Waves rolled gently within the clutches of the small harbor. On the nearby docks, a seaphrait was standing atop a large crate with a massive fish locked in its beak. Shaking its head, the seaphrait tipped its beak up and forcibly swallowed the massive fish. A loud squawk erupted as several other phraits suddenly swarmed it, seemingly out of jealousy, chasing it off as they followed with angry squawks. Their cries echoed over the many, wooden docks standing over the water, planks creaking as a newly arrived galleon rocked in its berth.

                “After journeying through the Southern Isles, we were finally back on Thericia within the famous port city of Nuvar!” Tearna stretched her arms as she stepped onto the dock before looking at the small city at the head of the harbor, “After hearing so much about it in my history classes, it was wonderful to finally lay eyes on the city that helped turn the tide against the Clockwork Armada, and I could practically feel the prestige oozing from the planks.” Frowning, she glanced around at the docks with a slight frown, “Though, the make of the docks certainly didn’t imply prestige…”

                Pondering it, Tearna looked over as someone called to her, prompting her to follow the caravan towards the city, “Nuvar is an incredibly historied city, and it was clear that most of that history still lingered.” Tearna looked around at the numerous, crimson galleons rocking across the long docks, “As expected, there was a considerable navy presence. From what I was able to tell, most of these galleons are simply used to transport legionnaires to the garrison in Aqua Narssada, but the remainder are here symbolically!”

                Pausing to study a galleon, she pulled out her journal, “During the Crisis, the Clockwork Armada dismantled all of Randara and scattered its fleets, seemingly eliminating any hope of a naval counterattack. However, their arrogance led them to ignore the relatively poor city of Nuvar, allowing the Crimson Emperor to use Nuvar as a staging point to launch a devastating counterattack against the Eclipse Empire.” Smiling, she looked around with shining eyes, “In a weird way, the city of Nuvar is a hero! Without its support, who can say what our world would look like today!”

                Admiring the tall masts of the galleon, Tearna let out a cry of protest as Kai grabbed her by the ear and drug her along. Moments later, Tearna peered around the main street connected to the small city, “Despite the support of the empire, Nuvar has remained a relatively small town. There were about a dozen or so long piers that stretched out into the water all connected to an immense boardwalk with a few small storage houses, shops, and a port authority building. While they were all of decent make, their designs were… lackluster. They were all composed of dark timber, and that was about it. I can’t tell if it’s simple on purpose, or because they simply lack the funding to make anything better.”

                Scratching her head, she shrugged and followed the caravan up the long roads leading through the small city, “As per usual, we didn’t have time to sit and explore, but our walk through the streets gave me a decent enough idea of what life there was like!” She looked around with curious eyes as she slowly climbed the steps built into the main road, “Nuvar is built on a rather uneven terrain, meaning that the city was tiered. There were, at the time of writing, three levels to the city, each connected via a series of stairs and waterways, and each tier appeared to be focused on something else.”

                Stepping onto a relatively flat expanse of timber, Tearna walked across the road bisecting theirs as she looked around, “One such tier seemed dedicated to shops. Much to my surprise, the road was entirely wooden, as were all the buildings, which seemed to be a common theme.” Scratching her head, she waved as someone called out and waved at her in a friendly manner, “Despite the rather rundown appearance of the city, the locals were quite friendly, and I was able to glean a little bit of insight into their daily lives!”

                Water sloshed in a long canal built through the center of the road, Tearna peering into it as she watched a few fishersheek, “Built through the main roads leading up through the city were some canals. They utilized a locking mechanism that allowed gondolas and boats to be moved up further inland. It lacked the cleanliness of what we saw in the Southern Isles, but I was able to encounter a new type of fish while we were there!”

                Droplets flipped off a dark fish as it flopped on the end of a line, the fishersheek smiling proudly as he held it up for Tearna to study. “Whimsical whiskerfish are a rather amusingly named fish that inhabits Thericia’s southern coasts,” Tearna wrote, watch the thick tail of the fish flip back and forth. “Their names are derived from the four long whiskers. They have large eyes, dark, leathery skin, and thick fins that give them a fat appearance. These fish can typically be found lounging on the sea floor, and while they aren’t the tastiest of fish, they supposedly can grow quite large!”

                Tearna’s footsteps echoed as she moved onto the third and final tier of the city, briefly looking up at a balcony before following the caravan, “Nuvar is not exactly the most pristine city I have seen, but it’s growing, as evident by the active construction. At some point in the future, I would like to return to see how it has changed, but for now, we turn our gazes ahead to the mountains of the southern peninsula!”

                Large clouds framed the towering, brown mountain looming ahead of them as they moved through the ramshackle gates of Nuvar, dirt crunching beneath Tearna’s sandals as she studied the mountain’s slopes, “Much of Thericia is known for being flat, but the southern peninsula supports a small mountain range! While nothing compared to Falador, these mountains are still impressive and are known for harboring unique forms of life!”

