The sky was still gray when I opened my eyes. The morning air was biting, forming a thin mist that clung to the leaves. My stomach was empty, but that wasn't my main concern right now.
I tried to recall what had happened last night. Unfortunately, it was useless—I couldn't remember anything. But I was sure that whatever it was, it wasn't something pleasant.
My eyes widened.
I was still alive. No wounds, no signs of an attack. But...
Abel stood not far from me, staring at the small fire that was nearly out. The orange glow flickered across his tired face. He was holding something in his hand—a long twig with a slightly burned tip.
"Did you stay awake all night?" I asked, still trying to shake off my drowsiness.
Abel turned, slightly surprised, then shook his head. "I slept for a bit… but I woke up before dawn."
I eyed him suspiciously but didn't press further.
"We need to move," I said. "If we stay here too long, we'll be found."
We packed up what little we had—which wasn't much. A few sticks that could serve as makeshift spears and some dried leaves to cover our tracks. No food, no water.
We had just left the area when something happened.
Just as we were pushing through the thick underbrush, the sound of footsteps reached us. Quick and heavy, like someone either chasing or being chased. Instinctively, I crouched, pulling Abel down with me.
Too late.
Someone lunged at me, knocking me out of hiding.
A kick came flying toward me. I didn't have enough time to fully dodge, so I twisted my body, letting the attack glance off my shoulder before I hit the ground. My instincts kicked in immediately. As soon as my back touched the dirt, I rolled to the side to create distance. Abel, whom I had pulled down with me, tumbled to the ground as well.
My opponent was a boy, bigger than me, with sharp, calculating eyes. He didn't shout or threaten. He just moved.
I barely had time to get up before he launched his next attack. His left fist shot forward, but I knew I couldn't win in a contest of strength. So, I tilted my body, letting his punch miss, then quickly grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it at his eyes.
The boy recoiled, instinctively rubbing his face. I seized the opening. With all my strength, I lunged forward and rammed him with my shoulder. He staggered but didn't fall.
I tried to press the attack, but suddenly, something grabbed my arm from behind.
I immediately dropped my weight, using my body to pull my new opponent forward. Twisting my body, I broke free from the grip and swung my elbow toward his ribs.
"He groaned in pain but didn't go down," said the boy who had grabbed me from behind.
"Damn it."
Before they could attack again, Abel stepped forward, raising both hands. "Wait! We don't want to fight you!"
"Please… just let him go," Abel pleaded, wincing in pain.
The two boys exchanged glances before one of them eyed me warily. But they stopped attacking.
After a tense moment, someone emerged from the trees. A skinny boy with sharp eyes and calm movements. He looked at me and Abel as if assessing us.
"Do you really just want to talk?"
Still catching my breath, I nodded. "We have no choice but to survive. If we work together, it'll benefit us both."
The boy, who turned out to be the leader of this group, introduced himself as Noel. He was shorter and looked weaker than me, but his leadership must have been impressive for the other kids to follow him.
"I see," he said with a thin smile. "But why should I help you? It's not like you'd be useful."
"One of you is already too injured to fight, and the other couldn't even last five minutes in a brawl." His sharp mind quickly found a flaw in our plea.
"For a kid, you're a little too smart, aren't you?" I replied while moving toward a nearby boulder.
"And your fighting skills are far better than most kids your age. You brat—" He pointed at me with his slender hand, but Abel interrupted.
"Wait, can we just talk, Noel? I'm Abel."
"What?" Noel frowned.
"Please… just hear me out." Abel asked him to step aside, and surprisingly, Noel agreed.
After a few minutes of conversation, they returned to the group, and Noel suddenly announced his decision.
"They're coming with us." His voice was firm.
"Huh?! Why?" one of his subordinates asked.
"Don't ask too many questions. Just help them," Noel ordered.
The kids helped carry me back to their hideout.
As evening fell, the group moved deeper into the forest to find a new hiding place. That was when I noticed something strange among the trampled leaves, there were dry bloodstains and a cut rope.
Someone or something had been here before us.