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Author's Note: This is a story I've tried and failed to write many times with many different characters and situations. Then one day I told myself to just sit down and write it. I'm not sure where the idea of making them Scouts came from but it was the one that stuck and works. This is a fast paced adventure story. It was also written over several days with a few stops here and there. If anyone sees something, please point it out to me. There could be a hiccup here or there. This is only the first part. I'm gonna try writing something else before getting into the second part later.
 

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“Come on, Quinn, you're the best climber in the troop!" called out Jake, his voice echoing through the gym. Quinn Harper, a lanky 13-year-old with a mop of unruly hair and a smattering of freckles, gripped the rock wall with determination, his eyes fixed on the next hold.

Quinn's heart raced as he scaled higher, the rubber soles of his sneakers squeaking against the faux rock surface. He had always felt a strange sense of belonging up here, where the world fell away and only the challenge remained. But today, the excitement was tainted with a heavy secret, one that had been growing inside him like a seedling reaching for the light.

"You got this, Quinn!" encouraged Alex, his best friend since kindergarten. Alex had noticed the changes in Quinn over the past year—his voice getting softer, his skin smoothing out—but didn't know the whole truth. Quinn took a deep breath and pushed off, reaching for the next grip. He wished he could tell Alex everything, but the fear of losing his friendship was too great.

The gym door swung open, and in strode Mr. Harris, their burly Scoutmaster. His eyes widened when he saw Quinn climbing, his face a mix of surprise and admiration. "Impressive, Harper," he bellowed. "Looks like you're more than ready for the Wilderness Scout Trip next week."

The Wilderness Scouts weren't your typical boy scouts. They didn't spend their weekends tying knots or memorizing the ingredients to s'mores. Their focus was on the raw, unfiltered art of survival. For three days, they'd be thrown into the depths of the forest, no parents, no phones, and certainly no hand-holds. The aim was clear: to strip away the comforts of the modern world and reveal the true nature of each boy. It was a rite of passage, a chance to prove themselves, and to Quinn, a chance to escape his secret a little longer.

There was always a catch to it.

"We'll make men out of your scrawny wimps" chortled Mr. Harris. "Quinn will lead the charge. Right Quinn?"

Quinn chuckled but pretended he didn't hear.

The irony wasn't lost on him in the least. Here Mr. Harris was going on about whipping them into shape to be manly men and Quinn was the farthest from. He'd been on hormone blockers for a year now. His puberty was stunted and he definitely wasn't becoming a man.
 
 
The climb grew more intense, and sweat beaded on Quinn's forehead, trickling down his neck. His thoughts raced faster than his heart. He'd been hiding his secret from everyone—his friends, his troop, his teachers. His parents had found out a year ago, but they had agreed to keep it between them until he was ready to tell the world. But the Wilderness Scout Trip was approaching, and the pressure of being in such close quarters with the other boys was giving him anxiety.

As he reached the top, the cheers of his friends echoed through the gym. He couldn't ignore the knot in his stomach that tightened with each step back down to the floor. Tonight, at the pre-trip meeting, his parents were going to tell everyone. They had decided it was best to get it out in the open, to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts during their three-day adventure. Quinn had hoped they'd wait a bit longer, but his mother's insistent voice of reason the night before had convinced him it was time.

At the bottom of the rock wall, Alex was there to slap him on the back. "That was epic, Quinn! You're gonna crush it over the next three days." The camaraderie was palpable, but Quinn couldn't shake the dread that clung to him like a second skin. He forced a smile, trying to push aside the fear of his friends' reactions. Would they still look at him the same way? Would they understand?

Quinn and Alex had been inseparable since kindergarten. He was close with the other guys but the bond between him and Alex was like brotherhood. He feared Alex wouldn't understand and abandon him. He could handle losing his friendship with the other guy but not with Alex.

"Hey, Quinn, you okay?" Alex looked at him with genuine concern.

Quinn nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Yeah, I'm just... nervous about the trip, you know?"

"No need to be nervous," said Charlie as he came lumbering over. "You're Super Scout."

The nickname hung in the air, a reminder of Quinn's over-compensation. His need to be seen as the best, the strongest, the bravest was all a facade to hide his true self. Ever since he could remember, he felt like a girl trapped in a boy's body. The only way to deal with it was to outshine everyone else in every conceivable way. It had earned him respect and admiration, sure, but at what cost? He'd pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion trying to be the epitome of masculinity, all to keep his secret safe.
 
 
As the boys packed up their gear, the usual banter began to fill the gym. Jake, the ringleader of the group, started in with his latest crush. "Did you guys see the new girl in math class? She's totally into me," he bragged, flexing his non-existent biceps.

Kurt and Ben, the loyal sidekicks, snickered and added their own exaggerated stories of romantic conquests. The topic of girls was a favorite among the group, a way to prove their burgeoning manhood. Quinn's heart sank a little lower with every snort and elbow nudge. He felt like an alien in a conversation that was so deeply ingrained in their identities.

The banter grew more intense as they left the gym, their laughter echoing through the empty hallways. It was the kind of noise that could only come from a group of teenage boys who hadn't yet learned the weight of the world. Quinn lagged behind, the heaviness of his secret weighing on his shoulders. Alex noticed and fell back to walk beside him.

"Ignore them," he said, gently squeezing his friend's shoulder.

Quinn nodded again but the words didn't offer much comfort. The weight of the secret felt like a boulder, too heavy to shrug off with a simple nod.

When he finally stepped through the front door of his home, the comforting scent of his mother's cooking wafted through the hallways. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. His heart was racing like it was still climbing the rock wall. He knew the conversation tonight wasn't going to be easy, but he couldn't ignore it. It was like a storm cloud that had been hovering over him for months, and it was finally about to break.

Quinn's room was a sanctuary of sorts, plastered with posters of adventurous landscapes and filled with the trappings of his Wilderness Scout life: a tent, a sleeping bag, and a collection of camping gear that could rival a small outdoors store. He threw his backpack onto the bed and headed straight to his desk. The second bag, his "survival" bag, lay half-packed in the corner. It was his personal project, filled with items that went beyond the typical scouting checklist—things he hoped would never be necessary, like a small sewing kit for emergency repairs or a compass that could double as a mirror. He'd been meticulously preparing it since he'd first heard about the trip, each item chosen with care and purpose. It was his way of controlling the uncontrollable.

He sat down heavily in his chair, his eyes landing on a framed photo of him, Alex, and the rest of the troop from their last camping trip. They were all smiles and dirt, not a care in the world. But Quinn knew that tonight, everything could change. He couldn't shake the feeling that this trip was going to be different, that the very fabric of his world was about to shift. It was a mix of excitement and terror, a cocktail of emotions that left his stomach in knots.
 
 
A couple of hours later, he and his parents were in the car on the way to Mr. Harris' for the meeting.

The living room of Mr. Harris' house was a sea of green and brown—the colors of the Wilderness Scout uniforms—parents and scouts alike sitting in a circle, the air thick with anticipation. The room went quiet as Quinn and his parents entered. The Scoutmaster cleared his throat and began the meeting with a nod to Quinn. His mother's eyes searched his, full of love and reassurance, as his father took a deep breath and started to speak.

Mr. Harper's voice was steady, yet Quinn could hear the hint of pride and fear. "As some of you may know, Quinn has been going through something quite personal over the past year. Quinn is transgender, and we have been working with doctors to make sure he's as comfortable as possible." He paused, allowing the words to settle like dust after an explosion. Quinn's heart hammered in his chest, his palms sweaty. He'd known this moment was coming, but it didn't make it any easier.

The room was a vacuum of silence. The only sounds were the faint ticking of the clock and the rustling of parents shifting in their seats, uncomfortable with the revelation. Quinn's eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of understanding, but all he found was confusion and surprise. Some parents exchanged glances, others studied their hands, and a few stared openly, their expressions a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Mr. Harris' face remained unreadable, his eyes locked onto Quinn, as if trying to discern the truth of the words he had just heard.

One by one, the adults began to murmur, their voices tentative and awkward. They offered words of support, their smiles forced and eyes evasive. It was clear that not everyone was ready for this revelation. Quinn's heart sank further with each pat on the back and awkward clap on the shoulder. He knew the truth behind their faux encouragement. They were worried about their own sons, about how this would affect the dynamics of the troop, about the unknown.

But amidst the murmurs, there was one voice that remained silent—Jake's. His eyes, usually filled with mischief and bravado, were cold and calculating. Quinn had seen that look before, in the schoolyard when someone didn't fit in, when someone was different. It was a look that promised trouble. Quinn's stomach clenched, and he wished the floor would swallow him whole.

The meeting dragged on, but Quinn barely heard the instructions for the trip. His mind was racing, replaying every conversation he'd had with Jake, trying to find a clue to what he might be thinking. His parents' faces were a mask of stoic support, but he could see the hate in their eyes too.

"It's going to be fine," whispered Alex as the room cleared out. His grip was firm and reassuring, a beacon in the storm of confusion. "They just need time to process."

Quinn nodded, his eyes still glued to the floor. "I know." But he didn't believe it. The silence from Jake was deafening.

Alex's hand squeezed tighter, a silent promise of unwavering support. It was a comfort that Quinn clung to like a lifeline. "Look, if anyone gives you crap, I've got your back," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
 
 
The next day, true to his word, Alex was the only one who reached out. The other guys had gone silent, their group chat a graveyard of unread messages and unanswered calls. It was like Quinn had been erased from their lives overnight. He felt like an outcast, a ghost haunting the halls of his own school. His heart ached with the weight of their silence, but he knew he had to keep moving forward. So, he swallowed his pride and focused on the one person who hadn't abandoned him.

They spent the day gaming in Alex's basement, the familiar glow of the computer screens washing over them. The digital battles they waged on their games were a stark contrast to the very real one Quinn faced in his real life. The clank of swords and the roar of dragons drowned out the whispers and stares from the schoolyard. It was a temporary reprieve, but it was enough to make him feel almost normal again. They didn't talk about the meeting or the trip, instead choosing to lose themselves in the fantasy worlds that had always been their escape.

Alex broke the silence, his thumbs pausing mid-combo on his game controller. "You know," he began, not taking his eyes off the screen, "I've always kind of known."

Quinn froze, her own controller hovering in the air. "What do you mean?" Her voice was tentative, hopeful yet fearful of the revelation to come.

Alex took a deep breath, his eyes still focused on the screen. "It's the little things," he said. "The way you sit, the way you laugh, the way you look at the world." He paused, swiveling his chair to finally meet Quinn's gaze. "And the way you push your hair behind your ear. It's always been a giveaway."

Quinn felt a warmth spread through her chest. She hadn't realized Alex had noticed the subtle changes in her demeanor, the way she was becoming more comfortable in her own skin. "You're okay with it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alex nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, I am. You're still you, you know?" He paused, his thumbs resuming their dance on the game controller. "But I gotta admit, I've had some questions."

Quinn felt a weight lift. Alex knew. He really knew, and it seemed like he was okay with it. "You can ask me anything," she said, her voice stronger now. "I'll tell you everything."
 
 
They talked for hours, their words a tapestry of curiosity, understanding, and friendship. Alex fired question after question, and Quinn answered each one with honesty and grace. They talked about names, pronouns, and what the future might hold. Alex was a sponge, soaking up every piece of information, eager to be a good ally. The conversation flowed naturally, as if they were discussing the latest comic book release rather than Quinn's deepest, most personal secret.

The sun began to set, casting long shadows across the room, and it was then that Quinn realized she had forgotten to check the time. She looked at Alex, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a smile. "I guess it's time for me to head home," she said, standing up from the chair.

Alex gave her an awkward but welcomed hug. 
 
The day of the Wilderness Scout Trip had finally arrived, and the tension was palpable as Quinn woke up with the first light of dawn. She packed her bags with meticulous care, ensuring that every item was accounted for. Her father, a man of few words, had insisted on driving her to the school. His eyes were filled with a mix of pride and fear as he handed her the bag filled with food and supplies. He had only just begun to accept her for who she was, and the thought of her facing the wild with a group of boys was more than he could bear.

"Sweetie, you could, I mean we could..." he stammered over his words.

She sighed and grabbed his hand. "It's fine, Dad. I'll be ok, and besides, Alex is there"

Mr. Harper said nothing but that didn't reassure her. He wasn't just scared of what the boys might do to her. He was scared of Alex too. He'd seen the way that boy had been staring at Quinn lately. Alex was a good kid and smart but he was still a boy. Alex had seen it and had a much longer time to process it than the other boys. At this age---with raging hormones---Alex was a different kind of threat. He just hoped he wasn't right and the boy would be on his best behavior.

Quinn took a deep breath, trying to ignore the nausea churning in her stomach. She'd been looking forward to this trip for so long, a chance to escape the confines of school and the whispers that had been following her since the meeting. Now, it felt like a trap, a minefield she had to navigate with every step.
 
 
The bus was already loaded with the boys' laughter and the smell of campfire-smoked clothes. They were all in their uniforms, looking like a pack of wolves ready to conquer the wilderness. When Quinn approached, the laughter died down, and the silence was as deafening as a gunshot. The boys shifted, creating a space around her like she was contagious. Jake, Ben, and Kurt watched her with a glint in their eyes that spoke of something brewing. It was a look she'd seen before in the schoolyard, and it never meant anything good.

"Hey, Quinn," Charlie said, his voice a stark contrast to the quiet that had settled. He looked genuinely apologetic, his eyes avoiding hers. "Look, I don't know what's going on with those guys, but I just want to say sorry for the other day... you know, the dumbness."

Quinn nodded, appreciating the effort. "It's cool, Charlie."

Mr. Harris, standing at the front of the bus, said nothing to her but kept looking her way, his eyes narrowed. His grumbling was like the rumble of distant thunder, hinting at the storm to come. He had been a rock of support during her transition, but she could feel his tension now. The secret was out, and it was clear he wasn't sure how to handle it. His discomfort was palpable, and she wondered if he was second-guessing his decision to let her lead the trip.

Quinn took her seat near the front of the bus, the cold plastic a stark contrast to the warmth of her home. Alex sat next to her, a silent sentinel in this uncharted territory. Charlie took the seat in front, turning around occasionally to offer a nervous smile. She knew he was trying to bridge the gap, but it was like trying to cross a chasm with a piece of thread.

The bus rumbled to life, and the diesel fumes filled the air as it lurched forward. The scenery outside the window grew greener, the concrete jungle of their suburban lives giving way to the vast, untamed wilderness. Each bump in the road sent a jolt through Quinn's body, a reminder of the unpredictability that lay ahead.
 
 
The bus pulled up to the drop-off point, a clearing surrounded by a wall of trees so dense it seemed to swallow the light. Willow Glades Summer Camp loomed in the distance, a cluster of wooden structures that looked more like a ghost town than a place of fun and adventure. Other buses were already there, unloading their cargo of eager kids, ready for their weekly Summer Camp activities.

That didn't concern them though.

Mr. Harris, his face a portrait of determination, marched them to the edge of the forest. The shadows grew darker as the trees closed in around them, and the sounds of civilization grew fainter. The scent of pine and damp earth filled Quinn's nostrils, a stark contrast to the sterile air of the school bus. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of adventure.

"Alright, Scouts," Mr. Harris boomed, his voice cutting through the quiet. "This is it. The real world. For the next three days, you're going to be tested. You're going to face challenges that will push you to your limits, and you're going to come out the other side stronger for it." His eyes scanned the group, lingering on Quinn for a beat too long. "Remember, we leave no one behind."

The group exchanged glances, some nervous, some excited, but all feeling the weight of the unknown. They donned their packs, and Quinn felt the heaviness of her secret, now a burden shared with everyone she knew. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, her boots sinking into the mulch as she led the way into the forest.
 
 
The trail grew narrow, and the canopy of leaves above them thickened, casting a dappled pattern of light and shade on the ground. The rustle of small animals and the distant call of birds were the only sounds to break the silence. Quinn's mind raced with thoughts of the trip ahead, her friendship with Alex, and the looming confrontation with Jake. She had to keep it together, not just for herself but for the troop that was now her responsibility.

"Why are you leading us?" snapped Jake from behind.

Quinn sighed without turning around. "Because Mr. Harris put me in charge weeks ago."

"That was before you became a freak!" snapped Jake, starting.

Alex rushed between them, his eyes flashing. "Back off, Jake!"

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Quinn grabbed Alex, pulling him back. "It's not worth it, Alex," She then looked at Jake. "Two minutes into being left alone and you're starting this shit. We're supposed to be working together..."

Jake grunted. "I don't take orders from freaks."

"Yeah don't get your panties in a twist" chuckled Ben.

"Or do you not wear those yet?" added Kurt.

Quinn wanted to punch him but fought back the urge.

A moment later, an annoyed Jake stomped past them, slamming his shoulder into Alex. Ben and Kurt followed. They tried to slam into Quinn but she was quick on her feet and side-stepped them. Ben almost fell over Kurt but they caught themselves. Then they glared at her and continued followed Jake.

Charlie wandered over to Alex and Quinn. "That was tense"

Alex nodded, his eyes still on Jake's back. "Yeah, it was"

"We should get going," Quinn said, her voice firm but shaky. "We can't let this ruin the trip."

Alex nodded, his fists unclenching. "You're right," he said. "Let's just focus on the survival stuff."

The three of them fell into a rhythm, scanning the underbrush for firewood and checking their compasses to ensure they stayed on the right path. The tension with Jake and his cronies was a constant throb in the background, but they did their best to ignore it. The wilderness was a living, breathing entity around them, and it demanded their full attention.

