The morning light found Leo already awake, seated near the campfire with the rusted blade in his hands. He wasn't sharpening it this time—just staring at it, as if the metal might reveal some secret. The others stirred one by one, groggy and slow, the warmth of the fire pulling them toward wakefulness.
"We need to make a decision," Lina said, her voice cutting through the quiet. She was already fully dressed, her dagger strapped to her side. "Staying here forever isn't an option. The bandits will keep spreading."
Leo nodded, his expression grave. "Agreed. But where do we go? And how do we prepare?"
Ren ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "We can't just wander aimlessly. If we're going to leave, we need a destination—a plan."
Zhi stifled a yawn, leaning on his spear. "What about one of the old fortress towns? They'd have walls, weapons... maybe even people."
"The bandits probably thought of that first," Kai countered. "If those towns aren't already taken, they're crawling with danger."
Hope, who had been quietly poking at the embers with a stick, looked up. "What if there are people like us there? People who need help?"
The group fell silent for a moment. The boy's words hung in the air, a faint spark of optimism against the heavy weight of reality.
Leo stood, brushing off his hands. "Then we find out. But Zhi's right—we need to prepare first. If we're heading toward any stronghold, we'll need more than just sticks and rusted steel."
They spent the morning making lists. Lina sketched in the dirt with her dagger, outlining supplies they'd need: food, water, tools, weapons. Ren and Kai brainstormed potential traps and defenses for their journey.
"Metal weapons," Lina muttered, tapping the hilt of her dagger. "The ones we have won't last in a real fight."
"We might find some in the ruins of the next village," Leo said. "If it hasn't been picked clean."
"Big if," Zhi added, grimacing.
As they planned, Hope wandered the clearing, collecting stones and sticks, his makeshift bag slung over one shoulder. He hummed to himself, an odd but comforting sound amid the serious conversation.
By midday, they split into groups. Leo and Lina would scout the nearby area for anything useful, while Zhi, Kai, and Ren stayed to fortify the camp and train. Hope, despite his protests, was assigned to guard duty—"important work," as Zhi called it, though it mostly meant watching for trouble from atop a tree.
Leo and Lina moved quickly, their footsteps light on the forest floor.
"You've done this before," Lina said, her eyes scanning the trees ahead.
"Survived?" Leo replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Lina snorted softly. "Scouted. You move like someone who knows what to look for."
Leo hesitated before answering. "Let's just say I've played enough games to know the basics. Planning, strategy—it helps."
"Games," Lina repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think those would translate to real life."
"Neither did I," Leo admitted.
The two fell into a comfortable silence, their shared focus on the task at hand.
They reached the edge of a wide clearing, where the charred remains of a wagon lay half-buried in the undergrowth.
"Looks like someone got ambushed," Lina murmured, crouching to examine the scene.
Leo knelt beside her, his eyes narrowing. "The tracks are old. Whoever was here left days ago."
"Still," Lina said, her voice low. "We should be careful."
They found a few scraps: a broken knife blade, a leather pouch with a single coin inside, and a torn piece of cloth. Nothing useful, but it told a story—a reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.
"Let's move," Leo said, his tone firm.
Back at camp, Zhi was drilling with Ren and Kai. The three men moved through basic combat stances, their movements awkward but improving with each repetition.
"Keep your weight balanced," Zhi barked, his usual sarcasm replaced by rare seriousness.
Hope watched from his perch in the tree, his stick clutched tightly in his hands. "You look like you're dancing!" he called down, giggling.
Zhi glanced up, grinning despite himself. "If this is dancing, you'd better hope I never take up lessons."
Kai laughed, lowering his spear. "He's got a point, though. We're not exactly warriors."
"Not yet," Zhi replied, his voice resolute. "But give it time."
As the sun began to set, Leo and Lina returned, their expressions grim.
"Nothing useful," Leo reported, tossing the broken knife blade onto the ground. "But we found signs of trouble nearby."
Lina nodded. "We should stay alert tonight. Whoever left those tracks might still be close."
The group gathered around the fire, their faces lit by its flickering light. Despite the tension, there was a sense of unity among them—a shared purpose that bound them together.
Leo looked at each of them in turn. "We've got a lot to do and not much time to do it. But we're stronger together. And if we stick to the plan, we'll make it."
Zhi smirked, leaning back against a log. "Another speech. You're on a roll, commander."
Leo rolled his eyes, but the faintest smile tugged at his lips.
As the fire crackled and the stars appeared overhead, the group settled in for the night. They were far from ready, but for the first time, they felt like they were moving forward—one step closer to a future worth fighting for.