Pilgrims
Poaching

He grimaced in pain. One of his hands was about to pick up a weapon, but I was faster. I took the gun and I kicked his vitals.

Seeing his friend in pain, the big tall one nervously pulled out his weapon and pointed it at me. But he lost fast. Leon kicked the tall man's hand until his weapon slammed far enough away. And landed a kick in the belly of the big man.

Then as if it had been planned in advance, we did the duel movements like we had done during the show. I didn't expect the short guy to be able to defend himself. I'm getting a little trouble fighting him. Leon seems to have the same problem. The big man was also not easily conquered.

We were lucky, the effect of the marijuana they sucked before meeting us still slightly made them stumble.

It didn't take too long, we finally managed to make them faint. We ran towards Fox and the others, hoping the two men didn't realise too quickly for all of us to have a chance to run away.

“Tadi it's almost. How did you get that close to the gunman?” ask Leon to run.

“I know there's no chance. The man can shoot at any time. Thank goodness you quickly concluded my plan,” I replied.

“When you hit the short guy's nose, I understood your plan. You matched it with one of the stories Rio used to make for our show so I just equated his rhythm with yours. We owe him this time,” Leon said.

“Yes, he is indeed a genius,” I said confirming.

When we arrived at the place where we were camping, Fox was standing in front of the tent with a worried face accompanied by Gabriel who, as usual, looks ogah-ogahan if told to stand guard.

“Where have you been?” fox asked angrily as he saw me and Leon coming out of the lush trees.

“Fox, we will explain,” I said with a little breath cut off after running. Because it was dark we had circled in the forest before finally finding the right way back.

“Wow, you guys are such a mess,” said Gabriel. I just noticed that my looks and Leon's really messy. Our hair was untidy, and our bodies were dirty with dirt. Many leaves and twigs stick to our clothes.

“Quick explain!” fox was impatient.

“Already, Fox. Maybe they're just having a little fun,” Gabriel said trying to calm Fox down, then wink at us.

I can't believe Gabriel was imagining nothing about me and Leon at a time like this. But I can't be angry. Gabriel's nature is so.

I tried to focus and talk to Fox. “We found a marijuana field not far from here.”

“You found what?” gabriel asked half in disbelief.

Fox told him to shut up with his hand and then talk to me again. “Forward!”

“We need to get out of here right away. They can chase us anytime,” I said again.

“They are who?” ask Gabriel again.

“Let me explain,” says Leon take over. “As Maya said, we found a marijuana field not far from here. Then we were confronted by two men when we were coming back to tell you. We fought and managed to make them faint. But they can be conscious at any time. We must leave immediately, before they wake up and mobilize many people to hunt and silence us. They must have a big loss if the field was discovered right.”

Rio who woke up due to our commotion looked still half sleepy and in disbelief heard that story. While Fox seemed to be quite surprised to hear this as well.

But he can control himself, then ask us. “Are they armed?”

“Ya, military grade,” replied Leon.

“Then we can't fight them by fighting. We have to run,” Fox decided. “Now, everything is clearing the tent. Pack the most necessary items, the rest we leave behind. Be careful not to leave the identity in any form.”

We immediately packed up and started the escape. Fox took the route we've been through before. It is too risky to take a new route. The chances of us meeting the men's cabal are greater. If it had taken us seven days from the last settlement to wade through this vast green forest, with our current speed and burden, we might have been able to reach it in less than four days.

“You sure you see acres of fields?” asked Gabriel who was the most exhausted, still in disbelief.

“Kan I told you, the field is very wide,” I replied ogah-ogahan.

“There are countries that legalize marijuana. They're chasing because they're afraid of being discovered, right? If only in this country were legalized as well, the gunmen you say would not have bothered to chase after us,” grumbled Gabriel then he turned his back on us and went to sleep.

“I was curious why such an extensive field was not discovered,”.

Rio responded to my words. “I was also surprised by it. I thought that the one who planted it was very reckless and took too many risks.”

“Or he has great power and ability to minimize these risks,” continued Leon.

“That's possible,” Rio nodded in understanding. “The field is not in the track of the hikers in general, and may also not be on the route of the aircraft, so it is not visible from the air.”

“So in your opinion, they are organized?” my many.

“It looks like so,” Rio replied.

“Yang means, the danger we face is getting bigger,” continued Fox. “So you guys better take a quick nap. I'll keep watch. In two hours I'll wake up.”

***

“Sstt. It seems I heard a human voice in the distance,”, I stopped my friends.

“Really? I didn't hear anything,” argued Fox.

“Maybe we have arrived near the residential area,” said Rio optimistically.

“It seems not. Residential settlements are still about half a day's drive away from here,” said Leon.

“I'll check things out. You guys wait here,” Fox said.

“I'm coming with you,” I said and Rio almost simultaneously.

Fox weighed in for a moment. “You just wait here, Rio. Maya who came.”

I followed.

Me and Fox walked slowly so as not to make a sound. Shortly thereafter, we discovered the origin of the sound. I gasped and pulled Fox back and hid in the bushes.

I know that voice. It was the voice of the short man who fought with me a few days ago. I put my index finger on my lips when Fox was about to ask.

I put my ear to hear what the man was talking about.

“I told you both must be around here somewhere. Comb all the way out of this forest. You can finish the man, but give the woman to me. I will finish him off with my own hands,” said the short man growled.

He gave some more instructions to the other two and then they split up.

I held my breath as one of them passed by where we were hiding.

***