Quinn couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation as she led Alex and Charlie through the dense foliage. They were her friends, sure, but the weight of her new existence made her feel like she was on a different wavelength. She knew that, for them, this was just another adventure, but for her, it was so much more. It was a chance to prove herself, to show that she was as much a part of this world as they were.

As the light began to wane, the three of them stumbled upon a clearing that looked like it had been plucked straight out of a storybook. The sun pierced the canopy in shafts of golden light, illuminating a perfect circle of green grass, surrounded by trees that whispered secrets in the breeze. It was the kind of place that made you want to drop your pack and stay forever.

But as they began to clear the area and set up their tents, they heard the crunch of branches and the rustle of leaves. Quinn's heart sank as Jake and his cronies emerged from the underbrush. They had found the same spot. The air grew tense as the two groups eyed each other warily, like rival packs of animals staking their claim on the same piece of territory.

"Look I don't want to fight" said Quinn then she pointed at the size of the clearing. "Its big enough for all of us"

Jake grunted but said nothing more.

Quinn and Alex began setting up their tent in one corner of the clearing, their movements swift and efficient from months of practice. Charlie helped too, his eyes darting nervously towards Jake's group. They had set up camp across the clearing, the gap between them a stark symbol of the rift in their troop.

Alex had been unusually quiet since the confrontation with Jake. Quinn knew he was just as bothered by it as she was, but she couldn't find the right words to comfort him. They had always been a team, but now she felt like she was fighting this battle alone.

There was a low rumble off in the distance. Quinn looked up at the clouds, they were started to turn gray. She frowned. This wasn't good.

"Put some plastic sheets under the tents" she instructed Charlie. "Looks like it might rain".

Charlie nodded, pulling the sheets out of their collective packs.

"I'll get some fire wood" said Alex, brushing the dirt off his bare knees.

"Make it fast" said Quinn, the clouds were foreboding.

Alex nodded and took off into the woods, the sound of his steps fading into the distance. Quinn turned to Charlie, her eyes scanning the clearing. "Keep an eye on the tents"

Charlie looked at the clouds, shivering. "The weather report said it was supposed to be clear for at least five days. Where did this come from?"

Quinn shrugged. "That's weather for you."

Though the sight of it scared her a little. Where did it come from? She'd seen the radar, this was nowhere in sight.

Quinn's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. The clouds that had been a mere whisper of gray now rolled in like a dark army, swallowing the sun whole. The temperature dropped, sending a shiver down her spine.

"We need to find shelter," she said urgently, her eyes scanning the clearing. The open space that had once seemed so inviting now felt eerily exposed. The tents would offer little protection from the storm that was fast approaching. "Maybe we should head to that summer camp?"

"But we're not supposed to leave the forest," Charlie protested, his voice quivering slightly. "It's against the rules."

Quinn chewed her lip, the thunder now a constant drumbeat in the background. "Rules are for when the weather isn't trying to kill us," she said firmly. "We can't stay here."

She turned and shouted for Jake.

Jake's group had almost finished setting up their tent. Quinn's heart pounded in her chest as she approached him. She could feel the weight of his stare, the hostility in the air was palpable.

"Jake," she called out, her voice firm.

He looked up, his expression a mix of defiance and wariness. But as she stepped closer, she saw something flicker in his eyes—understanding, perhaps even fear. The thunder boomed again, and the wind picked up, sending leaves swirling around their feet like miniature tornadoes.

"We can't stay here," she repeated, her voice firm but not unkind. "The storm's going to hit hard, and we need shelter."

"The Summer Camp?' he asked, she nodded.

"Its our best chance. These tents won't cut it" she said, as the wind whipped around her.

Jake nodded slowly, the gravity of the situation sinking in. He knew she was right. The storm was coming in fast and their tents were no match for the impending fury. He turned to his group, his expression unreadable. "Pack up, we're moving."

Charlie came over. "We gotta get Alex."

She cursed, momentarily forgetting he went to get fire wood.

"Ok, you guys start packing up, I'll go find Alex" she said, determined.

The forest grew darker with every step she took. The rain was coming down in sheets now, soaking her through to the bone. She could barely see a few feet in front of her, the lightning providing the only illumination. Quinn felt the first pangs of regret for not telling Alex to wait for her. She was the leader, she should have been more vigilant.

The storm grew more intense with every second, the thunder crashing around her like an angry god's cymbals. The lightning was blinding, painting the forest in stark black and white strobes. Each flash revealed a new landscape, trees that had been friendly sentinels now looked like twisted ghosts reaching out to grab her. Her heart pounded in her chest, drowning out the sound of her own footsteps.

Quinn shouted Alex's name into the tempest, but her voice was swallowed by the wind. She squinted through the rain, trying to spot any sign of her friend. The forest was a blur of motion, branches whipping around her like the arms of a furious beast. There was massively loud boom of thunder a moment later, so loud it as if God had clapped in her ear. It was followed moment later by a blinding flash of light.

The light was so intense, she stumbled backwards and darkness found her.

*****

When she woke again, it was daylight. She was groggy and confused. The rain and storm was long gone but she was strangely dry. She sat up, trying to get a sense of her surroundings. The ground beneath her was soft and covered in a layer of moss that seemed to glow with a faint bioluminescence. The air smelled sweet and fresh, untouched by the pollution of the city. The trees around her were massive, their trunks thick as ancient pillars supporting an emerald canopy that blocked out the sky.

She'd never seen anything like it. It was almost as if she was in an entirely different forest. That was impossible though. Taking stuck to make sure nothing was broken, she used a nearby tree to help herself to her feet.

Her hand brushed against something unfamiliar. She looked down and saw two small mounds of flesh under her shirt. Her mind raced. Breasts? She touched them again, the shock causing her hand to tremble. It couldn't be. But it was. Quinn's eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and fear. She was only on hormone blockers. Things like breasts shouldn't be growing on her chest and yet here they were, for all the world to see.

Her heart hammering in her chest, she reached down to the space between her legs. There was something missing, something vital. It was gone, her thing was gone. All her dreams, all her desires. She was exhilarated but she was terrified. How had this happened? Surely blockers couldn't do something like this and was years away from actual hormones. Yet, there was no denying the evidence. She was definitely no longer a boy anymore.

Quinn took a deep breath and forced herself to focus. Panic was not going to help her now. She had to find Alex and the others. Maybe this was some kind of hallucination from a head injury or something she ate. Maybe it was a dream. Maybe...

She didn't let herself think that last thought. 

Quinn took a step forward, her new body feeling alien and unbalanced. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual symphony of bird calls and rustling leaves replaced with a thick, unsettling silence. The trees loomed over her, their boughs twisting in ways that didn't seem possible, like the limbs of a living creature. She tried to shake off the feeling of unease, telling herself it was just shock.

Calling out for Alex, her voice sounded small and lost in the vast expanse of the unknown. She listened for any response, but all she heard was the faint echo of her own words. She looked around for any sign of him, but the forest remained stubbornly unchanged. The mossy floor was unblemished by any footsteps, and the trees stood sentinel, offering no clues to her whereabouts.

Her heart raced with the realization that she was alone, in a place she didn't understand. The thought of facing this new reality without her best friend was more than she could bear. Quinn took a deep breath, steeling herself against the rising tide of panic. She had to stay focused. Alex was resourceful; he had to be nearby. If he wasn't, he'd be back at camp. If not there...he could take care of himself.

Her thoughts swirling, Quinn turned back the way she'd come, retracing her steps as best she could. The forest looked different now, the trees seemingly closer together, the path she'd taken no longer there. The more she backtracked, the more she realized this was not the same forest. The trees had a strange greenish back and the moss below her feet had definitely not been there before. Grabbing a low hanging branch, she pulled off some leaves. She'd studied the forest area before the trip, familiarizing herself with all the different flora and fauna.

I've never seen this leaf before, she thought, taking note of its shape and color. It was purple.

Her stomach twisted into a knot. This was definitely not the forest she knew. The leaves, the trees, everything was off. It was like she had been transported into a painting from a fantasy book. She felt a cold trickle of fear run down her spine. What if she was dreaming? Or worse, what if she'd gone mad?

Quinn took a deep breath and forced the thoughts out of her head. She had to find Alex, the others. She started to walk, her feet moving almost by themselves. Each step was a silent prayer for Alex, for her troop, for anyone familiar.

The forest was eerily quiet, as if it was holding its breath. The only sound was the occasional whisper of the wind through the leaves, and even that seemed to hold a hint of something unspoken. The trees towered above her, their limbs entwined in a way that seemed almost sinister, as if they were hiding something.

The farther Quinn wandered, the more she noticed the absence of storm damage. The branches were unbroken, the leaves unmarred, and the underbrush was untouched by the rage of the night before. It was as if the storm had never occurred at all. The realization grew in her chest like a cold stone. This was not the same place they had set up camp. The very essence of the forest had changed. The trees were too tall, the underbrush too thick, and the air too clean. The world she knew had been replaced by this alien landscape.

Her heart racing, she stumbled through the eerie silence, desperation fueling her search. And then, like a beacon of hope in the gloom, she saw it: a flash of blue. She squinted through the foliage, her heart leaping as she recognized the material of their tents. They were there, but not as she had left them. They were scattered, as if some giant hand had tossed them into the woods like ragdolls.

Quinn's pulse pounded in her ears as she approached the first tent, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of life. The flaps were open, and she could see the abandoned sleeping bags and rumpled clothes inside. The second tent was the same—desolate, the only sign of its inhabitants the half-eaten granola bars and discarded flashlights. Panic gripped her chest like a vice. Where were they? What had happened to her friends?

Finally, she reached her own tent. The sight of it brought a wave of relief—it was still standing, a bastion of familiarity in this alien world. But as she drew closer, she saw that it had been torn open, the contents spilled out onto the glowing moss. Her heart sank, but she forced herself to be methodical.

Quinn dropped to her knees and began to rummage through the mess. The tent flaps flapped in the breeze, the fabric whispering secrets she couldn't quite make out. Her hand closed around the cool metal of her canteen, and she took a grateful swig of water, feeling the liquid soothe her dry throat.

Thankfully her survival pack's was still intact.

Her eyes scanned the contents of her survival pack, her mind racing. Nutrient bars, a first aid kit, a compass, a knife—everything she'd need to survive, but not what she'd need to find her friends. Panic was a live wire, zipping through her veins, making it hard to think straight. But she had to. They were counting on her.

She reached further inside and found the little flashlight there. She tapped it on her thigh, a beam cut through the ground fog. She searched the rest of her tent, looking for anything else. She found her zip up hoodie and pulled it on quickly. Her other pack was shredded, its contents ruined. She did find her smartphone though. The screen was cracked but it still had power. She rushed out of the tent, hoping to get a signal but there was nothing.

Cursing, she stuffed it into the back pocket of her shorts.

She dropped gently on a large rock nearby.

What the hell happened here? It looked like some animal had torn the place apart. What's worse, all her friends were missing?

Her stomach twisted into a knot. What could have done this? A bear? A wolf?

Quinn took a deep breath and tried to push the fear aside. She had to be strong. For herself and for her friends. They had to be out there somewhere. She stood up and took a moment to gather her bearings. Then, with a renewed sense of purpose, she set off to search the rest of the scattered tents.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jake's hatchet, lying half-buried in the moss. It was a good tool, one they would all need if they were to survive whatever this place had in store for them. She picked it up and tested its weight in her hand. The handle was slick with rain, but she could feel the power of it, the promise of protection. She tucked it into her belt and continued her search.

The next tent yielded more supplies: a few more granola bars, mostly squished but still edible, and Ben's rain poncho, which was surprisingly dry. The climbing gear was in a tangled heap beside it, the ropes and carabiners gleaming in the dappled sunlight. Quinn's mind raced as she packed everything into her survival bag. She'd need to be prepared for anything. No climbing axe though, which gave her some hope that maybe they took it with them. Wherever they were.

****

A few hours earlier---Charlie

Charlie had watched with a heavy heart as Quinn disappeared into the storm, her form swallowed by the wrathful embrace of the elements. He felt a pang of regret for not speaking up when Jake had confronted her, his usual bravado nowhere to be found in the face of such raw hostility. The rain had melded with his own unshed tears, leaving him feeling cold and exposed.

Charlie had always been a bit of a coward. It wasn't by choice but he knew how much he could do. He was timid and overweight, the butt of many jokes and bullying. He'd known Quinn for years. Even when she was still identifying as a boy, he'd always thought she was a little different. Too feminine, too pretty and too different to ever really be one of them. It never occurred to him she'd been trans. When her parents announced it the other night, he wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing like usual.

He only found his courage earlier when Jake took it a bit too far. Even then, he thought it was too little, too late. At least he got up enough courage to apologize to her.

"Hey Fat Ass, help us over here!"

Ben.

While Jake was always the ring leader, Ben was the real bully. He was the only who pushed Charlie around and called him names. Charlie hated his guts but was always too afraid to say anything or do anything to protect himself. Not that there was much he could do---he was fat and slow and had never been in a fight.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to move. His feet felt like they were made of lead but he knew he had to help. They were all in this mess together now. If they were going to survive, they needed to work together.

"Charlie, help us secure it better" barked Jake over the wind.

Charlie didn't hesitate and grabbed the end of the tent that Jake pointed too.

"Hold on tight!" Jake yelled over the wind.

They had barely managed to get the tent up, and now it was being torn apart. The storm had turned into a frenzied beast, and the wind was its teeth, ripping at the fabric. Rain stung their faces and soaked their clothes. The tent billowed and snapped in the fury, the poles bending dangerously.

"Hold it down!" Jake shouted over the din, his voice barely audible above the cacophony.

It was no use though. In one giant gust, the tent was pulled free and went flying away into the darkness.

"You idiot!" Ben screamed, his eyes wild with anger. He took a step forward, his booted foot connecting with Charlie's stomach with a sickening thud. Charlie doubled over, the wind knocked out of him. The pain was intense, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe.

"What the hell, Ben?" Jake's voice cut through the storm. Even he was surprised by Ben's violent outburst. "This wasn't Charlie's fault!"

Ben ignored him, turning his anger on the hunched over Charlie, still grasping his stomach. "You lost it, you find it!"

Gritting his teeth, Charlie nodded, not daring to argue. The last thing he needed was another kick. He stumbled off into the storm, the rain stinging his eyes. The wind howled around him, carrying with it the faint whispers of the forest. His eyes searched the darkness, looking for any sign of the tent. The lightning provided brief flashes of illumination, but the tent was nowhere to be seen.

The storm grew more furious with each step he took. The rain turned into hail, pelting him like tiny bullets. His eyes stung, and his teeth chattered, but he had to keep moving. He couldn't let the others down.

The moment the thunder clapped and lightning struck, the world went white around him. For a second, the forest was stark and clear, every tree and leaf outlined in brilliant light. Then there was nothing but a deafening roar and the sensation of being flung through the air like a ragdoll.

When Charlie opened his eyes again, the world was eerily calm. The storm had passed, and a thick fog had settled like a soft blanket over the forest floor. He blinked, his eyes struggling to adjust to the sudden change from the dark chaos of the storm to the quiet, misty morning. He was lying on his back, his body feeling like it had been wrung out like a wet towel.

With a groan, he pushed himself up onto his elbows and took stock of his surroundings. The fog was so thick he could barely see his hand in front of his face. The silence was almost deafening, and it was unsettling—like the world had been holding its breath and was now slowly letting it out.

There was something wrong though. He flexed his fingers then looked at his clothes. He was completely dry. Last night he'd been soaked to the bone. At the very least, his clothes should have been damp. He touched them just to make sure but it was if they'd never got wet.

He climbed to his feet, brushing himself off.  Looking about, there was something strange and new about this forest. He looked down and saw the ground covered in a strange moss. A moss that wasn't there the night before he was sure of that. He bent down and touched it. It felt spongey and had this luminescent quality to it. It glowed faintly and it was the only light source in this dense fog. It was eerie but also somehow calming. He had to find his way back to camp, to the others. He hoped they were okay, even Ben.

With a deep breath, Charlie started to retrace his steps. He walked faster than he ever had, his fear of the unknown pushing him forward. His legs burned and his breath came in short gasps but he didn't dare slow down. The fog swirled around him, playing tricks with his eyes. The trees looked like they were moving, reaching out to grab him. He kept telling himself it was just the fog playing tricks on him but he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

The forest was dense, the fog thick. The moss at his feet was the only light.

"I can't believe I'm lost," he murmured to himself, his voice echoing slightly in the stillness. He'd been in the woods a hundred times before, but none of it looked familiar. The trees, the moss, even the air—everything felt wrong, like a twisted reflection of the forest he knew.

After what felt like hours of stumbling through the fog, something finally looked right. A flash of blue material caught his eye through the mist. It was one of the tents. His heart leaped with hope, and he quickened his pace, the moss squelching under his boots. But as he drew closer, his hope turned to dread.

Ben, Jake, and Kurt were standing in the ruins of the camp, their faces etched with confusion and fear. They were untouched by the storm, dry and unblemished. The moment they saw Charlie, they locked eyes with him. For a moment, Charlie could swear he saw relief in Ben's eyes.

It was a fleeting emotion, as quick as the shadows that danced around the edges of the fog. Before he could take a step forward, a sudden movement in the trees caught his eye. An arrow shot through the air, silent and deadly, and lodged itself in Kurt's shoulder with a sickening thunk. The burly scout yelled out in pain and surprise.

Kurt dropped to the ground, wailing.

A moment later, three or four thick gray figures shot from the forest and charged the boys, roaring at the top of their lungs. The suddenness of their appearance was like a nightmare made flesh, their movements a blur in the mist. The creatures were unlike anything Charlie had ever seen before—massive, hulking forms with elongated limbs and fur the color of storm clouds.

