They had not radioed the headquarters the previous day. There would be days when they would not be able to contact the headquarters because of the nature of their work. So it will take some time for the higher-ups to know that their subordinates had gone AWOL or if they died. It was convenient for Rana and Rudra.
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At daybreak, Rana and Rudra stood in front of their shelter. They were going to say goodbye to the place which they called their home. There was no guarantee that there would be a return. Rana locked the door of the shack which housed him for more than 8 years. The separation was particularly hard for him for he had grown attached to it. He nodded his head seemingly conveying his thanks to the house for everything. They picked up their rucksacks and started making their way back to where they encountered the humanoid creatures.
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Thus their adventure had begun.
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Rana and Rudra held their Ranger Corps-issued rucksacks on their backs. Rana carried a med-kit, mountaineering gear, bullets for his rifle and some clothes. He had his rifle's sling over his neck and the rifle is seen hanging in front of his stomach from where he could easily access it. He also carried a kukri knife on his waist as he could not always depend on his rifle. They were necessary for him to where he was going. He had the journal of Chief Engineer Ayub and copies of the forest's map placed in his breast pocket. Finally, with a black scarf, he had his face covered. The get-up would certainly look heavy for an average person, but since Rana has been doing this for so many years, for him it would be very light. He had a really well-built body with strong muscles and legs and he also had way more stamina than the younger Rudra.
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Rudra had picked up a hunter's bow and arrows from the storage for his trip. He had clipped the bow onto the rucksack and placed a quiver of arrows in its left pocket. He carried the equipment required to set up a proper camp, a short axe to prepare firewood, a survival kit, a certain amount of non-perishable food for emergencies, and some personal belongings. He had his handgun placed in the holster that was attached to his leather belt. Both of them kept a walkie-talkie and a bunch of batteries for the situations where they got separated. The two looked like they were battle ready.