18 Squirrel loves nuts

Lily was on the second watch, being less injured than Kevin. She found guarding the group too boring because there was nothing happening around her, so Lily, being the sword fanatic that she is, practiced her sword relentlessly, swinging it in various directions without pause.

After a few hours of rest and some food, they packed up and began walking, ensuring they cleaned the campfire site to leave minimal traces. Though an experienced tracker could still identify their presence, they took precautions to minimize their impact.

Talon, with Lucius leaning on his shoulder for support, led the way back into the forest, with Lily scouting ahead and Kevin following behind, still nursing his injuries but in better condition.

The forest provided a serene atmosphere with the shade from the trees and the pleasant scent carried by the calm wind. The green moss on the trees indicated the forest's age, and signs of wild animals sharpening their claws were visible in the bark. Enjoying the scenery, reminded Lucius of walking in a park without the structured paths. They noticed small animal traces on the ground and some nuts cracked open.

Suddenly, Lily gestured for them to be silent and pointed ahead. On a tree, a lonely red squirrel was searching for a nut with its big black eyes, cautiously scanning the surroundings for predators. Lucius took Talon's hand and picked up a small nut from the ground. Observing the squirrel, he thought it didn't seem dangerous, and there were no signs of poison or mutation, so it should be safe to approach.

Carefully walking past Lily, he decided to test the squirrel's reaction. Kneeling down with a grunt of pain, the squirrel jumped in fright and then acted dead, remaining motionless.

The squirrel, uncertain of the situation, hesitated before standing up on its two little legs and tiptoed towards the hand. Kevin was about to call the little guy to take the nut, only to be told off by Lily, and they kept watching.

One meter away, it looked at Lucius and then at the nut in his hand. The squirrel seemed conflicted as the nut looked tempting, but it was also wary of the giant creatures around it. Showing courage, it reached for the nut and picked it up in its mouth. Hopping back with the nut, it climbed up a tree and entered a small hole.

The squirrel stored the nut inside the hole before peeking out to observe them. It seemed to feel safe and secure around the group. Making a peculiar noise, the squirrel appeared to thank Lucius before settling comfortably in its newfound home.

"Don't trust others that easily, little guy," Lucius said, looking at the squirrel with a smile, before they continued walking through the forest. The little squirrel, understanding the words or not, took small bites of the nut, savoring its newfound heavenly treat.

"Lily, go scout ahead and make sure it's safe," Kevin instructed, noticing that she was gazing absentmindedly at Lucius.

Startled by her own daydreaming, she looked at Kevin as if he were a pesky fly before passing by Lucius to scout ahead.

As she moved forward, she found herself unable to shake off the thoughts swirling inside her mind, realizing that there was more to Lucius than she had seen so far.

Traveling for a bit, Talon broke the silence. "Do we know the way back?" he asked, looking at Lucius.

Shaking his head, Lucius replied, "No, we are trying to find what is this way. Any signs we have seen before, if nothing works out, we can double back and pass the gorge again, but that's not safe as maybe more goblins are patrolling now."

They continued onwards for 1 hour, soon hearing the sound of water. "Stop," Lucius mentioned, trying to hear what was going on.

"There is a big amount of water ahead of us, might be a river or a waterfall, let's check it out and be on the lookout."

Closing in on the water, they found some wild animals, mostly wolves, a few snakes, boars, and a tiger. The animals ranged from levels 1-3 and were disposed of quickly as they didn't possess any threats.

The strongest wild animal they found was the tiger at level 4 but being surrounded by Kevin, Talon, and Lily, it fell fast. If it was alone, it would be tougher as they didn't know its pattern, but it was a normal monster without a title. They, too, had grown stronger as they levelled up through their fights and kills, and they were around halfway to level 3.

As they ventured further into the forest, the distant sound of flowing water gradually grew louder. Soon, they reached the source of the sound, and before them lay a picturesque river, cutting through the land with serene grace. The river was approximately 5 meters wide, its clear waters gently gliding over smooth pebbles that lined the riverbed. Sunlight danced upon the surface, casting mesmerizing reflections on the surrounding trees.

The banks of the river were adorned with vegetation, creating a vibrant border between the water and the forest. Tall grasses swayed gently in the breeze, and colourful wildflowers dotted the landscape, adding a touch of beauty to the tranquil scene.

Small fish, silver and iridescent, darted gracefully beneath the water's surface, their movements graceful and unhurried.

The river that lay before them was not only a beautiful sight but also a natural divide, splitting the forest into two distinct sides. It acted as a clear boundary, marking the transition from one part of the forest to another.

Watching the river, Lucius took out a map he had found from the first strong goblin they had encountered. Opening it revealed a picture of a river, and behind it, a tall rocky peak with some huts drawn on it. After some thought and considering that the river was safe to cross, he asked the group, "I am not sure if this is the way back. In fact, we are probably heading deeper into the goblin area. Do you want to turn back or push forward carefully?"

Taking a moment to think, Talon was the first to reply, "I would like to turn back, but if we run into an ambush, we will die. Also, maybe they won't expect us to go deep into their territory, and the patrols will be less. Another thing is this might not even be the goblin territory." However, it was clear that he didn't fully believe in the possibility.

"This is a good chance to get stronger," Lily commented, feeling that they needed to grow in strength.

"I will follow the majority," Kevin said, turning to look at Lucius and giving a nod.

Lucius agreed with the plan to push forward, saying, "This is indeed a good chance to grow stronger. Although we might face more enemies, we can also grow, and if we don't encounter anything higher than Level 5, we will be alright." He had experienced firsthand how important it was to become stronger in this world.