                Warm wind blew through Tearna’s tails as she followed the Caravan, a thoughtful frown touching her face as she eyed the grassy stretch separating Nuvar from the nearby jungle, “While we were able to enjoy a small period of fresh air, it wasn’t long before we were submerged in the jungle.” Animal calls echoed around the caravan as they followed the light speckled path. Small insects crept along the edges of the path while birds fluttered around the travelers, Tearna gazing all around with shining eyes, “Even just a small taste of the jungle was enough to give me countless entries, but I did my best to keep myself contained. After all, the real treat was just ahead of us!”

                Wind moaned around a rocky outcropping, Tearna smiling as she gazed down at the city of Nuvar. Behind her, a rugged path wove down the side of the mountain towards the jungle they had left behind a short time ago. “Even only a short distance up the mountain, the view was breathtaking. Seeing the sparkling waves was breathtaking, and the city looked so small, making me all the more eager to see just what else this mountain had to offer!”

                Writing the last of her thoughts, she snapped her journal shut and moved to where the others were resting. “This is where we’ll camp this evening,” Farin said, tapping a map laid out on a crate. Kai nodded thoughtfully as the captain continued, “Our goal today is to get through these mountains in one piece. While it’s supposed to be peaceful here, I know at least one of you would rather avoid the night chill.”

                “Yes please!” Bren spoke up instantly, earning a laugh from the others.

                “So, we’re going to be camping in the jungle,” Tearna said with concern, sitting down across from the captain. “Are we sure that’s a good idea? If we can’t find a large enough clearing, we’ll be vulnerable to nocturnal predators.”

                “That was a concern, but I believe we’ve prepared a suitable countermeasure,” Farin said with a firm nod. “Per your recommendations, we’ve prepared numerous torches to illuminate our environment. That should be enough to ward off any nithsars.”

                “It’s still a dangerous gamble.” Her gaze trailed down to the map worriedly, “While nithsar do hate the light, they are brave hunters. If they’re hungry enough, no amount of torches will be enough.”

                Worry clouded the expressions of the other expedition members. While the Krysheek had come to be the dominant species on the planet, it didn’t change the fact that their world was incredibly hostile. Over two thousand years ago, their species had struggled to survive, and only through their powers had they been able to carve out a civilization. Though the threat of the jungle was mitigated, it was still there, and all it took was a slight lack of caution for it to take a life…

                “It’s a risk we’re going to take,” Farin said firmly, Tearna furrowing her brow with concern. “We have to make up for lost time. We do not want to disappoint the emperor and arrive to Orden late.” With that, he stood and whistled, spinning his hand through the air to signal their departure. The other expedition members began to pack up, but Tearna remained where she was.

                She kept her arms crossed, worry clouding her expression as she looked north. “You really don’t think this is a good idea, do you?” Bren asked, Kai walking over as well.

                “No,” Tearna said with a slight shake of her head. “I’ve grown up amongst these jungles, so I know just how dangerous the nithsar can be.” Sighing heavily, she shook her head, “I really hope his gamble doesn’t come back to haunt us…”

                A light mist swirled over the mountain path along a cool breeze. Rocks crunched as the intrepid explorers followed a thin path hugging the sides of the mountains. A few of them looked down the slope with frowns as rocks tumbled, making many of them question their safety, but these mountains were known for being fairly secure. After all, this wasn’t Falador.

                “Making the trip through the southern mountains was simple,” Tearna wrote as she walked along. Her cloak billowed behind her as she looked up towards the clouds obscuring the mountain’s peak, “The temperatures remained stable, the weather agreeable, and the terrain was far gentler than Falador. In all truths, it felt like a vacation!”

                Branches clinked against each other as a small shrub shivered along the side of the path. Kneeling in front of it, Tearna eyed its white blooms before sniffing its pleasant aroma, “On our journey, we stumbled across numerous plant species, one of which was the rather pleasant white arymapha lily!” She smiled as she watched several small insects clamber over the white blooms, “These lilies are similar to their northern cousins, but have evolved to be more shrub-like. Their flower petals are also noticeably thicker, and typically white to blend in with the snowfall. While they were pretty to look at, what I enjoyed the most was their pleasant aroma! We could smell them long beofre we could see them, making our trip all the more enjoyable!”

                Rocks tumbled down the mountain, the sudden motion catching Tearna’s eye. Scanning the rocky slope, she finally grinned as she pulled out her journal, “Though we almost missed it, a bit of rockfall clued me in to the presence of another creature to add to my journal, an ulonaught.” Farther up the slopes, a furry, brown creature watched them cautiously. “Ulonaughts are found only in these mountains and are known for being a bit rotund, exceptionally fluffy, and very stealthy,” Tearna wrote, the creature’s fur rippling in the wind. After a moment, it turned with disinterest, slinking higher into the mountains as a small column of babies followed.

