Chapter 36: The Most Dangerous Task

"Don't you think we should slow down a bit, Scar? I mean, we don't know anything about this terrain. We need to be more careful of our surroundings. Also, why did you insist on going up this mountain? The further we go up the mountain, the farther we are from camp. What would happen in the case of an emergency? Scar-"

Rsstl.

Abruptly coming to a stop, I look back at Code, and he immediately ceases his rambling. Seeing a squirrel run up a tree, I exhale through my nose. After quickly checking the strength of the torch Code is carrying and having another look around, I silently press onward. Desperate to get off his feet for even a brief moment, Code resumes begging.

"Come on, Scar, let's think logically about this. We need-"

"Slow down, and we might not find any of those markings the others keep talking about," I say, pushing a branch out of the way, letting it go after safely passing through.

Ducking under the branch as it rebounds toward him, Code says, "Okay, I get that. But can we at least take a little break? I'm starving. Before long, I won't be able to keep up at this pace without having some food."

Stopping once more, I turn back toward Code. After a few seconds of thought, I say, "I'm hungry too. I guess a break won't hurt; we can't take long, though."

Sighing in relief as he wanders off to the nearest tree, Code thanks me. Placing his back against the tree, he slides down the trunk to the ground, his legs sprawled out. Swinging his backpack around to the front and resting it on his lap, Code opens it up and starts scrounging around inside, trying to find his canteen.

"Rest up well,” I say. “It looks like we're almost at the top, but who knows what's beyond. You'll need your strength."

Drinking some water, Code is careful not to drink too much as he quickly feels the relief of renewed hydration. Lowering the canteen and wiping his mouth on his sleeve, Code asks, "Scar… are you not tired? Not even a little bit?"

Settling down against a tree, I rest my eyes on the path.

"Tired? I’m not sure. I don't remember much from my life before now, but if this is what being tired feels like, I guess… I've always been tired."

***

Snap!

As a small twig breaks in half beneath Forest’s foot, he leads the way as Hunter and Falcon follow closely behind him. Hunter carefully cradles the torch as the three reach their destination: the cave where the marked trees await.

"Forest, it's almost like you have a sixth sense for navigating this terrain at such a quick pace. How do you actually know all of this stuff?" asks Hunter.

Stepping over a tree root, Forest replied without veering his attention away from the path, "I'm not really sure. I just know."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not complaining. It comes in handy. What plants can't be touched, what berries can be eaten, how to catch fish, even without a net or gear. Thanks to you, we have extended how long our rations will last considerably," says Hunter.

"It's not like I'm the only one here who's good in the wilderness. Falc, you can climb pretty much anything and give us a birds-eye view over any new terrain. Hunter, you’ve helped provide more food for the rest of us. My berries pale in comparison to the amount of fish you've caught. That was one damn good meal we had before the trial. I still don't know how you managed to find and kill a deer. We haven't seen one since. In fact, there seem to be barely any animals out here, which makes that feat all the more impressive,” says Forest.

"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” says Hunter, surprising Forest and Falcon with his modesty. “But besides that deer, I would be pretty useless without everything else you taught me, taught us. So don't be so critical of yourself, Forest; you're allowed to take a compliment and feel good about yourself, you know?"

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

A little embarrassed, Forest doesn’t show it to his two closest friends.

Falcon starts chuckling, "We're like a dream team, don't you think?"

Composing himself again, Forest attempts to steer the others' focus back on their mission, "Maybe we are Falc, but I think it's because of our unique skill sets that we were given the most dangerous task today."

His tone brimming with aspiration and hope, Falcon says, "Ease up a bit Forest. You realize we could be like… heroes if we get back with this information, right?"

"We still need to be cautious, so keep your eyes and ears open."

Falcon chuckles, "Alright."

A few minutes of silence pass until the group wraps around the final bend near the cave. Realizing where they are, Forest says, "We're here. Stay alert."

"That was much faster than I remember. Told you that navigational brain of yours comes in handy," says Hunter.

Forest replies, "It's always easier doing things a second time."

As he walks into a large clearing, Forest carefully surveys the scenery around him as he slows to a stop. Hunter and Falcon walk up on either side of him a second or so later. The cave is off to their left-hand side, embedded into the base of a mountain. Looking to his right, Forest locates what they’re looking for.

Four trees are lined up almost side by side, each with black markings carved into their trunks.

"And that's what we came here for," says Forest as he points to the trees.

Falcon and Hunter fix their gaze in the same direction, and the three observe the trees from afar, unable to move. Falcon takes a few steps forward, brimming with curiosity, but he realizes that neither Forest nor Hunter has gone with him, and he turns back around.

"What are you two waiting on?? Don't let me get all the glory here. Although… I wouldn't mind if you did. Being a hero sounds nice."

Shifting their focus to a grinning Falcon, the other two feel encouraged as the stress that’s been building since they left camp dissipates. Retrieving the notebook and pen from his backpack, Falcon holds them out.

"We've been given the most important job today. Let's not let the others down.”

Snapping out of his daze, Forest joins Falcon and takes the notebook off his hands. Hunter then arrives, and the three march over to the trees together.

"You're right, Falc. Sorry for hesitating, it won’t happen again," says Forest.

Falcon chuckles, "Forest, I'm going to ask you something, and I hope you don't take it the wrong way. But how many times will it take me to tell ya to lighten up before you actually do?"

Trying hard not to take offense to that, Forest does his best to remain calm, "Our lives are on the line today, and depending on what we find, everybody else's lives depend on us too. I would vouch that it is normal for one to be concerned and self-aware about their health and safety. Truthfully, I don't understand how you can be so easygoing right now.”

Falcon steps in front of Forest, forcing him to stop. Behind Forest, Hunter has also stopped but remains quiet, intrigued by this conversation's direction.

"I can be easygoing because of the situation we are in. Be honest, don't you feel truly alive?"

"We are living by ourselves, in harsh and cruel conditions against an enemy that seems unstoppable. Two of us have already been killed, and although we won't know, Ace will most likely be killed soon. The stakes are extremely high; everybody's lives depend on our success or failure, yet you ask me to lighten up? Don't you remember what happened to the other two who saw markings like these? They only had so long before they were killed! Who's to say Crow isn't watching us right now, preparing to make his move and murder all three of us!"

Falcon presses a finger against Forest’s chest, "Tell me something. When you're about to die, will you look back on your life, genuinely believing that you lived and enjoyed it to the fullest? Or, will you look back on your life with regrets that you should've done things differently?"

Bewildered, Forest doesn’t know how to answer.

"Being vigilant and proactive are strengths, especially in this setting. You tell me I'm being easygoing when it's quite the opposite,” says Falcon, pausing. “I'm scared shitless, man. We all are. We've made it this far because of that fear, which makes us grounded and alert. But negatively skewing everything isn't helping anybody. You're being way too hard on yourself. Wouldn't you agree that strangling yourself like that isn't fun?"

"I– I know you mean well, really, I do. I don't trust anybody else as much as I trust you. But isn't it better to be this way? Making every effort toward our survival should be our top priority. I mean, to die knowing you did everything you could to prevent such a death would mean…" says a flustered Forest, hanging his head and coming to a realization. "Right. I understand now."

As he drops his arm back down, Falcon says, "Let's relax, have some fun today. Wouldn't you say that life is pretty boring without having any fun?"

The two stare at each other for a few seconds before Forest cracks a smile.

"Let's get started then, shall we?" says Forest, shaking the notebook.

Focusing on the marking as the three approaches the trees, an undetected crow eagerly watches from behind them before flapping its wings and taking to the sky.