The fire crackled weakly beneath the crooked rock overhang. Barely a flame, mostly smoke. But in this damned forest, even that felt like luxury.
The slope was steep enough that we'd had to carve footholds into the dirt to keep from sliding during the night. Above us, the canopy leaned inward like a cage, the branches twisted with parasitic vines that twitched whenever the wind shifted.
Lily sat with her back against the stone wall, her thigh wrapped in tight, darkening bandages. The poison had already turned the veins around the wound into an ugly lattice of green and purple. She pressed her lips together, pretending she couldn't feel it.
Veyra wasn't much better the poison burn on her cheek had spread downward in a branching pattern, her left eye slightly swollen. She kept her posture straight, but her breathing wasn't the same.
Everyone knew. No one said it.
Sara Leodra handed out the last strips of roasted beast meat. Each piece was barely big enough to fit between two fingers, but she tried to hide her worry behind a small, tired smile.
Veyra sat closest to the fire, trying to warm her shaking fingers. Vivi was beside her, hands faintly glowing as she pushed healing essence into the poisoned skin.
After several minutes, Vivi pulled away, wiping sweat from her brow.
Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Done already?"
"Not done," Vivi said quietly. "Just… exhausted."
Lex frowned. "How bad is it? Honestly."
Vivi hesitated, then spoke soft, steady, but clearly worried.
"The poison isn't normal," she said. "Its weird"
She gestured to Lily first. "Her wound took the venom directly. I can slow the spread, but I can't purge it. Not with my current powers."
Lily exhaled sharply through her nose. "So basically I'm half-useless."
"No," Veyra said instantly, with a tone that brooked no argument. "You're injured. That's not the same."
"It feels the same," Lily muttered under her breath.
Lex squeezed her shoulder. "You're still here. That's useful enough."
Lily didn't answer, but her eyes softened slightly.
Vivi shifted her gaze to Veyra.
"The poison in Instructor Veyra is spreading more slowly, but… I can't remove it either. Only delay it."
Vivi continued, "If we reach the summit valley, the air will be thinner. I might… be able to stabilize both of them."
"That's two or three days from now," I said.
"Exactly," she whispered.
Sara's hands tightened on her knees. "I'm only holding all of you back… all these injuries"
"No," Nolan said immediately. "None of this is your fault."
Phoebe leaned back with a sigh. "Mrs. Leodra, we're getting injured because everything in this forest wants to eat us. You're not the reason."
Lex nodded. "You're just… part of the group."
Sara swallowed hard, visibly fighting tears."I don't want to be a burden."
"You aren't," Nolan said firmly. "You're my mom. You're safe with us."
But Lily looked at Nolan exhausted, irritated, and painfully honest.
"You also need to fight," she said."Not just hover over her. You're the tank. Lex and I can't keep taking your hits."
Nolan opened his mouth to argue.
I cut in gently. "She's right. You're protecting her, but we need you protecting the whole group too."
His gaze wavered torn.
He bit his lip and nodded slowly.
Vivi offered Sara a reassuring smile.
The tension around the fire loosened just slightly.
Veyra pushed herself to her feet wobbling for half a second before regaining balance.
"All right," she said. "Listen."
Her voice was hoarse, but strong enough to cut through the night.
"We rest here. We climb at dawn. If nothing slows us down, we'll reach the valley in two or three days." She paused. "And things will get worse before they get better."
Phoebe threw her head back. "Great. Can't wait."
Lex smirked faintly. "Sleep. You'll need it."
I leaned against my pack, exhaustion pulling at my bones.