He didn't stay long. After another drink of water and a quick scan of the area, he moved on again.
This time, the pressure in his chest wasn't just a warning; it was a sign of something more serious.
It felt more like anticipation, like something was just ahead, just beyond the trees, but he didn't rush toward it.
He kept his pace steady, eyes open, body ready.
And as the light started to fade again, showing that the end of the second day was coming, and the forest shifted once more, he knew one thing for sure.
He was getting close.
By the time Ethan made it out of the basin, the blue moss behind him was already fading into shadow.
The terrain sloped upward now, not steep, but steady, and the trees became spaced just enough to let in patches of dying light.
He walked without noise. Not because he was trying to hide, but because his body moved in rhythm with the ground.
