Three days later, Sil returned on his own. He had gone hunting with Quinn and the team gave Quinn the crystals so he could get better gear. Since Quinn was going back out on his own in the morning for a week or two, he told Sil he should visit his family. Of course, Sil didn't object.
He easily found his home and entered his bedroom just as Minx was getting ready to shower. Sil looked around the room and marveled at what he didn't have time to pay attention to last time he was here. Minx came out from the bathroom, allowing the water to heat up while she grabbed something to wear.
Minx noticed him and leaned against the doorway between the two rooms and watched the expressions on his face. She saw his big smile. It looked like he was finishing his visual inspection of the room.
"Do you like what you see?"
His smile grew bigger and he took her in his arms, giving her a long passionate kiss, "yes" as he broke the kiss off.
Sil nodded. "This house is amazing."
"Have you seen the upstairs yet?"
"I have not and would love to," he smiled.
Minx turned off the water and took the next several minutes to show him around their home. He liked how she put in enough rooms to have children.
"Are you hungry? I was going to get something to eat."
Sil nodded, "the Cursed are out of food. They are on food pills right now."
"Excuse me? Why is this the first I have heard of this?" Minx was livid.
Sil shrugged, "I just know what they told me."
"Do you want to eat here or the Travelers' Center?"
"Here, please! It's too much attention."
Minx chuckled, "you're the famous missing husband of the Family leader. It will die down eventually."
They stepped outside to the porch area while she grew some food and then into the kitchen where they cooked. Well, she cooked, he tried. Minx was happy he was willing to put in some effort.
"Do you want to go hunting tomorrow? I can get some people together and we can go."
"We?"
Minx smirked, "do I hear a fight coming on?"
Sil sighed, "let's just finish eating and go to bed. I need to hold my wife."
Minx smiled, nodded and asked him to fill her in on his day with Quinn.
He told Minx how a new faction had moved onto the planet while Quinn was away. New factions automatically had an F rank until the first month's hunting results came in. It hadn't been long, but this faction was stealing kills on the hunting grounds, overcharging and demanding lower prices because the Cursed had a low rank. Quinn managed to get some galathrium off them through a trade, but their leader Mantis was not a nice person.
Sil was very happy he got to see Quinn play the Block Block game again, the way he did at the inter-base tournament. He reminded her of the video that circulated at the time and told her that was Quinn. Only, this time, he got to go past level 5.
Minx smiled at his excitement.
Sil also told her that Quinn told him to only help the team if they needed it.
Minx nodded. "What I'd like is for you to do the kills. We will be there. You'll get the abilities and such. But I think it would mean more to you if you earned the crystals used to create your clothing yourself. Plus, if you get enough, you may be able to have Alex make you something on top of that."
Sil nodded, "galathrium is still an issue, though. Quinn didn't get much."
"It sounds like I need to have a talk with Sam. I understand they don't want my money because I I'm still building the shelter but what good is it aligning us with the Cursed if they don't have what they need? I can easily give a hand and be paid back later."
Sil nodded, "I agree. Hunting the way you described sounds good."
"We don't have a large amount of travelers but the only ability you can't copy is mine and Shalt's so you can choose those in the morning."
"Why not Shalt's?"
"You can't copy vampire abilities, even if the ability is available to both species. It has to be the same species by the looks of it."
"Yours is strange too. I can hear something but not make it out. I don't understand."
"Mine seems to also be gender specific. I am teaching a girl, and she collapsed in pain like when Quinn turns someone, just not as bad. Only then could I teach her my ability."
"Strange."
Minx nodded. "Let's go sleep."
Sil smiled. Before she even closed her eyes, he demonstrated he had different plans. He moved in close and kissed her tender lips. His hands started exploring again as did hers. With not being on a time crunch, they were able to try things they didn't try last time.
A few trees over, Mandy was working with her ability and got interrupted. She got a first-hand demonstration of why Minx sometimes hated her ability. Especially when the trees gave her images of the Family leader copulating with her husband.
At breakfast in the travelers' Center, Sil kept his head down the whole time. Still, he needed to choose who went with him on the hunt based on abilities. Midas was obviously going being the highest earth ability user. Aqua was the strongest water user, so he was chosen. Bonnie was chosen for her telekinesis. Sean was a rank E but he had ice so Sil chose him as well.
Ren was needed for healing, regardless. She would be teaching her ability once she returned. She just needed to decide which of the volunteers should learn. Minx told her all of them, but she thought that was overkill. The last to get chosen was Biff with wind.
Since it was his trip, she wanted Sil involved in the decisions. She showed him the unexplored map, and he chose to go out the way they went before and circle around to the south. If there was enough time, they could go all the way around. Based on this, Raven drove them out and dropped them off. She told them to let her know when they were ready to come back and she'd come get them.
Minx had her usual gear, but this time Shalt was carrying the bag with her lab as well. Her family would be staying in there. She brought Mandy as well to continue her training while they were out.
The agreed upon formation would be the six ability users walking in the back. They were to get involved only if they were needed. Minx walked next to Sil. Shalt and Mandy walked behind them. Caser decided to walk between his people since it was so rare to have them both out like this.
An hour into their walk, they heard an ear-splitting screech. They could see nothing until they looked up and saw a flying reptile like beast heading straight for them. It very loosely reminded Minx of a pteradon. It sported three shades of green and two shades of red. It was beautiful in a terrifying, prehistoric sort of way.
Sil threw an ice dagger the size of a harpoon using telekinesis to make the impact felt. It moved at the last moment but not enough. Its wing was ripped from the middle to the bottom and it was forced to land. Just as its feet hit the ground, Sil encased it in earth and crushed it.
The ability users were all looking at each other trying to figure out what they just watched.
Sil got rid of the earth and collected his crystal. "This isn't going to take long, is it?"
Minx giggled, "I don't think so. Shall we continue?"