                “These creatures are related to several other large, lowland mammals, but have two major differences,” Tearna continued, working on a sketch of one of the babies. “They are incredibly fluffy and have extremely sturdy teeth. Using their tusk-like teeth, they are capable of digging burrows in rock to raise their young in!” Pausing as she admired her sketch, she looked back up the mountain, “I was extremely grateful to have seen one with babies, but that was the only creature we managed to find in the mountains, a rather disappointing showing…”

                Orange light beamed across the mountain slope as the caravan worked its way down towards the edge of the jungle. Many of the explorers were starting to look tired, but more than a few hopeful expressions were appearing the closer they got to the jungle. Tearna, however, was not one of them. The orange furred explorer frowned as she scanned the jungle. As much as she tried, she couldn’t stop fretting, all sorts of dangers potentially lurking within the trees as she eyed the tops of each…

                “There’s no use worrying about it,” Kai spoke up, drawing her gaze as he pat her shoulder. “If it makes you feel in better, I’ll do my best to help you protect the caravan.”

                “I never said I would-“

                “You don’t have to,” he laughed as she tilted her head. “I know how you are, Tearna. When you think people are in danger, you’re going to risk your skin however you can to keep them safe!” Smiling for emphasis, he began making his way down the path, Tearna looking after him as she pondered his words. After a moment, she smiled as her heart fluttered a little, finally giving her enough peace of mind to follow the others while the remnants of the star slowly sank on the horizon.

                Night insects sang through the dark undergrowth while glowing eyes stared from the darkness.  Night had fallen heavily, a bank of clouds making the darkness even more absolute, and with the darkness so thick, every type of nocturnal creature had come out, but deep in the jungle, an orange glow continued to shine.

                “Taelin, Raegar,” Farin grunted. He nodded over his shoulder, “You two take the first watch. Theia and I will follow after you, and then Bren and Dairess can wrap it up in the morning.”

                “Who volunteered me?!” Bren exclaimed.

                “I did,” Farin huffed, frowning for emphasis as she groaned. Chuckles drifted around the camp as Farin continued, “If anyone sees or hears anything, shout immediately. Watch your backs and don’t let anything sneak up on us!”

                Acknowledgments answered him as the caravan began to spread out around the small clearing. A few tents had been set up along with their usual campfire, but there were two major differences. Flames smoldered atop numerous torches around the campsite, and a haphazard arrangement of planks and spikes had been constructed around the ghollon. Most of the expedition members were now relaxing, but not everyone was present.

                “Wait, where did…” Farin began as he looked around. Groaning, he slapped his forehead, “Did anyone see where Tearna wandered off this time?!”

                “Oh, I was supposed to tell you that she and Kai left to record some nocturnal critters,” Bren called from across the camp. She shrugged and smiled innocently, “What can I say? You know there’s no stopping her when she starts exploring!”

                “You could have at least warned me…” Looking up at the dark sky just barely visible through the canopies, the captain sighed and made his way to his tent. Leaves rustled in the canopies as insects sang, wind whispering as nightbirds flew by. Nearly the entirety of the landscape was dark, but there was still plenty of life, and light, to be found in the undergrowth.

                Away from the camp, a few orbs of light illuminated the darkness as tiny wings buzzed. Suddenly, the orb of light alighted onto Tearna’s hand as she smiled, “As I expected, our welcoming party was none other than a swarm of glowbugs, just like the kind from the Spiritmarsh!” Laughing with amusement, she waved the small bug on as she looked around, “Because of the biomes across our continent, it’s not uncommon to encounter the same species in all corners of Thericia, glowbugs being one of the best examples.”

                Twigs snapped as she pushed further into the undergrowth while Kai crouched beside her with his ears perked, “For those of us who grew up here, the jungle is a common friend we take for granted, but for my readers in other parts of the world, allow me to introduce you to Thericia’s primary environment!” Ferns brushed against her as she peered up into the branches of a large tree, “Nearly its entirety is covered by one massive jungle with maze-like undergrowth. The terrain is notoriously flat, and if you took a picture six hours to the north and compared it to one twelve hours to the west, you wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.”

                A small spider skittered across Tearna’s hand as she looked it over with curious eyes, Kai making a disgusted face over her shoulder before screaming as she tried to show it to him, “While that does create an image of boredom, Thericia is a treasure trove of life that cannot be found anywhere else.” Laughing softly, she suddenly looked up in surprise as branches bounced, “A wonderful example of this is a creature we often take for granted, the equirrels!”

                A small collection of fuzzy creatures hopped from branch to branch as Tearna slowly followed them from the ground, “Equirrels can be found everywhere and are synonymous with night. They have jet black fur, fluffy, curled tails, and sharp ears.” Pausing on a branch, one of the equirrels turned a nut around before gnawing on it, “While sometimes regarded as a nuisance, their black fur and silver patterns can be quite appealing, and many people even have some as pets!” She smiled warmly as the little creatures bounded out of sight, “Though I have no intention of getting one, I can certainly understand the appeal!”

                Squelching noises drifted across the canopies as scant rays of silver moonlight sparkled through the clouds. Light glistened off a slimy back as a leathery creature slunk onto a broad leaf, spreading its arms and flattening its eyeless head. “One creature I absolutely do not understand the appeal of, however, are the aptly named gooblecks,” Tearna wrote, shivering even at the mere thought of the name. “Gooblecks are another nocturnal species that has evolved a unique survival method.”

