The fire had burned low by the time night fully settled over the forest.
Jack woke once, stirred by a faint rustle somewhere beyond the dying embers. He sat up briefly, listening. The sound faded, leaving only the steady rhythm of the forest at rest.
Satisfied, he lay back down.
Morning light filtered through the canopy in thin streaks.
Jack woke first.
The fire had gone out completely, leaving behind cold ash. He stood quietly, careful not to disturb anyone else. Nearby, Turt was still asleep, pulled partially into its shell. A little farther away, Sera lay resting against the base of the tree, Cloudy settled close beside her, unmoving.
Jack stretched lightly and checked the surroundings.
Everything was calm.
He crouched beside Sera and carefully checked the bandage on her leg. It held well. No swelling beyond what he'd already seen.
"She should manage to walk," he muttered.
Sera stirred a few moments later, blinking as she woke. "Morning," she said softly.
"Morning," Jack replied. "How's your leg?"
She tested it slowly, then nodded. "Still hurts, but it's better. I can manage."
"That's good," Jack said. After a pause, he added, "I'm going to grab some berries again. We don't know how long it'll take to reach Dinha Town."
Sera nodded. "That's a good idea."
Jack moved off and returned a short while later with enough blue berries for all of them. They ate quietly, letting the forest wake around them. Jack shared the remaining water he had collected the day before.
By the time they finished, the bottle was empty.
"That was the last of it," Jack said, securing the cap. "We'll need proper supplies once we're out."
"We're close," Sera replied.
They packed up and started moving soon after.
Traveling together felt different.
Sera didn't walk quickly, but she walked with intent. Instead of following open ground, she watched the forest—how the plants bent, where the light filtered through more evenly, where the undergrowth thinned just slightly.
"This way," she said at one point, adjusting their direction.
Jack followed without questioning.
They avoided areas where the forest grew unnaturally quiet. When a large shape shifted in the distance, they stopped immediately, waited, then changed course without a word.
Turt stayed close to Jack, steady and alert. Cloudy floated near Sera, drifting ahead at times before returning.
After some time, the forest began to thin.
The trees spread farther apart. The ground felt firmer beneath their feet.
Then they saw it.
A proper road.
Jack stopped and stared at it for a moment.
Sera smiled. "Once you find the road, you're basically out. From here, Dinha Town is about half a mile away."
Jack let out a breath of relief. "So this is it."
They followed the road, walking steadily. The sun had climbed higher by the time stone structures began to appear through the trees.
Finally, the town gate came into view.
Jack slowed, taking it in.
After two days in the forest, he had finally reached Dinha Town.
Once they passed through the entrance, Sera stopped.
"This is where we part ways," she said. "My home is in the other direction."
Jack nodded. "Thank you. I really appreciate your help."
"Don't mention it," she replied.
She studied him briefly. "You seem like you haven't had much rest. I'll show you the way to the travelers' facility."
"That's alright," Jack said. "Just tell me the directions. You should go home."
Sera hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Go straight, take the second right, then the first left. You'll see it."
"Got it. Thanks."
"Bye," she said, turning away.
"Bye," Jack replied.
They headed off in opposite directions, each returning to their own path.