POV: Aphrodite
Loyalty is tested by exhaustion.
Three days after the unnatural storm, supplies run critically low. We've been rationing carefully, but Bastien's injury means he can't hunt. Cassian refuses to leave his side. The twins and I could hunt, but splitting the group in this terrain feels dangerous. My stomach has been a constant hollow ache, gnawing at my concentration, making everything harder.
We're moving slower than expected. The mountains fight us at every turn. Steep inclines that leave our legs burning and trembling. Loose scree that shifts treacherously underfoot, threatening to send us tumbling down slopes we've just climbed. Narrow paths barely wide enough for single file, with drops on either side that make my heart race even with Direwolf balance. Bastien's injured arm means he needs assistance on the difficult sections, which slows everyone. I can feel his frustration through the group's energy, his shame at requiring help.