                Hints of light glimmered across the goobleck’s back as it soaked the light, “Similar to a plant, gooblecks engage in a sort of photosynthesis using the light of the moons, leading to a sedentary life where they hide in trees during the day and bask on leaves at night.” Kai stepped up beside her, adopting a similar expression of disgust as she shrugged, “While their ability is fascinating, they are truly disgusting. They have six legs, leathery skin, fat tails, and no eyes. While I try to be fair to all creatures, this is one I would rather never see again.”

                Tapping her pen against her chin, Tearna suddenly looked over her shoulder with a hint of worry. Kai stepped up beside her questioningly, Tearna glancing at him before looking back the way they had come from. A much colder wind howled as the branches creaked. In the depths of the undergrowth, a much large silhouette moved, carefully sneaking through ferns almost silently. Razor sharp claws impaled fallen leaves while a sleek, dark coat brushed tree trunks, all the while six narrow, yellow eyes glared. Passing around a shrub, the creature paused as it noticed the nearby light, its instincts telling it to run, but its hunger driving it towards the enticing glow.

                “Any reason in particular why you chose me for watch?” Theia asked as she sat back against a small tree.

                “I trust your abilities,” Farin said, the dark furred sheek standing over the crimson furred shasheek as she merely grinned. Blinking once, he looked off into the undergrowth, “There was no ulterior motive. You are one of the strongest in the expedition, so it made sense to have you help me with the most dangerous part of the night.”

                “Guess you have a point,” she chuckled. Sighing, she closed her eyes, “Though, I don’t understand all the worry. It’s been silent nearly all-“

                “Wait!” Theia looked up at Farin with a start, his eyes narrowed as he looked off at the undergrowth. Very carefully, he began to move, “Something’s out there.”

                “You sure?” Theia asked, slowly standing as she eyed the tree line. Flames crackled atop torches as Farin slowly moved closer to the tree line, coming to a halt as he drew his powers, “I don’t see anything out-“ A snarl cut her off as a dark silhouette erupted from the trees. Farin shouted in surprise and pain as the creature crashed down on him, his winds blocking the attack, but the air leaving his lungs as he hit the ground. “FARIN!” the shasheek shouted, quickly spinning her arms around her before shooting out a stream of fire.

                With an angry hiss, the dark creature leapt backwards, its claws raking the ground as it crouched low and raised its hackles. Scrambing onto his feet, Farin backed up to Theia’s side, “SHIT, she was right!” Staring them down was the jungle’s apex. The creature was almost the size of a ghollon with four forelimbs tipped with razor-sharp claws. Completing its appearance were its six yellow eyes and glinting fangs, its snarl signifying that it wasn’t defending itself. It was hunting. “NITHSAR!” Farin shouted as he swung his wind around.

                Panicked cries arose from the camp as the massive cat crashed through a tent. Screams of pain and surprise erupted as the cat lashed out wildly. One explorer screamed as it crashed down on her, digging its claws into her back before leaping away from a stream of fire. “FIGHT!” Farin shouted, leaping over the fallen explorer as he chased the cat. “If you have powers worth a damn, FIGHT!”

                Blasts of light and clods of dirt rocketed at the nithsar. One explorer went flying as it pawed them away before kicking someone else. A tent fell over in a crumpled heap as it leapt through it before leaping through a crate in a shower of splinters. Hitting the ground, it barred its fangs, slowly realizing that it had lost its advantage. Trying to spot a meal, it locked eyes on the shasheek it had knocked down earlier. Yowling with anticipation, it faulted through the air as the hapless explorer screamed helplessly.

                Suddenly, Farin was standing in its way, wind swirling as he struggled to stop it, but he wasn’t enough. His expression twisted in pain as the nithsar crashed into him, biting down on his shoulder as it ripped through his left arm in a shower of blood. A sickening thud echoed as it slammed him down, digging its jaws in as blood splattered the ground and the nithsar readied to run off with its prey.

                Time suddenly slowed. Slowly, the nithsar turned, surprise touching its eyes as they widened. Within its eyes, the silhouette of a granite fist grew larger and larger until- A loud crack echoed as the fist sent the nithsar flying. It yowled in anger as it flailed, Farin coughing fiercely as he struggled on the ground. “Medic!” Theia practically shrieked as she fell beside Farin, desperately trying to stop the bleeding on his shoulder while his arm gushed. “MEDIC!”

                A short distance away, the nithsar shook itself off and turned its head in the direction of the attack as it hissed. “DEFENSIVE LINE!” Tearna commanded as she stormed into the camp with Kai on her heels. Light beamed from her eyes as she swung her arms back, granite swirling across her fists as she launched them forward, “GET BETWEEN IT AND FARIN!”

                Twin cracks echoed through the clearing as her fists sent the large cat flying backward while the other expedition members circled Farin. Tearna jogged past him with barred teeth as she charged straight for the nithsar. Groggily pushing itself up, the nithsar let out a roar of defiance and began to turn, but it had just met its match.

