The pond

As Miko and Rune stealthily moved away from the colossal monstrous tree, they made sure to avoid making any noise that could alert it. They cautiously hid behind the cover of other trees. Once they had put a significant distance between themselves and the terrifying sight of the man being consumed by the tree, Rune immediately grasped Miko's hand and they started running. Fear was etched on Rune's face, a testament to the horror they had just witnessed.

"Wait, I'm tired," Miko said, needing a moment to catch her breath. Rune stopped, concern evident in his eyes. Behind a tree, Rune glanced back at the monstrous tree, realizing how far they had managed to escape. Relief washed over him, and he let out a deep sigh. His gaze then shifted to Miko, who appeared utterly exhausted, struggling to catch her breath.

"Sorry, I didn't realize how long we were running or how far we had gotten from the tree," Rune said, empathetically. "Let's rest here for a moment," he suggested, as Miko eased herself down onto the grassy ground, leaning against the sturdy tree trunk.

"Can I have something to eat?" Miko asked, her voice filled with hunger. Rune slowly approached her bag and set it down. Unzipping it, he retrieved a chocolate chip and nuts bar, handing it to Miko. She gladly accepted it, opening it and taking a bite.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Miko exclaimed, savoring the delicious treat. Rune watched her with a silent smile, observing her enjoying the moment. Catching his gaze, Miko turned to Rune and asked, "Are you hungry too?"

"No, I'm okay," Rune replied, taking a seat beside her. He realized that the sky was darkening, as evening approached.

As Rune surveyed their surroundings, he realized that escaping the forest unharmed was unlikely without encountering a dangerous monster. After contemplating for a moment, Rune made a decisive choice. He stood up, approached the supply bag, and pulled out a sleeping bag. Opening it, he placed it on the ground in front of the tree where Miko was sitting and eating a chocolate chip bar. "Are you going to sleep now, Rune?" asked Miko. "No, this is for you. I don't need to sleep yet, and you seem tired," Rune replied as he sat down beside her.

Sitting next to Miko, he realized how much better it was to have someone with him rather than being alone in the forest. He smiled as he looked up at the sky, noticing that the stars were beginning to reveal themselves.

After finishing the chocolate chip bar, Miko walked over to the neatly placed sleeping bag on the ground and lay down. "Well, good night, Rune," Miko said as Rune watched her lay her head down on the sleeping bag. He bid her good night and watched as her eyes slowly closed, peacefully falling asleep.

Rune leaned against the tree, remaining vigilant and keeping an eye on Miko as she slept. The current situation was undoubtedly frightening, especially with the sounds of insects in the surrounding forest. Although he was tempted to sleep, Rune fought against it, determined to stay awake. He knew that if any monsters were to appear, he and Miko would be in grave danger.

"Damn it, I made the challenging choice to stay awake," Rune muttered, his determination evident as he surveyed his surroundings, determined not to succumb to sleep. As time passed, his sight grew hazy, and his eyelids weighed heavily. Yet, he refused to yield, biting his lip in a desperate attempt to stave off slumber. Employing various methods, such as pounding the ground, biting his finger, and banging his head against a tree, Rune managed to persevere until morning. With a sense of relief as the harrowing ordeal concluded, he realized the urgency of finding an escape from the forest before nightfall, fully aware of how perilous it was to sleep in such an environment.

As the sky cleared and the sun rose, Rune decided to take advantage of the opportunity and catch some sleep. As he opened his eyes, he heard Miko's urgent voice. "Wake up, wake up, Rune!" Startled, Rune sat up to see Miko standing beside him. Concerned, he asked, "What's wrong, Miko? Is it morning already?" Rune let out a deep sigh before getting up and unzipping the supply bag. From it, he pulled out two bags of chips. Miko took one, and together they began eating. "We need to find a way out of this forest before nightfall," Rune said firmly. Miko nodded in agreement, munching on the chips. Rune couldn't help but feel a pang of delight as he savored the taste of the chips. It had been a long time since he had last enjoyed this snack, as it had become too expensive for him within the city walls.

After finishing their meal, Rune picked up the sleeping bag and neatly packed it into the bag before placing it inside the supply bag. They both hoisted the supply bag onto their shoulders and continued their journey through the forest.

After hours of walking, Rune spotted something in the distance. A feeling of relief washed over them as they saw a large pond surrounded by lush grass. "Finally, some water," Rune exclaimed. Miko eagerly asked, "Are we stopping at the pond?" "Yes, we are," Rune confirmed. As Rune approached the pond and set down the bag of supplies, they dropped to the ground, exhausted. Miko followed suit. "So, what's next?" Miko inquired, a hint of nervousness in her voice. Rune, sitting up from the ground, replied, "Well, we'll bathe in the pond and then continue our quest to find our way out of this forest." "Oh," Miko responded with nervousness still apparent on her face. "Don't worry," Rune assured her, "I'll look away while you bathe."

Rune walked over to the supply bags and retrieved a small rag. Perhaps it had been placed there by the owners to wipe away their sweat. He handed one to Miko and kept the other for himself. Not in a hurry to bathe, Rune showed Miko what to do, making sure she wouldn't drown. As he sat down, he realized that drowning was not a concern for Miko due to her unique ability. "I'm such a fool," Rune muttered, slapping his forehead. He listened to the sound of Miko bathing and closed his eyes, contemplating their plans once they left the forest. Depending on what they encountered, his strategies would differ. He recalled someone in the city mentioning that people lived outside of the forest . His best course of action would be to seek out these individuals for their safety. However, if they couldn't find an exit, Rune intended to hone his darkness path of death ability for survival.

After a while, Rune heard a piercing scream from Miko, who was still bathing. He immediately turned around and saw a snake slithering toward her. Fear consumed her face. Without hesitation, Rune emerged from behind the tree and shouted, "Miko, don't move!" Following his command, Miko froze, and the snake began to retreat. Rune hurried to Miko's side and asked, "Are you okay?" She replied, "Yes, I'm fine." Rune glanced at her waist and was shocked to see something blue wrapped around it. After staring for a moment, he exclaimed, "Is that a tail?!"