The only one who reacted was Jake. He had the climbing axe from their gear, probably picked it up after it flew out during the storm. He managed to swing it with surprising speed and strength, catching one of the beasts in the shoulder. The creature bellowed in pain but did not slow its advance. It was a display of primal instinct and fearlessness that stunned Charlie into immobility.

The thing's skin was thick and tough, like the bark of an ancient tree, and the axe barely penetrated. But the hit had thrown it off balance. The creature took a step back, its eyes flashing with anger and something else—intelligence? It regarded Jake for a moment, seemingly assessing the threat level before making a decision.

Jake took advantage of the pause, his eyes darting to the others. "Run!" he bellowed, his voice a mix of fear and command.

Right after Jake shouted, the Thing he wounded lunged at him, catching him in the side with a club. Jake went flying, crashing into the underbrush.

Charlie finally regained himself. He didn't wait. Like usual, he ran. He ran just like the coward he always was.

*****

Quinn searched the rest of the "camp".

Her heart sank as she approached the last tent. It was a mess, even more so than the others. It was as if a battle had taken place here, not the fierce battle against the storm but something more primal. The moss beneath her was trampled, and there were large, indistinct shapes in the dirt that could only mean one thing: they had not disappeared by choice.

Her eyes fell on a series of large, heavy footprints that led away from the camp. They were unlike anything she'd seen before—too large to be human, with an unmistakable claw-like imprint. Quinn felt a cold chill run down her spine. What kind of creature left these?

There were at least three or four sets of them, leading in the opposite direction she had come from. She bit her lip, wondering if it was wise to follow.

She decided to search the rest of the "perimeter" first. There she found another set of footprints, smaller, closer together but more importantly, definitely human.

Someone ran away?

Quinn's heart thudded in her chest as she stared at the human footprints. They were faint, almost lost in the luminescent moss, but they were there. The thought of her friends being taken filled her with dread. Yet, the footprints offered a semblance of hope, a path to follow. Carefully, she packed her survival bag with the salvaged items, ensuring that everything was secure and wouldn't make noise.

With the hatchet in her hand, she took a tentative step forward, following the trail. It was clear the person who left these prints was running—they were close together and shallow, as if whoever it was had been in a hurry. The footprints wove through the eerily still forest, the only sign of life the occasional bird call echoing through the trees. The silence felt unnatural, as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for her to make a mistake.

Quinn's heart pounded in her chest with each step, her eyes darting from side to side, expecting danger to jump out at any moment. The trees loomed over her, their branches tangling together to form a dense canopy that blocked out the sun. The luminescent moss cast a ghostly glow that made the shadows seem to pulse with malevolent intent.

The footprints grew fainter as she ventured deeper, but she refused to give up hope. Each indentation in the spongy moss was a breadcrumb, a silent cry for help from someone who had been here before her. The forest was eerily silent, save for the occasional snap of a twig under her foot or the distant echo of her own breathing. It was as if the very trees were listening, holding their breath in anticipation of what she might uncover.

And then, she heard it—a muffled cry, barely audible over the sound of her own racing heart. She froze, her senses on high alert. There it was again, a whimper of fear that could only belong to one person—Charlie. The sound grew louder as she approached, and she could make out the unmistakable murmur of voices, the thud of something heavy being dragged through the underbrush.

Quinn broke into a run, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she followed the noise. The forest grew denser, the trees closing in around her, the vines seeming to coil and writhe like serpents. And there, through a gap in the foliage, she saw them—small, greenish figures with pointed ears, their eyes gleaming in the dim light, each one holding a crude club made of what looked like bone.

Her heart in her throat, she watched as they circled Charlie, who was pressed up against the base of a massive, ancient tree, his eyes wide with terror. He was crying, his voice high and desperate, begging for mercy in a tone that tore at Quinn's soul. She recognized the fear in his voice, had felt it herself many times when faced with the cruelty of the world. But this was different. This was the kind of fear that could only come from staring into the face of the unknown.

The creatures were chattering to themselves in some indistinguishable language she couldn't understand.

She didn't need to understand it though, their intentions were clear. They meant Charlie harm and she couldn't allow that.

She didn't even think before she acted. She hefted the hatchet then let it fly.

It whirled through the air, a silent, deadly projectile, and embedded itself in the skull of the creature nearest to Charlie. The impact was jarring, sending a spray of dark liquid into the air. The creature dropped instantly, the weight of its body sending tremors through the moss beneath it.

The others didn't even look surprised. They turned their gaze to Quinn, their eyes calculating, assessing the new threat.

Quinn's heart thundered in her chest, but she stood her ground, her hand reaching for the knife at her side. The survival training Mr. Harris had drilled into them all those weekends came flooding back—how to start a fire, how to navigate without a compass, how to set a snare, and even a little bit of hand-to-hand combat. It had all seemed so trivial back then, playing games in the park. But now, in this alien forest with her friend's life on the line, it was all that stood between them and the monsters that lurked in the shadows.

She charged forward, not thinking.

The world around her slowed to a crawl. The creatures' movements became a dance she could anticipate. Her feet felt like they were moving on their own, dodging and weaving around the clubs that swung towards her. Her hands, usually clumsy and unsure, had a newfound grace.

She tore into the first one, slicing its throat with a quick sweep of her blade. As it dropped, another swung its club toward her head. She ducked and rolled, coming up behind it. She slammed her knife into the space between its shoulder blades. It howled in pain. She pulled the blade free and managed to parry a third blow coming for her head. As soon as steel and bone clashed, her blade slid along the length of the club.

Her knife cut the wrist of her assailant, forcing it to drop its weapon with a startled yelp. Then she lunged forward, burying the blade in its neck.

The fight wasn't over yet though. The one she stabbed in the back was still alive. It was staggering away from the fight, trying to flee. Without even thinking, she retrieved the hatchet from her first victim and threw it. The throwing weapon stuck in the back of its head, dropping it instantly.

Then and only then did reality seem to come rushing back to her. She started panting heavily and dropped to her knees. She realized what she did and looked at her shaking hands. She wanted to vomit but nothing came up. She just did that? She just killed four things and she didn't even blink when it happened.

"Quinn?" said a soft voice, cutting through her panic.

She turned, her blurry vision faded and she saw Charlie, still up against the tree but standing now. There was a hint of urine in the air but she ignored.

"You ok?" she asked, her stunned friend nodded.

The two stared at each other in silence for a few minutes. Neither one of them looked at the dead things around them.

Finally Charlie broke the silence. "How in the hell did you do that?"

How indeed? She had no idea.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, it just sorta happened. Like some crazy kind of instinct or auto pilot or something."

Charlie nodded. "Well you saved me" he said and added quickly. "Thanks"

She finally turned and looked at the four dead creatures around them. "What are they?"

Charlie finally found his composure and stepped away from the tree. He approached the nearest corpse and crouched next to it. He poked and prodded it with a stick he was holding, not saying anything for a few seconds. Finally he looked up at her and his expression was grim. "I think they're goblins".

She scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

Charlie didn't respond. This wasn't ridiculous to him.

He'd always been a bit of a sci-fi and fantasy geek. He liked his movies, video games and fantasy books. He was the kid who spent hours in his room, reading comic books and watching anime. The rest of the troop had always wondered why he was even a Wilderness Scout in the first place.

When he finally spoke again, it was with determination. "Look around us, Quinn. Those are goblins. Those trees, that glowing moss. They weren't there yesterday. Look at those leaves. This isn't natural. Its..." He took a deep breath. "We're not on Earth".

"What?" she asked.

It wasn't crazy to her though. It was that lingering thought she refused to have earlier. The one at the back of her subconscious, forcing itself to be thought.

"The storm," she murmured. "The lightning."

"It's all a blur," Charlie admitted, his voice trembling slightly. "One minute we're fighting the storm, the next, there's this...this blinding light, and suddenly everything's different." His eyes searched hers, looking for a shred of understanding. "We weren't just blown away by the wind or struck by lightning, Quinn. We've been...transported."

Quinn's mind raced, trying to grasp the impossibility of it all. "What do you mean, 'transported'?" she asked, her voice tight with anxiety.

"Remember the lightning?" Charlie prompted. "It was like nothing I've ever seen. And when I came to, I was just... different." He touched his cheek, his eyes wide with wonder and fear. "The storm, the light, it changed something. And now we're in a place with glowing moss and... and goblins!"

Quinn felt a cold knot in her stomach. She'd been too focused on her own transformation to consider that the storm might have had an even greater impact on the others. "What about the rest of the group?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We lost one of the tents" Charlie explained. "BEn got mad, told me to go after it. I did but the storm was too intense. Then there was this boom and a bright light".

She nodded. "I saw that. As soon as the light struck, I blacked out and woke up when it was daylight out."

"Me too" admitted Charlie. "I was able to stumble back to camp and saw the others. They were just standing around, dumbfounded. Then we were attacked. They were hulking things, they looked like ogres. One of them shot Kurt in the arm with an arm. Jake attacked one with the climbing axe and screamed at us to run. So I did...then..."

She considered what Charlie had just said. They were all lost and scattered now. That did explain the huge tracks she saw leading out of the camp. Those must have been Charlie's "Ogres". The evidence was all there, she was just struggling to admit it. There was no question now though, what with the four corpses at her feet.

Charlie summed it up though. "We've been isekai'ed".

The word hung in the air. While she didn't read his comics or watch his anime, she knew enough from his talking. She knew what that meant.

Shit.

"So you're the expert in all this stuff" she said, after taking a long breath. "What do we do now?"

"If we're following standard Isekai Rules then this is probably some kind of evil forest" said Charlie, looking around nervously.

Quinn kicked one of the goblin corpses. "That adds up".

Charlie continued. "In the usual stories, the main character finds a path or something after wandering the forest for days. Said path leads them out of danger to a road and eventually town."

Quinn grunted. "This isn't one of your stories though". She waved her hand around the forest. "Mr. Harris had a fall back plan remember? We get separated or if something happens, we head back to that summer camp."

Charlie nodded. He knew the plan. "What about the others?"

Quinn was conflicted. On one hand, she really wanted to go find Alex and those other idiots. On the other hand, it was dangerous out there. There safest bet was to hopefully back track in the correct direction and find the summer camp. Then she remembered something else Mr. Harris had said: "Leave no man behind".

Quinn took a deep breath, the scent of the alien forest filling her nostrils. "We need to stick together," she decided. "We find them, and then we find the summer camp."

They set off again, retracing their steps through the moss-covered underbrush. The silence was unnerving, but it also allowed them to hear any signs of trouble before it could sneak up on them. The fog had lifted somewhat, but it remained thick enough to obscure anything more than a few feet away.

Quinn couldn't shake the feeling that the forest itself was playing tricks on them. Every time they thought they'd found their old camp, the path would curve away or end in a tangle of vines. The trees grew denser, the moss grew thicker, and the light grew dimmer. It was as if the forest didn't want them to find their friends.

They pushed on, their determination stronger than their fear. The minutes stretched out like a never-ending corridor of misty green, each step a silent prayer for a sign of their group. The eerie quiet was broken only by the occasional snap of a twig underfoot or the distant call of an unidentifiable creature. Quinn's senses were on high alert, every nerve in her body tingling with the anticipation of discovery or danger.

"Well the hell is wrong with this place?" she asked after an hour.

Charlie had been mostly quiet, observing. "So its one of those forests" he finally said, touching a tree.

"One of what forests?" she asked, annoyed.

"Its almost as if its alive."

Great, she thought, how reassuring.

"So it doesn't want us to get back to our tents then?" she asked, raising the hatchet, ready for anything.

"If I were to guess, its steering us somewhere else" said Charlie, pointing out a root that was clearly shifting. "You saw that right!"

Quinn nodded. She saw it. It made her tighten her grip on the hatchet.

"Where is it steering us then?" she asked, hoping Charlie had the answer.

"I don't kn---" he started but was cut off.

There was a loud bang. A distinctive noise, one they'd both heard in countless movies and TV shows.

A gun shot.

It echoed through the forest, a sound that was both alien and terrifyingly familiar. Quinn's heart jumped into her throat. The noise was sharp, a piercing crack that seemed to split the very air around them.

Charlie's eyes went wide with recognition. "That's a Remington 700!" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of shock and awe.

Quinn stared at him, bewildered. "How do you know that?"

He blinked. "I have no idea" he said softly, confused.

Somehow he just did. Just like how he knew the forest was alive. It was just this feeling he was getting. He bit his lip, thinking. Could it be...he shook his head. No, that was crazy. This was real life, not one of his stories.

Quinn had already made up her mind though. "We follow the shot."

Charlie looked at her like she'd lost it. "Why? That's a gunshot. It could be anyone!"

Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Could be anyone with a gun," she countered. "And in this forest of...whatever, that's the best thing we could hope for."

Without waiting for Charlie's response, she took off in the direction of the gunshot. The sound had been distant, but it was a clear sign of another human presence in this unsettling new world. Hell, they might have the others with them.

Her legs burned with the effort of pushing through the dense foliage, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She could hear Charlie's footsteps stumbling behind her, but she didn't dare slow down. The echo of the gunshot grew louder, more insistent, guiding her through the labyrinthine forest.

It was as if a switch had been flipped in her brain, and suddenly, she was attuned to every rustle, every snap of a twig. The scents of the forest grew more vivid, the musky odor of the goblins' blood still lingering in the air, the sweet scent of the luminescent moss a beacon that grew stronger with each step. Her eyes, once unsure and fearful, now darted from tree to tree with the precision of a hawk, noticing every detail. The way the branches grew, the patterns of the leaves, the way the light played upon the ground—it all painted a map in her mind that she couldn't have understood before.

Quinn pushed through the underbrush, the thorns and branches that had once been a hindrance now parting for her with ease. Her feet seemed to know the way, each step landing with the grace of an animal that had been born to this world. She could feel the forest's heartbeat, the pulse of life that thrummed beneath the moss and the dirt. It was as if she had been made for this place, a silent guardian of the woods that she hadn't known existed within her.

Her thoughts raced as she sprinted forward. The ease with which she'd dispatched the goblins, the unexplained knowledge of knowing she was going in the right direction, it all pointed to something beyond her understanding. Was it the lightning? The storm? Or had she been changed by something more profound? Quinn had always felt like an outsider in her own skin, but now she was beginning to feel like an outsider in her own reality. What's more, Charlie seemed to know things too. Like the type of gun from hearing one shot or how he seemingly knew the forest was alive?

There was something off about them, something different?

Another gun shot blasted the silence. It was closer. They were getting closer.

"C'mon, we're almost there" she said, determined, pushing faster.

Charlie huffed behind her.

"I can't keep this up" he panted. "I need a break."

"No," Quinn said, "we're almost there."

Her voice was firm, filled with a conviction that surprised even her. She didn't know where this newfound strength was coming from, but she wasn't about to question it. Not when it was the only thing keeping them from falling apart in this alien place.

Ten minutes later, she spotted them. There were two hunters, both dressed in those bright orange jackets. One of them was older, middle-aged with a beard. He was the one with the rifle. The other was a teenager but a few years older than them. He had a compound bow. At their feet, was some kind of wolf.

The sight of the hunters brought a rush of relief and confusion. Who were they? How did they get here?

The middle-aged man looked up, the beard that had once been meticulously groomed was now wild and unkempt. His eyes searched the foggy woods, wary. He saw them and raised the rifle, his eyes narrowed. The teenager, noticing the movement, spun around, the bowstring taut.

Quinn raised her arms, stepping out from behind the tree she'd been hiding behind. "Not bad guys," she said, taking a slow step forward.

The two hunters looked surprised.

"Who the hell are you?" the man with the rifle barked. "What the hell is going on here!"

Quinn shook her head. "No idea. I'm Quinn" She grabbed Charlie and pulled him out from behind the tree too. "This is Charlie. We're Wilderness Scouts".

The man with the rifle studied them for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he lowered the weapon. "You're just kids," he murmured, his shoulders dropping with relief.

Quinn frowned, annoyed. "We're thirteen."

The hunter chuckled. "I'm Mack, this is my nephew Ethan."

Quinn nodded at them, her eyes lingering on the massive creature at their feet. It looked like a wolf, but it was almost the size of a horse, and the horns curling from its forehead were definitely not standard wolf equipment. Its fur was mottled with patches of green, as if the forest had grown into it.

Mack saw where she was looking and nodded. "Not something you see every day."

"Its a Horned Wolf," mumbled Charlie.

"Its not natural," said the old hunter.

"Uncle Mack, like I told you, I don't think we're on Earth anymore" said Ethan, speaking for the first time.

"That's ridiculous," snapped his uncle.

"But its not," added Charlie. "Look at the flora and fauna. I think it was the storm. Did you guys see a bright flash of light and lose consciousness immediately after?"

Both hunters looked at each other but didn't say anything.

Quinn looked at Ethan.

He was probably about sixteen, with sandy blonde hair that was swept back, giving him a wild, untamed look. His eyes were sharp and piercing, like they'd seen more than their fair share of the world's ugliness. And despite the absurd situation, she had to admit, he was kind of ruggedly handsome. It was weird. Just yesterday, she would have barely given him a second glance, but today, his attractiveness was like a neon sign that she couldn't ignore.

"This is crazy," grunted Mack, still unwilling to believe what was right in front of them.

"Let me show you," said Ethan, pulling out his GPS device. "It's been out of whack since we got here."

The screen was a mess of jagged lines and question marks, the map useless.

"I never trusted those things anyway," said the veteran hunter and he pulled out his compass.

