We moved through the forest, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves. I kept my gaze ahead, but I was all too aware of Kai beside me. I wanted to be here for him, to keep him safe—but I couldn't deny how much this trip was weighing on me too. We were running low on water, and if we didn't find some soon...

"Do you think we'll run into one of them?" Kai asked, his voice quiet.

"Maybe," I replied, forcing myself to sound calm. "But we know what to look for now. We'll be careful."

The forest felt unnervingly still, like it was holding its breath, and I kept my senses sharp as we moved deeper. When I heard the faint trickling of water, hope surged in me. I met Kai's gaze, both of us sharing the same thought: maybe this time, we'd actually get lucky.

But then we rounded a bend, and I froze.

A towering creature stood in the mist before us, its bark-like skin entwined with thick vines, its eyes an eerie, glowing green. My heart pounded as I felt its gaze fix on us, assessing us. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.

"Kai," I whispered, feeling a knot form in my stomach. "Slowly... let's just back away."

But Kai didn't move back. Instead, he took a step forward, his expression filled with something close to wonder. "It's guarding the water," he said, his voice soft, like he was speaking some deep truth. I could hardly believe it, but I trusted him.

I held my breath as Kai raised his hands, his voice steady but reverent. "We just need a little. We're not here to hurt you or the land. Just... trying to survive."

The silence was unbearable. But then, with a creak that echoed through the stillness, the creature stepped aside, revealing a pool of water hidden among the rocks.

Relief washed over me as I looked at Kai, my mind still reeling from what had just happened. "Let's fill up and go," I murmured, too grateful to linger any longer.

We filled our canteens, keeping an eye on the creature, which stood watching us. As we turned to leave, I gave it a silent nod of thanks, the encounter still etched in my mind.