Chapter 47 – Out Scouting

  The moment Kaelin’s boots hit the forest floor, she crouched instinctively, absorbing the impact with bent knees. The weight of her pack pressed against her shoulders as she took in her surroundings. The towering trees stretched high above, their thick canopies filtering the daylight into shifting patterns of shadow and light. The air smelled of damp moss, rich soil and nature itself.

  A rustle to her right made her tense, but it was just Kana, brushing herself off as she straightened. “Well, this is exciting,” she muttered dryly, scanning the dense undergrowth. “Dropped in the middle of nowhere with no map, no guidance. Just ‘survive for three days’ and hope we don’t end up eaten by something.”

  Kaelin ignored her tone, her mind already running through the priorities. Water first. Then shelter. Kana would deal with food.

  Kana groaned. “You’re seriously making me walk already?”

  Kaelin gave her a flat look. “Would you rather die of dehydration?”

  Kana sighed dramatically but didn’t argue, which was a small miracle. “Fine. You lead, survivalist.”

  Without wasting any more time, Kaelin set off, keeping her pace brisk but steady. She listened for the sound of moving water, the rush of a stream or the babbling of a brook. The academy wouldn’t have stranded them somewhere completely barren, there had to be a water source nearby.

  The undergrowth was thick in places, forcing her to weave through tangled branches and step carefully over gnarled roots. Kana followed without complaint, though Kaelin could feel the weight of her bored stare at her back.

  After several minutes, Kaelin slowed. A deep frown settled on her face. There was moisture in the air, but no clear indication of a stream. If they wasted too much time searching, they’d be left scrambling to build shelter before nightfall.

  Kaelin sighed to herself before speaking up, “You know what, you go search for food, I’ll keep going with the shelter and water. Let’s meet back here when the suns at 45 degrees, sound good?”

  “Yea, whatever.”

  ***

  Kaelin’s gaze lifted to the canopy above. The forest stretched endlessly in all directions, but the treetops thinned slightly in some areas, suggesting a break in the terrain. Higher ground.

  Maybe I should climb higher, get a better vantage point.

  Kaelin approached the nearest sturdy tree and tested its bark. Good grip. With practiced ease, she jumped, catching a low branch and hoisting herself up. Hand over hand, she ascended swiftly, boots pressing against the rough trunk for balance.

  As she climbed higher, the forest opened up around her. A cool breeze whispered through the leaves, carrying with it the distant chirps of birds and rustling foliage. She paused near the top, bracing herself against the thick branches as she scanned the horizon.

  Then she spotted movement in the distance.

  Two teams, four people total, were engaged in a skirmish near a rocky outcrop. Even from this distance, Kaelin could see flashes of magic, glimmering strands of light weaving through the air as they clashed. One student swung a stone blade, while another deflected the blow with a dagger he had sneakily hidden behind his back.

  Kaelin narrowed her eyes. This wasn’t an academy-sanctioned fight. It was survival… competition. Some students had clearly decided that the best way to get ahead was by eliminating the opposition early, and they might not have the wrong idea.

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  A part of her itched to get closer, to watch, to assess their fighting styles. But she knew better than to get involved.

  Instead, she shifted her weight and leaped.

  The first branch she landed on swayed under her weight, but she adjusted quickly, bending her knees to absorb the impact before springing forward. Jumping from tree to tree, she moved like a shadow, her steps light and precise. The higher vantage point gave her a better look at the surrounding terrain.

  She spotted it a moment later, a thin silver ribbon cutting through the greenery. A river.

  Kaelin smirked. Finally.

  ***

  Once she got to the river, Kaelin ran her fingers along the damp soil, assessing the texture. The stream had carved a small crevasse into the earth over time, leaving behind a shallow, half-exposed cave along its banks. The walls were sturdy enough, and the overhanging roots from nearby trees provided extra reinforcement. It wasn’t spacious, but that was exactly what made it perfect.