He frowned a second later.

"It's not just broken," Ethan said with a hint of awe. "It's... confused."

Quinn stepped closer, peering at the compass. The needle spun in wild circles, as if it couldn't decide which way was north. It was like the very fabric of reality had been torn apart and stitched back together with a child's carelessness.

Mack finally sighed. "This makes no damn sense."

"Tell me about it" said Quinn "Charlie and I have been trying to figure it out for hours".

Mack looked at them as if looking at them for the very first time. "You said you were Wilderness Scouts?"

Charlie nodded, still panting. "Yeah. We were on a three-day trip. We're supposed to be learning survival skills and stuff."

Mack raised his eyebrows. "Well, you're certainly getting a crash course now," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind.

Quinn took a deep breath and began their tale. She spoke of their group of six, the storm, and the chaos that had ensued. How they had woken up in this alien world, their camp destroyed, and the goblin attack they'd just escaped from. She didn't mention the strange things happening to her, keeping that part of her story to herself for now.

"Our friend Alex went to look for firewood before the storm started," added Charlie. "Quinn went looking for him. That started it. Then the storm. We lost a tent, I went to look for it and the flash happened. When I woke up, I ran back to camp and saw my friends get attacked by these monstrous things. One of them is injured. I don't know anything more because I ran".

"And this was this morning?" asked Mack, looking at his watch.

Quinn nodded. "I met up with Charlie a couple of hours ago. That's when I killed those goblins".

"Goblins" said Mack softly, shaking his head. "This is nuts"

A howl interrupted their thoughts. Mack and Ethan snapped up their weapons, ready for anything. Quinn and Charlie looked around nervously. It was the first howl they'd heard. Looking at the two hunters, it was clear they'd been fighting for their lives. It made Quinn wonder why Mack didn't put two and two together sooner.

"We can't stay here," cautioned Ethan, snapping the bow about, ready to shoot.

"There's a summer camp, that's where we were going," said Charlie, sharing a look with Quinn.

"Willow Glades," said Mack, nodding. "We know it. That's where we parked our truck."

"You think maybe our friends went there?" asked Charlie, hopeful.

Mack rubbed the back of his head. "Food and shelter, right?" he asked, Quinn nodded.

Mack reached into his vest, pulling out a map. He unfolded it, studying it. "Well the camp should to the east."

"That's if there is an east here" pointed out Quinn. "Remember your compass?"

Mack frowned again. "There's also the ranger station."

Quinn shook her head but no one noticed. Mack wasn't getting it. This wasn't their world anymore. Hell, they didn't even know if the summer camp was there. She was still very confused, trying desperately to piece things together. It was clear that anyone who saw that bright flash of light was brought here. The only reason she was convinced the summer camp was still here was because their tents were. It stands to reason that if they were brought here and so were the tents, then objects got transferred over as well. Maybe that meant buildings too?

"What do we do?' asked Ethan, still on a nervous hair trigger.

"I'd really like to check for the ranger station" said Mack, pointing it out on the map. "I can't guarantee it will be there but it will have shelter, maybe food, there might even be a truck or something"

Quinn looked at them, realizing they didn't have any packs. "Your supplies?"

Ethan shook his head. "At our camp. We tried to double back but this place..."

"Its wrong," added Charlie. "I think its alive."

As much as she wanted to regroup at the summer camp, she also wanted to find their friends. If there was a chance that Jake, Alex or the other two had made it to the Ranger Station...She sighed, they owed it to them to check.

"Ok, let's try to find that Ranger Station," she finally said, determined.

Quinn didn't argue. She had felt the same way. "Let's stick together then. Safety in numbers."

As soon as the thought came into her head, she felt this nagging tug. It was that instinct again, the very same one that had led her to Mack and Ethan.

"We should follow the river,," said Mack, pointing to the map.

Charlie shook his head. "Its not there anymore. Your map is useless."

Mack looked annoyed. "How do you know that?"

Charlie shrugged. "I just do."

That nagging feeling was really tugging at her, almost drawing her to the west. Finally it was too much for her. She pointed, "It’s that way."

All three of them looked at her.

"Are you sure?" asked Charlie, a moment after their quiet silence.

She nodded. "I don't know why but I have this feeling. The same one that led us to Mack and Ethan. As soon as I agreed to go to the station, that feeling returned. Its telling me its that way."

Mack and Ethan shared a look again.

"Well," said Ethan, finally relaxing and lowering his bow. "I guess we go that way."

He shot Quinn a smile that made her feel a little weak in the knees.

They set off, with Mack in the lead, Quinn and Charlie close behind, and Ethan bringing up the rear, his eyes darting around as if expecting a monster to pop out of every bush., his bow at the ready.

The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds their footsteps on the soft moss and the occasional rustle of something watching them from the underbrush. Quinn felt like the forest was holding its breath, waiting for them to make a mistake. She gripped the hatchet tightly, feeling the weight of it in her hand, ready to fight for her life again.

After what felt like an eternity, the trees began to thin and the light grew stronger. Quinn's heart raced as the pull grew almost unbearable, and then, like a mirage in the distance, the Ranger Station appeared. It was a simple wooden building on stilts, nestled among the trees, looking almost out of place in this bizarre landscape. It was a beacon of hope amidst the alien world they had stumbled into.

The four of them approached cautiously, the silence of the forest unbroken except for their footsteps. The closer they got, the more the structure looked like it belonged here—the wood was twisted and glowed faintly with the same luminescence as the moss. Yet, there was something comfortingly familiar about it that made their spirits rise.

As they reached the stairs, Quinn noticed something strange. The boards didn't creak, the nails didn't groan, it was as if they'd been placed there by an invisible hand moments ago. She shared a look with Charlie, who seemed equally bewildered.

Mack reached the top step and cautiously peered into the station. The light was dim, flickering like candlelight. He turned back to them, his expression grim. "Quiet," he murmured.

They nodded and followed suit, their eyes wide with anticipation and fear. The door was ajar, and Quinn's heart pounded in her chest as they pushed it open, the wood protesting with a soft squeak. The smell of damp earth and something faintly metallic filled the air. Inside, the Ranger Station was in disarray—furniture overturned, maps scattered across the floor, and supplies scattered haphazardly.

In the corner, a lone ranger was hunched over a radio, his back to them. His uniform was soaked through with sweat, his eyes wild and desperate as he fiddled with the dials. Static hissed from the speaker, a cacophony of white noise that seemed to mirror the chaos outside. The room was lit by the soft glow of a kerosene lantern.

Mack stepped in, his boots making a soft thud on the wooden floorboards. "Hey," he called out, his voice a gentle rumble. "You okay in here?"

The ranger whipped around, his hand shaking as he pointed a gun at them. His eyes were wide with terror, darting from one face to the next.

"Who are you!" he barked, trembling. "Where did you come from?"

Mack slowly shouldered his rifle. "I'm Mack Rogers, this is my nephew Ethan" He said, pointing at himself then at Ethan.

Quinn spoke up. "I'm Quinn Harper, this is Charlie Boyle. We're Wilderness Scouts. Have you seen anymore of us?"

She was hopeful.

The ranger's eyes searched their faces, his hand still shaking as he kept the gun trained on them. His uniform was soaked in a cold sweat, his eyes wild with fear. "Wilderness Scouts?" he repeated, his voice cracking.

Mack took charge again. "These kids got lost in the forest, they're separated from their friends. My nephew and I were deer hunting"

The Ranger finally lowered his weapon. "I'm Keith, Keith Daniels. The only one here now, my partner abandoned me."

Quinn exchanged a look with Charlie. "They abandoned you?"

Keith nodded. "Heather. She left hours ago to look for help, she..." He shook his head. "She abandoned me."

Mack took a step forward, making sure to put himself between Keith and his young charges. The last thing he needed was for the guy to have mental breakdown and start firing that pistol.

"Take it easy, Keith," he said, his voice low and steady. "We've all had a rough go of it. Did you see anything strange during that storm? Something like a...bright light?"

Keith's eyes narrowed, his body shaking. "You too?" he whispered. "I saw it. A blinding light, right before everything changed. Before the monsters came."

Quinn looked at Charlie. "What kind of monsters?" she asked.

"Big ones" he said, looking toward the large window overlooking the forest. "They trashed the place. I hid in the storage cabinet. They didn't find me".

While Keith turned to put at the cabinet, Mack gestured to Ethan. Keith had set the gun on the counter. While his back was turned, Ethan quickly lunged forward and grabbed it. Keith was so distracted he didn't even notice. Mack let out the breath he'd been holding. Keith turned back around, blinked at the stop where he left the gun but said nothing.

"Look" said Mack, staring around the interior of the station. "Its getting late and dangerous. You think we could bunker down here for the night?"

Keith laughed. "My station is your station."

Mack looked at Ethan, who shrugged.

Keith composed himself for a few seconds, looking at Quinn. "There should be some blankets in one of the cabinets. Sorry there's only just one couch."

Quinn nodded. "It's okay. We're just happy to be safe for the night." She started searching the station interior, her eyes scanning the overturned furniture and scattered supplies. The monsters had left its mark, but the place wasn't in shambles. The scent of damp wood and fear lingered in the air, but she pushed that aside and focused on the task at hand.

Mack and Keith were busy discussing the layout of the area, sharing their knowledge of the land and what they'd encountered. Ethan took up post by the door, his bow still strung, watching the forest intently.

Quinn and Charlie set to work on the couch, flipping it over with a grunt. The springs protested but held, a testament to its sturdy construction. It was a simple, functional piece of furniture, but after the day they'd had, it might as well have been a throne. They righted it and checked it over, making sure there were no nasty surprises lurking in the cushions.

While they worked, Ethan remained vigilant by the door, his eyes never leaving the forest beyond. His grip on the bow was firm, and Quinn couldn't help but admire the tension in his arms, the way he held himself. He was strong and capable, and she felt a little safer with him watching their backs.

"Hey there's a fridge" said Charlie, the beam of Quinn's borrowed flashlight landing on the door.

There was no power in the station but she went over and opened the door anyway. There were several bottles of water and some sandwiches. It wasn't the greatest of meals but it was food, something she hadn't had for hours. There were only three sandwiches, so she split them so they could all eat.

Quinn and Charlie sat on the couch, Mack and Keith over by the radio. Ethan was still by the door. Everyone ate and drank in relative silence.

When they were done, Mack finally spoke up. "So, what the hell happened to us?"

Charlie swallowed his last bite of sandwich and took a sip of water. "I think we got Isekai'ed."

Mack raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's like when characters in anime get transported to a fantasy world," Charlie explained. "But instead of just being in a story, it's like it actually happened. In the flesh."

Mack scrunched his face up. "You're saying we're in some kind of...fantasy world?"

Charlie shrugged. "Not necessarily. Its some place that seems to have similarities to fantasy settings."

Mack frowned, stroking his beard. "Well, I've seen some strange things in my time, but this takes the cake." He gestured to the forest outside. "But alright, let's say we're in some kind of fantasy world. What's our next move?"

Quinn piped in. "Well if the ranger station is here, that probably means the summer camp is too. Mr. Harris---our trooper leader---told us to regroup back there if anything bad happens."

"And your friends?" asked Ethan.

Quinn sighed. "Let's hope they tried to make their way there too."

Mack nodded, stroking his beard. "It's the most logical place to go for shelter and help. They should've had the same idea."

Quinn hoped so. The thought of her friends, especially Alex, out there alone and hurt was a heavy weight on her shoulders. She had to believe they were okay. That they'd be waiting at the summer camp, wondering where she and Charlie were.

On the walk to the station, she had some time to think. They really had no idea how dangerous and vast this forest was. They could spend hours looking for Alex, Jake and those other two idiots. She just hoped they were smart enough to try and find shelter.

As the daylight waned and night crept upon them, they decided to get some sleep.

"You two need your rest," Mack said firmly, pointing at Quinn and Charlie. "We'll take guard duty"

Quinn tried to protest but they wouldn't listen to her.

"You're just kids," Mack said, his voice firm. "You need your rest. We've got this."

Quinn opened her mouth to argue, but Ethan stepped forward. "Let them," he said quietly. "You've been through enough today."

They made Quinn take the couch. Charlie had found a sleeping bag stuffed in the bottom of the cabinet with the blankets.

It took Quinn some time to fall asleep but as soon as she did, it was like morning was there a second later.

Quinn woke up, stiff and blinking her eyes, confusion swirling around her. She was momentarily disoriented, unsure of where she was. Then the pressing need to go to the bathroom hit her. She groaned inwardly. It was the thing she was dreading more than anything. All day yesterday, she tried not to think about her situation. Now with this pressing matter, it was like reality was knocking on her door.

She was a girl now. It was the thing she WANTED more than anything in the whole world. The problem was, she was now scared. She wasn't sure why or even how it happened. She was dreading going into the bathroom and dealing with the lack of something between her legs and the new thing that was there.

She looked around the room, locking eyes with a wide awake Keith. "Ummm, where's the bathroom?"

Keith nodded to the back. "Through that door," he said, pointing with his chin.

Quinn's stomach flipped. She hadn't thought about the practicalities of being a girl until now. Swallowing hard, she pushed herself off the couch and padded over to the bathroom, her heart racing. She took a deep breath and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. The room was small and cramped, with a toilet, sink, and a mirror above it.

Her eyes squeezed shut, she reached down and unbuttoned her shorts, letting them drop to her ankles. The cold porcelain of the toilet seat sent a shiver down her spine as she sat down. The sensation was new, unfamiliar, and she felt a twinge of fear as she positioned herself. Her breathing was shallow as she tried to ignore the reality of all of this. It was too much to face right now, too real.

So she peed. It was weird and felt unnatural. It flowed out like a gushing fountain, not the concentrated stream she was used too as a boy.

When she was done, she flushed quickly, wiped with some toilet paper and pulled up her shorts. She rushed out the room, almost bowling Charlie over.

"Everything ok?" he asked, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Fine" she said, her voice a bit high. "Everything is fine!"

She rushed over to where Mack, Keith and Ethan were discussing their next course of action.

The three of them were discussing their next course of action.

"We should stick to the plan," Mack said, his eyes looking toward the window. "Find the other scouts, regroup, and then figure out how to get out of this...whatever it is we're in."

Ethan nodded. "And we need to be careful. Who knows what other things are out there."

They all agreed to be prepared. They split up, searching through the ranger station for anything useful. Quinn found a first aid kit and some emergency flares in a drawer. Charlie found a couple more flashlights and some batteries. Mack and Ethan rummaged through a back room, coming out with another sleeping, a flare gun, and a handful of snack bars. They piled everything on the counter, looking over their supplies.

"What about other weapons?" asked Ethan, speaking what everyone was thinking.

Keith cleared his throat. "There's a gun case but I don't think giving guns to the children is such a good idea..."

"We weren't planning too" said Mack and he hefted his rifle. "I'm running low on ammo and if what you and Charlie described is out there, we might need heavy firepower."

Keith pulled keys from his pocket. "There's a twelve gauge in there. Heather took the other one and my pistol is..."

Ethan lifted his shirt, showing it stuck in his waistband. "Safe here"

Keith didn't question it.

Mack tossed his nephew the keys. "Get what you can from the case and be careful."

Ethan caught the keys one handed, nodded and went off to find the gun case.

Five minutes later, Mack was loading a 12 gauge shotgun, the shells clinking metallically as they slid into place. His eyes were focused, his movements sure. Quinn had seen his type before, military probably. The way he handled the weapon was methodical and precise. It was like watching someone put together a puzzle they had done a hundred times. Mr. Harris was the same way.

Charlie looked at the gun. Something told him it was a Mossberg pump action, standard police issue.  He had no idea how and why he knew that. It was just like some of the others things. As soon as he saw something, his head filled with weird knowledge. Like the corpse of that wolf, he suddenly knew it was a Horned Wolf without even thinking. He also knew that while he considered the creatures they saw "goblins" and "ogres", in this world they had different names. He kept that weird bit of trivia to himself though.

"There were rifle rounds too but no gun for them" said Ethan, using a backpack he found to secure the extra ammo.

Keith nodded. "Its in the truck. Heather..."

Mack nodded but said nothing. Their weapons would have to do for now. He took a deep breath and looked around at the assembled group. "Ok, so this is the plan" he said, looking at each face in turn. "Now they we know the ranger station is in this world too, its right to assume that the buildings of the summer camp are probably here too. Now ideally, we'd search the forest for your missing scout friends but we have no idea what's out there."

Everyone murmured and nodded.

"So" he continued. "We're going to do it the most efficient way possible. We'll trek to the summer camp, Ethan will stay behind with Quinn and Charlie. Then Keith and I will venture out into the woods to look for the missing scouts."

Ethan started to protest, saying "I can help too" but Mack held up his hand.

"We have no idea what we're up against" he said, looking from Quinn to Charlie. "There's something about this whole situation that bothers me. I want to keep these kids safe and I want you to do it."

Ethan looked at the two thirteen-year-olds, sighed and nodded.

"Good," said Mack, putting his hand gently on his nephew's shoulder. Then he turned to Quinn with a big smile. "We'll find your friends and then find some way to get you kids home."

Quinn felt strangely reassured and safe. She was relieved too. With Mack and Keith, their odds of survival had gone way up.

Mack took charge, splitting their supplies between Quinn's and Ethan's packs. He was meticulous, ensuring that everything they would need was accounted for. They had water, food, the first aid kit and their weapons. As he worked, Quinn noticed that he was giving her extra glances. It was like he was trying to communicate something without actually saying it.

