Venturing into the Forest

As hours ticked away, the moon gradually descended toward the horizon, and the sky began to brighten, even though the sun had not yet made its appearance. The gradual illumination of the sky allowed them to catch a glimpse of the expansive blue sea.

"Is this really the sea?" Jack marveled at the sight, his voice tinged with surprise, as he gazed at the seemingly endless expanse of water.

"It's so beautiful..." Nicole's eyes sparkled with wonder as she beheld the sea, where the sun was slowly rising, enhancing the ocean's natural splendor.

Amongst the group, no one ever had experienced a beach in their lifetime since they live way inside the inland where only small rivers flow. However, regardless of their last night experience, including Kalsie, they couldn't help but admire the scenery before them. The sight was incredibly refreshing, relaxing their minds and removing the tension that had built up during the previous night.

No words were exchanged among them; they merely savored the breeze caressing their bodies and marveled at the peaceful sunrise. 

With the sun finally cresting the horizon, Kalsie stood up and stretched his body. 

"Are you sure you'll be all right on your own?" Job inquired from behind as Kalsie extended his arms.

"We discussed this last night, didn't we? Don't worry; I'll be fine," Kalsie replied, turning toward Job and the others with a reassuring look.

During their conversation the previous night, Kalsie had proposed venturing into the forest alone to search for fruits and assess whether their area remained safe from the monsters, despite their absence the previous night. 

Initially, they had immediately rejected the idea, suggesting that Kalsie take someone along or the entire group. However, Kalsie declined.

"Please, take me with you!" Jack firmly looked at Kalsie.

Job wore a similar expression of concern as Jack. Since the previous night, their bond had grown significantly stronger, and they were determined to prevent any harm from befalling one another. Moreover, they remained mindful of the promise they had made to support Kalsie.

Observing their worried faces, Kalsie let out a sigh and approached them. 

"I'm grateful that you all care about me, but my decision will remain the same," Kalsie began. "I'm sorry, but until I can gain a clearer understanding of our situation, I can't bring you along." 

He offered them a slight smile and added, "Besides, didn't you all agree to assist me with other tasks?"

Nicole, her expression filled with sadness, spoke up. "But isn't your task... risky? And didn't we promise each other last night that we'd all help?"

Kalsie nodded in understanding and said, "I know. However, as you all are aware, this task requires a single person... Please, trust me on this."

Hearing his words, the group fell into a contemplative silence, knowing that they couldn't sway his decision.

"Very well, then. Please take care," Job finally relented with a sigh, and the others shared a sense of helplessness.

"Thank you for believing in me," Kalsie acknowledged, nodding his head. 

Without looking back, he began making his way toward the forest. Nobody uttered a word, but they continued to watch him with concern until he vanished entirely into the woods.

'I am sorry, guys. But I can't let anyone else do when the dangerous is still unknown.'

*****

After parting ways from the others, Kalsie moved cautiously through the forest. As he walked, he made sure to mark the trees to ensure he wouldn't get lost on his way back.

Kalsie wasn't aimlessly wandering, though; he followed a muddy path where the grass didn't grow.

He had stumbled upon this trail by chance and decided to track it.

"Something or someone must be using this path regularly... Animals, perhaps," he mumbled, his eyes lighting up at the thought of encountering wildlife.

However, as he continued along the muddy path, he noticed something peculiar.

"The forest has returned to normal," Kalsie muttered, surveying his surroundings. 

With the rising sun, visibility in the forest had improved significantly. But what troubled him was the absence of the low growls from the Dead Walkers that had haunted them the previous night. 

It was as if those eerie creatures had vanished into thin air. This realization left him feeling uneasy as he wondered if they are hiding, but he quickly dismissed the thought, convincing himself that these mindless monsters couldn't stealthily sneak up on him.

"They've either moved deeper into the forest or... maybe they disappeared overnight? It's pointless to dwell on it now. I need to find something quickly and get back," he decided, shifting his gaze toward the direction of the beach.

"At least the others won't have to deal with the Dead Walkers anymore," he murmured, pushing the unsettling thoughts aside as he focused on his mission.

*****

Hours had passed since Kalsie left the beach, leaving Job and the others with growing worry. They had waited anxiously for his return, unable to do much else, and had focused on the task he assigned them.

Slash!

"You idiot! You missed such a good opportunity!"

"Damn it!"

Currently, Job and the others stood knee-deep in the seawater, attempting to carry out the task left by Kalsie—catching fish. Despite an hour of dedicated effort, they hadn't managed to catch a single fish.

"M-Maybe these w-weapons aren't effective," Nick spoke with a lament, glancing at the primitive tools they were using to fish.

"Nick, it's not like that. You made these for us, but it's us who aren't able to use them efficiently," Job consoled Nick.

They were employing primitive fishing methods, given the lack of a fishing rod or a net. Their makeshift hunting weapons resembled tridents, fashioned from branches with three pointed spikes at the end. Initially, they had tried using their spears, but it had proven even more challenging since they were heavy and the blade was bigger.

"Fishing requires patience, and besides, we've only been at it for half an hour. We need to do this if we want to avoid going hungry tonight," Jack advised, his initial frustration giving way to reason.

"I know... but I truly wish to catch a fish soon," Job sighed, casting a wary eye at the sun above them. Even if they weren't hungry now, he understood that it wouldn't last, and thirst would become a pressing concern.

"This is why I'm saying, fishing is not child's play—"

Slash!

"Ah! I-I caught it!"

"???" Startled by Nicole's sudden exclamation, they turned their heads to find her standing a short distance away, looking both bashful and surprised. On her hunting weapon, she had impaled a half-meter-long, silver-scaled fish that wriggled furiously on the three spikes.

"Fishing is hard, huh?" Job smugly glanced at Jack, who ignored the teasing and asked Nicole in awe, "Nicole... how did you do that so easily?"

Both boys had struggled for hour without success, yet Nicole had caught a fish on her very first try.

"I-I don't know... I saw this fish below me, s-so I dropped the weapon towards it, and... unknowingly, it got caught..." Nicole explained, her shyness growing as their attention remained fixed on her.

She quickly turned away and handed the fish to Nick.

Her explanation left them all speechless, particularly Jack, who knew his sister had never gone fishing before, let alone using such primitive methods.

"It must be a fluke."

"It must be. After all, fishing is a long, hard job—"

Splash!

"Ah! I caught another one."

"Say, Jack... your sister's luck is something!"

"Y-Yea!! But luck doesn't always work—"

Splash!

"L-Look!! This one is even bigger than the previous two!!" Nicole exclaimed, presenting them with an orange-scaled fish that measured two meters in length.

"..."

"..."