After ensuring Elleanor had eaten and fallen asleep, Avi sat face-to-face with Tyler. The soft creaking of the wooden cabin, coupled with the faint glow of the lantern, set the stage for a conversation Avi had been dreading and anticipating in equal measure. The urgency, curiosity, and frustration that he had buried during the chaos now resurfaced, pressing him to demand answers.
Leaning forward, Avi locked his gaze on Tyler. "Alright, no more stalling. What happened? Where is everyone?" His voice was steady, but the undertone of frustration was impossible to miss.
Tyler, sitting across from him, shifted uncomfortably. His usual cocky demeanor was dimmed, but not entirely extinguished. Scratching the back of his head, he sighed before meeting Avi's piercing stare. "Look, nerd," Tyler began, his voice carrying its trademark sarcasm despite the weariness etched into his face, "I'm not telling you this because I suddenly enjoy your company. I just know it's important. So, once I start, get that dense head of yours to focus, because I'm not repeating myself."
Avi smirked faintly. "So, what I'm hearing is, I shouldn't point out how weak you come off in this story?"
Tyler shot him a glare, his bruised face twitching in annoyance. "You—" He caught himself, sighed again, and muttered, "You're a pain, you know that?" After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
Avi leaned back slightly, his smirk fading as he prepared to listen. Tyler might be insufferable, but the information he had was vital.
"We were tasked with scouting the west," Tyler began, his voice steady at first. "It was me, Jared, and the rest of my team. Standard stuff, really—walking, mapping the terrain, dealing with the creatures you and the others mentioned before. The weird horned rabbits, those oversized monkeys, and wolves that seem to glow in the dark. At first, it was manageable. A few scratches here, a cut there, nothing too serious. But then Jared pointed out something odd."
Tyler paused, his eyes narrowing as he recalled the moment. "He said it felt like we were walking in circles. At first, I thought he was just being paranoid, but then... we saw Ken's group. Out of nowhere, there they were, coming toward us from the opposite direction. And, mind you, they were supposed to be scouting south."
Avi nodded, already knowing this part from Ken's earlier message. "Let me guess—you ran into Ryan's team next?"
Tyler blinked, momentarily startled. "Yeah... How did you know?" He didn't wait for an answer, waving it off. "Anyway, yeah, Ryan's team showed up not long after. Ryan messaged Alex about it, saying something was off. At that point, we figured splitting up was a terrible idea. So we stuck together, all three groups."
His expression darkened. "That's when things went to hell. The creatures—we thought we'd figured out their patterns, their weaknesses—but they started getting tougher. Smarter, even. They attacked in larger groups, their movements more coordinated. It felt like they were deliberately wearing us down, keeping us from making any progress. Every time we tried to rest, they came at us again. It was relentless."
Tyler's hands clenched into fists, his voice dropping. "We were running on fumes. No one could even think about reporting back to Alex. And then... it showed up."
Avi's brow furrowed. "What showed up?"
Tyler swallowed hard, his bravado slipping entirely. "The thing. A guardian. At least, that's what Ken yelled before it attacked." He shivered at the memory, his eyes haunted. "It wasn't like the bear you mentioned. This thing—it was a snake. Massive. I'm talking five times my size, at least. Its scales gleamed like armor, its eyes glowed like fire, and it moved faster than something that size had any right to."
Tyler's voice wavered as he continued, his knuckles white. "Ken shouted for everyone to take cover. But me? I was an idiot. I thought I could take it down. So I charged it, axe in hand."
Avi's jaw tightened as he listened, the image of Tyler's reckless attack playing out in his mind.
"I got close," Tyler said bitterly. "I actually thought I had it. But the moment I swung, it swatted me aside like I was nothing. Just a flick of its tail, and I was flying. The others—Ken, Ryan, everyone—they didn't hesitate. They jumped in to try and save me. Ken distracted it with his shield, Ryan hit it with his fists, and the rest of the group tried to circle around for an opening."
Tyler's fists trembled, his voice cracking. "But it was playing with us. It spat venom that melted the ground, whipped its tail like a battering ram, and lunged at us with those jaws that could swallow a person whole. Every time we thought we had it, it would turn the tables. It was like it enjoyed watching us struggle."
He paused, taking a shaky breath. "Eventually, I thought I saw an opening. I swung again, but it was too fast. It flicked me away like I weighed nothing. The last thing I remember is the sky spinning, and before I black out? I crashed here and crawled into this cabin and prayed that thing and other of those wild creatures wouldn't find me."
The cabin fell silent. Avi stared at Tyler, his mind racing. Another guardian?. Violent, unlike the bear in his dream. Why? What was driving these creatures to attack? And why had the scouting teams all converged, despite heading in different directions? It was as if something—or someone—had led them into this nightmare.
"Thanks for the epic, Ty," Avi said finally, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "But that still doesn't help me find our schoolmates."
Tyler scowled. "You mean their bodies are missing? Because I'm pretty sure they're dead. That thing doesn't leave survivors."
Avi's patience snapped. His fist shot out, slamming into Tyler's gut. Tyler doubled over, coughing and wheezing in pain.
"Say that again," Avi growled, "and I'll wrap you up in bandages so tight you'll look like a caterpillar in a cocoon."
"Wow," Tyler wheezed, glaring up at him. "Real heroic. Beating up an injured patient. Classy."
Avi ignored him, storming out of the cabin. The cold night air hit his face, clearing his head as he stared up at the stars. His thoughts were a tangled mess. The bear in his dream had been kind, protective—a guardian in every sense of the word. But these other guardians... they were different. Violent. Ruthless. Why?
