Ben: "I don't like this! We need to slow down, or an accident is likely to happen. We should wait and regroup before we go any higher."

Mr Major: We have to go help him if he is in danger or if he's found a better source of water. And getting off the side of this wall is the better option."

Before Ben could give a rebuttal, the world dimmed as a colossal cloud drifted in front of the sun. The shadows stretched ominously at the forest's edge.

Mr Major snapped: "Don't look down on it like that, Timmon!"

From within the shadow below slinked a menacing figure that seemed to meld with the very essence of obscurity. The deep, inky-blue fur adorned its frame, granting it the uncanny ability to blend seamlessly with the dark; it was like a mystical camouflage as it moved parallel to the team from below.

Timmon: "If only they could regroup and concoct a plan—a slender thread to escape the clutches of fate."

But as the true nature of their unwavering pursuer became apparent, a leaden feeling settled upon Timmon and Mr. Major.

As the clouds slowly drifted by the sun, and Scott's unrecognizable echos resonated again, the presence the wolf displayed carried as it looked up. Mr Major and Timmon felt like the wolf knew something they didn't. It was capable of something, waiting patiently on us, but why? Then again, It was only one wolf. But it seemed bigger even from this distance. The wolves they came across moved in packs, but this one was alone. This wolf had experience and skills; maybe it was an old wolf. Whatever it was, its presence in the shadows was sinister and cunning.

Timmon: "Why show itself now after all this time?"

Mr Major: "It could be because it saw when I saw it or you startled it when you made eye contact earlier."

Timmon: "Yeah, but it could have retreated and concealed itself. It was doing so well until we accidentally spotted it."

Mr Major: "What if this is a trap? Showing itself as a distraction or a way to hurry us along?"

Timmon: "Hurry us for what? An ambush?"

Scott's voice once again came hurdling from further up the mountainside, "Run! Run! Run!" he said as he slid down the wet root river in a panic towards his team. The moment he could see their faces in the distance, he yelled with everything he had, almost losing control in the process. "Get off the roots! Get off the fucking roots, NOW!"

As Scott's urgent warning blasted through the raging sound of rushing water. The team's hearts raced with even more fear if it was even possible to do so at this point.

Ben: "What Is going on?"

Mr Major: "Don't ask questions! Turn around and run! Lets get back down fast as quick as possible. Ask questions later."

Tobi: "Wow! Look at that! It's like a blooming plant."

Ben: "Don't Just stand there, man! Run! This is not a good time for your brain to go on the frits. Your moving and reacting to slow! Let's go!"

The once-solid rooty river they had been climbing was unravelling rapidly behind Scott who was rapidly decending. The roots were like searching blooming tentacles, a nightmare unfurling before them. As the interlocking roots opened up the water erupted out over the side of the wall.

A single misstep could send them hurdling off the side of the crater wall, plummeting almost 40 meters to the forest canopy below.

The stakes had skyrocketed, and the odds again tilted precariously against them.

Scott: "Just drop everything and get ready to go; we ain't gonna make it to the ground in time if we stay on these roots."

In a sudden surge of adrenaline, Tobi, renowned for his sluggish reactions after being poisoned by the Spunny eggs, was now unmatched in his reaction once Scott's instructions came. With a swift escape, he seized the moment without a second thought and hurled himself off the rooted river over the precipice, plummeting towards the waiting embrace of the trees far below. His calculated escape was unexpected by the team. Still, what unfolded next sent shockwaves through them all, leaving them utterly frozen in panic, and they were unprepared for the impending chaos.

Emerging from the forest canopy below, a flock of vividly coloured birds burst forth. Their plumage was a dazzling medley of yellows and greens. With choreographed precision, they converged upon Tobi, ascending with predatory accuracy.

As Tobi fell, one of the birds seized him in mid-air, thwarting the others' attempts to peck at him in the frenzy.

His frantic shouts pierced the chaos as the ferocious bird tried to fly out with its prey. With its talons ripped into his flesh, hitting veins and bones, rich, dark and hot blood forced itself out in a continuous splash.

The other birds, failing their first attempt, once again flew towards Tobi, this time being successful at franticly pecking at his body, driven by an insatiable hunger. Amidst the frenzy, Tobi managed to exclaim, "Food! And water!" while pointing ahead toward a waterfall the others couldn't see. His words almost drowned out amidst the chaos of the birds squawking around him.

