Bird calls wake Dar from his long sleep. The man sits up with a sigh and stretches his limbs slowly. The sun is cresting the mountains on the horizon, and clouds dot the sky. The other three are still sleeping peacefully among the apple cores.

"Oh. Well that's gross." Dar mutters quietly.

There are swarms of gnats among the eaten apples; Dar takes the time to grab the apple cores and toss them into the lake. The sounds of each splash gradually wake Cara and Tack. The two of them stretch their bodies sleepily while watching Dar clean things up.

"Why'd you throw those away?" Cara asks sleepily.

"Gnats were getting all over them. It was nasty." Dar shakes his head with a frown.

Cara nods softly and seems to half understand his reasoning. Tack ignores the conversation while stretching his limbs further. He takes a few deep breaths before breaking into a brisk run; His path following the edge of the lake.

"What's he doing?" Dar asks in confusion.

The sound of Gol's voice startles both Cara and Dar as the burly man stands up fully.

"Oh! He's getting his blood flowing that's what!" Gol shouts as if he hadn't been snoring loudly a minute ago.

Gol sprints after Tack without giving either of them time to respond. His beefy legs piston up and down as he runs over sand and soil alike. Tack looks surprised, but not upset to see the man run alongside him. Gol could overtake the young man, but keeps the same pace.

"I don't get it, but I'm glad they're enjoying themselves." Cara shrugs her shoulders with a yawn.

Dar nods slowly while his thoughts are elsewhere. He clears his throat with a guilty expression on his face, and decides its time to break the news.

"We haven't mentioned it, but Tack found something yesterday." Dar's states softly.

"Something?" Cara's eyebrow raises.

"Yes. There's something strange up on the hill nearby." Dar explains while breaking eye contact.

"Well what is it? That's too vague." She frowns whilst replying.

Dar's expression twists slightly as he struggles with words. He knows he can describe the strange thing, but he's not sure it'll do any good compared to standing beside the thing.

"It's sort of a big block, but its made of metal, and it gives a very specific feeling when you stand beside it." Dar explains it in a hushed voice.

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Cara looks confused, albeit not as shocked as Dar believes she should be. He sighs and shakes his head before glancing at Gol and Tack on their morning jog.

"Let's all go take a look once they get back over here." Dar states apprehensively.

~

Four humans walk through the trees with bated breath. Two of them look eager, while the other two look doubtful.

Dar pushes aside some branches to reveal a dark smooth block of metal. The strange object is without damage, albeit trees have started to grow around it. The thing is clearly unnatural; It gives the four of them an ominous yet secure feeling.

"Could this be something God left for us?" Gol mutters quietly.

The other three look conflicted, but the thought of their creator leaving this strange relic here is better than it being the result of something else.

"That's what I thought as well, but I'm not sure what its purpose is." Tack sighs wistfully.

"Maybe God forgot it was here?" Cara offers doubtfully.

The four of them all go quiet, and for an awkward moment they contemplate the ramifications of God being forgetful. They break into laughter before waving the idea off.

"Sorry, even I regret saying that." Cara chuckles softly.

They throw some theories around for the next few minutes. Eventually they decide that the object's purpose is beyond mortal minds. The four of them agree that the object feels close to God, but they can't prove anything.

~

Cain tightens his grip on the branch whilst staring down the biggest of the wolves. Blood is pouring down his arm from a large gash on his shoulder, yet he doesn't falter. God gave him this life, and he doesn't intend to waste it dying to a beast.

"Get to the cave! Go!" Cain shouts to the others.

"But-" The young woman behind Cain begins to protest.

"No. I'm not going to die here!" Cain assuages the woman's worries.

The whistle of the branch in Cain's hand cutting through the air to strike an eager wolf's snout brings the woman out of her daze. She bolts into a sprint with an older man beside her; She casts a sorrow filled glance at Cain as he stands off against the wolf pack.

Cain's muscles twitch as he slaps the wolf's head again with the branch. The creatures could tear him to pieces, but they hesitate at the prospect of being bashed with the stick. They're gradually surrounding Cain from the front and sides, yet he doesn't lose confidence.

His grip tightens before he leaps toward the biggest wolf with a fire in his golden eyes. There's a madness in him, and it flares up into an inferno as he brandishes his primitive weapon on the pack's toughest member.

The other wolves back up and yelp at the unexpected charge, but not the old wolf. His scarred snout wrinkles as he bares his teeth. Cain doesn't flinch as he brings the branch down on the canine's face over and over again, not giving the beast a chance to lash out at him.

"Ha! Haha! Yes!" Cain laughs in ecstasy.

The other wolves flee as the old wolf's face bleeds profusely. Cracks have formed on his skull whilst Cain's hand has started to bleed from the brutal use of the rough branch. The Wolf is too dazed to properly lunge, but he does manage a scratch on Cain's thigh.

Blood soaks the grass as Cain continues to beat the beast into the dirt. Each thwack elicits a wet crunch from the dying beast as Cain bludgeons the life out of it. The others would be horrified by such a scene, but Cain revels in the feeling of blood splashing onto his skin.

"Haha..." Cain chuckles softly.

His madness has cooled, and yet the bloody consequences remain. Cain can feel this desire for blood is a dangerous thing, but he can't call it a curse. God made him this way.

Cain strolls over to a nearby stream, and rinses his skin as well as his crude wooden weapon. He contemplates how his violent outbursts might affect the others, and decides he'll have to tell them eventually. They'll be safer knowing his true personality.

He swears to tell them the truth, and starts walking in their direction.