The three of them walk in silence for a while after that. The forest doesn't change much—same towering trees, same mossy ground, same occasional burst of sunlight filtering through leaves that seem too large to be real.
Justin is thirsty. His mouth feels dry, and his stomach growls again, louder this time. Neither woman mentions it, but their own stomachs must be making noise too.
"We should stop soon," Clarissa says, breaking the quiet. "Find water. Rest."
Lucia nods. "And figure out what's edible here."
Justinian looks at them. "You know how to do that?"
"I know how to find clean water" Clarissa says. "I've watched a Utube tutorial."
The path narrows ahead, forcing closer steps. Branches scrape against his sleeves.
Clarissa moves through the undergrowth like she's done it a thousand times, never breaking stride. Lucia watches her back with that same calculating gaze she gave the forest earlier—like she's already mapping potential threats.
Justin tries to mimic Clarissa's rhythm, but his foot catches on a root and he stumbles. The women don't stop, but he hear Lucia's quiet exhale—half amusement, half impatience.
"Watch your step," she says without turning around.
"I am watching it," Justin mutters, brushing dirt from his tunic.
Clarissa stops abruptly, her hand rising in a gesture for stillness. "I hear water" The others freeze mid-step, listening. At first all Justin hears is the rustle of leaves and the distant call of something avian. Then—there it is. A soft rush of water moving over stones.
Clarissa steps carefully off the path, pushing through a thicket of low branches. The ground slopes downward, and suddenly the trees open onto a shallow stream cutting through a moss-covered clearing.
The water looks clear, running over smooth stones worn round by time. Clarissa drops to one knee and scoops a handful, sniffing it before tasting.
"Clean enough," she says, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She drinks deeply, then gestures to the others. "Come on."
Justin drops beside her, cupping water in his hands. It's cold—clean, crisp, nothing like the lukewarm tap water from home. He drinks greedily, not caring that some drips down his chin.
Lucia joins them last, watching the stream flow past with that same unreadable expression. "We should boil it anyway," she says.
Clarissa nods. "Later. For now, this is fine."
Justin perhaps trying to boost his wounded ego says "Besides how are we even supposed to boil it. Do you even know how to start a fire without flint and steel?"
The words leave Justin's mouth sharper than intended. Both women glance at him—Lucia with mild curiosity, Clarissa with something closer to patience.
Justin watches the stream ripple around his cupped hands, trying not to meet either of their eyes.
"Flint and steel?" Lucia says after a beat. She's crouched beside the water, one knee bent, her black hair gleaming in the dappled light filtering through the trees. "You can use a fire bow. Or rub sticks together if you're desperate."
Justinian scoffs and replies "What never played MC?" Before adding "Also what's a fire bow?"
Lucia looks at him like he's missing something obvious. "You don't know what a fire bow is?"
"I'm seventeen," Justin mutters, still staring at the water. "I played video games, not... whatever this is."
Clarissa finally sits back on her heels, brushing dirt from her palms. "It's two sticks," she says. "One straight, one curved. You spin the straight one inside the curve until friction creates embers."
"That sounds like it takes forever."
"It does," Clarissa says. "But it works."
Lucia stands, water dripping from her fingers. She studies the clearing—the stream, the scattered trees, the way sunlight filters through the canopy. "We should rest here. At least for a while."
Justin looks up at her. "You mean camp?"
"I mean stop moving long enough to figure out where we're going." Her gaze settles on him. "Unless you have a better idea."
He doesn't. He stands, brushing dirt from his tunic again, though there's no point—it's already filthy.
Clarissa moves toward a patch of flatter ground near the stream's edge, testing the soil with her foot. "This spot looks good."
Justin follows, still feeling small. The clearing isn't large—maybe twenty feet across—but it's open enough. He watches Clarissa examine the area, her movements deliberate, like she's checking for threats he can't see.
"Is there something here?" he asks.
She doesn't look up. "Always possible."
Lucia joins them, "We should eat something. Even if it's just... whatever grows around here."
Justin's stomach growls again. "You think anything's safe?"
Clarissa mutters "I once saw a utube video where I guy was eating reeds"
Justinian stare at her for a beat, trying to process whether she's joking or serious. Her face gives nothing away—still, stoic, like she's already mentally cataloging every plant within sight.
"Reeds?" Lucia echoes "And he didn't die?"
"Not that I saw." Clarissa moves closer, inspecting the plants with careful attention. "Of course, this might not be the same thing."
Justin complains "That sounds gross. And besides I don't even see any reeds!"
Lucia decides now is the best time to comment "I do" pointing at the patch of reeds conveniently growing on the left side of the river bank
"What type of bullshit RNG is this?!"