Almost in response to Tobi's yelling, the tightly entwined roots beneath them began to unravel even faster, leaving the team with less time to come up with a foolproof survival plan on the spot.

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A sense of the forest's predatory abuse permeated the air around them, leaving the team awestruck and uncertain at the mysterious events at play. It was almost like the crater wanted them to remain in the forest among its canopy.

However, during the unfolding peril, Ben's discerning eye caught sight of a small plant clinging to the roots as it unravelled. The plant was cradling a gelatinous sac on itself. This find pulled Ben from his stupor, and with one swift movement, just before the root below his feet shifted and he fell off, Ben managed to snatch the curious plant as he tumbled off the root's edge with a blast of cold water.

It was a harsh descent, but Ben had company. As Ben plummeted, Scott and Mr Major leapt from above, and the root flung Timmon away. Miraculously, all three of his surviving teammates managed to reach the ground unscathed, their lives spared by the branches of the trees below.

Once more, the team found themselves on the forest floor, under the canopy, and despite the collective groans of pain, Ben couldn't help but feel like a billionaire who had stumbled upon the secrets of immortality.

With bated breath, he held the peculiar plant aloft, its gel-like contents glistening in the dappled light that seeped through the canopy of the tree he was under.

As Ben examined the gel plant, a sense of wonder overcame him. It was clear that the plant's transparent sac served as a reservoir for the liquid gel it produced. Questions swirled in his mind: Was this the plant's equivalent of fruit, or did it play a specific role in the local ecosystem? However, as Ben slowly lowered his hands, an unsettling and eerie sensation began to creep over him. The scientific intrigue was swiftly giving way to an unshakable feeling of unease.

It felt like he had been placed under a crimson and emerald-coloured microscope and was being looked upon by something colossal. It was as if he had become a microscopic specimen under the scrutiny of some enormous entity.

Splash! came some water from above as it hit the canopy of the tree, causing water the run and drip off the leaves like rain.

In an instant, Ben's presence dissolved, replaced by an overwhelming sense of tranquillity. The resounding applause and the joyful ringing of bells flooded his senses, transporting his mind to one of his most cherished memories. As he listened, the distant sound of a voice reached his ears, though his vision remained blurred.

Rubbing his eyes, Ben began to discern the outlines of people. Before long, his vision sharpened, and to his astonishment, he had been transported back in time to the day of his wedding. Cradling his wife in his arms, he studied her features, savouring every detail as if it might be their final encounter. A palpable sensation of desire seemed to watch over him from the periphery. In a fleeting moment, Ben was thrust back into his present reality.

Unbeknownst to Team Uno, their adventure had once again careened into treacherous terrain, hurling them into unpredictable peril.

With his arms still outstretched and the plant in his hand, Ben suddenly made eye contact with something in the background. The immense presence staring back at him nearly caused Ben's mind to falter. Glancing quickly toward Mr Major, Scott, and Timmon, who had all descended through the tree and landed close to one another, they remained oblivious to the imminent threat lurking just behind them.

For some inexplicable reason, Mr Major, Scott, and Timmon all had their attention fixed on a bush situated in a clearing mere inches from where the tree's canopy extended and the main forest. Their gazes were locked onto the rustling foliage, ready to react at a moment's notice, leaving Ben even more bewildered by the situation.

Just as he was on the verge of calling out to his teammates, Ben's instincts surged, and his entire body blazed with intense heat. Ben grasped one undeniable truth — whatever he was about to do. He needed to quash that impulse right away. There was a looming threat, and he had to create distance between himself and the tree where he'd taken refuge. Something dangerous was coming.

As abruptly as his temperature had spiked, it plummeted, replaced by an icy dread that washed over him. His instincts now compelled him to stay put while his logical mind fought for control over his body. Ben's position was somewhat off to the side, not at the centre of the tree.

Weary and dehydrated, he chose to trust his newly honed physique, hoping it would serve him when the time came. With the plant clutched tightly in his hand, Ben turned away from where his teammates were standing and broke into a sudden sprint with every ounce of energy he could muster.

With each explosive step, spanning a distance of two meters, he drove his legs to the limit. As his body moved, Ben's perception of time decelerated, allowing his mind to better comprehend his situation. The pulse at his heart was like a burst of energy trying to break the walls of a dam. He could sense the intense focus emanating from behind him somewhere.