                A loud crack rang out as Tearna slammed her fist down into the nithsar’s head, slamming it straight into the ground with a resounding boom. Before it could even recover, she swung her other fist upwards, launching another fist from the ground and cracking its jaw. A pointed tooth flew out as blood shot into the air, sending the cat somersaulting backwards, but another fist slammed it backwards. Yowling as it slammed into a tree, a shout of fury quickly prompted it to leap out of the way of another fist as it crashed through the tree.

                Skidding across the ground, the nithsar hissed and raised its hackles, but it slowly began to back away. Granite swirled around Tearna in a threatening display, giving her the appearance of shoulder horns, wings, and a long tail. Behind her, dozens of other explorers had rallied with their powers drawn, and that was all the nithsar needed to see. Howling in frustration, it turned and bounded into the undergrowth in search of an easier meal.

                Tearna breathed heavily as she watched it run, a whole minute passing as she kept her powers summoned. Finally, she lowered hands as her granite faded, “Unfortunately, we were not destined to make it through our trip unscathed. Shortly after entering the jungle, we were ambushed by a starving nithsar, and while I was able to fend it off, I wasn’t able to stop it from nearly killing our captain.”

                “Hold this here!” the medic commanded, Theia numbly doing as bid as she held a thick cloth against Farin’s shoulder. “Brighten your light, damn it!” the medic shouted, the one explorer jumping before intensifying the light he had summoned as the medic quickly started a suture.

                “How bad is it?” Tearna asked as she jogged over, practically retching as she saw his arm.

                “Critical,” the medic said curtly. “I have to move fast, or he’s going to bleed out on us!”

                “Is there anything I can-“

                “I will let everyone know if I need them!” the medic practically shouted, making Tearna jump. A bit of fear trickled through her heart as she saw the fear in his eyes, “All of you, back off! I can’t save his life if you’re all fighting to be the first to help.” Swallowing hard, Tearna forced herself to nod, stepping back as several of the others did as well.

                Guilt filled her heart as she stared at Farin’s body before looking around the camp. The remains of numerous tents were lying on the ground alongside streaks of blood. Several explorers were lying on the ground, clutching their wounds as their other medic worked as quickly as he could. Tears began to build in her eyes as she bowed her head, Kai resting a hand on her shoulder, “Don’t do this to yourself, Tearna.”

                “But I wasn’t here!” she exclaimed, looking back at him with grief. She sniffled and shut her eyes, “I knew this could happen, but… but I… I just wandered off! I was the only one who understood how to watch for them and… and… I… I should have been here!” She covered her face, “It’s my fault! It’s all my-“

                “Tearna, stop it,” Kai said, hugging her tightly as she began to cry. “It’s not your fault. You were doing your job, and you did all you could to help them.” Tearna continued to cry as Kai held her, several of the others beginning to pick the camp back up as the medics raced to save Farin’s life…

                Hours later, night insects chirped in the relative silence hanging over the camp as Kai made his way over to the outskirts. Tearna’s ear twitched as he stepped up beside her, “Tearna, you can’t stay up all night, you know?”

                “I have to do something to make up for my mistake,” Tearna said with a slight shake of her head as she scanned the undergrowth, just as she had been doing for at least two hours now. “I… I can’t go to sleep while that nithsar could still be lurking.”

                “We have more people on watch now,” Kai pressed, Tearna moving beside a tree and sitting. “You don’t need to stay up all night. How are you going to fill out that journal of yours if you’re too tired tomorrow to think?”

                “I’ll just have to make do,” she huffed, frowning at him briefly before looking back out. “I’m not going to sleep, Kai. I have to do best by the expedition, and that means standing watch since I’m the only one that can keep that thing away.” Frowning in thought, she winced, “How… How is he?”

                Kai sighed softly as he glanced back at a tent with numerous people gathered around it, “Not the best, but… they said he’s stabilized. The medics are tending to him, and he has Theia, so he should be able to come out of this alright.”

                “He has to,” Tearna said with a firm nod. Taking a shaky breath, she shook her head roughly before looking at him, “Let me know if he wakes up. I’m going to keep watch until the star rises.”

                “You’re… Alright.” Frowning at her worriedly, he partially turned away, “Just try to remember that your safety matters to us, alright?” With that, he stepped away, leaving Tearna to stare out at the undergrowth as guilt continued to wrack her soul.

                Birds chirped as hints of morning light beamed through the canopies. Water dripped off leaves while small butterflies danced and animals bounded through the undergrowth. In the relative clearing, Tearna’s ear flicked. Groggily, she opened her eyes as she tried to get her bearings. Why was it so…

                With a start, she shot upright with a gasp. Filled with sudden panic, she scrambled around and began to rise. “Ahh, you woke up!” Pausing, she looked up at Kai as he smiled down at her, “I would say good morning, but it’s definitely been a rough night.”

                “What happened?!” she exclaimed, pushing herself up as she brushed the grass off. “I remember standing watch, and then suddenly I was waking up! Did I really fall asleep on duty?!”

                “No, you don’t have to worry about that.” Tearna looked at him in confusion as he smiled, “I came around a few hours ago and found you nearly passed out. I told you I was going to switch places with you, but you told me you just needed to rest your eyes and… well, you fell asleep without even moving.”