And the paths—three teams heading in different directions, only to end up together? It wasn't a coincidence. They were being herded, manipulated. But by what?
He stared out into the dark expanse of trees, the faint moonlight casting silver patterns across the forest floor. "We really need to get to that village," he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. His thoughts churned with a mix of frustration and determination. "It's the only way to figure out what's going on here. These guardians, the creatures, why we're being attacked—it has to be connected to something bigger."
Avi sighed and rubbed his temples, the weight of responsibility creeping in. The thought of leading a group—even one as small and ragtag as theirs—made his stomach churn. Tyler was a pain, Elleanor wasn't exactly easy to deal with either, and he had no idea what other surprises might be waiting for them in the village.
He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite the dire situation. "It's gonna be annoying babysitting Tyler and fighting with Ellie," he joked under his breath, letting a brief moment of levity punctuate his grim thoughts.
Avi pushed the creaky wooden door open, the soft light of the evening filtering in as the fire in the hearth crackled faintly. He stepped inside, ready to share his thoughts with Tyler about their next steps, but his words caught in his throat. Tyler was already asleep, his head tilted awkwardly to the side and his chest rising and falling unevenly with each breath. His face, normally set in a smug grin or some form of sarcastic defiance, was pale and etched with lines of pain. Avi couldn't blame him—Tyler had been through hell, and even a hardened fighter would have needed time to recover.
As his gaze shifted, Avi noticed a small figure crouched beside Tyler. Elleanor. She was poking at Tyler's head with the spoon she had used earlier for dinner, her expression a mix of childlike curiosity and playful mischief. Despite the heaviness of the past few hours, a small chuckle escaped Avi's lips.
"Even in chaos, she finds a way to be a kid," he thought, his chest tightening at the sight.
"Ellie thinks mister monster is not a monster, big bro," she said matter-of-factly, not looking up from her poking.
Avi leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as a faint smile tugged at his lips. "I already told you that earlier, Ellie," he said with mock exasperation.
"But mister monster sleeps like caterpillar," Ellie added, tilting her head as if she had solved a great mystery.
Avi let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Caterpillar, huh? Well, maybe he'll wake up as a butterfly," he joked, though his mind was racing with plans and concerns. Watching Ellie's innocent antics gave him an idea—a risky one, but likely their best shot.
He stepped closer, crouching to her level. Her dark eyes sparkled in the dim light as she finally turned her full attention to him. Her expression shifted slightly, curiosity mingling with a flicker of unease, as though she sensed he was about to say something important.
"Ellie, big bro needs your help," Avi began gently.
The child's face tensed, her fingers tightening around the spoon. "Big bro gonna leave Ellie in the village?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with fear.
The question hit Avi like a dagger. He froze for a moment, guilt pooling in his chest. He had already failed so many people—how could he ever reassure this little girl who had already lost so much?
"No, Ellie," he said, his tone firm but kind. He reached out and rested a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Big bro will never leave you. Like our caterpillar friend over there, big bro needs to find his other friends. And big bro needs Ellie's help for that. Can you be my guide?"
Ellie's small face brightened with the question. "Ellie will help big bro?" she asked, her voice rising with excitement. Her fear seemed to melt away, replaced by the spark of determination only a child could have.
"Yeah," Avi said with a soft smile. "And then Ellie will come with big bro from now on. We'll find my friends together, and after that, we'll eat lots of yummy food. What do you think?"
Before he could say another word, Ellie flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Thanks, big bro!" she giggled, her voice muffled against his chest.
Avi chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame. He could feel her heartbeat against his own, steady and warm—a reminder of why he had to keep moving forward, no matter how bleak things seemed.
But then, she pulled back slightly, her big eyes gazing up at him with a question that crushed his soul. "Will big bro help Ellie find her nana too?" she asked, her voice filled with innocent hope.
The guilt knotted in his stomach, sharp and unrelenting. How could he answer her when he didn't even know the truth himself? Avi felt his chest tighten painfully. He swallowed hard, the weight of her words pressing down on him like a stone. He had heard her story earlier—how she found her nana's clothes in the forest, abandoned. Deep down, he knew what it meant. But how could he shatter this little girl's world by telling her the truth? How could he take away the one sliver of hope she still clung to?
He looked over at Tyler, still unconscious, then back at Ellie, who was staring at him with wide, expectant eyes. Her trust in him was absolute, and he felt a surge of determination.
Avi forced a smile, his voice steady despite the ache in his heart. "Yeah, big bro Avi will stay with Ellie until we find her nana," he said softly, his words a quiet promise.
Ellie's face lit up with joy, and she wrapped her arms around his neck again, her giggles filling the small cabin. Avi held her close, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he fought back the sting of tears.
"I'll protect you, Ellie. Even if it means lying to you for now," he thought, the weight of his promise settling over him.
As he carried her to her makeshift bed, he glanced once more at Tyler. The guy was a pain, sure, but he was a comrade—a reminder of everything they were fighting for, even if they didn't always see eye to eye.
Avi gently laid Ellie down, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she drifted off to sleep. The firelight flickered across the room, casting long shadows that danced like ghosts of the past. Avi sat back, running a hand through his hair as his thoughts churned.
"We need to get to that village. Answers, supplies, something—anything that can help us piece together what's really happening here. But how much longer can we keep surviving like this? How much longer can I keep holding everything together?"
He glanced down at Ellie again, her small form curled up peacefully. His heart ached with both love and fear. He didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't let her down. Not now. Not ever.