Chapter 4: Food Loss in Forest

Alice and I trudged through the thick, damp forest. 

My boots sank into the moss with each step, the smell of wet earth clinging to the air. 

Branches clawed at my hoodie, but I didn't care. 

We were heading toward the waterfall.

"It's gone for now," Alice said, her voice is steady, eyes scanning the treeline. 

I stopped, turning to look at her. "I'll get the bag," I said, already shifting to move.

Before I could even blink, she darted forward, snatching the bag herself. "I've got it." She returned quickly, tossing the bag at my feet with a soft thud.

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was supposed to be the impulsive one," I muttered, more to myself than to her.

Alice smiled faintly, the kind of smile that never quite reached her eyes. "Your right hand is bleeding."

I glanced down. 

Blood seeped through the Alice's jacket she tied around my hand earlier, staining the fabric with a dark red. 

"Fine," I grunted, feeling the sting flare up again.

Without another word, she crouched, unzipping the bag, her movements controlled, precise. 

Just as her fingers brushed the zipper, something small and fast bolted out—a blur of fur and claws. 

A Rattata.

Another shot out of my bag too, vanishing into the underbrush before either of us could react.

I collapsed onto the ground, my back hitting the trunk of a tree. "Damn. All the food's gone now."

Alice checked both bags, her brow furrowing as she inspected the contents. "Just the food."

"Great." I clenched my jaw, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "We should head toward the waterfall. We might run into someone who knows something, or at least have something to eat."

Alice stood, pulling both bags over her shoulder like it was nothing. "Let's go."

I reached out and grabbed one of the bags from her. "I'll carry it. It's going to be tough for you to carry everything."

Her eyes flicked to my hand, the blood still dripping from the bandage. "You're injured."

I shrugged. "It's not that bad."

Without waiting for her response, I started walking. 

She followed, her footsteps quiet but steady behind me. 

We kept our distance from the lake, close enough to hear the water lapping against the shore but far enough not to risk our life.

After a while, the sound of a line cutting through the water caught my attention. 

There, by the edge of the lake, sat a girl. 

She was small, maybe a couple of years younger than us, casting her fishing rod with a lazy sort of ease.

I squinted, trying to get a better look. "Is that... Misty?" I asked, the name slipping out before I could stop it. "She looks kinda cute."

Alice didn't even hesitate. "Cute?"

I could feel her glare burn into the side of my face before I turned to meet her dark eyes. 

"You're cuter," I said quickly. "She's just a kid."

Alice's expression didn't soften. 

I shook my head, trying to push the awkward tension aside as we approached the girl.

Alice spoke first. "Excuse me, can you tell us where the nearest city is? My boyfriend's injured."

The girl turned, a flash of recognition in her blue eyes as she took in the scene—Alice and me, bloody hand and all. "Head that way," 

Misty—pointed toward the forest's edge. 

"There's a dirt road. Keep walking for a few hours and you'll reach Viridian City."

"Thanks," I said, my voice more grateful than I intended. 

Misty's eyes dropped to my hand, the blood now drying, but still painfully noticeable against Alice's jacket wrapped around it. 

She reached into her bag, pulling out a small bottle of pills. "Here," she said, handing them to Alice. "These will help with the pain. Why don't you guys have bandages?"

I shrugged. "We're new trainers."

"Next time, pack better," she said, with a tone that was half teasing, half serious.

Alice passed me the pills. 

I swallowed them dry, following it up with a swig from my canteen. 

The ache in my hand throbbed less after a few moments, though it wasn't gone.

"Thanks," I muttered again.

Misty just gave a nod and returned to her fishing, the line whipping through the air with a smooth, practiced motion.

We didn't waste time lingering. 

Alice and I started walking in the direction she'd pointed, the trees thinning out the further we went. 

Misty's figure grew smaller behind us, blending into the background until it was like she hadn't been there at all.

"Guess it's just us again," I said, my voice breaking the silence.