what Ryman had imagined. Although Ryman didn't know what had happened to Lord Nord, he was much more approachable now.

Nord didn't notice the thoughts swirling in Ryman's mind. After hearing Nord's command, Ryman turned and urged the hunters to pick up the pace and reach the mountaintop as quickly as possible.

As everyone worked faster, Nord reached the mountaintop before sunset. As expected, the view from this mountain was much broader than before. The peak was clearly a whole head taller than the surrounding mountains. Nord sat on a large boulder, unrolled a deerskin map, and began sketching the surrounding terrain.

Cindy also lay on the rock, watching Nord scribble on the deerskin with a bewildered expression. From time to time, it would stretch out its little paws and gesture in the air, as if drawing along with Nord. Especially when Nord stood up to survey the surrounding terrain, Cindy would also arch its back and lift its head to look into the distance, wanting to know what Nord was looking at.

While Nord was drawing, Harry and Old Mor approached him, their faces showing indecisive expressions as they gazed at the distant scenery without a word.

After a while, Nord finally noticed them. Seeing the two standing silently behind him, not saying a word, Nord was filled with questions, wondering what these two wanted.

"Is there something... you two need from me?"

Hearing Nord's question, Harry and Old Mor exchanged glances. Finally, Harry, with a hesitant expression, spoke to Nord.

"Lord Nord, I don't know how to tell you, but when we reached the mountaintop just now, I found the scenery to the north seemed a bit familiar, but I couldn't remember where it was."

"So I went to Uncle Mor to see if he knew what this place was."

"Harry told me about it, but it's been too long, and I've also forgotten where this place is. That's why we were hesitant about whether we should report this news to you."

Nord's face broke into a smile upon hearing their description. This was indeed good news. Perhaps due to previous incidents, they were a bit hesitant, fearing another mix-up.

"This is good news. You should have told me right away. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Think about it carefully again. I won't tell anyone else this news for now. With so many clues, I'm sure we'll find Distant Mountain Stronghold. You'll be able to go home soon."

"Lord Nord, thank you for your understanding. From now on, as soon as we have any news, we will report it to you immediately."

With that, the two walked off with relaxed expressions. Seeing their brisk steps, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their hearts. Indeed, there had been some murmurs in the team complaining about them, suspecting they had given false information. However, before Nord could deal with it, Ryman had suppressed it. Still, it had added a burden to their hearts.

It was another night. The hunters, who had been traveling through the mountains all day, gathered around the campfire enjoying a rare moment of leisure. Nord was telling them stories of Beron City's bustling marketplaces and the intricate feuds between nobles. The hunters nearby listened with great interest, developing a yearning for Beron City.

Ryman and Old Mor, listening by the campfire, suddenly exchanged glances. And Cindy, the little mountain cat in Nord's arms, also lifted its head, staring into the darkness, its small ears perked up, slowly moving in one direction.

Ryman and Old Mor said nothing, silently standing up and slowly walking out of the camp as if by accident. When they reached a certain distance, a figure in the darkness darted away, and Ryman, like an arrow released from a bowstring, chased after the fleeing figure in the darkness.

Nord, who had been telling stories by the campfire, stopped his narration, looking at the two in confusion until he saw the figure in the darkness. Only then did he understand why Ryman and Old Mor had gotten up.

Perhaps it was Ryman's approach, or Nord stopping his explanation, that startled the figure in the darkness, thwarting Ryman's plan and forcing him to chase the figure in the night.

Nord was also curious who the person hiding in the darkness was. In these vast mountains, who else could be out in the wilderness besides their group? Could it be... Nord had a guess, but he had to wait for Ryman to bring the person back. Nord believed that person would not escape Ryman's grasp.

As expected, a moment later, Ryman emerged from the darkness, carrying a trembling figure. He walked to the campfire and directly set the person down. The person lying on the ground shivered all over, looked up, and saw Cindy staring intensely at him. Seeing this terrifying beast, he fearfully lowered his head again.

Nord carefully observed the mysterious person lying on the ground. His attire was similar in style to Harry's before, equally simple: just animal skins crudely cut and worn. The moment he looked up, Nord clearly saw his appearance: hair like a bird's nest, pale face, small eyes, chapped lips, just like a malnourished refugee.

At the same instant he looked up, Harry's face showed a shocked expression, and he immediately cried out.

"Benny, is that you! Benny!"

Harry's shock gradually turned to ecstasy. He went to the person on the ground and introduced him to everyone.

"He's Benny, Benny from Distant Mountain Stronghold! He's the one Captain Ryman saved a few years ago. Lord Nord, with him, we can find Distant Mountain Stronghold!"

Benny, lying on the ground, heard Harry's voice, and his trembling body slowly calmed. He looked up at Harry and slowly spoke a sentence.

"Harry, were... were you also captured by the outsiders?"