"It should be around here? Almost all the trees look big, I can't really remember well," Gundo said as she looked at another empty cave.
After several hours of searching for Gundo's sister, a growing sense of concern began to creep in. The possibility that she had relocated to another area or encountered some unforeseen situation was gradually taking hold.
"She must be further into the forest," Garnt replied, his voice filled with determination. He glanced at Gundo, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we'll find her. We just need to keep our hopes up and keep searching."
"I hope so!" Gundo was glad to have Garnt as she always remained calm and observant, no matter how hard the situation was. Sometimes she had to wonder who the mother and child were, since most of the time she was the one that depended on her son.
As they continued their search through the dense forest, Garnt couldn't help but notice the worry etched on Gundo's face. He decided to strike up a conversation to distract her from her growing anxiety.
"Hey Mother," Garnt began gently, "tell me more about your sister. What's she like? Maybe there's something about her personality that could help us figure out where she might have gone."
Gundo's expression softened at the question, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "My sister, she's quite the character," she began, a small smile forming. "She's stubborn, you know? Always has been. When we were kids, we used to go out into the forest to pick fruits. One day, we found this particularly tall tree with the juiciest-looking fruits at the top."
Garnt chuckled imagining his mother as a cock kid. "Sounds like an adventure waiting to happen."
"Oh, it was," Gundo continued, her voice tinged with fondness. "We were so small, but my sister was determined. She said, 'I bet I can climb up and get those fruits before you can!' And you know, I couldn't resist a challenge. We both started climbing that tree, branches snapping beneath our feet."
Garnt grinned, imagining the scene in his mind. "Who won?"
Gundo's eyes sparkled with a mixture of pride and amusement. "Well, we both made it to the top, all scraped up and out of breath. We picked the fruits and sat there laughing. And from then on, it became a tradition. Every time we found a tall tree with tempting fruits, we'd race to see who could get to the top first."
Garnt shook his head with a chuckle. "Sounds like quite the competition."
"It was," Gundo agreed, her smile widening. "But it wasn't really about winning. It was about pushing each other, about not wanting to lose. My sister, never wanted to lose, even in the silliest of games. She always gave her best, no matter what."
Garnt nodded, now understanding a bit more about the kind of person Gundo's sister was.
[Sounds like a great woman, Just what we need right now]
Eva also said impressed by Gundo's words. Garnt thought she just wanted to give a compliment, but in reality, she came to give important news to Garnt.
[Your blueprints have been renewed. Go and see whether you can buy something new]
Blueprints:
Remaining points: 2300
>Wheels (1000)
>Clothes made with animals (400)
>Ropes & Fibrous Twines (300)
"So much news kinds of stuff! How exciting," Looking at the menu, Garnt felt overwhelmed as he had no idea what some of this stuff did and he knew the only way to find out was by buying them.
[Don't buy them right now, since you can use your points in case of emergency. Well, you have enough points to buy all of them thanks to your previous hunting, but it is always good to be careful]
While they were travelling, Gundo suddenly grabbed Garnt by his hand and pointed at a distant tree which looked like a colossal tree with leaves the colour of blazing flames. "Look, Garnt," she exclaimed, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips. "That's the tree we've been searching for. The cave we seek lies in that direction."
"That's a big tree, I haven't seen many trees like that, so no doubt about that," Filled with excitement about her discovery, Gundo's pace quickened as she headed towards the cave, her anticipation to reunite with her sister driving her forward. However, her urgency was abruptly halted as Garnt swiftly reached out, pulling her back gently, and signaling for her to remain quiet.
Gundo's eyes widened in confusion and concern as Garnt's firm grip pulled her to a stop. Her excitement was replaced by a sudden sense of tension in the air. She followed his gaze to where he was pointing and her heart sank as she saw the entrance to the cave, which was supposed to lead to her sister, blocked by an enormous rock. It was as if nature itself had conspired to bar their way.
"Don't shout too loud, just follow my hand," Garnt said as he pointed in a different direction.
As her eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the trees, Gundo's focus shifted to the scene before her. There, before the blocked cave entrance, stood a formidable assembly of Cenozoic fang wolves. Their eyes glinted in the shadows, and the air seemed to hum with their collective presence. It was evident that the cave had become a gathering place for these creatures, their imposing figures serving as a clear deterrent to any intruders.
Gundo's breath caught in her throat as her gaze moved past the wolves and landed on something even more chilling. A body lay near the entrance, its form horribly disfigured and twisted. Dread clutched at her heart as she fought back tears, fearing the worst. Could it be her sister? The possibility was a haunting spectre that loomed in the back of her mind, threatening to break her resolve.
Garnt's hand on her arm tightened, and she looked up at him, her eyes seeking answers that words couldn't convey. His expression was a mix of caution and sorrow, a silent acknowledgement of the grim reality they were facing. Gundo's emotions swirled within her, a tumultuous storm of anguish and determination.
"Looks like this decision was a mistake," Garnt said to Eva, as he decided to leave with Mother since they didn't want to become a meal to these dangerous animals.