Stripe embraced Metaphor tightly. The warm feelings flowed in their contact. Tears broke out of Stripe's tear ducts. Hero put on a smile of what may be happiness or satisfaction. A gleam of relief appeared shone in Dalton's and Tesla's eyes.

Dalton brought a basket of the plastic fruits, and Metaphor could only groan. She begrudgingly took bites of the fruits, and she noted the rather improved flavor and texture of said fruits, making them more tolerable.

Metaphor tried to recall what happened last night, but her memories were fuzzy. In her mindful sea, there was a stretch of the sea floor she could not map, a trench she could not know what's at the bottom. She not remember what kind of wrecks and oceanic landforms from the depths of the memory trench. None. Nada. Zilch. She could remember none of that night.

Metaphor rubbed her temples in hopes of dislodging the memories that may have unfortunately lodged themselves onto her skull, but to no avail, no memory of the night came to her.

"Guys, what happened last night?" She spoke. "Did I fall off of bed? My memories are hazy."

"No. You were bitten by a venomous snake." Dalton answered. Dalton then shifts her attention to a bandaged patch in her left shoulder.

"Oh. What was I doing last night?"

"Beats us," Tesla shrugged. "The doors out are locked, so there should be no one coming in and out. I assume that you magicked yourself through the door."

"The Mass Molding Unit reports that you were detected to be actively avoiding detection." Dalton added.

~***~

Metaphor was served a breakfast in bed. It was just like their meal yesterday, edible plastic fruits but diced and a cup of hot tea. Although the fake fruits were still awfully sour, she noted that they were more tolerable this time. Dalton explains that from the reactions and suggestions that he had gathered, he was able to improve the recipe for the fruits.

By noon, Metaphor was discharged. The intravenous tubes were finally removed from her arm, and she could finally walk free.

"I have contacted some fellows. I have not learnt of your friend's whereabouts." Dalton began. "However, I have learnt of a carrier that may be carrying your canine friend. The carrier's destination is approximately >10 kilometers northeast of here."

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"Well. I suppose we should get going immediately," Hero said. "For our friend, Buddy."

"Yes, but before you go, I have a gift for you." Dalton said. He then went to retrieve a basket of good filled with much of the beloved plastic fruits the mill produces. "This a parting gift. May it aid you in your journey."

And so, by the afternoon, they had prepared and set off northward. They crossed the mint-grassed clearing and reentered the forest. They went on their journey through the woods.

Afternoon turned to dusk. The forest was painted in pumpkin light. The eerie silent air hung around them like a transparent fog. They had travelled long and far. Hero marched on, tirelessly, but slowed down and stopped to accommodate his less untiring fellows.

They set up camp in the forest as the sun had began to sink beneath the horizon. Hero went out to hunt some prey for dinner, but as said, the forest was oddly devoid of creatures. Not a bird or rabbit nor insect or worm lived and stirred in the forest. Hero joined Tesla in gathering fruits instead.

They found the trees weirdly lacking in fruit or bud, so they went on to gather herbs and roots instead. Tesla found a few armfuls of edible mushroom and herbs, while Hero had dirtied his wool and vest in digging up roots and tubers.

They returned to the camp. Metaphor and Stripe were sitting before a fire that Metaphor had magically lit. It provided some warmth to the body whilst the cool evening air had began to roll through the forest.

They skewered the bounty of nature they have gathered and began to roast them over the fire. Metaphor happily ate the mushrooms and tubers she had roasted over the fire. She was rather thankful to finally eat something relatively meaty instead of non-stop grass.

Stripe's skewered food was burnt and scorched over the flames. It even caught on fire. Before Hero could offer his intact kebab to Stripe, he engulfed the stick with his head like a slime would eat its prey. The food dissolved into his blood, stick and all.

Hero dug into his food like a wild animal. He tore apart the roots and tubers like an angry bear but with a smile. He offered to give three-quarters of his meal to everyone else, but they refused. Tesla even gave him a scornful eye.

Tesla did not eat, but did keep their share of the gathered food. Tesla only watched everyone eat around the fire, occasionally contributing on an ongoing discussion.

As the night grew deeper, they too grew drowsy. As the stars above twinkled and astral string sparkled, they began to motion towards sleep. Metaphor and Tesla leant onto a tree as they both fell to sleep. Stripe slept in boughs of the trees for he felt the forest floor was unsafe, although the utter silence and lifelessness of the woods.

Hero did not join them to sleep right away. He felt rather uncomfortable sleeping in the open. He felt... too exposed in the open air, and so he picked a spot where he could see everyone, and began to dig. He dug himself a little in which he can sleep. He slipped into the little hollow, and curled into a ball of wool. Before he fully let himself to the land of sleep, he set his eyes to his companions for the last time.

He fell asleep. In the pocket filled with his warmth, his dreams went alight with calm and serenity.