Back to the pool

The two of you set off west, and before long you've arrived at the pool. The area is as beautiful as you remember it, but you can't help but feel uneasy remembering the events of the previous day. You grip your rifle tightly and begin looking for signs of Ryan. You glance at Will and see that he is just as on edge as you are. Yesterday this was a peaceful pool in a golden forest, but today every turn is another potential **** trap. After an hour of thorough searching, neither of you can find any trace of Ryan.

"There's no blood or anything, so I'm guessing he's either alive or he's dead somewhere far from here." Will says with a sigh. You can't tell if its a sigh of relief or exasperation.

"If he went anywhere it was probably either north toward the mountains, or deeper into the forest along the river. He'd need to stay close to the water."

"Either way, he's not here, and I don't think we're gonna find him no matter how much longer we keep looking."

"Right. Let's head south then I guess."