Worthiness, it turned out, started as a terribly rough road.
When Marron tried to lift her food cart, it refused to move. She stood at its handles and gripped the worn wood that had guided her through the forests and up the steep climb on the mountain.
"What's wrong?" Mokko asked, and Marron grunted. "It doesn't want to move."
She tried again, and there was nothing.
It wasn't resistance or reluctance, just...weight. She hadn't realized how much the Food Cart was actually helping her pull its own weight.
"We need to get going," she murmured, pulling harder. Her boots dug into the forest floor and the handles creaked, but held firm.
Behind her, Mokko watched with careful eyes. He'd been silent since they left the competition platform, allowing the crowd to disperse in whispers and wonder. Marron walked away from the fifth tool, instead of taking it from the Champion.
"Need help?" he offered finally.
