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It was strange how, amidst all the uncertainty and potential danger, the simple act of him crafting a knife felt so… intimate.
Finally, he was done.
The finished knife was a work of art: balanced, sharp, with a handle crafted for a comfortable grip.
Talan held it up, admiring his handiwork before turning his gaze to me.
With a nod of approval, he handed it over.
The weight of it felt good in my hand, a symbol of protection and trust.
He rose to his feet, towering over me.
Extending a hand, he helped me up, our fingers intertwining for a brief moment. “Ready to continue our adventure?”
With the rustling as our constant backdrop and the unknown ahead, I replied:
“I-I guess so.”
It perhaps wasn’t the confident response he was hoping for.
* * *
Talan led the way and I followed close behind.
Every so often, he would pause, analyzing different clearings in the dense, alien forest.
Each time, I watched with growing anticipation, hoping that we’d finally found our perfect spot.
But time and again, he’d shake his head, a look of dissatisfaction on his face.
The first clearing we stumbled upon was spacious, with a soft, mossy ground.
At first glance, it seemed ideal.
But Talan pointed out the lack of substantial foliage to hide in, and the short, swaying fern-like trees made it too open for what he had in mind.
The next one was surrounded by thick bushes bearing vibrant blue fruits.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I reached out to pluck one, but Talan’s hand shot out, stopping me. “They might look tempting, but they’re highly poisonous,” he warned.
The clearing, while beautiful, had too much undergrowth and not enough space to maneuver.
As we continued, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of anxiety.
Each clearing was unique in its alien beauty, with plants and features I had never seen.
But none seemed to meet Talan’s specific criteria.
The suns had started their descent, casting a warm orange glow upon the landscape.
We needed to find our spot soon.
And then, as the light began to wane, we found it.
The clearing was bordered by thick bushes on one side and had a large rock formation on the other.
It provided ample space in the center, with soft earth underfoot, but also allowed for someone to hide unnoticed.