                “Ugh, I can’t believe I did that,” she groaned, rubbing her head as she looked around. Some of the scars from the night were still visible, but the camp at least looked better. She blinked and looked at him with a start, “Is Farin ok?!”

                “Yes,” Kai said with a nod as he looked at the larger tent. There were people standing guard while others slept around it in makeshift beds, “They got the bleeding to stop and sewed his arm, but he has broken bones, and that wound can reopen at any moment. He’s very lucky you were around to save his life.”

                “If I had been where I should have been, he wouldn’t have been put in this situation in the first place,” she sighed sadly, looking around at the claw marks still visible.

                “Tearna!” She and Kai both looked over with a start as a white furred explorer walked over to them, “Farin wanted me to fetch you the instant you were awake.”

                “Me?” she said in surprise, her heart sinking. Just how bad was this going to be? “I’ll head over immediately.” Looking at Kai nervously, she moved towards the tent as Kai stared after her worriedly.

                Soft, golden light from a lamp illuminated the spacious tent, bits of water dripping in front of the entrance as Tearna entered. Looking around, her stomach flipped as her gaze fell on the makeshift bed, “You… You wanted to speak with me, captain?”

                Farin was lying under a sheet, but what was visible was heavily bandaged. He had numerous white wraps around his head, and his shoulder was completely hidden. Tearna swallowed hard as Theia looked up at her, the red shasheek sitting beside the bed as she lay across it with a hand on Farin’s hand. Seeing Farin like this was… hard. He looked like he was on death’s doorstep.

                “Ahh, Tearna,” Farin spoke softly, turning his head to smile at her. She moved beside the bed and knelt as he wheezed, “It seems that I… owe you an apology for not heeding your advice.”

                “No, it’s my fault,” Tearna said as she shook her head. “I should have stayed here instead of wandering off like-“

                “You were doing your job.” She looked at him questioningly as he continued, “You heard it from Dai’khan himself. If you didn’t wander off every time you saw something interesting, what explorer would you be? Our expedition can’t be successful without that wanderlust, Tearna, so you have nothing to apologize for.” Sighing with regret, he looked up at the ceiling, “No, this is my fault…”

                “But I-“

                “Am I not the captain?” He looked at her with narrowed eyes, “My job is to plan ahead and get us all to our next destination safely, and I failed. I didn’t heed your advice and, thankfully, I was the only one to pay the price.” Taking a shaky breath, he shook his head, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be alive, Tearna. I owe you my life, and my sincerest thanks.”

                “Mine too!” Tearna let out a gasp of surprise as Theia suddenly hugged her, tears leaking down her face, “I… I thought I had… If he had died I don’t know-“

                “It’s alright, Theia,” Tearna spoke up. The red furred shasheek sat back and sniffled as Tearna smiled, “We all would have been hurt to lose him. I just did what I needed to do.”

                “You did more than that,” Farin spoke up. “By stepping in and facing that beast, you showed how strong your bravery and sense of duty is, and that’s not something I’m going to forget.”

                “I… Thanks,” she finally said. “That makes me feel a little better, but I’m just glad that you’re alive.” Frowning in thought, “Do we need to go back to Orden to get you to a hospital?”

                “No, the medics said I’m stable for now,” he said, waving his good hand dismissively. “Our people are counting on us, so it’s up to us to keep going and see this journey through. That being said…” Frowning in thought, he looked back at her, “Our expedition cannot continue while I’m in this state, and we have no vice-captain… which is something I want to fix right now.” Tearna blinked with a start as he nodded, “I know your primary role is to be an explorer, Tearna, but after last night, no one else can stand as my vice-captain and have the support of the expedition.”    

                “What?!” she exclaimed, her jaw dropping open in shock. “I-I’m not so sure! I-I mean, I’m an airhead! I wander off and do stupid things all the time! I can’t lead an expedition!”

                “You won’t have to lead it fully,” he said reassuringly. “I just need you to take the helm and help us navigate. You might have to make some decisions, but let’s be honest. Had you made the decisions so far here, we would be in a far better position right now.” He looked at her with a hint of hope, “I know you’re nervous, but will you please help our expedition finish this journey?”

                Tearna frowned in thought. Looking at Theia as the shasheek nodded, she sighed and looked back at Farin, “If… If you’re certain, then…” Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to nod, “I will accept my promotion. Just… Just don’t force me to stop exploring! I want to finish what I started!”

                “I wouldn’t dream of getting in your way,” he chuckled with a suddenly relaxed smile. Sighing softly, he nodded firmly, “If you are certain, then I would ask you to speak with the others. We need to get moving if we want to make good time.”

                “Heh, right back to moving along,” Tearna said with an amused sigh. She pushed herself up, “I’ll speak with the expedition then, captain. Start preparing yourself to be moved. I’ll come and find you once everyone starts packing.”

                “Congratulations, Tearna,” Theia spoke up as the vice-captain began to step away. Smiling up at her, Theia squeezed Farin’s hand as she laid her head back down, “And thanks for saving him…”

                Looking back at her, she bowed her head, “It was my pleasure, Theia.” With that, she turned and made her way to the entrance as her mind ran in circles. HOW WAS SHE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS?!

