Without clock and with a sun hidden behind dark clouds there is no concept of time.
His shoes sink in the mud as if the ground is made of butter.
Sometimes he can feel something in his thigh pulling his muscles under the effort. it doesn't hurt much, it's just there like an itch.
The group is now quiet.
Dust want to be in the back. He kind of feel exposed with so many people behind him. Especially with no one he trust behind him.
But at the end of the line they form there is Princess and her "allies".
So it's a big no.
They go along a river with turbulent waters they just found minutes ago.
The water in it is brown with a lot of rock standing in the middle of it like shards ready to jab.
When some dead tree trunk swayed by the violent current encounter this kind of rock the collision shred the wood easily.
The trees who remain standing at the side of the river has their root spread everywhere to keep them stable. More than one time Dust missed to trip on them.
Purple-belly actually did and fell so well that his face had a complete mud mask when he got up.
As busy as he was to wipe his face the middle-aged man didn't notice that his knife who fell with him was left behind.
Dust looks at the weapon half buried in the soil and keep his mouth shut.
By looking away his eyes meet those of Two.
But that's all.
Yet again he find himself giving a quick glance at Suspicious.But the man doesn't care and doesn't wait for anyone. Without stopping for Purple-belly he keeps walking. He kind of feel frustrated by his inability to be social.
A lump is starting to form in his throat.
For the tenth time he squeezes his own knife in his pocket.
-I won't attack you if you don't too.. But i won't protect you either
Dust move his head fast suprised by the sudden sound and knock Suspicious's shin with force.
-What?
The man actually doesn't budge even while he was hit by the boy's forehead.
His eyelids twitch an that 's the end of it. Raising his hand he pulls his red hair back, some strand leaving wet track on his temples and by this movement he can see that at the bottom of the red hair the roots has the colour of the fur of a fox. Ginger?
His big strides create a distance between Dust and him.
Catching up yet again he let another " What?" escape his lips but Suspicious doesn't bother himself to answer.
Embarassed by being ignored he let his gaze wander for a change and Pony bounces in his view.
Even after walking for so long she is still full of energy, the rain has plastered her hair to her tanned skin. Her ponytail lay past her shoulder like some kind of seaweed swept by the sea ashore.
They follow the current so they technically don't need to leave a mark on the trees now but she cut the dark bark anyways.
Like an habit already in her bones.
Old man actually care enough about her to remind the girl that it isn't necessary anymore.
-Let it be, we won't walk in circle if we follow the river you should save up some energy.
She offers him a big smile while she answers.
- What if we need to track back? It will be easier to know the starting point where we followed the stream if i keep marking along the way. I am fine.
To demonstrate it she raise her arms to show some of her muscles.
The old man nod and don't say more.
Dully Dust notes that Suspicious and him start to be a bit far of the rest with their actual pace.
On edge he only start to notice the strange shape appearing in the fog across the river after looking at it for some minutes.
- Do you see that?
Suspicious throw him a glance then follow his line of sight.
- Some trees?
Dust frown forcing his eyes to see better.
- No it looks like some kind of stilts…
-Why did you stop?
Old man tries to reach their position his voice more strained than usual.Suspicious shrugs then ask.
-Do you see stilts in front?
Interlocked the grey eyes take a sharp glint his wrinkles becoming more profound.
Like us he look past the brown water and land on the black vertical forms ahead. He mumbles.
-Too much fog.
Dust think and think.
The landscape isn't a bit similar to the one of the dream if he exclude the fog and the forest. So there is a huge possibility that the lake must be far away.
There is no way to know when night will hit… And they need food and a safe place if they stay here more than one day.
The others gather around him and Suspicious a bit too close to his liking.
- Shall we go take a look? If there is stilts then humans may be here.
Purple-belly squeeze his eyes like people press a lemon. His mouth pursed while he took a couple of steps more to stand at the limit between the mud and the dangerous water.
A little push in the back and he will fall in the river effortlessly.
After one second, he confirm the assumption of Dust.
-Stilts yes. Some sort of cabin or hut on stilts. What do we do?
The man turn his head to look at the group behind him. Avoiding his probing gaze Dust see a bit of mud still clinging to his skin under his round chin.
Old man straighten his back his stick hitting the wet ground with a splash, he has his usual severe expression on his face. Like some kind of ancient tree twisted by the years but still managing to stand strong and tall against the wind.
- Wait a bit. Human presence isn't necessarilly a good thing.
- Good or bad we only know if we go see.
Pony come to the side of the careful man.
They are like polar opposite.
Where she is young energetic and bold he is old tired and careful.
But the two has something in common : they are strong headed.
-Sometimes its better to not know.
She pouts.
The women with her soiled gown
come with Potatoes to take a look too.
Her eyes has the colour of the ground. Brown turning dark under the rain. The fog reflect on her pupil like some kind of white cloud.
Her hand comb her wavy hair absently.
She seems kind of dreamy.
Her voice is soft but powerful. A combination quite strange.
-Even if we want to go there how can we cross the river? Swimming is out of the way.
She doesn't need to explain.
Everyone here understand what she mean when they hear the roar of the water passing like an angry dragon about to go wild for more than one second.
Ugly nod as if to ponctuate her sentence. One nod for the first sentence, another for the second.
Dust momentarily hesitate between continuing to call him Potaoes and Ugly or to give him the title of Second Follower with his behavior.
Like always Two keep silent.
Princess doesn't say anything either and Handsome and Follower keep their mouth shut too.
Purple-belly ask again.
-Why not vote? Those who want to take a look raise their hand?
He is the first to raise his hand Suspicious follow suit. Suprising Dust who raise his hand by mimicry.
Why not? Anyway he is tired, wet and doesn't want to separate with Suspicious. Maybe the title of Second Follower is actually for him.
Of course Pony is in it. Princess whisper something like " whatever let's just rest" and lift her hand. Follower and Handsome does the same. Two doesn't move an inch.
Charismatic stay put.
Next to Charismatic, Ugly hesitates a bit but keep his hand lowered. Old man has a dark face and glance at his left. Somehow it seems to Dust that if the situation wasn't so strange and surnatural the man will limp his way out all alone and disappear in the forest.
The majority has decided.
They search for a bit and find a bridge ten minutes away from their previous position.
Though calling it a bridge is a big name for a few wood planks linked by cords. The one who was courageous enough to test if its still can bear a human weight was Ugly.
The water in the river sometimes splasch the planks and make the whole thing slippy and precarious. Under each of their step the " bridge" trembled.
Just like that they crossed.
What they found after is a a dozen of cabins on stilts built in half circle facing the river.
Void of any living beings.