16.3 Storm

As the next few days progress, you find yourself growing more accustomed to the group. Though not all have seemed to grow as accepting of you. Regardless, it's a far nicer change of pace than what you are used to. It seems for the most part the men live a fairly simple lifestyle. Living off the land comes as second nature to them, making the events of the aftermath less noticeable. Though you are gracious to be in their midst, you cannot help but feeling somewhat curious about their ability to have sustained for this long. When you initially tried casually discussing this with Kai you were surprised to find yourself somewhat stonewalled.

Deciding to lay off the topic for a bit, you focus instead on continuing to gain the groups trust. Unfortunately that seems to be easier with some than with others. While Seth appeared to grow an instant liking to you, Ty on the other hand is less accepting. Despite his slight aversion to discussing the past, Kai has seemed to accept you since his discovery of you. That along with the leader's seeming indifference means at least three of the four don't dislike you. Still, something about even one of the groups disapproving makes you somewhat uneasy. Trying to dismiss this unpleasant feeling, you continue working on growing accustomed to the new party's systems.

It seems for now your only entrusted task is to help gather water and firewood. They're both rather mundane and simple tasks, however, necessary ones. With this in mind, you attempt keeping your thoughts positive as you make your way through the dense forested area. Gathering wood for the fire is a less than ideal task, especially given the recent weather. The hot sun always looms ahead, its hot rays hardly dampened by the foliage above. Today you find an unexpected shift as you head to draw water from a nearby watering hole. Dark clouds suddenly cover the sky, providing some relief from the otherwise unrelenting sun. When the first large droplets of rain hit your skin, you're initially pleased. However, as the storm increases you know you need to head back to shelter.

Glancing around you try to decide which is the best option. Heading back to the camp will take the longest but will likely provide the most protection. Looking back behind you, you see the wooded area you had just come from. While not an ideal shelter, it will at least provide some cover til the storm passes over. Alternatively, you could try to complete your task before heading anywhere. After all, the rainfall is more of a nuisance than an actual obstacle. Biting your lip, you take a final look around before making your decision.