Finally, when he was satisfied with the distribution, he leaned in closer to her pack and tucked something inside. She watched as his hand moved, placing something small but heavy at the bottom. When he straightened up, he looked her in the eye and nodded slightly. Quinn felt her heart jump in her chest. She knew what he'd done. He had put Keith's pistol in her pack.

The gesture was clear. Neither said anything about it either.

With everything secure, they decided to move out finally. The tension in the station was thick. They knew that they couldn't stay there forever. The forest outside was a mystery, filled with unknown dangers and possibly their friends.

Keith stepped up to the door, holding the shotgun tightly to his chest. He took a deep breath and pushed it open, letting in a rush of cool morning air. The light from outside painted the floorboards a gentle green as he stepped onto the porch. The world beyond looked serene, their future possibly bright again.

But that serenity shattered as soon as the door was fully open. Two large black arrows sliced through the air, their tips gleaming with a deadly precision. They hit Keith with a sickening thunk, one burying itself deep into his throat, the other lodging itself between his eyes. The force of the impact sent him reeling backward, his body thumping against the floor inside.

It was so quick, so sudden.

Quinn actually heard someone scream, until she realized it came from her own throat.

A moment later, chaos happened. A large gray thing smashed straight through the station's window, sending glass and wood flying everywhere. The creature was unlike anything she had ever seen. It had the body of a giant bear, the arms of a man, and a face that was a twisted mix of rage and hunger. It hit the ground with a thud, its large feet cracking the floorboards, and let out a roar that made the walls shake.

A gunshot rang out, Mack's rifle. The round hit the thing right between the eyes but it didn't even flinch. The bullet did nothing but make the thing angrier.

It screamed louder and another one of those Things came smashing through the roof. This one had a large thick club, which it swung at Mack. The veteran hunter turned to face the blow, blocking the impact with the length of his rifle. With a sickening snap, the rifle was snapped in half. Mack stood stunned for a moment, holding both pieces of his now useless weapon.

An arrow went flying and dug into the creature's neck. Again it barely reacted. Ethan fired off another arrow but it bounced off the Thing's thick skull.

"Ethan get them out!" shouted Mack, recovering.

Quinn didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed Charlie's hand and started to run toward the door. But she didn't get far. The creature with the club swiped at her, the air displacing as the wood whistled through the air.

Mack saw the attack coming and lunged forward, pushing her aside. The club smacked into his back with a wet thud. The impact sent him sprawling across the floor, his body twitching as he cried out in pain.

Quinn's heart raced. She couldn't believe it was happening. Her mind screamed for her to run, but her legs remained rooted to the spot. She watched in horror as the creature with the club raised its weapon again, aiming for the helpless Mack.

But Mack was not going down without a fight. He had seen the shotgun fall from Keith's lifeless hands and had moved faster than she thought possible. He slod across the floor, his body gliding over the splintered wood and glass as if it were a slick ice rink. His hand reached out and grasped the cold metal barrel of the gun.

With a grunt of effort, he swung it up and fired. The roar of the shotgun filled the room, a deafening sound that echoed in Quinn's ears. The creature that had been advancing on her stopped in its tracks, its hand blown off in a spray of fur and blood.

This time, It definitely felt the pain and bellowed.

Mack locked eyes with Ethan. "Get them out of here!"

Ethan hesitated, his gaze flickering to Mack, then to the horror unfolding around them. His heart hammered in his chest. He didn't know if he could leave his uncle behind, but he knew he had to protect Quinn and Charlie. With a heavy heart, he turned away from the battle, gripping his bow tightly.

I hate, I hate this, he thought, fighting back tears.

Mack nodded, firing off another shot. This one hit the other Thing, the one near the door. The blast was enough to stagger it, giving the other three a chance to escape.

"Run!" he shouted, preparing another shot.

Quinn didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed Charlie's hand and the two bolted out of the shattered doorway, down the steps, and into the embrace of the forest. The cool morning air stung her lungs as she sprinted through the underbrush, the sound of their panicked breaths and rustling leaves the only noises she could hear over the ringing in her ears from the shotgun blast. She didn't dare to look back.

Ethan was right behind them, his eyes glued to the path ahead, his bow drawn and ready to shoot. Every snap of a twig or rustle in the bushes made her heart skip a beat, but she knew they had to keep moving. They couldn't stop until they were far away from that terrifying creature and the devastation it had brought to the Ranger Station.

As they ran, he heard a scream and one last blast of the shotgun.

The trio didn't stop until a small, clear stream came into view, gurgling happily, oblivious to the chaos that had invaded its serene world. They reached it, panting and wheezing. The coolness of the water was a stark contrast to the heat of their panic. They collapsed by the banks, their legs giving out beneath them. The stream was like a lifeline, a symbol of purity in this nightmare.

"Shit, fucking shit" Ethan finally shouted, pulling off his pack and tossing it on the ground.

Quinn stared at him, letting him get out all his anger and frustration. Ethan cursed and stomped before finally dropping to his knees, his head in his hands. She finally wandered over, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. She rubbed it, hoping it would help. She didn't know what to say or do. She didn't know Mack long at all but he was a good man. He saved them, he sacrificed his life so they could live.

"That Thing" Charlie finally said. "Those, those were the Things that attacked our camp"

Quinn turned to him. "Your Ogres?" she asked, he nodded.

After seeing them in person, she was suddenly very scared for Jake, Ben and Kurt. She was scared for Alex too, hoping he was far, far away.

That sat by the stream for about twenty minutes, neither of them saying a thing. Ethan quietly mourned, Charlie sat thinking and Quinn spent her time wondering how far it was to the summer camp. Her thoughts were all a mess. What had seemed like a simple and easy thing with Keith and Mack protecting them was now an instant nightmare. Both men were gone and while they gained Ethan, they were alone again.

Finally, she broke the silence. "We can't stay here."

Ethan said nothing for a moment, then sniffled and wiped his face. "You're right. Uncle Mack wouldn't want us to just sit around like this. He'd tell us to keep moving, to get as far as way as possible"

They gathered their packs, the weight of the supplies feeling heavier than before, a stark reminder of the loss of their protector. Ethan took a deep breath and started walking, Quinn and Charlie followed close behind.

"My uncle was a good man," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "He taught me everything I know about hunting, about survival. He was tough, but he had a heart of gold."

"What about his life before all of this?" she asked, genuinely interested.

Ethan took a deep breath. "Well, he was in the Army for most of his life. Loved the outdoors. Taught me and my cousins everything we know. He was like a dad to me, after my folks..." He trailed off, his voice cracking.

"It's okay," Quinn said, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Ethan took a deep breath and stood up, his eyes red from holding back tears. "No, it's okay. It's good to remember him, you know?"

Quinn nodded but all of this was still pretty raw.

They walked in silence for a bit, the only sound the rustling of leaves and the occasional bird song. It was eerie, like nature was trying to lull them into a false sense of security. But she knew better. The forest was a living, breathing creature and it had already shown them its teeth.

Quinn tried to focus, to find that inner compass that had guided her before. But it was as if it had been turned off. The feeling was disorienting, like she had been cast adrift in a sea of doubt. She glanced back at Ethan, who was trudging along, his eyes on the ground. He had to be feeling it too. The weight of their loss heavy on his shoulders.

They walked for hours, the sun arcing through the sky, casting shadows that grew and shrank around them. The forest was eerily quiet except for the occasional bird call or rustling of leaves. It was like the world was holding its breath, waiting for their next move. Quinn's eyes darted from tree to tree, searching for any sign of their friends or the creatures that had taken them. But there was nothing, just an endless sea of green and brown.

"Anything?" asked Charlie, hopefully.

She shook her head. "I think my GPS is busted."

Charlie bit his lip, thinking. "Maybe you need to focus more, think about something specific"

"Like what?" she asked, confused. "I didn't anything specific before."

It seemed to click with Charlie. "Yes you did. When we found Ethan and Mack, you were centering on the gunfire and when you found the direction of the ranger station, you were thinking about the station, right?"

He was right of course. The problem was, there was nothing specific about the summer camp. They didn't actually step foot in it. She only saw it and the buildings from a distance. As soon as they got off the bus, they started into the woods.

Then something clicked. As soon as she thought of the bus, it was as if she knew where it was. She groaned, like a stupid idiot. Of course, the bus. Mr. Harris had told her the night before the trip that he and the bus would remain at the summer camp. That's why he wanted them to head back there if there was any trouble.

Another thought occurred to her.

"Charlie, Mr. Harris!" she said, practically giddy with excitement.

"What?"

She grabbed his arms. "Think about it. We're here, the guys are here, Ethan is here. The ranger station and Keith..."

She could see his brain working, the genius that he was. Charlie smiled. "Then there's a possibly that anyone in the forest back home could be here as well."

Quinn nodded. "Mr. Harris said he was staying at the camp!"

Ethan jumped in. "Are you saying your Scout leader is here?"

Quinn smirked. "Not just him but the bus we came in on" She pointed her finger to their left. "Its that way!"

Neither boy questioned her but Charlie did hug her. 

They walked for a few minutes, the silence between them thick with unspoken fear and hope. Quinn's thoughts were racing. Could Mr. Harris be here? Could he help them? And what about her other friends? Were they okay?

"Hey, Quinn?" Charlie's voice was soft, hesitant. "Can we talk about something?"

Quinn nodded, keeping her eyes on the path ahead. They had been walking for about twenty minutes now, the quiet of the woods pressing down on them like a heavy blanket. Ethan was a few steps behind, lost in his own thoughts.

"Okay, so what's going on with us?" Charlie began, his voice low so Ethan wouldn't hear. "You've got these...instincts or something, and I know things I shouldn't."

Quinn nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and dread. "I don't know how or why, but it's like we're changing."

Understatement of the year, she thought. She still hadn't told him about her complete gender change. Honestly, she wasn't sure how to bring it up.

"I think..." said Charlie, hesitating for a moment. "I think they're abilities".

"What? Like superheroes?" she asked, both skeptical and excited.

He shook his head. "Yes and No" He bit his lip. "I know this isn't one of my stories but in those stories, sometimes when people get transferred to another world, they gain special skills..."

As crazy as it was to her, it did explain a lot of things.

She turned around, looked at Ethan then turned back to Charlie. "Do you think that maybe Ethan is feeling strange too?"

Charlie shrugged. "Only one way to find out"

Quinn nodded and bit her lip. "Hey Ethan" she said, not sure how to word it exactly. "I know this might sound crazy but you don't happen to have strange abilities now, do you?"

The look on his face said it all. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, like how Quinn can sense where we need to go, like a homing pigeon on crack," Charlie said with a forced chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Or I know weird shit I shouldn't?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, looking from Quinn to Charlie. "What are you guys on about?"

Quinn sighed. "We're wondering if maybe you feel different too? Like you have super speed or heat vision..." Ethan gave her a look like she was nuts. She sighed. "Something is going on with me and Charlie. We can't explain it and..."

"Isekai stuff" explained Ethan, nodding with understanding. "Like getting special powers when going to another world"

Charlie and Quinn's mouths hung open. "What?" They both asked.

Ethan laughed. "I watch anime too you know."

The two Scouts were dumbfounded.

Well shit, thought Quinn, having completely misjudged him.

"To answer you question though" said Ethan, sighing. "I don't feel any different. Maybe I'm just not special"

"That doesn't make any sense though" said Charlie, not accepting that his theory was wrong. "Why do Quinn and I have abilities but you don't?"

"And why couldn't I focus on the summer camp" she said, the thought had been bugging her for awhile now.

She never fully saw summer camp but the same could be said about the ranger station and the rifle. Yet, she was able to fully hone in on their location without a problem. It was almost as if something was trying to stop her from finding the summer camp? She could understand Charlie's theory about the forest being alive but why allow her to find Ethan, Mack and the ranger station but not allow her to find the summer camp? She was also able to find their tents without issue either even if she didn't realize it at the time.

It made no sense.

She cursed. Just when she thought she was getting the hang of this "tracker" ability of hers, it was still a mystery.

"Maybe it has something to do with your mood?" said Charlie, thinking again. "I mean, we were all pretty torn apart about what happened and..."

He didn't finish but he didn't have too. She looked at Ethan and while he still looked pretty shook, he didn't say anything else.

Was that it? She made a mental note to test it later.

They fell silent again, the forest swallowing their words, leaving only the rhythmic crunch of their boots on the damp earth. Quinn's heart pounded in her chest, the anticipation of what they might find at the summer camp almost unbearable. She tried to focus on the path ahead, her eyes peeled for any sign of the bus or the camp itself. The nagging feeling grew stronger with each step, like a homing beacon pulling her in. She hoped it wasn't her imagination playing tricks on her.

Another half an hour passed, and then, through a break in the trees, they saw it—the unmistakable shape of the school bus, a jarring splash of yellow in the sea of green. Quinn's initial excitement quickly turned to dread. The bus was in shambles. Its windows were smashed to pieces, the tires flat and useless. The once gleaming metal was now marred with rust and covered in vines that crept up from the forest floor, as if the vehicle had been abandoned for months. The sight made Quinn's stomach twist. What could have happened here?

"That's your bus?" asked Ethan, getting his bow ready for a fight.

"Yes" said Quinn then very quickly. "No. Well, I think so."

She started toward it but Ethan put a hand in front of her to stop her. "Let me go first, just to make sure."

Quinn nodded, reluctantly. "Okay."

Ethan took the lead, his eyes scanning the area as he moved. The forest had definitely reclaimed the bus, vines and branches entangling it, like a wild beast that had captured its prey. The door was a fight to open, stuck in its frame and resistant to Ethan's efforts. With a grunt, he gave it a final tug and it swung open with a screech, revealing the darkened interior.

The moment they stepped inside, the scent of decay hit them. The floor was covered in a thick layer of leaves and dirt, with a few rotten supplies scattered about. The seats were torn apart, stuffing pulled out like the innards of a gutted animal. The forest had indeed gotten inside, reclaiming the metal beast as its own.

"I don't get it" said Quinn from behind him. "We were only here two days ago. How did it get like this?"

She picked up an empty potato chip bag, crumpled and dirty.

Charlie was right behind her, the beam of his flashlight scanning about. "Where's Mr. Harris and the bus driver?"

That was a good question. The bus was completely deserted.

They looked around the bus for anything salvageable but found nothing. The interior was a mess, a stark reminder of the chaos that had overtaken their lives.

They stepped out of the bus, the door slamming shut with a hollow echo. Ethan looked around the area, realizing that if the bus was here then maybe other cars would be too. This was where the parking lot of the summer camp was supposed to be, back in their world. He squinted, trying to spot any signs of other vehicles or the camp itself. The trees grew closer together here, the forest's grip on the clearing almost claustrophobic.

"What are you looking for?" asked Quinn, sauntering up beside him.

"Our truck" he said, hoping it might be somewhere hidden about.

The school bus and these scouts had arrived after them or else he would have remembered the bus. If his memory was right though then they parked somewhere...

He squinted, spotting the distinctive red of Uncle Mack's pickup.

"There!" he said, quickening his pace.

The pickup looked like it had been through hell and back. The forest had not been kind to it. The once shiny red paint was now dull, covered in a layer of grime and moss. The tires were flat and the windows were smudged with dirt. But it was still standing, a beacon of hope in this alien world.

Ethan approached the truck with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The door was jammed shut, but with a few good kicks and a grunt, he managed to get it open. The interior was a mess, with the seats ripped and the dashboard cracked. The smell of mold and decay hung heavy in the air.

"Jackpot," he murmured as he found his backpack buried under a pile of leaves and debris. His heart sank when he pulled it out. The fabric was torn, the zipper barely hanging on. But as he unzipped it, his eyes widened in amazement—he pulled out his phone. He turned it on and sighed, there was even some power left. He scrolled through his photos, finding a pic of him and Becca.

"Your girlfriend?" asked Quinn, standing close to his elbow.

He sighed. "No but I wanted her to be". He thought about tossing the phone into the woods, what was the point now. "Guess it doesn't matter anymore, right? That's how this Isekai shit works..."

He left the rest unsaid. Like he mentioned before, he watched anime. Most of the people in them that were sent to another world didn't get to go home.

I hope you have a good life Beck, he thought sadly as he tossed the phone on the seat.

Quinn reached in and picked it up. "No, you can't lose this. Its a connection. The power might not last much longer but its yours for the moment. Don't lose sight of that."

Her own phone had stopped working hours ago. All those memories---the photos of her family and friends---gone forever. She still kept it though, holding out hope that maybe one day she'd see them again.

"Guys" said Charlie, interrupting. " I found the summer camp!"

They turned to see him standing in front of a break in the trees, pointing to a clearing that looked like it had been swallowed by the forest. The cabins and the main building were obscured by thick growths of trees and underbrush, as if the forest had reached out and grabbed hold of them, pulling them back into the fold. The silence that enveloped the area was eerie, as if the camp itself was holding its breath.

They approached the edge of the clearing cautiously, the feeling of unease growing stronger with each step. The once well-kept path to the camp was now barely visible, nature's attempt to reclaim the space. Everything looked abandoned but not like it had for months like the bus and Mack's truck. This place literally looked like the people just left it. There was no growth on the buildings themselves but the it was clear the forest was trying to consume them.

The camp sign stood as a strange sentinel above everything as they stepped into the camp proper.

The quiet was eerie, a stark contrast to the vibrant memories she had of their last visit. The camp was supposed to be full of life, with the laughter of children and the chatter of counselors. Now, it was as if the very air was holding its breath.

The main building loomed before them, a silent sentinel with a story to tell. Quinn's instincts screamed at her, whispering of unseen dangers lurking in the shadows. They entered the office, and it was as if time had stopped. The computer sat untouched, the screensaver casting a flickering glow over the dust-covered desk. The chair was pushed out, as if the person using it had left in a hurry.

