Chapter 7: Godwits
Six hours had passed since they began their journey westward, trekking through the rough terrain in hopes of reaching the water source marked by the black-tailed godwits.
The heat of the day, coupled with their exhausting journey, weighed heavily on them, each step feeling heavier than the last.
As the group approached the base of a steep hill, their hopes rose, thinking the hill might be the key to reaching their destination.
However, when they laid eyes on the incline ahead, exhaustion took over.
"We have to go up now!?" Kaito exclaimed, his voice thick with fatigue and the sight of the near-vertical hill only added to his discouragement.
"It's so steep!"
Kurou, who had been leading the group, didn't flinch at the sight.
"We have to," he replied, his tone steady despite the obvious strain on everyone.
"If we don't climb, we'll be in trouble. We're running out of time before we become too thirsty to keep going."
They all knew the importance of pressing on. Just as they began to brace themselves for the climb, Maria's voice cut through the air, filled with surprise.
"Guys, look up!" she said, her eyes wide as she pointed at the sky.
Everyone immediately followed her gaze, and what they saw made them stop in their tracks.
Above them, a massive flock of black-tailed godwits soared, their wings beating the air with a synchronized rhythm. The birds were enormous, their silhouettes blocking out the sun as they flew in a perfect formation toward the top of the hill.
"They are so large!" Sato gasped, his eyes still fixed on the soaring creatures.
Kurou squinted up at them, calculating.
"But there are way too many of them, aren't there!?" Kaito said, his voice a mix of awe and anxiety, a flicker of panic in his tone.
Kurou, however, remained focused. His earlier assumptions were beginning to come to fruition.
"No, this is actually perfect," he said, a sly smile creeping onto his face.
"Above that hill is the water source we've been searching for. And guess what? This is their migration season."
"Wait," Lisa said, brow furrowing in confusion, "so there might be more of these giant birds at the top of the hill?"
"That's right,"
Kurou answered. "We'll probably find a lot more of them when we reach the top. We've stumbled upon a flock in migration. But there's a risk to it."
The others exchanged wary glances. "What kind of risk?" Sato asked, his voice edged with concern.
Kurou's smile faded as his expression became more serious. "Well, we don't know for sure, but these birds are likely migrating to lay eggs at the water source. If that's the case, they'll be territorial. And territorial birds—especially in such numbers—can be dangerous if we get too close."
The group went silent as they processed the implications of Kurou's words. The idea of facing an aggressive swarm of giant birds was intimidating.
"What if they're aggressive?" Sato asked, his anxiety growing.
"If they are," Kurou said, his voice grave, "we'll be in serious trouble. We don't know their strength, or even how they fight. If they decide we're a threat to their eggs, we might not stand a chance."
A nervous tension settled over the group, and they instinctively began to prepare for the worst.
"We have to be careful," Takehiko interjected, his tone serious. "Our powers might be our best weapon, but we should conserve our energy. Using them up now could backfire. We don't know how long we'll be in this situation."
Maria, clearly concerned, asked, "So, what should we do? Just climb up? Or should we wait for them to move away?"
Kurou bent down to the ground, picking up a handful of soil and letting it fall slowly through his fingers. "The black-tailed godwits travel long distances during migration. They'll be passing through here for a while."
His words seemed casual, but his eyes were narrowed in thought.
Sato watched him curiously. "What are you doing?" he asked, as kurou continued to fidget with the dirt, inspecting it closely.
Takehiko's brows furrowed. "The soil is moist... that's not good."
Kurou stepped forward. "Moist soil means... they will be planning to lay eggs here. This hill could be a nesting ground. And given the number of birds, they'll want to protect it. It's not a maybe, but a certainty"
The group fell silent. The realization of what they might be walking into made the situation even more dangerous.
"How do you know this?" Takehiko asked, a little skeptical. "How can you be so sure?"
Kurou wiped the sweat from his brow, his earlier confidence beginning to show cracks. He said, voice tight with tension. "The soil's perfect for laying eggs—soft, damp, and sheltered. The birds will be here for a while. And they won't take kindly to anyone disturbing their nests."
Maria's face paled as she processed the information. "So, they might be aggressive if we get even slightly closer to them?"
"Exactly," Kurou confirmed. "And with the sheer number of them, it would be almost impossible for us to fight our way through. We might get swarmed before we even get close to the water."
Lisa's hand tightened around her stick, the tension in the air palpable. "Should we just wait then?" she asked, her voice steady but still full of concern.
"I think we should," Kurou said after a long pause. "We'll spend the night here, regroup, and figure something out tomorrow. We don't want to make any rash decisions."
The group exchanged reluctant nods, agreeing that waiting was their best option. They began setting up camp at the edge of a small valley, just out of sight from the hilltop. As the sun began to set, they pitched their tents, the fading light casting long shadows over the land. Kurou, however, lingered outside, staring up at the night sky.
The moon shone brightly, casting an eerie glow over the landscape, and Kurou found himself lost in thought. The sound of rustling from behind the tent caught his attention, pulling him back to reality.
Sato emerged from the tent, noticing his far-off gaze. "You seem stressed, what's up?" he asked, walking over to him, his expression softening as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
Kurou let out a long sigh, not taking his eyes off the stars. "I just can't think of a way out of this. If only the migration season wasn't happening right now..." He trailed off, frustration evident in his voice.
But then, just as he was about to turn away, a soft chuckle came from nearby.
"What was that?" sato said, immediately going on alert. He gears up for the worst, redying his legs
Kurou, his gaze flicking toward the noise, suddenly had an idea. "Wait," he said, his voice suddenly sharp with realization. "I think I just thought of something!"
Sato, still cautious, "You did? But we need to be careful. That noise—whatever it was—it could be dangerous."
Kurou gave him a reassuring look. "No need to worry about that now." He motioned for the others to gather around. "Can you all come here? I think we might have a way to safely pass through the godwits. But it's going to take all of us working together."
The group quickly gathered around, eager for any hope that might help them navigate the challenges ahead. The air was thick with anticipation as Kurou prepared to explain his plan.