Mark moved alone, but with a purpose. His steps through the forest were accompanied by the crunch of dried twigs. He was moving at a light jog, his breathing a steady beat that matched the rhythm of his heart, if not the pace. His focus wasn’t on his movements, but on trying to find something. Carefully, he slowed and looked around, peering at each tree he passed and those that came after. One by one he discarded them; none of them were what they were looking for.

There were several qualifying features to look out for, the main one being easy access to at least the first set of branches. So far, all trees had their bigger branches too far up.

The beep of his watch warned him this was as far as he went. He turned in the opposite direction with one last glance at the area, in case he’d missed anything. He couldn’t help but growl inside at the frustration- there’d been no luck, it seemed. Returning to where he came from, the older Dodson brother kept his ears sharp. His pace was slower now to let him catch his breath. There was one sound he had to pay extreme attention to, one above all others that would signal their time was running out. They didn’t have any to spare.

With the light that shone down from the midday sun, he could easily make out the path he’d taken. Though he was also aware how simple it would be to get lost. Keeping a close eye on that was the second priority. This forest could fuck with your sense of direction without even trying.

After a fifteen minute power-walk, he reached Barry.

The younger red-head moved with a stick for support. His pace was a troubled middle-ground between fast and pained lethargic. He almost jumped as he heard Mark approach, only calming down after a good, long look. “Any luck?”

“Nothing. Veronica?”

“Hasn’t come back yet.” He waved at the opposite side of the forest. “Shouldn’t take too long.”

Nodding, the older sibling slowed down and kept the pace. He took a little gulp of water, and he used the hem of his shirt to dry the sweat on his forehead. “Here’s hoping the plan works.”

His expression soured considerably. “Here’s hoping we don’t need to test it.”

“That’s too hopeful even for you.”

A slight, nervous laughter followed. Barry awkwardly turned his attention downwards while keeping the march forward. There was something to be said about the way he focused on the moss underfoot. The young man carefully reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of breadcrumb, dropping it on to the forest floor. The act itself pained him. There was only so little food available, but he kept from showing anything other than the slightest tension on his lips.

Mark moved silently at his brother’s side, his focus instead turned outwards and to the world around them.

“Hey, Mark?”

“Hm?”

“Do you think we… can trust Veronica?” Barry spoke, looking downwards with a frown.

“I think trust is a big word when we’re focused on surviving.”

The answer caused the younger of the two to raise his gaze and meet his brother’s eyes. He stopped, looking at him with an unreadable expression. He gave a slight shake of the head.

“What?”

“No, it’s… nothing,” Barry muttered. “It’s just the whole paint thing.”

Mark nodded. “It was them or us. I just hope it’s them.”

Again, Barry did not answer, remaining quiet as he looked the other way. Mark didn’t push; he knew the only thing that would come out of it would be an argument, or worse. Right now, they did not have the time, energy, or luxury for one. With a grunt, he shoved the idea aside and kept looking at the woods that surrounded them from every angle.

“I just think that-”

“Hey!” Veronica’s voice rang out. Their attention snapped in her direction, watching the younger woman moving out from beside the tree.

Mark’s eyes narrowed slightly. Had she been hearing them talk?

“I found something!” Her tone was oblivious. If she’d heard them, she didn’t show it.

The proclamation brought a flutter of hope made its way through their chests. They changed course to head in the direction she’d come from.

“What is it?”

“A tree, you need to see it.”

“What?”

She waved at them and turned around. “Just move, ok?”

That was a good enough reason as any to follow her. The forest was no less gloomy or threatening than it’d been so far in the new direction they’d taken, but they noticed there were signs of damage. Heavy damage.

Here and there, they could spot burn marks on the bark, torn earth, and even large branches that had fallen at some point or another. The damage wasn’t fresh, but it definitely looked as if it’d been only a few months ago. There were gouged out parts in some of the trees, and the burns still had some charcoal sticking to the scars.

But it was when they saw one tree had toppled over that they had to stop and stare.

The behemoth was wide enough, the toppled trunk was more akin to a massive wall tens of times their height, and long enough, they couldn’t see where it ended. It was as if someone had taken a pillar that reached all the way to the sky and knocked it down. The wood had cracked and was burnt in many areas. Mold had grown on the underside. The first signs of rot were visible on the bark. And yet, many of its branches stood taller on their own than many normal trees ever did back in their world.

There were only two words that came to mind when looking at it. “Holy shit.”

“Look at the stump,” Barry said, finger pointing at the base of the fallen wooden skyscraper.

The “stump” was two stories in height, at least. It was splintered and torn, a jagged row of fangs that pointed skyward. There were scorch-marks all over it. But what had caught everyone’s attention had been the tree growing out of the center. It was no less than ten meters tall and sprouting out of the stump as if the ancient being had refused to die and was emerging anew.

“How long ago do you figure this thing got knocked over?”

“I don’t… know, but…” The younger Dodson brother shook his head. “If the main trunk is only rotten to this point, it can’t have been that long ago.”

“Bullshit, that tree growing from the trunk must be at least twenty years old.” Mark growled.

“Not to burst your botany excursion, but we came here for a reason?” Veronica rolled her eyes, ignoring them both and hurrying towards one of the thicker branches of the fallen tree. A branch that could serve as a ramp for them to go all the way and above the trunk. She pointed upwards. “I figure this qualifies for what we were looking for.”

“Barry?”

“I… it might, yeah.” He glanced at the rest of the tree. A nod followed. “Yes, I think it might be usable. We just need to be careful to find the right spot. Maybe we should start by-”

AWWWOOOOOOOO

All three of them shuddered. The sound echoed through the forest like the sound of a starter pistol.

“How… how far do you figure that was?”

“It’s definitely closer than last time.” Veronica’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe the other group were useless, and the wolves followed us.”

“Or maybe they’re still going for the other group?” Barry muttered.

“Does it matter?” With a glare, Mark reached out to grab his brother’s shirt and tug. “We need to get moving, you especially, we can’t play with ifs.”

“Worst-case scenario, they’re coming right at us and we don’t have the time.”

“Which direction should we take?” Barry dropped another crumb of bread.

“Do you have a destination in mind?” The woman turned to the younger of the three with a look of frustration. There was a sharpness in those eyes.

“No?”

“Then the direction doesn’t matter. Move fast or we’re next on the menu.”