Charlie was in the sitting area, looking at magazines that clearly were only left a few days ago, still pristine. He dropped onto one of the couches, exhausted.

"Where is everyone?" asked Ethan as Quinn walked out of the office.

"We should check the other buildings?" she said, determined to find someone.

Where were the kids? Where were the counselors? Where was Mr. Harris?

None of this made any sense.

They decided to explore more. As a group the three of them continued to search for people. They checked all the big buildings first

The first building was the infirmary, the place was spotless. The beds were made and everything looked untouched. It was like someone had paused the world and they were the only ones left in it.

In the mess hall, the smell hit them first.

They stepped into the kitchen, a place that usually was filled with the scent of cooking food and the bustle of activity. Now, it was the complete opposite. The fridges lined the walls, no usual buzzing hum. Tupperware containers lay scattered on the floor, their contents festering and putrid. The counters were bare, save for a few dishes that had been abandoned in the sink, now covered in a thick layer of green and black sludge.

"No power here either" said Charlie, flicking the switch on the wall.

Quinn sighed. "No point checking those for anything edible then" she said as Ethan almost opened one of the fridge doors.

They stepped back outside and headed towards the next building. It was the Rec Hall, where the kids probably spent so many nights playing games and watching movies. The door was ajar, and the sight that greeted them was surreal. The round tables and chairs were scattered about, as if a tornado had blown through, tossing them like leaves. The floor was sticky with what looked like spilled soda and popcorn, a sad reminder of the last moments of joy that had filled this space. The stage at the front was bare, the curtains drawn aside, revealing nothing but an empty space.

Quinn sighed, defeated. "Let's check the cabins"

They walked towards the line of cabins, their boots squelching in the damp earth. Each cabin looked the same—closed windows and doors, a stoic face to the world. The first few were easy enough, their doors were open, the interiors a mess of hastily abandoned sleeping bags and personal items. It was like the campers had just vanished into thin air.

The next few cabins were locked, and Ethan had to break them open. Inside, everything was neat and orderly, like the campers had been told to evacuate and had complied with military precision. The bunks were made, the floors swept clean, the air stale and untouched.

They found their first sign of life near the next cabin. But it wasn't life, it was body. Not a human one though. It was one of those Ogres.

"What the hell?" whispered Charlie, his voice shaking.

There were at least three arrows sticking out of it.

Ethan approached it, shaking his head. "Makes no sense, my arrows couldn't even slow it down."

He plucked one from the creature. It was make with the green wood of the trees around them, the feathers were red, the arrow made out of some strange silver metal he'd never seen before. He turned to Quinn, showing it to her. It was very clear what this new discovery meant---they weren't the only ones in this forest.

"I've never seen an arrow like this" he admitted.

She nodded, cautious. "You think that means there's someone else in this forest who oppose those things?"

"Maybe this place isn't just full of monsters wanting to kill us" said a hopefully Ethan.

Charlie said nothing. He knew though. He knew as soon as he saw that arrow. It was that ability of his again. There was someone else in this forest. Someone he wasn't sure was friend or foe though.

"What do we do now?" asked Ethan, sticking this new arrow in his own quiver.

"There's one more cabin" said Quinn, pointing to the last one.

They approached it, their hearts heavy with the weight of their findings. The door was securely shut, locked. Ethan took a step back, took a deep breath and then slammed into it with his shoulder. It flew open with a bang, the sound echoing through the camp.

The sight that met them was like a punch in the gut. The cabin was for younger kids, kindergarten or first grade. The tiny bunks were neatly made up, stuffed animals peering out from under the blankets, their plastic eyes seemingly watching them with curiosity. The walls were covered in colorful drawings and posters, a stark contrast to the grim reality that had swallowed the camp.

Toys were scattered about the floor, as if the children had just stepped out to play and never returned. Quinn felt a lump form in her throat, her mind racing with the thought of those innocent lives caught in the middle of this nightmare.

A noise behind them made them all jump. It sounded a shuffling sound, something on wood. They all snapped around and found a wardrobe, painted in bright colors in the back corner of the room.

"What the hell?" Ethan whispered, his bow at the ready.

Quinn took a deep breath, steeling herself. She stepped closer to the wardrobe, her hand reaching for the doorknob. It was cold to the touch. She paused for a moment, listening intently. The shuffling had stopped, replaced by a tense silence that was almost palpable. Then, with a gentle twist and a soft creak, she pulled the door open.

At first, all she saw was a jumble of clothes—tiny t-shirts, shorts, and socks—hanging neatly from the rods. Then, she noticed something that didn't quite fit. It was a shimmer of light, something that didn't belong. Her eyes searched through the fabric, and she gasped as she caught sight of a hand. A human hand, small and trembling, poking out from behind a row of colorful raincoats.

It was weird though because a moment ago, there was nothing there.

Quinn's eyes grew wide as she pushed the clothes aside. There, in the back of the wardrobe, huddled a small figure. A little girl, no older than eight, in a pink camp t-shirt and tan shorts. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her breaths coming in hitched sobs. She had one hand clutched around a stuffed pink rabbit, the other covering her mouth to muffle her cries. Quinn could smell the sour scent of urine and fear that clung to her. It was a scent that told a story of terror and loneliness that no child should ever have to experience.

She bent down, her heart thumping at the sight. "Its ok" she said softly. "No one's going to hurt you, you're safe."

A moment later, the girl looked up at her, her cheeks stained with dry tears. "The monsters are gone?"

Quinn shared an exchange with Ethan then looked back at the girl. "Yes, they're all gone."

The girl sniffled and looked past them. "Where's Jenny?"

Shit, thought Quinn.

"Who's Jenny?" she asked, still not sure how to deal with this. She was an only child after all, she didn't know how to deal with little kids.

"She's our Big Sister" said the girl, sniffling.

"Their Cabin counselor" said Ethan, clarifying. "I used to go this camp as a kid. The girls' get Big Sisters and the boys get Big Brothers."

Quinn bit her lip. "I don't know where Jenny is" She then had a thought. "Did Jenny put you in here?"

The little girl nodded. "She said I had to hide and stay quiet, so we stayed quiet. I heard the monsters though and screaming. Mr. Big Man shouted for everyone to run."

Mr. Big Man? A thought occurred to her.

"Was Mr. Big Man from the bus? Was he wearing a gray shirt?" she asked, hopeful.

The girl nodded. Quinn sighed. Mr. Harris.

"You don't know where he is, do you?" she asked, still hopefully.

The little girl shook her head again. "I only heard him shouting. He was a nice man. He helped us, took care of us."

Quinn shared another look with Ethan. She saw the confusion on his face. Something didn't make sense. They'd only been in this forest for two days. That wasn't really a lot of time. Plus the spoiled food and the state of the vehicles.

"Have you been here in the wardrobe long?" she asked.

The girl shook her head again. "Only since night time when the monsters came." She paused, crying again. "I peed, I'm sorry..."

Quinn felt a maternal instinct take over. She reached out and touched the girl's head, stroking it reassuringly.

"What's your name, sweetie?" she finally asked.

The little girl sniffled. "Sadie."

Quinn smiled. "That's a beautiful name. I'm Quinn" she turned and pointed at the boys. "That guy is Ethan and that boy is my friend Charlie."

The little girl looked at each of them in turn. When she locked eyes with Ethan, Quinn saw something. The little girl stared, almost as if she was mesmerized by him. Quinn smirked faintly. Ethan's good looks even wooed the little ones.

"Do you want to get out of there?" she asked, the girl hesitated.

"The pee..." she said, quivering.

Quinn tried not to laugh. "We'll get it cleaned up. You have spare clothes."

Sadie nodded and carefully climbed out of the wardrobe. She looked so tiny and vulnerable standing there. Quinn had to fight back tears at the sight. She had so much she wanted to tell the little girl but she knew it wasn't the right time. They had to find everyone else first.

"You guys go check outside. Make sure it's safe" she told Ethan and Charlie, the boys nodded in understanding.

Quinn waited until they left the cabin before turning to Sadie. She held out a hand and Sadie slowly took it. "Come on, let's get you into some clean clothes" she said with a gentle smile.

Sadie pointed out her bunk and a pink bag. They found some fresh clothes for her and Quinn slowly helped her strip out of the ones that were damp and dirty. While Sadie got dressed, Quinn noticed a mirror on the wall. She wandered over, having not looked at herself since she changed genders.

The sight of her reflection in the mirror was jarring. Quinn had been so focused on finding her friends and surviving this strange world that she hadn't noticed the changes in herself. Her face had softened, the angles sharper, her hair had grown longer, and she could see the beginnings of breasts under her shirt. She was still herself, but she was also someone else.

She noticed something else. She was covered in dirt, mud and blood.

The blood was the most disgusting thing. Thankfully it wasn't hers. She realized it probably belonged to either the goblins or that Ogre that Mack shot the hand off of. Her clothes were dirty and blood smeared as well. They didn't fit her body well anyway. Her shorts were too loose in some places and snug in others. Her budding chest also made her shirt a tad uncomfortable.

She turned To Sadie, thinking. "Does Jenny stay in this cabin too?"

Sadie nodded, just finishing dressing. "Over there."

Quinn saw a bigger bunk, a large duffle at the foot of it.

"Jenny's bunk?" she asked, and Sadie nodded.

Quinn walked over to the large bunk. She felt guilty but they needed to survive. She hoped Jenny wouldn't mind her borrowing some of her clothes. She unzipped the duffle and started rummaging through it. It smelled faintly of flowers and mint, a smell that made her think of home. She found a few shirts and pairs of shorts, some underwear. She was happy to lay her hands on a sports bra that might work. While her new buds were still small, they were rubbing against the fabric of her shirt and was starts to bother her.

She pulled off her dirty shirt and shorts. Standing there in boy's boxer briefs made her feel weird. She also suddenly felt self conscious and covered her chest with a hand shyly.

A moment later, she stripped out her boxers, refusing to look down there still. She found a pair of Jenny's panties, apologizing as she pulled them on. Then she struggled with the sports bra but think she managed. It was thankfully fit better than she thought. The shorts fit as well but were shorter than she would have liked. Finally came the shirt. Unfortunately she didn't have much of a choice in that matter. They were all camp shirts. She picked a white one with three pine trees on it.

"Do you think Jenny would mind if I borrowed these?" she asked and Sadie shook her head.

"Big Sister Jenny is nice" said the girl with a sad smile.

Quinn instinctively found herself going over to the girl and hugging her.

"It's okay Sadie" she whispered. "We're here now."

A moment later, Ethan knocked on the cabin door. Quinn called out for him to enter, her voice still shaky from the intense emotions of the discovery. He stepped in, his eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear as he held a cardboard box brimming with snacks.

"Look what we found!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the deserted space. Quinn's gaze fell on the box, her stomach growling at the sight of the sugary and salty treasures within. Ethan explained that he and Charlie had stumbled upon the aftermath of a vending machine raid at the mess hall. Someone or something had broken into it, leaving a trail of scattered coins and shattered glass. The box was a trove of salvaged goods—chips, chocolate bars, and even a few uncrushed cans of soda.

"Jackpot!" said Quinn, grabbed a bag of chips and a can of soda.

She passed both Sadie who took them happily.

Charlie came into the camp, motioning Quinn away from the little girl. Ethan nodded and silently stepped into the cabin to watch her. While Quinn and Charlie walked away from the cabin, Charlie sighed.

"We found bodies" he said, keeping his voice low.

"What?" asked Quinn, now on high alert, reaching for her hatchet.

Charlie sighed again. "A couple of adults, one of them the bus driver. No kids or teens though. There's something else too, lots of the Ogres. They're scattered all about on the other side of the camp and all of them killed with those arrows."

So they really weren't alone.

"What does this tell you?" she asked him, hoping his "ability" might know something.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I know a name but I don't think its going to help. There's something about these people, its blocking my Perception."

"Perception?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "You call yours Tracker, mines like Perception".

Fair enough, she thought, not caring to argue over a little thing like a name.

"You think you can find them?" he asked, hopefully.

Quinn nodded, closing her eyes and focusing on her Tracker sense. She thought of the campers, but she didn't know their faces. The same for the teen counselors. It was like trying to find a whisper in a tornado. She tried to center on the arrow, hoping maybe it would lead her to whoever fired it. Still there was nothing. She sighed, opening her eyes. She shook her head and Charlie nodded.

They returned to the cabin, the sight of Sadie's tiny form in the corner was comforting. The little girl looked up at them with wide eyes, her cheeks still damp from her tears, but now slightly sticky with chip crumbs.

"It's okay Sadie" said Ethan, setting the box down. "You can have more if you want."

The little girl's eyes widened. "Really?"

He patted her head, she smiled happily. He walked over to Quinn and Charlie. "I have a sister back home, this feels the same" said Ethan willfully.

"How old?" asked Quinn, not sure why.

"She's ten" he said with a sad smile. "Funny, she always wanted to be a counselor at this camp"

Quinn nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"The camp seems to be our best bet for now," she murmured to the others, the reality of their decision sinking in. "It's got food, shelter, and it's the safest spot we've found."

Ethan nodded solemnly. "We can't keep moving without a plan. And we need to figure out what happened to everyone else."

Not only did they have Alex, Jake, Kurt and Ben to look for, they had all the kids at this camp too. This forest really sucked.

"Just when things are bad enough, this stupid forest throws more at us" grumbled Charlie, saying what all three of them were clearly thinking.

"I think we need to go from cabin to cabin and look for anything to salvageable, especially food and water." said Ethan, the others nodded. "I also think that Rec Hall is probably the best place to hunker down. The walls looked solid but more than that, those doors were heavy and had locks."

Quinn and Charlie didn't argue.

With a plan in place, Quinn told Sadie what was going on. Then she helped the little girl pack all her things. She explained they couldn't stay in this cabin and Sadie gave her no problems.

The search was grim. Each cabin they entered had a story, but no one was there to tell it. They found more signs of hasty evacuations and scattered things. They gathered as much as they could carry—sleeping bags, food, and water. Quinn noticed something peculiar, though. Despite the chaos, the cabins didn't seem to have been ransacked. It was almost as if everyone had dropped everything and ran, leaving everything behind.

They stepped outside, the warmth of the day dissipating into the cool evening air. The forest around them was eerily quiet, as if the trees themselves were holding their breath. The sight of the bodies was something they tried to avoid, not wanting to traumatize Sadie further. Thankfully most of them were at the other end of the camp where they decided not to go but there were a couple---like the first one they found---that they didn't want the little girl to see.

Inside the Rec Hall, Quinn made sure Sadie was comfortable, sitting her down on a bean bag she'd found. The girl clung to her pink rabbit, her eyes wide and darting around the familiar space. Quinn tried not to let the sadness show on her face as she watched her.

While Ethan and Charlie worked outside, bringing over bunks from the cabins, Quinn took stock of their new shelter. The Rec Hall had been abandoned, just like the rest of the camp, but it was a sprawling space with plenty of room for the four of them. It had a stone fireplace, which was a plus, and windows that could be barricaded. It was the safest place they could think of for now.

Nightfall came swiftly, bringing with it a cloak of darkness. Quinn's heart thumped in her chest as she listened to the rustling outside, her mind racing with images of monsters and missing friends. She took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

The fire in the Rec Hall's fireplace crackled to life, casting a warm glow over the room. Ethan had managed to scavenge enough firewood to last them the night, and the flickering flames danced shadows across the walls. They had set up a few kerosene lanterns around the space, their golden light illuminating the dusty floorboards and forgotten craft supplies. The room smelled faintly of pine and something faintly metallic—a stark contrast to the fresh scent of rain that still lingered from the storm that had brought them here.

Quinn found Charlie sitting by the fire, scrawling in a red leather bound book. "What's that?"

Charlie smiled. "I found this blank journal book in the lost and found in the main office" he said with a big smile. "I thought maybe I'd make a record of our journey."

Quinn looked at the name that Charlie decided to call his record---A Scout's Guide to Another World.

"Really?" she asked with a laugh.

Charlie shrugged. "I thought it kind of fitting"

She laughed but said nothing.

The silence was a strange companion to their evening. It felt heavy, filled with unspoken words and fears. They had survived a lot these past two days, found another survivor, and a place to stay but the night was another beast entirely. It was something she didn't look forward to. The nights were when things came out to play, when the monsters came out.

Quinn approached Ethan and Sadie. Ethan looked up from his makeshift barricade. He had moved tables and chairs, creating a circular space around the mattresses they had dragged from the cabin. He had even used the metal frames of several beds as part of their fortress. The thought made her smile a little. They were going to sleep on those mattresses with their sleeping bags, but at least they had something between them and the unknown.

"I found the keys for that storage back there on the..." he whispered, not wanting to say "body" but she nodded, understanding.

They had tried getting into that room earlier but it was locked tight. Ethan tried breaking in but no use. That's when he went to find the keys and was apparently successful.

They anticipate potential nocturnal dangers, reflecting on their harrowing experiences thus far.

The night had been slightly cold despite their best efforts to keep the fire going. The warmth of the day had been replaced by a restless chill that seemed to seep into their very bones. The fire in the Rec Hall did its best to keep the cold at bay, but it was a battle that was slowly being lost. The crackling flames cast a warm, flickering glow on their tired faces as they munched on their snacks for breakfast. The crunch of chips and the sweetness of chocolate bars filled their mouths as they chewed in silence, the only sound being the occasional pop from the fire.

