A Sign

The group travelled East, simply because West was towards the village that attacked them. They knew this because Atlas could calculate shadows. 

They traversed the forests, with weapons out in case they encountered mobs. As they traveled, they saw that the plants had begun to gain vitality. If they stayed in a place to rest, they could even see the change with their bare eyes.

It was fascinating. 

When they found Gouji fruits that had started to fruit, they immediately took a few, even if they weren't ripe yet. Who knew how many more hours or days that'd take! They were starving! 

They gobbled up whatever food they could. Atlas would advise them not to eat some unfamiliar plants, but fortunately, they weren't too picky. They could eat leaves now. They even found it luscious because it wasn't dried up for a change.