                A gentle breeze filtered around her as she stepped out of the tent and closed her eyes. She could do this. She could figure out how to-“Tearna!” She jumped fearfully as several expedition members hurried over, Kai more casually strolling over with a concerned look, “Did you get to talk with Farin?”

                “What did he say?”

                “Well,” she began, trying to think of where to start. “He’s… he’s doing better,” she began with a partial smile. “He seems to be stable, so… he should be on the path to recovery!”

                “Did he mention anything about the expedition?” Kai spoke up, Tearna’s heart skipping a beat. Farin must have talked with him before speaking with her…

                “He did,” she managed to begin, looking around the camp as she got ahold of her nerves. Clapping her hands together, she strode forward as she raised her voice, “Alright, everyone, listen up! I’m not good at this type of thing, but I’m going to give it my best shot.” Pausing their work, the other explorers turned to look at her as she continued, “Farin is not capable of leading at this time. Due to this, he has realized the necessity of having a vice captain, and… he has chosen me for the position.”

                “He did?!”

                “Good! We needed a vice-captain!” Tearna blinked in surprise. She hadn’t been expecting to hear any optimism about it.

                “It’s good that it’s you,” Kai echoed. “You were strong enough to fend off that nithsar, and you know this planet better than anyone. If anyone can help lead us, it would be you.”

                Tearna stared at him thoughtfully, suddenly realizing that Kai had been preparing to help her. Nodding in appreciation, she looked around, “I know I have a reputation for being a bit of a distractable airhead… but I promise to do everything in my power to keep this expedition running smoothly! I will do all that I can for each of you, and you can count on me for both guidance and leadership to get us through the second half of this adventure!”

                “Congratulations, Tearna!” someone called out as a few explorer’s clapped.

                “You got this!” Bren called from the back of the crowd.

                Tearna’s heart lifted a little as she listened to the support of the expedition. Bowing her head, she put on a tougher expression, “Thank you, but we can’t sit around! As the captain likes to say, we have a schedule to stick to!” She pointed around the camp, “Start getting everything packed up and rouse the ghollon! Once the captain is safely loaded, we’re shoving off!”

                “Aye, vice-captain!”

                Overhead, clouds sailed by as the star traveled, the clearing emptying once again as the caravan continued on into the jungle. Near the head of the column, Tearna was leading the way alongside Kai, Bren following with a huge grin as she basked in the warmth. Just behind them, Farin was strapped to a ghollon, Theia staying close by along with one of their medics. “Though our expedition hit a major road bump, we were able to pick ourselves up and stride forward.”

                Tearna frowned as they stood at a fork in the road, studying her map as Kai and Bren frowned over her shoulders, “Getting promoted to vice-captain was not something I expected, nor something I wanted, but I wasn’t going to let my fellow explorer’s down! Adjusting to life as a vice-captain was difficult, but I had help from my friends, and we were able to maintain a steady pace!” Nodding, she pointed to their left and continued marching.

                Butterflies fluttered over the road while leaves fell from the canopies, “With my promotion, my time to note entries became limited. I was spending most of my time reviewing notes and plans so I could best lead our expedition, but Bren and Kai were more than willing to fill in for me!” Tearna smiled as Bren cried out in surprise nearby, earning a laugh from Tearna as she caught a glimpse of the shasheek falling into a bush, “Though, they weren’t quite as good at avoiding trouble as I was!”

                Night fell once again as the expedition sat around a campfire. Laughter wafted through the night as they told stories, one of them spreading their arms wide as the others laughed at the retelling. “Much to my surprise, the others were fine with me being the vice-captain,” Tearna continued, laughing and nodding along. “Over the course of the trip, they had come to trust my judgement, even with my tendencies to wander off. It made me feel like I actually did have what it would take to be a legendary explorer, but I wasn’t going to let my success get to my head!”

                Tearna frowned up at the sky as she paused briefly, “Our goal was to reach a region called Anshal in three days’ time. Anshal was a day or so south of Orden and would set us up to begin the next stage of our journey.” Gravel and grass crunched beneath her as the trees cleared around them briefly, letting her see the far off sky, but not much else, “Despite our setbacks, we were making record time, and quickly crossed the border into the lowland region!”

                Tearna looked around the road thoughtfully as they walked, “Although we had entered a new region, Anshal is just like much of the rest of the continent, covered in jungle and very flat.” Tearna frowned up at a series of flowers growing on the side of a tree, “To be honest, it was a little disappointing. After seeing so much around the rest of the world, my home region felt depressingly bland, but we did have a few gems to find!”

                Kai tilted his head as he moved through the undergrowth, his ears twitching as he listened to the squeaks just ahead of him. Kneeling, he called over his shoulder, “Tearna! I think I found some of those rodents you were talking about!”

                “They aren’t rodents if you actually found them,” she huffed, pushing through the undergrowth to where he was squatting while the caravan waited patiently. Squatting beside him, she peered ahead, “Let’s see… Oh, you did find some!” Beaming excitedly, she pulled out her personal journal, “What a wonderful find! Now, to write something about these illegally cute creatures!”