In the morning light, the room looked less threatening than it had the night before, but the shadows still held secrets that made Quinn's skin crawl. She watched as Ethan and Charlie moved the makeshift barricade and as a group they approached the locked storage room in the back.

With a shaky hand, Ethan inserted the key into the lock and turned it. The sound echoed through the empty room. The door swung open with a squeak that sent a shiver down Quinn's spine. The storage room was larger than she had expected, packed to the brim with various camp supplies. They stepped inside, the musty smell of unused equipment and old canvas hitting them like a wall.

The sight before them was surprising—instead of food, the room was lined with racks of sports gear. Bows and arrows, baseball bats, and lacrosse sticks filled the shelves, all coated in a thin layer of dust. The realization dawned on them that they hadn't found sustenance but something equally as vital for their survival—weapons. They had been living off their wits and what little they had, but now, they had the means to defend themselves more effectively.

"Now that's what I'm talking about" said Ethan, grabbing a baseball bat and passing it to Charlie.

Charlie swung it clumsily but smiled nevertheless. "Day Three in Another World, we found weapons" he muttered happily.

Day three, thought Quinn, flabbergasted.

Technically it was now the fourth day since she left home. She wondered if her parents were worried yet. She supposed they'd be panicking, probably trying to call her. She pulled her now dead smartphone from her pack, staring at the blank, cracked screen. She felt a pang of sadness and worry. Would they get back home? Could they get back home?

Suddenly, Ethan put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know and I can't promise anything but I'll keep us safe and find a way."

It was reassuring in a way.

Their moment was interrupted by a loud noise.

It sounded like metal on wood and there was a screeching of tires.

Some idiot needs to learn how to drive, she thought until that thought hit her like a ton of bricks. Someone was driving, as in a vehicle.

They all froze for a moment, their hearts racing. The world outside the Rec Hall had been eerily quiet all morning, and the sudden interruption was jolting. They had grown accustomed to the rustle of the leaves and the occasional distant howl of a creature, but this was different. This was a sound from their world, a sound that didn't belong here.

They bolted out of the hall, their eyes searching the horizon for the source of the commotion. Through the gaps in the trees, a cloud of dust and leaves was billowing, hinting at something large and fast moving. The white truck emerged from the dense foliage, its headlights piercing the early morning gloom.

The vehicle looked like it had seen better days. The paint was scratched, the bumper hanging slightly askew, and the hood was dented. It skidded to a halt a few feet past the large camp sign. The driver's side door flew open and a figure stumbled out, looking around in a daze.

It was a woman in her twenties, dressed in a ranger's uniform.  Her auburn hair was tied up in a hasty bun, strands escaping and framing her flushed face. She looked like she had been through hell and back. Her eyes were wild and her breathing was ragged as she scanned the area for threats.

A moment later, Jake and Kurt rose up from the flatbed of the Ranger station vehicle. Quinn's heart skipped a beat. Her friends, the ones she'd been worried about for two days, they were alive. The other two scouts looked dirty and bedraggled. Then she saw Kurt clearly. Jake was struggling to help him down from the truck. She remembered what Charlie had said, he got shot. She looked to where his shoulder was haphazardly bandaged but the blood was seeping through.

Kurt looked in rough shape, sweating and pale.

The Ranger woman saw them first. She was surprised to see people, especially after what she had been through. She had known the camp was there, the last thing she expected was to find a group of kids standing in the middle of it. Then Jake locked eyes with Quinn and smiled, though it was about all he could do at the moment. The relief and joy on his face was palpable. He had found someone who might know what was happening.

Quinn was the first to rush over, followed closely by Charlie. There were tears in her eyes, she was so happy to see her friends.

"Is he ok?" she asked when she got to them.

Jake looked grim but the Ranger spoke first. "We got the arrow out and gave him some rudimentary first but I think its infected. We need..."

"An infirmary" said Ethan, who was carrying Sadie in his arms, like an overprotective big brother.

The Ranger nodded. "That's why I tried to find this place. We tried all night, we just..." She sighed, wiping her sweaty brow.

Charlie spoke up. "The forest doesn't want you to find things".

What he said hung in the air but no one said anything.

Ethan gently set Sadie down and she rushed over to Quinn, clinging to her leg. Quinn picked her up, the little girl's arms tightening around her neck. Then Ethan took the lead, with Jake and Heather following with Kurt, who was now groaning in pain. They moved quickly through the camp, retracing their steps from the night before. Quinn followed, her mind racing. They had to get to the infirmary fast.

The infirmary looked just like it had when she had found it with Ethan and Charlie, but it felt different now. It was no longer a place of eerie solitude but a place of hope and potential salvation. The Ranger's voice was calm and collected as she instructed Ethan to place Kurt on the nearest cot.

"I found them after I left the ranger station for help" she explained as they gently put Kurt on the cot. "They were quite the sight".

Jake nodded, his eyes red from exhaustion. "Yeah, we were trying to get away from... something big."

"Those Ogres" said Quinn, knowing Charlie's part of the story. "We've met them".

Jake looked at Charlie. "I'm glad you got away at least" He then lowered his voice. "They grabbed Ben, took off with him before we could react".

Shit, thought Quinn.

That was not what she wanted to hear.

She then looked over at the Ranger. "You're Heather, right?"

The woman nodded, confused and surprised. "How do you know that?"

Quinn shared a look with Ethan. "Keith told us" she said quietly.

"Keith?" sad Heather, frantic. "Where is he? Is he here?"

Another look shared between Ethan and Quinn. Ethan spoke. "A lot has happened. I'll do my best to explain while we help Kurt".

Quinn nodded, turning to her other friend. "Come on, let's give them some space" she told Jake, her voice filled with a firmness that surprised even herself. She walked out of the room, Sadie still in her arms. Charlie followed, his eyes filled with a mix of relief and dread.

The three of them stepped into the cool morning air, the smell of the forest enveloping them as they moved away from the infirmary. The leaves whispered their secrets in the breeze, and the chirping of birds seemed almost too cheerful given the gravity of the situation.

"So..." said Jake, after a moment of two of silence. "That was one hell of storm".

Jake liked humor to diffuse a situation but no one laughed. Quinn had a strange relationship with him. They were friends but since her coming out as trans before the trip and his attitude about it, she wasn't sure where they stood. They didn't exactly part as buddies the night of the storm.

"So Charlie told me about happened during the storm and the morning after..." She said, not wanting to recap it. "I woke up in the forest, found the tents but you guys were gone. Then I found Charlie, saved him from some goblins and we together found Ethan and his Uncle Mack"

"Wait, did you say goblins?" asked a dumbfounded Jake.

Charlie quickly explained how the goblins almost killed him and how Quinn came out of nowhere, turning into a badass and slaughtering them.

Quinn still wasn't sure how she did it.

Quinn continued the story about hearing the gunshot and finding the two hunters, Ethan and his uncle, Mack. How she was able to find the ranger station with Keith and how after a night of taking shelter there they were attacked in the morning by those very same Ogres.

"There's three of us now" she said, hoping she didn't have to go into detail about losing Keith and Mack.

Jake nodded, understanding.

"This ability of yours..." he asked, lowering his voice. "Is it all tingly and shit?"

What Jake said surprised her. She nodded, not sure where this was going.

"I think I might have one too" he said slowly. "I'm not sure though. It happened when the Ogre smacked me with his club and I went flying into the forest. I hit a tree but I didn't feel any plan. A blow like that should have seriously fucked me up too but nothing. I got right back up and actually the Ogre came after me. He hit me again but it still didn't hurt."

She was flabbergasted. It almost sounded like Jake was saying he said kind of ability to not feel any pain or get injured.

"How did you guys get away?" asked Charlie, anxious to know what happened to them after he ran away.

Jake frowned. "I heard Ben scream. I ran back in time to see them dragging off him and Kurt. They were fast but I ran after them. The one with Kurt was slower because he was dragging an injured Kurt. I'm not sure what happened but my body felt like steel. I slammed into it, fists swinging. It was like instinct. I beat it senseless and managed to get Kurt back. I couldn't catch the one dragging Ben though..."

Another problem they'd have to face, she thought, cursing.

Jake looked around. "Is Alex here too?"

Quinn shook her head. "We have no idea where he is either. After fleeing the ranger station, we eventually found the summer camp. It was completely abandoned, except for Sadie who we found hiding. She said monsters attacked. No Alex but Mr. Harris was here"

He was alive too as far as she knew. Charlie had told her last night when they found the bodies Mr. Harris was not among them.

"So we're not on Earth anymore, right?" asked Jake, looking at Charlie, who nodded. Jake laughed. "One of your stupid anime has finally come true. You must be thrilled."

"Do I look thrilled?" asked Charlie, Jake said nothing.

After that, the three of them decided to go back to check on Kurt, Quinn still carrying Sadie. She'd been strangely quiet during their whole conversation. The little girl had watched them the whole time but didn't add anything. Quinn wondered if she was still in shock.

In the infirmary, they found the room quiet, almost too quiet. Kurt lay on the cot, his breathing even and deep. The Ranger, Heather, looked up as they entered. She had cleaned him up and changed his bandages, which were now cleaner and tighter. Ethan had found some medical supplies in the cabin, which was a relief.

"We treated the infection with some antibiotics we found, he's resting now" said Heather with a relieved sigh.

Quinn nodded then asked. "Are you up to speed on everything?"

Heather quietly sighed. "Pretty much. I feel bad about leaving Keith, if I had known..."

"Not your fault, none of us could have predicted this" said Ethan reassured.

After that, they left Kurt to rest peacefully in the infirmary and took Jake and Heather to the Rec Hall and their makeshift shelter.

They gave Jake and Heather some food and water, watching as the color slowly returned to their faces. Sadie was sitting by the fireplace, scribbling away in a coloring book they had found in one of the cabinets. The bright colors looked almost surreal in this otherwise grim setting. It was a small slice of home in a world that was anything but.

"So what do we do now?" asked Charlie, finally breaking the silence.

Heather looked at them all, the weight of their situation etched into her eyes. "First, we survive," she said firmly. "We need to fortify our position, find more supplies, and set up some form of communication."

Jake nodded, his eyes flicking to Quinn. "But we can't just leave Ben with those things," he said, his voice tight. "We have to do something."

Heather leaned forward, her expression sympathetic but firm. "I understand, and we will, but we can't go after Ben without a plan. We need to know more about these Ogres, their patterns, and their territory."

Jake clenched his fists, frustration and determination fighting on his young features. "But we can't just leave him there!"

"I know," Heather said, her voice a mix of compassion and steel. "Believe me, I don't want to either. But we need to be smart about this. We have to be strong for ourselves first if we want to be strong for Ben."

Jake nodded, his expression torn between anger and understanding. "But we can't just wait around here," he said. "We have to do something."

Heather took a deep breath. "I know it's hard, but we can't go after Ben blindly. We need to know where they took him, how to get there, and what we're walking into."

Their back and forth went on for a few minutes before Ethan interrupted them.

"We can't forget about the kids from this camp either" he said, hoping to steer things away from an argument he was certain had been happening a lot between those two.

Heather nodded, understanding the concern. "We'll keep that in mind, but we can't split our efforts. We need to focus on one thing at a time".

The tension in the room was palpable as they debated, each trying to balance their fear and hope. The fire crackled and spit in the background, casting flickering shadows on their faces. The smell of the burning wood mingled with the faint metallic scent of fear.

What about Alex, thought Quinn, still concerned for her best friend.

"Going around in circles isn't helping" Heather finally admitted, running her hands through her hair that was now down and flowing. "Can we all agree that securing this place should be our top priority?"

No one argued, not even Jake, even though he was still angry.

So that's what they set out to do.

For the next two days, the group worked tirelessly to fortify their makeshift base in the Rec Hall. The rest of the camp was like a fortress, surrounded by a dense barricade of trees and thick underbrush that made it almost impossible to penetrate. The path that Heather's truck had forged was already starting to close in on itself, as if the very land was trying to keep them contained. It was eerie and disconcerting, but it also provided a natural defense against whatever lurked beyond the camp's borders.

Quinn still wasn't sure how those Ogres were able to penetrate it before like that.

Speaking of the bodies, they buried the humans and left the Ogre bodies in a pile that they burned. Of course all of it without Sadie seeing.

One of the good things about all of this was that Kurt fully recovered. He was conscious now too but still not able to leave the infirmary, his shoulder was still pretty tender and he was still pretty weak from the infection.

The other scouts had filled him in on everything though. He, like Jake, wanted to go after Ben too.

"One thing at a time" was all Heather would say on it.

Quinn knew that she had to respect Heather's experience, but she couldn't help feeling a little frustrated with the Ranger's firmness. It was like she was their new troop leader and wasn't taking any suggestions from the peanut gallery. She had them up at dawn, working on fortifications and gathering supplies. They were all exhausted but Heather didn't let up.

On the third morning at the summer camp, they ran out of food. It was inevitable, what with them eating from a vending machine.

Quinn volunteered to head into the forest to look for something. She figured her Tracker ability might come in handy. Ethan and Jake agreed to go with her.

Heather handed Jake a machete they found in the ground keeper's shed. "I should go with you too" she said, not liking sending the three teenagers out there alone.

Quinn shook her head. "You're the only one who knows how to use that shotgun".

She pointed to the gun sitting on the table nearby. It was the one that hand been missing from the ranger station gun cabinet, the one Keith had said she took with her. They didn't have a lot of ammo for it but hopefully they wouldn't need to use it anytime soon.

They set out, Jake taking point with the machete Heather had given him. It felt heavy and unfamiliar in his hands, but he knew he'd need it if they encountered any more of those things. Quinn followed closely with the baseball bat in one hand and a hunting knife in the other, feeling the weight of the weapon and wondering if it would be enough. Behind them, Ethan had his bow of course and a quiver full of his own arrows and the ones he retrieved from the Ogre corpses.

The forest was dense and foreboding just like before. Quinn reached out with her Tracker ability, hoping to pinpoint food. The trees whispered secrets that she couldn't quite understand, but she felt a pull to the right, where the underbrush was thickest.

"I think there's something that way" she said, hopeful.

They all turned and started walking, but before they had gone twenty feet into the forest, she felt it. That tingling, the same one that had helped her find her way to the ranger station. But it was different this time. It wasn't a sense of comfort or direction, it was a warning.

"Guys, stop" she said suddenly, holding up a hand.

They did, looking around nervously.

"What is it?" whispered Jake, his grip tightening on the machete.

Quinn's eyes widened as she stared at the spot where the sensation grew stronger. "We're not alone," she murmured, her heart racing.

Suddenly, a hooded figure dropped down from the tree directly in their path. The figure's bow was drawn, taut with an arrow that gleamed with an unearthly light. Before they could react, more shadows detached themselves from the foliage around them, each revealing a similar archer poised for attack. The three friends found themselves surrounded in a ring of tense silence, the air thick with the promise of danger.

"Lower your weapons, Outworlders" said a voice in distinct English.

The severity of the situation struck Quinn with an overwhelming sense of awe and confusion.

Outworlders, they called them Outworlders.

What did that even mean?

To Be Continued

Author’s note: As I’m sure all of you know, comments are life blood to an author. I’m not begging or demanding, but I certainly would appreciate anything you have to say (or ask). It doesn’t have to be long and involved, just give me your reaction to the story. Thanks in advance...EOF

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Author's Note: Here we going everyone, finally part 2 of my Isekai adventure. When last we left off, Quinn and her two friends were confronted by strange hooded individuals who called them Outworlders and spoke English. I'm sorry to say that my new image at the top is a little spoilery about who said individuals might be but that's revealed very quickly in the opening few paragraphs of the story. I'm also happy to report that this one doesn't on such a cliffhanger. I think its more like a little hill LOL.
 

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Quinn felt a shiver run down her spine as the hooded figures tightened their circle around them. The figure that had first dropped down spoke again, "Your weapons, on the ground, now."

Her hand hovered over her hatchet, her mind racing. The last thing she wanted to do was surrender, but she knew they were no match for a group of archers, especially because they clearly knew what they were doing. She glanced at Ethan and Jake, who both looked equally unsure. With a heavy sigh, she bent down and placed the hatchet on the damp forest floor. Ethan followed suit, his bow and quiver thumping softly beside it. Jake hesitated, his knuckles white on the machete's handle, but finally he too lowered it.

One of the hooded figures stared at the arrows in Ethan's quiver, his own bow never leaving the spot trained on Ethan's chest.

"Those arrows" said Ethan, pointing his head at the ones the hooded figures had notched.

Quinn looked and saw. They were the same ones they found embedded in those dead ogres at the camp. She wanted and needed answers.

"How do you speak English?" she asked, determined.

The lead figure stepped forward, into the light streaming through the trees.

With a swift movement, they lowered her hood, revealing a face that was not quite human. They were dressed in brown leather, fur adorning their shoulders. It was a girl, probably no older than Quinn. More importantly, she was an Elf, with tanned skin that looked as if it had been kissed by the sun and a hint of gold in her dark hair. Her eyes, a piercing green, bore into Quinn's, filled with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The most striking feature though were her pointed ears, poking through her hair like two sharp leaves. They twitched slightly, as if tuned into the very whispers of the forest itself.

"You are not the first Outworlders that have graced these lands" she said, eyeing them all suspiciously.

It felt as if the ground had been knocked from under her feet. More of them had come here, which meant they weren't the first people brought to this world. She had so many questions. First though, the important one.

"There were kids at the summer camp, we found bodies with your arrows..." she said, hoping these people weren't hostile.

There was no twitch of danger though. No sense fighting.

"Your children are safe" said the girl as if it was the most simple thing in the world. "We are sheltering them."

She had another question. "And the adults?"

She was thinking about Mr. Harris of course.

