We broke camp at first light. With eight outposts built, the only direction left was back to Argent.
The walk toward the first outpost took two days. Thankfully we didn't need to do any climbing or to fight any silver snakes.
Coco's canteens did their job the whole way back.
We passed multiple Corruptors the last couple of days. Not fought, not fled from, just passed. The dark water handled everything, and the Corruptors moved through the canyons without registering our existence at all.
Wip had been really scared when she watched the first one.
Her entire body went rigid, muscles locked, ears flat, tail pressed tight against her back. She went so still I could feel her not breathing.
The Corruptor passed nearby, indifferent to everything in the world, and kept moving.
Wip exhaled, one tiny sound escaping her. "Wip." she murmured softly.