                Just in front of them, several small creatures were playing by a burrow, a much larger parent sitting nearby, “One of the cutest creatures in the world can be found only in Anshal, and that would be the curious and inquisitive quillen! As their name implies, quillen are small mammals covered in quills, but they are surprisingly soft. When threatened, these small creatures can use their quills to ward off predators much like a cactus, but they don’t do much aside from poke.”

                Two of the little quillen began to roll around, “Quillen can be identified by their squat and wide bodies as well as their typically grey and light green colors! However, it’s their large, almond eyes that make them so appealing!” Tearna laughed as she watched two of the babies began to scramble over each other, “When I was a little girl, I actually had a quillen as a pet. I loved Bubbles dearly, and it warms my heart to see some of his kin living so freely in the wild!”

                The next day, the star shone across the road as the caravan walked. “After only a day, we were mostly through Anshal, which meant we were close to leaving the southeast corner of our continent.” Tearna paused and squinted ahead curiously, “But there was still one sight left for us to see, and that was the aqua farms!”

                Light blossomed around the expedition as they stepped out of the trees with awestruck expressions, Tearna’s smile shining. A large field was stretched out before them. Occupying it was a huge grid of v-shaped cutouts, each one filled with roughly a half foot of water. Lining the center of the fields were small mounds support crops, nearby homes watching over them as ripples rolled across the otherwise still water.

                Tearna slowly moved towards the top of one of the slopes as she pulled out her journal, “Aqua farms are the lifeblood of our civilization. These farms are designed around large basins that fill with water to give plants all the nutrients they need, allowing them to grow to unheard of sizes. Without these quant farms, we wouldn’t be able to support cities like Orden or Mercanta!”

                Gravel crunched beneath her sandals as she continued to walk, “I found the cottages to be the most appealing part of the farms. Many of these units were built partially over the water, and their back porches were often decorated with tables and rocking chairs. Each home looked so cozy and inviting, and while I wouldn’t mind living there, it did surprise me who was living in these units.”

                Tearna cocked her had curiously as she looked at one of the fieldworkers, awkwardly waving back as they waved to her, “Much to my surprise, these fields were operated by automatons.” Gears whirred as the automaton continued to run his rake through the water. “This marked the first time on our journey that we had encountered automatons, but I’m not surprised it took this long,” Tearna continued as she walked, peering around at the other units. “After the Crisis, most machines were scrapped, and it did leave me with mixed feelings to see them working here.”

                “These particular automatons appeared to be of clockwork variety,” she continued, one of the automatons near the end of the farm stopping his work to rest. Curiosity touched his face as he noticed the caravan following the road, prompting him to stand up a bit straighter as he tried to figure out who they were. “They appeared to operate off a series of gears and steam, and each one appeared to be programmed for farming. It was curious to see our produce being tended to by machines, but… if the owners of the farm think it’s safe, then I won’t judge.” Watching them a moment longer, the automaton finally went back to work, the large gear on his shoulder spinning as the pipes on his other shoulder belched smoke.

                “Seeing the aqua farms was a true treat, but we didn’t stick around for long.” Bird calls echoed overhead as small birds swooped by with ringing chirps, Tearna looking up with a bright smile, “We didn’t want to disappoint the captain, after all, but I did find another animal to record!” A series of small, green birds sang on a branch overhead, Tearna stopping to begin writing, “Emerald pipers are a branch of the ever so common piper. Pipers can be found across the world, but this type is predominately green.”

                The white bellies of the small birds shook as they chirped happily, “Pipers can be identified by their white bellies, small forms, and long tail feathers! If you measured them, their tail feathers would actually be over fifty percent of their total length!” Laughing with a smile, Tearna stowed her journal away and continued walking, “If I ever had any desire to own a bird, it would probably be a piper, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for liking such a small, cute bird.”

                Another day and night passed as the expedition trudged along, “Though the days were long, it felt like they were passing in the blink of an eye!” The ghollon snorted as they walked, Tearna walking alongside Farin’s ghollon as she studied a map while he explained their route, “Before I knew it, we had covered almost the entirety of Thericia’s southern jungle, and we were nearing our next destination.” With a sharp nod, she smiled up at Farin briefly before moving back to the front of the column.

                “Within the jungle, I started to discover exactly who I was, and I will always remember our journey through the jungle because of that,” Tearna continued as she reached the head of the column. “We ran into hardship and nearly lost ourselves, but we came together, pushed forward, and kept hope alive! Before I knew it, another leg of our journey was behind us!”

                Wind whistled around her as she stepped out of the jungle and beheld the new landscape before her. Kai and Bren both stepped up behind her, exchanging proud looks before looking out at the horizon, “With the jungle behind us, we were marching into new lands! Civilization would be a lot sparser on this western frontier, and that made it all the more enticing! For the first time as a vice-captain, it was time for us to begin a new journey as we stepped onto the wind-swept plains and made for the Grey Pass!” For miles and miles around them, endless fields of green rolled in the breeze while, in the far off distance, hints of grey mountains towered on the horizon…