A faint sound

After Nicole managed to catch three fish all by herself, the boys conceded defeat, having acquired enough fish to sustain them for the night. They left the sea, trudging back to the spot where they had spent the previous night, and kindled the bonfire once more.

Equipped with the spear blades, they skillfully beheaded the fish and scaled their bodies. Then, they impaled the fish on branches, situating them over the fire to cook. As the fish sizzled over the flames, their appetizing aroma wafted through the air, making their stomachs rumble with hunger.

"How much longer?" Jack impatiently inquired.

"It'll be a few more minutes," Nicole responded as her role as the cook was well established since no one else among them possessed culinary skills.

Looking at the fish being cooked well, Job and Jack couldn't help but wipe drool from their mouths, their hunger battling with their delight. 

However, not everyone appeared at ease.

"Nick... is something bothering you?" Job noticed the downcast expression on Nick's face and called out to him.

"I-I'm worried about mom..." Nick hesitated for a moment before continuing, his voice trembling, "What if something happens to her while we're stuck here?"

"Is everything okay?" Jack inquired upon noticing Nick's distressed demeanor. 

Job was uncertain how to address the siblings' concerns with Nick's personal matter, so he responded vagely, "He's worried about his family."

"Oh... I don't know what to say, but you're not alone; we all miss our families... But it's better to stay positive than to be depressed in this place," Jack assured them. "Plus, you remember Kalsie's words, right? We're in this together."

"See! He is also saying the same thing. So, don't worry too much because everything will be okay!" Job chimed in, attempting to uplift Nick's spirits. 

"Alright..." Nick's mood improved slightly upon hearing their encouraging words, and he began to feel a glimmer of hope. 

But just as he was about to speak, Job suddenly silenced them.

"Shhh!" Job stood up with a stern expression, his attention keenly focused as he scanned the area around them.

"What's wrong?" They all rose to their feet and questioned him.

"Do you guys hear that? A faint sound!" Job replied, his gaze locked on the direction of the forest.

Upon hearing his words, their expressions tensed, and they listened intently. The rustling of bushes and the snapping of twigs they had scattered the previous night became audible as they concentrated.

"D-Do you think it's Kalsie?" Nicole asked her brother.

"No... He wouldn't make these noises." Jack peered at Job, clutching his spear firmly and said, "I think we have to see what's happening."

"He's right..." Job nodded in agreement. 

Although they were nervous and scared, they knew what they had to do. After Kalsie revealed the only weakness of the monsters, they weren't as wary if there were only one or two of them. 

So, they took cover behind the rugged rocks, peeking cautiously in the direction of the forest. But there they saw something that left them utterly flabbergasted.

"??!"

****

"Hah" Kalsie's breath seemed heavy as he continued on his search.

As for what Job and the others had witnessed, it remained entirely unknown to Kalsie. But moving along that muddy path cautiously, he had lost all sense of time, let alone any awareness of their situation.

Despite the forest's temperature not being too high, Kalsie's entire body was drenched in sweat. This left him feeling dehydrated, and his empty stomach also growled faintly.

"Sigh... I haven't encountered a single animal or water source," he muttered to himself. The forest seemed eerily devoid of wildlife.

'I was mentally prepared for this... but I never anticipated having to walk this far... without finding anything... Was this really the right choice?' Kalsie sighed internally. Uncertain about how much farther he needed to go but he knew he couldn't return empty-handed.

As Kalsie continued his trek with his body being tired out, he noticed that the trees were thinning out ahead of him, indicating the presence of a clearing within the forest. Spotting some sort of clearing beyond the trees, he quickened his pace, his heart hoping for any sign of sustenance. He dashed out of the woods into the open space.

"!!" However, upon emerging into the clearing, he was left utterly astonished. 

It wasn't danger that rendered him speechless, but rather the breathtaking view before him.

The clearing he had entered was significantly larger than he had anticipated, and at its center lay a clear lake, stretching a remarkable sixty meters in width. 

But what truly captured his attention, though, was a miniature island, measuring ten to fifteen meters in width, nestled at the heart of the pond. 

As it bathed in the brilliant sunlight, the lake's surface sparkled, presenting a tranquil and awe-inspiring spectacle. The presence of the tiny island lent an ethereal quality to the scene.

"Hah..." Kalsie let out a weak chuckle as he felt glad that his efforts weren't wasted and found something really good.

Rather than rushing straight towards the island, Kalsie cautiously approached the water's edge, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any signs of dangerous creatures. 

Given that this was the sole water source in the vicinity, there was a distinct possibility of encountering some form of wildlife.

'Nothing suspicious and dangerous...' After conducting a thorough survey of the area, Kalsie ascertained that he was entirely alone. Initially, he felt a strange sense of isolation and weird, but his focus remained fixed on the pond before him.

'There are fish too!' The water's clarity allowed him to observe a variety of aquatic life within the pond.

Splash! Without much hesitation, Kalsie began removing his clothes. Within seconds, he plunged into the water, startling the small fish and sending them darting away.

"It's cold!" Kalsie exclaimed, his skin tingling as the cool water enveloped him. He collected a mouthful of water and drank it down, immediately soothing his fatigue and quenching his thirst.

After spending five minutes in the water, Kalsie emerged from the pond, allowing his body to air dry before donning his clothes.

"This place is even better than the seashore! They'll love it here." Realizing that they could access both water and food, Kalsie concluded that this location was an ideal spot for their campsite. 

With that determination, he retraced his steps along the path he had taken, eager to lead Job and the others to this perfect place to stay.

As the refreshing water coursed through his body, Kalsie felt a surge of energy. He switched from walking to running intermittently as he made his way back to the shore, hoping to reduce the travel time.

'I wonder how they're holding up,' he pondered while in motion.

To his surprise, Kalsie reached the seashore much earlier than expected because he just ran straight toward their location. 

However, as he arrived, an unexpected sight left him baffled and concerned.

'What-? Where could they be?' His heart sank as he arrived at their resting spot, only to find it empty.

"Job!!! Nicole!!! Jack!!!! Nick!!! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS!?" Kalsie shouted in worry as his voice echoed across the deserted beach.

"Damn it!!" Kalsie frantically scanned the shoreline, searching for any signs or clues as he approached the extinguished bonfire.

'Calm down... They wouldn't have left without a reason. Something must have happened...'

Chilled by the blackened wood, Kalsie realized that it had been hours since they had departed.

As he turned his attention to the leftovers of two fish bones and an uncooked fish near the wall, his expression turned somber. 

It was evident that they had encountered some kind of trouble for them to leave behind the uncooked fish. 

Kalsie understood the seriousness of the situation and immediately began looking for their footprints in the sand.

"!!" Upon closer inspection, he discovered an array of footprints that couldn't possibly belong to just five people. 

Quickly unsheathing his sword, Kalsie scanned the area vigilantly but found no immediate threat.

After some more searching, he spotted a distinct trails leading into the forest, separate from the path he had taken.

Without hesitation, Kalsie followed the footprints into the forest. 

But as he neared a tree, he noticed unusual markings on its bark.

"These are the marks they agreed to make!!" he realized. It was a precautionary measure they had discussed in case of an emergency.

Following the marked trail deeper into the forest, Kalsie quickened his pace, determined to reach his friends as soon as possible.

'Damn it!! Just wait for me. I'm on my way!'