Additionally, he felt the predatory eyes of an apex adversary, resolute in its mission to end his life at that very moment. His instincts may have been correct when they urged him not to move, but it was now too late to reconsider. His body was in motion, and it would remain in motion until something halted it.

The details continued to pile up in Ben's mind as he scanned for a safe path to enter the forest from beneath the desolate tree. The ground beneath the tree was cleared, appearing dusty and ashen, and the tree itself was adorned with an array of fruit. Its bark took on a maroon hue, and it bore distinct orbs that bore an uncanny resemblance to eyes.

Ben's heightened awareness homed in on the gaping hole within the tree's trunk. It was an instance of pareidolia, surely. How else could he explain seeing faces in what was, after all, an inanimate object? Or was it? As this thought raced through Ben's mind, his body seemed to move at a gradually decelerating pace. It had been minutes since he took his second step, yet he remained in a state of downward pivot.

Suddenly, a vivid image sprang into Ben's mind: a monstrous entity, the tree itself. The alien-like form appeared far more menacing than he had initially perceived, and now he saw it for the threat it truly was.

Why hadn't he seen it before? That gaping hole was undoubtedly a mouth, its jagged bark at the entrance forming its terrifying maw. Coiled around it were three to four colossal roots, now revealed in Ben's perception for what they truly were: nightmarish appendages. The tree's canopy extended approximately 10 meters in all directions from its centre, and Ben couldn't shake the sense that this tree concealed an arsenal of hidden capabilities. This creature, whatever it might be, was undoubtedly a predator of the highest order in his mind.

As Ben pivoted to take his third step, a sudden jolt of searing pain shot up his leg, causing him to stumble and fall. Gazing at the slowly accumulating pool of blood beneath him, Ben came to a grim realization—a projectile had impaled his foot.

Agony surged through his body, the excruciating pain eclipsing all reason as he writhed in torment.

In that same heart-stopping moment, a ferocious wolf materialized from the shadowy edges of the bushes, its predatory eyes locked onto the wounded Ben, who was sprawled on the ground. The air grew heavy with dread as the wolf surged forward with lightning speed, driven by a deadly mix of hunger and determination. It weaved and darted beneath the tree's canopy, closing the distance between them. As the wolf neared striking range, jaws poised to close around Ben's face, a projectile descended from above with a sudden, sharp popping sound. In an instant, the wolf, mere inches from ending Ben's life, lay lifeless. The projectile had shattered the wolf's skull, terminating its existence in one swift, brutal, and crimson stroke.

Mr Major, Scott, and Timmon stood in astonishment, their eyes locked onto the wolf that had seemingly teleported with astonishing speed toward Ben, only to meet a sudden, explosive demise. Confusion gripped them, and they exchanged glances, each wondering what could have caused the wolf's peculiar death.

Was an unseen adversary lurking among the trees? Acting in unison, they comically turned their heads upward, attempting to decipher the source of the lethal projectiles when an urgent cry of warning, delivered by Ben, tore through the air.

"DON'T FRIGGING MOVE!"

Stricken by the terror in Ben's pained voice, the three men froze, standing in a line roughly 6 meters from the centre of the tree's canopy, their backs facing the tree, heads turned to the left toward Ben. They anxiously awaited his explanation, their eyes locked on him, desperate to comprehend the situation.

Timmon, his voice trembling: "What's going on Ben? Quickly explain yourself.”

Scott: The growl of that wolf didn’t come from the bush it was in, I’m getting a dangerous feeling we need to get out of here.

Mr Major: "We need to get over to him. That injury might be more serious than it looks, and there might be more wolves in the area. With the speed that wolf exhibited, there's no way we could survive an encounter, not even with guns if we had any."

Meanwhile, Scott, struggling to assess Ben's condition while still trying to follow his instructions, attempted to reposition himself slowly. However, as he leaned forward to gain a clearer view, an instinctual sense of danger surged within him. Beads of sweat formed on his brow, and an unspoken warning to the team remained lodged in his throat.

"GOD DAMMIT, I SAID DON'T FUCKING MOVE!” Yelled Ben.

At that very moment, as Scott teetered on the precipice of action, fate moved with ruthless swiftness. The ground trembled as if an invisible hand were wrenching the colossal tree root from beneath the Earth.

In the blink of an eye, Scott reacted, pushing Timmon and Mr Major just as the uprooted appendage lashed out with unrelenting force, ensnaring Scott in its merciless grip.