"My name is Lera Fletcher," she said, her voice steady.
Ren smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you… Lera."
She hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the warmth in his tone, then pressed on, a slight worry in her eyes. "Ren, we need to find somewhere for the night."
"Oh, isn't the riverside fine?" Ren said, still caught in the memory of the sparkling water.
Lera let out a small sigh. "Not unless you want to get eaten alive by those things."
Ren's smile faded. "Y-you mean there's more than one?"
"Of course," she said, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
Ren's chest tightened. "W-what are we supposed to do?"
"To start," Lera replied, scanning the shadows, "we find a place to stay for the night."
The forest, once full of wonder, now pressed around them. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made Ren jump. Occasionally, he'd glance up at the star-speckled sky and grin sheepishly at himself, as if embarrassed for being so scared.
Lera noticed everything, his jumps, his small smiles, but she kept her focus ahead, moving with practiced caution. Every now and then, the wind shifted oddly, carrying with it a faint, unnatural rustle from deeper in the trees. Lera's grip on her bow tightened briefly before she relaxed, convincing herself it was just the forest.
"Is there a specific place we're going?" Ren asked, curiosity laced with anxiety.
She didn't answer at first. After he repeated the question a few times, she stopped and sighed. "I'm trying to get back to my camp from last night. Now, please… stay quiet."
"Got it, got it," Ren said, raising his hands in surrender.
Unseen by Ren, Lera kept glancing back, assessing him silently. Is he trustworthy? Could he be dangerous? Am I just lucky to find someone else from Earth? The forest seemed to press closer in the darkness, shadows shifting unnaturally, and for a moment she felt the weight of being alone… until Ren's easy smile and quiet energy reminded her she wasn't entirely alone.
They walked in silence. Ren's eyes occasionally drifted to the sky, the stars twinkling like distant promises. A sudden snap echoed somewhere off to the side, a branch breaking under weight, perhaps, but Lera's senses sharpened, scanning every shadow.
Then, a familiar scent cut through the forest air, burnt wood. Lera parted the leaves, revealing a small campsite.
"Is this your camp?" Ren asked, eyes wide.
"Yes," Lera said simply.
Together, they set to work. "I'll go look for firewood," Ren said eagerly.
"No need," Lera replied, disappearing behind a boulder and returning with a neat stack of logs.
"You really are prepared for everything," Ren teased.
She didn't answer. With careful hands, she arranged the wood and struck a match, lighting the fire.
"Whoa! Where did you find that?" Ren asked, surprised.
"Didn't you check the train?" Lera replied, raising an eyebrow.
Ren chuckled. "Oops," he said, shrugging. Lera sighed.
"You sigh a lot," Ren remarked, glancing at her. She ignored him, pulling three fish from her bag, the same ones that had shocked him in the river.
"Wait… how did you catch the electro-fish?" Ren asked, leaning forward.
"Electro… fish?" Lera said, puzzled.
"Yeah, that's what I'm calling them," Ren said, grinning. "This place… it's incredible."
Lera remained silent.
"Come on, let's at least talk," Ren said, nudging gently.
"We're not on a field trip," Lera snapped, her tone sharp. "Our lives are in danger. Is all you care about having fun?"
The fire crackled, and the silence stretched. Ren watched her for a moment, then leaned back, smiling faintly.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" he asked quietly.
"One of us has to keep watch," she said, her eyes never leaving the forest.
Ren tilted his head, teasing lightly. "Okay… let's take turns. Wake me if you need help. And… you sighed again."
She ignored him, eyes locked on the shadows beyond the firelight.
Hours passed, the night stretching endlessly. Ren couldn't sleep. He turned to her. "Say, Lera… what motivates you in life?"
Still no response.
Ren sighed. "Fine. You want to be mysterious, that's fine. But maybe we should get to know each other a little."
Lera didn't move, only her eyes glinting in the firelight.
"Be that way," Ren muttered, a small grin tugging at his lips.
He leaned back against a log. "For me… it's freedom," he said softly, voice steady.
Her gaze flickered toward him, curious. Something about the way he said it… there was no bravado, no false confidence. Just a quiet certainty, as though he had already accepted the world and himself. Lera felt a small shift inside her, a hint that maybe, just maybe, she could trust him.
"When we were on Earth," he continued, "did you ever feel like everything was already decided for us? Like we could never truly choose?"
She looked down, thoughtful.
"As long as I can remember," Ren said, "I've never felt free. Here… after seeing this place… it feels like I can do anything. Like I can finally… be free."
Lera glanced at him again. She noticed how his eyes reflected the firelight, unwavering even in the darkness. Slowly, she lowered her bow slightly, still cautious but less tense.
Silence followed. Ren waited, then let his eyes drift toward the stars.
"I… don't really have a goal," Lera said quietly, cutting through the stillness. She glanced at him, a sad smile flickering across her face. "Right now… I just want to get back."
Ren nodded, understanding. "I see."
They lay in silence, staring at the night sky. The forest seemed to breathe around them. Every so often, a shadow shifted in the periphery, a flicker that didn't belong, a rustle that didn't match the wind. Lera's grip on her bow tightened, but she no longer looked at Ren with suspicion.
Then Ren's head turned sharply. In the distance, two pure white eyes reflected the firelight, staring at them from the darkness.
A low, unnatural rustle echoed behind the trees.
Before he could shout, an eerie, piercing screech split the night.
"REN! WATCH OUT!"