  A hidden shelter. A place to stay off the radar.

  After seeing the skirmish between the other teams, Kaelin had no intention of setting up camp in the open. If groups were already fighting on day one, there was no telling what would happen by the third.

  She rolled her shoulders, tightening her grip on a sturdy branch she had broken off earlier. Digging with just her hands would be slow, but this? This would speed things up.

  She crouched low and got to work, using the branch to pry loose the softer parts of the dirt, widening the natural hole beneath the embankment. The more she dug, the more stable the space became, deep enough for both her and Kana to fit inside without being completely exposed.

  The cool earth was a welcome contrast to the humid air outside. Kaelin worked methodically, reinforcing the edges with fallen branches and packing the walls with damp soil to prevent collapse. She even wove together some thick leaves and twigs to create a makeshift covering that could be pulled over the entrance, camouflaging it from sight.

  By the time she was satisfied, her arms ached, and her fingers were caked in dirt. She sat back, surveying her work.

  It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.

  Now, she just needed Kana.

  Pivoting mid-air, she made her way back toward Kana, jumping through the trees, landing gracefully on the last branch before climbing down. As her boots hit the ground, Kana lazily lifted her head.

  She found Kana exactly where she had left her, lounging against a fallen log with a dead rabbit dangling from one hand.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Kana drawled, lifting her head lazily. “I was starting to think you ditched me.”

  Kaelin crossed her arms. “If I did, you’d be dead by morning.”

  Kana smirked. “Damn, okay. Sassy much? Anyway, what’s the plan?”

  “I found a nice place to stay. A hidden spot near the stream.”

  Kana’s brow rose slightly, and she tilted her head in interest. “Oh? And here I was, ready to sleep under a tree like a proper savage.” She held up the rabbit. “I even caught dinner.”

  Kaelin gave her a look. “Let’s just get to the shelter before someone else finds us.”

  Kana chuckled but followed without protest, the rabbit swinging idly in her grasp.

  By the time they reached the crevasse, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the landscape. Kaelin pushed aside the makeshift covering, revealing the entrance to their underground hideout.

  Kana let out a low whistle. “Huh. I gotta admit, I was expecting a hole in the ground, but this? This isn’t bad.”

  Kaelin smirked. “I mean… It’s not much better than that, but I’m glad you approve.”

  Kana crouched down and peered inside. “Cozy. Hope you don’t snore.”

  Kaelin rolled her eyes and crawled inside, brushing off the packed earth on the floor before settling in. Kana followed suit, tossing the rabbit onto the ground between them.

  Kana sat on a rock, stretching her legs. “You sit here making us a fire, and i’ll go hunt something else. This rabbit ain’t gonna feed the both of us.”

  Kaelin frowned. “Alone?”

  Kana smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about me.”

  “I just don’t want to have to drag your unconscious body back to camp when something bigger than you decides to fight back,” Kaelin muttered.

  Kana waved her off. “Relax. I’ll be fine.”

  And before Kaelin could argue, she was gone, disappearing into the trees.

  Kaelin exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. Great. Now she had to try start a fire alone.

  She had just started looking for sticks when a rustle in the underbrush made her freeze.

  Her hand hovered near her dagger as she turned slowly.

  A pair of yellow eyes peered at her from the foliage.

  A beast? A student?

  Kaelin kept still, waiting.

  Then, with a flicker of movement, the creature darted away, vanishing into the undergrowth.

  She exhaled slowly. That was too close.

  Shaking off the nerves, she returned to her work.

  By the time Kana returned, smugly tossing a freshly caught rabbit onto the ground, the fire was almost done. All that was needed was to light it.

  Kana raised an eyebrow. “Not bad.”

  Kaelin wiped sweat from her brow. “Took you long enough.”

  Kana flopped onto the ground, stretching. “What can I say? I like a challenge.”

  Kaelin sighed but let it go. They still had two more days to survive.

  And she had a feeling things were only going to get harder from here.