Flight

As we finished our meal of lava worm meat, a sense of relief and gratitude washed over us.

The bitter taste and eerie atmosphere were forgotten, replaced by a newfound appreciation for the sustenance that had sustained us.

Dae-su Han and Jackson Lee felt complete. Their stomachs were filled and their tissues full of energy. Unlike earlier on when their tissues brimmed with energy but their stomach was empty and screaming for help.

Chimsy's gentle smile as she watched the infant chew on a tiny chunk of meat was infectious, and soon the entire group was smiling, our faces relaxed and our eyes soft.

The meal had been a significant victory, a reminder that even in the harshest of environments, there was always hope.

The lava worm's defeat had provided us with a much-needed reprieve, and the nourishment we so desperately required.

As we sat in silence enveloped in Chimsy's aura, digesting our food, we all felt a better renewed sense of determination.

We knew that our journey was far from over, that the desolate landscape still held many dangers and challenges.

But for now, we allowed ourselves to bask in the small joy of a shared meal, savoring the warmth and comfort it brought.

Jackson Lee leaned back against a nearby rock, his eyes closed, his face tilted towards the bare sky.

It looked nothing like the sky on Earth. It was bare and glaringly red like the planet's core, as if it was ready to burst into flames anytime soon.

Dae-su Han sat cross-legged on the ground, his hands clasped together in a gesture of gratitude.

I gazed out at the vast expanse of the wasteland, a sense of awe and wonder still lingering from our encounter with the lava worm.

The group's collective sigh of contentment filled the air, a soft hum of satisfaction that seemed to resonate with the very earth itself.

In this moment, we were not survivors of a post-apocalyptic world, but simply human beings, connected by our shared experience, our dependence on each other, and our determination to persevere.

As we settled into our hard-won rest, the silence was suddenly broken by a faint rustling in the distance.

The air was still, the only sound the soft crackle of the cooling lava worm carcasses. Chimsy's eyes, half-lidded in exhaustion, flickered open, her gaze instinctively scanning the horizon.

Jackson Lee, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm, sensed the disturbance and turned his head, his eyes squinting into the dim light.

Dae-su Han, his eyes closed, his face relaxed, remained still, but his hand twitched, a subtle indication that he too had sensed the disruption.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I watched the sky, my eyes fixed on the ash clouds.

Ash clouds? The bare sky suddenly had a group of clouds gathered up in the distance.

At first, it was just a faint speck, a dark shape hovering at the edge of my vision.

Then it grew bigger and moved closer towards us.

Clouds in the sky can move at various speeds, depending on several factors such as wind direction, wind speed, and the type of clouds.

It's worth noting that the movement of clouds is often influenced by wind patterns in the upper atmosphere, so the speed and direction of cloud movement can vary significantly depending on the location and weather conditions.

However, some clouds like cumulonimbus clouds, which are associated with thunderstorms, can move at much faster speeds, up to 100-200 km/h or even more in extreme cases.

But then this particular sky was entirely bare and had no clouds and the only clouds in sight were moving at a speed even greater than the cumulonimbus clouds.

In matter of moments the clouds came closer till they became vivid and what we saw was a cluster of shapes that coalesced into massive birds, with wings beating steadily as they glided towards us.

Their feathers were a mottled gray and brown, and their eyes fixed intently on the dead lava worms.

The birds were enormous, twice the size of Jackson Lee, their wingspans wide enough to cast a shadow over the group.

They moved with a grace and precision that belied their size...

As the strange massive birds drew closer, their cries echoed across the landscape, a low, haunting sound that sent shivers down the spines everyone watching.

Chimsy's grip on the infant tightened, her heart racing with a mix of fear and wonder.

Dae-su Han's eyes snapped open, his face set in a fierce determination.

Jackson Lee bent down to a squatting position behind the rock, to be completely blocked from the birds' view .

Tension filled the air as we watched the birds descend.

The birds' cries grew louder, more insistent, as they began to circle above the carcasses, their sharp eyes fixed on the flesh.

That was when I noticed the two words hovering over each of the bird.

"Ash hawk"

Just like the lava worms before they were killed and the words hovering above them disappeared, the words were surrounded by a faint blue glow, subtle yet unmistakable.

Over the ten scenarios there was a pattern as to the colours that surrounded the names of various mysterious creatures .

According to that pattern, the ones with faint blue glow were the weakest of all.

Mostly the weakest tended to move in pairs or groups.

Almost as if we were all connected telepathically we knew we had to act swiftly to avoid a confrontation.

The ash hawks were just too numerous and even if they were the weakest they were still too much for Dae-su Han and Jackson Lee who barely won against the lava worms.

The two had no desire to fight these formidable birds, knowing that their chances of emerging victorious were slim.

Chimsy, still cradling the infant, took a step back, her eyes fixed on the ash hawks.

Dae-su Han was scanning the surroundings for an escape route.

Jackson Lee, still hidden behind a nearby rock was signalling us to come to his side by the wave of his right hand.

But that was easier said than done.

Where he was wasn't totally shielded from the sight of the ash hawks.

It would take just a few moments before he'd be discovered by the carnivorous creatures.

So far all the creatures in these scenarios were all carnivorous, including the harmless looking ones.

Chimsy took another step back, her eyes locked on the birds, as Dae-su Han and I slowly began to retreat, our eyes fixed on the ash hawks.

We knew that running would attract the bird's attention from the very voluminous meal, so we moved with a slow, deliberate pace, trying not to attract attention.

Soon we went past the rock that Jackson Lee was hiding behind and because of its exposure we continued moving backwards away from the carcassee while also trying to avoid the holes in the ground which gave way to the flaming core and that was created when Dae-su Han and Jackson Lee were fighting the lava worms.

As we retreated, we stumbled upon a small depression in the ground, partially hidden by the ash and smoke.

Without hesitation, we dove into the depression, seeking refuge from the ash hawks' .

We waited, hoping that the ash hawks would finish devouring the lava worms carcasses and leave quickly.