Start heading upstream

You could start heading back downstream by yourself, but it's a very long way back to go by yourself, especially with no clothes. So instead you look upstream. It's not much further up to a ridgeline, after which you probably will be able to see far afield and hopefully have a faster trip back to civilization.

The trek starts fine, with the winding stream guiding your way. It takes less than half an hour for you to find the mountain spring that feeds the stream, after which you have to find your own way up to the ridge. The path from here is uncertain and much steeper so you take a quick pause before moving on. You take a long drink from your water skin, knowing this is the last chance to refill it before climbing up.

Once your water is topped off again, you take a deep breath and begin the slow climb up the much steeper slope. You are quite glad that you still have your boots as you step from foothold to foothold. It would take much, much longer to do this barefoot. Because of the steep terrain you have to take frequent breaks to catch your breath, and it takes you hours to slowly reach the ridge.

You are only a few feet away from it, however, when you hear tree branches crashing ahead. You freeze as the noises get louder and more frequent Something or someone is up there, now just on the other side of the ridge.