"Those who were not killed were taken," said the girl.

Quinn's eyes went wide. "Where? Why?" she asked, fear for Alex gripping her heart.

"The Grunk do not have a reason" said the girl as it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They kill or take"

The Grunk? Quinn wondered if that was the name for the "ogres" in this world.

One of the other elves spoke up, his words a lyrical tapestry that wove in and out of Quinn's understanding. The girl replied in the same language, her voice rising slightly. It was clear there was some kind of disagreement, but Quinn couldn't make out the specifics.

The elf spoke again, his voice deeper, more insistent. The girl's eyes narrowed, and she shot a look back at Quinn and her friends, as if weighing their trustworthiness. Then she turned back to the elf and spoke rapidly, gesturing to the camp. The conversation grew more heated, the elf's hands moving with urgency.

The elf girl sighed and turned back to Quinn. "We will go back to your camp. You will get your companions, then you will come with us."

Quinn was shocked. "How do you know we have friends?"

The Elf girl scoffed. "We Dwellers see all and hear all in this forest."

Quinn felt a shiver of apprehension, realizing they had been watched. She looked at her friends, who were equally stunned by the revelation.

"What's a Dweller?" asked Jake, confused. "You're Elves, right?"

The Elf girl gave him a look. "What's an Aalf?"

"E-L-F" said Jake, trying to pronounce it for her. "That's you, Elf."

"I'm Ellara, not Elf" she said, annoyed.

Quinn was annoyed too but with Jake. She shot him a dirty look, one that hopefully told him to knock it off. The last thing they needed was to anger the already angry looking people with the bows. Quinn wasn't the only one annoyed because Ethan gave Jake a gentle nudge, a move with one intention---knock it off.

The other Elves stared at them from under their hoods. Quinn could just make out their eyes, judging.

The Elf girl---Ellara---gave them all a look too.

"Take your weapons" she said, pointing at their feet. "I warn you now, you will not have a chance to use them if you turn them on us. Is this understood?"

"Very" said Ethan, bending to pick up his bow.

An Elf nearby him was staring intently at the compound bow. They held out their hand. Ethan, reading the gesture, passed the bow over. The Elf gave the string a few pulls then returned it to Ethan, satisfied.

Ellara nodded, and the archers parted to allow them to pass. They walked back towards the camp, the elves trailing behind them like silent ghosts, their eyes never leaving the trio. Quinn's mind raced with questions but she knew this wasn't the time to ask them. They had to get back to the others and figure out what was happening.

As they walked, Quinn fell into step with Ellara. "I'm Quinn by the way" she said then pointed at the boys. "That's Ethan and Jake".

Ellara nodded. "We know your names. We have been watching".

Of course they had.

Quinn decided to ask one of her burning questions. "We're missing two of our friends. Have you seen them?"

Ellara didn't skip a beat. "One was taken by the Grunks."

Quinn knew that already. "And the other one?"

"There was no other. It was just you and them. We came to the aid of the children at your fortress. One of our scouts reported that the Grunks took your friends and some adults to their mountain stronghold"

Quinn nodded. At least that was something. She turned and shared a look with Jake. She could see the calculation in his head. She knew what he wanted to say and definitely what he wanted to do. She just hoped he was smart enough not to act on his stupidity. Ethan noticed too, he and Quinn shared a knowing nod. It told her that Ethan would handle Jake if he got out of control.

It was weird really. She hadn't known Ethan very long at all but it was as the two of them were the best of friends. It was strange how something horrible like this could bring two people together. Well in the sense that she could count on him to have her back.

Just that. Nothing else.

Thinking about anything else made her blush.

Damn it.

Quinn forced her thoughts of Ethan, Alex and everything else out of her mind.

"Your camp is ahead" said Ellara, stopping them for a brief moment. "The foul forest has taken the path again."

Quinn looked, surprised.

They just cut their way through no less than twenty minutes ago and already the way was covered again.

This forest truly was a dangerous thing.

The group approached the summer camp, the three teenagers sandwiched between Ellara and her seven companions. The Elves moved through the forest with an unnerving grace, their eyes scanning the surroundings as if the trees themselves were telling them secrets. Quinn felt like she was walking with shadows, the way they weaved and danced around the underbrush.

The foliage grew thicker and more hostile as they approached the camp. The path they had so painstakingly cleared had vanished, reclaimed by the ever-hungry forest. Ellara and her archers didn't miss a beat, cutting through the greenery with swift, precise strokes of their machetes. The sound of metal slicing through the thick stems echoed through the woods like a strange symphony of nature's protest.

The abandoned summer camp was an eerie sight.

"We set up there," said Quinn, pointing to the Rec Hall.

Ellara gave a nod and two of her people moved forward, their grace amazing. It was like they were weightless as they glided effortlessly. They hopped onto a nearby cabin then over to the roof of the Rec Hall building. They took up positions, watching and waiting. It was clear they were expecting hostilities. Quinn wanted to reassure them nothing bad would happen but with Heather, she wasn't too sure.

The park ranger was like a half-lit fuse, ready to go at a moment's notice.

As if on cue, Heather emerged from the Rec Hall, her shotgun held firmly in both hands, the barrel pointing straight ahead.

"Those are my kids," she said, keeping the barrel trained for Ellara's head.

Ellara didn't look the least bit worried. "Your weapon is fast and deadly but my men are faster" she said, her own bow still on her back.

Heather hesitated, as if weighing the odds. She was outnumbered and outgunned. She might be able to get one of them but they'd cut her down before she got another shot off. She sighed, finally lowering her shotgun.

"Smart move" said Ellara, giving the signal.

One of the Elves on the roof dropped down next to her, snatching the gun away quickly. It was so fast that Quinn blinked and it was over.

Heather looked just as stunned.

"We mean you no harm" said Ellara, gesturing for her people to lower their bows. "We have come to take you to safety."

"We're safe here" spat Heather but she knew as well as they did that this place was not defendable.

"You are a soldier?" asked Ellara.

"I was once" said Heather, confirming what Quinn thought.

"Then you must know this place is unsafe for you" said Ellara, gesturing around. "The Grunks attacked once. The people here were only saved by our shift interference. Even then there were casualties."

"They're offering to take us with them" added Quinn, inserting herself into the conversation. "They're the ones who killed all those Ogre things. They're also the ones that took all the kids here."

"We have helped Outworlders in the past" reassured Ellara. "Our Sanctuary is safe, you have my word."

Heather looked from Ellara to her companions and back. "I'll hold you to it."

The Elves nodded, and with that, they entered the Rec Hall. Inside, the other Elves finally dropped their hoods.

The first thing that struck Quinn as they walked into the hall was how young Ellara's companions looked. Their faces were sharp, their eyes bright with the unmistakable light of youth. They couldn't be much older than Ethan, and yet they bore the weight of a world's protection on their shoulders. The second thing she noticed was their eyes. They were all a piercing green, like Ellara's, but there was something else in there. Something that spoke of a life well beyond their youthful faces.

Ethan had noticed it too, his gaze flicking from one to the next as they filed into the room. He leaned over and whispered to Quinn, "They're all young."

Quinn nodded, her eyes on the group of Elves. "They look like they've seen more than we have though".

The room inside the Rec Hall was a mix of chaos and order. The barricade was still up but it had been reinforced with more than just chairs and tables. There were branches and leaves weaved through, creating a makeshift wooden wall. It was clear that Heather had put her military background to good use.

"What in the world..." started Charlie, his voice trailing off as he took in the scene.

Kurt pushed himself up with a groan, his eyes widening when he saw the Elves. "What is this?" he breathed, his hand going to the bandage on his shoulder.

Ellara stepped forward. "You are injured," she said, her voice softer than before. "Our Healer will see to you."

"I tended to him..." started Heather before a female Elf ran forward, taking a bag from her shoulder.

"You did well, but he needs proper care." she said, her voice lilting and melodious. She had a gentle touch as she checked Kurt's bandages.

Her English surprised Quinn. She was convinced Ellara was the only one who spoke it but now she knew the others were just being cautious. It made her wonder who exactly Ellara was and why did they defer to her? More than that though, she really wanted to know where they learned it?

The other Elves were looking around the room, taking stock of their supplies and fortifications with a critical eye.

"Its good wall, sturdy" said one of the male ones---his English a bit stilted. He pushed hard on it with his foot. "Against anything but Grunks it would probably hold".

Quinn felt a sense of pride that they were all able to make something worthy of praise. She smiled big then looked around. She just realized Sadie was missing and for a moment, she panicked. Something maternal was starting to well inside of her for that girl. Then she saw her and let out a sigh. Sadie was sitting in the corner, her eyes wide and frightened. Sadie rushed over, quickly clinging to her leg and hiding behind her.

"They're okay," Quinn whispered into her hair, trying to calm her down. "These are good people, they're here to help us. They saved your friends, they're not going to hurt us"

Sadie pulled away slightly, her eyes wide as she looked around. Then she buried her face in Quinn's leg again.

The Elves looked at each other then at Ellara.

"This child, is she with you?" asked the Elf girl.

"She is now," said Quinn. "We found her hiding here in one of the cabins."

The Elves exchanged surprised glances.

"That's not possible," said one of them. "We searched. We were very thorough".

Quinn looked down at Sadie. If they searched the whole camp, where was she? Had she just been missed or...

Another female Elf came forward, she crouched down in front of Sadie. "I am Teia. I am a friend. I wish to touch your forehead, is that all right?" The Elf, Teia, was choosing her words slowly, as if she wasn't sure if she could speak them right.

Sadie stared at the Elf with freckles and nodded.

Teia smiled and slowly touched Sadie's forehead. The Elf closed her eyes for a moment then gasped. When she opened them again, she turned to Ellara and said something to her in their own language. Ellara and the others looked surprised.

"And them?" asked Ellara, in English this time.

Teia stood up and closed her eyes again. A moment later, she reopened them and nodded. "All but the one they call Heather."

Quinn was really confused. "What's going on?"

Teia smiled. "Be cherished, be praised for you are Anointed."

Anointed?

"What the hell is that?" asked Jake, almost as if speaking Quinn's thoughts aloud.

"You have noticed things, yes?" asked Teia. "Things about yourselves? New things? Different things?"

Quinn felt her heart hammer in her chest. How did they know? What did they know?

"I think we all have," said Quinn, looking at her friends.

Only Ethan and Kurt shook their heads.

"It is..." started Teia but one of the male Elves interrupted her.

He sounded pretty angry, barking at her in their language again. Teia sighed and nodded. She looked at Ellara and they exchanged a few words in their language again.

"It is a sacred thing" Ellara finally said in English. "One that we rarely discuss outside of the Sanctuary. When we are safe, away from prying eyes, we will have a true discussion about it."

Prying Eyes?

That sent a shiver down Quinn's spine. She looked around slowly, wondering if they were being watched.

The phrase wasn't lost on Heather either, who immediately asked for her gun back. It was reluctantly passed back to her.

"This stupid" said the angry male elf from earlier, his English rudimentary at best. "We waste time. Outworlders dumb. Leave them."

"We made a pact years ago," said Ellara, her voice raised. "We promised to protect all Outworlders. These people need our help. We're taking them to Sanctuary"

"Your brother..." started the angry one.

"Is not here" she finished. "And last I checked, Bren, I was in charge of this scouting party."

The other Elves exchanged more glances. Bren looked brow beaten.

Quinn watched the exchange. Bren had clearly meant to be nasty to them, probably why he used English. Looking at the way he was reacting to Ellara's words though, it was clear she was someone important.

She looked at Bren, seeing the anger boil up inside of him. He huffed and stomped off.

Ellara turned to her. "He is young. He means well".

Young? Weren't they the same age?

Quinn looked at Bren's retreating back as he quickly disappeared into the forest. She wondered if he was going to be all right on his own but this was their forest. She was certain he could take care of himself.

Ellara stared to where Quinn was looking. "You do not know us or our ways but he is a skilled hunter. He might be brash but he would not turn his back on us. We can count on him when the time comes."

"We have a couple of those," said Quinn, looking over to where Jake and Kurt were sitting together, out of ear shot.

Ellara smiled. "Come, we must make plans to move out as soon as we can."

Quinn nodded, feeling a strange mix of fear and excitement. "Where is this Sanctuary?"

"Not far" was all Ellara said.

She passed her bow and quiver to a male Elf standing nearby. Then she made a quick gesture and the others started to follow her. Quinn followed too. Ellara had a presence that was hard to ignore. Quinn approached the barricade with the Elves. She looked and saw Teia was already there, sitting with Sadie. Sadie was showing the elf her drawings, Teia was taking them all gently, handling Sadie with a warmth that said she was used to children.

"Teia has the Touch" explained Ellara when she saw Quinn looking.

"What's the Touch?" asked Quinn, staring at the elf and the little girl laughing.

"I can not say too much but she is much like you and your friends" said Ellara then in a lower voice. "Being Annointed is a rare thing. To have so many of you...it is a strange thing."

Now Quinn had even more questions.

At the barricade, the two groups gathered together. Ellara quickly introduced her other companions, explaining they were a scouting party that had caught their trail a few days ago.

"We went out after the Storm" she explained. "A storm like that, we have only seen it two times before. Each of those times, new Outworlders have appeared."

"When was the last one?" asked Quinn, curious.

"It's hard to say," Ellara said. "For us it was a year. The time in this forest is difficult."

What did that mean?

"And before that?" asked Charlie, finally over his shyness.

Ellara smiled. "Three hundred years. It was when Teacher came, the one who taught us your language"

Wait, three hundred years? Quinn blinked. Then that meant...

"Like I said, time in this forest is difficult," Ellara chuckled. "We Dwellers age much slower than you."

"What about outside this forest?" asked Charlie.

Ellara paused before answering. "Ah yes, Them. We don't talk about Them".

There was venom in the word "Them". It was enough to tell Quinn that the Dwellers weren't the only people in this world. It also told her though that there was something outside of this forest after all. Charlie had been right about finding a road to civilization. Just like one of his books. That did sound like something to strive for but first they still needed to find Alex, Ben and Mr. Harris.

"We'll get them back" she whispered to herself.

Quinn and Charlie's eyes were full of questions, sparkling with the excitement of a new world and its mysteries. Yet, the urgency of their situation was never far from any of their minds. They had to find Alex, Ben and Mr. Harris.

Heather, though, had seen enough for one day. She was all business. "Look, talking is not going to get us anywhere. You said we have to leave, so when do we do it?"

Ellara looked at her seriously. "We will rest here tonight. Gather your supplies and what you can carry. We leave at dawn."

Heather looked ready to protest but looking around at the Elves, she kept her mouth shut.

The group had so much to learn from these mysterious people but Quinn knew that it was going to have to wait. They had to get somewhere safe first.

"How long will it take to get to your home?" asked Ethan, having been quiet for most of the discussion.

"If we move fast enough, three days" said one of the male Elves, the one Ellara had introduced as Tak.

"If the forest allows it" snapped another male elf, called Ven.

The silence spoke volumes. It didn't last long though because Ellara started to organize her people into pairs, telling them to assist with gathering supplies. She allowed Heather to take over, ordering the Elves on what was essential. Most of it was coming from the Infirmary. They did have a tiny bit of food left, which easily fit into Ethan's pack.

While everyone was busy, Quinn found herself at loose ends. She watched everyone else with their purposeful movements and she felt a bit like a fifth wheel. She looked down at her hands, wondering if she could do something useful. That's when Mel, the healer from earlier, came up to her.

"You have a few scratches and cuts" she said, sitting down in front of Quinn with her bag. "I treated the others already"

Quinn didn't argue as Mel took a strange green ointment and rubbed it into all her tiny cuts and bruises. Her skin tingled and she watched as each of them closed up almost immediately.

"That's amazing!" she gasped, rubbing a spot on her hand where there'd been a cut. "What is that stuff?"

"We don't have a name for it," explained Mel. "It's derived from a plant that grows not too far from our home."

"It's the greatest thing ever" gushed Quinn.

Mel looked at her with curiosity, her eyes wide. "Your things are more amazing," she said, holding a band-aid. "What is this thing?"

"It's a band-aid" said Quinn, taking it out of its wrapping to show her. "It covers cuts to keep them clean until they heal."

Mel took the band-aid with gentle curiosity. "Fascinating."

She then reached over and grabbed Quinn's flashlight. "And this?" she asked, turning it on by accident and jumping when the beam shot out.

Quinn took it from her. "It's a flashlight. It gives light when it's dark."

Mel looked at it with wide eyes, her curiosity piqued. "How does it work?"

"I don't know all the specifics" said Quinn but she unscrewed the bottom and shook out the batteries. "But these things power it."

Mel took one of the batteries and studied it closely. "It's so...small. Yet it holds so much power."

"Yeah" said Quinn, taking it back. "It's like...magic but not really."

Mel looked at her with wonder. "We have magic here," she said softly. "But it's not like this. It's not...made."

"Well, it's not exactly magic," said Quinn, taking the battery back. "It's science. Like...the way you make your ointment, we use knowledge of the world to make these."

Mel nodded, taking it all in. "But it's a form of magic to us" she said, her voice filled with awe. "We rely on the gifts of nature, you rely on...this." She tapped the battery with a finger.

"And Teia?" asked Quinn, wanting to ask about this Touch thing that Ellara mentioned. "Is that magic too?"

Mel bit her lip and leaned in close. "It's different. Teia was gifted the Touch."

"Gifted by who?" asked Quinn, very curious.

"The Gods" said Mel as if it was the simplest answer in the world.

"Oh" said Quinn, unsure how to react.

She couldn't help but wonder if this Touch and "Being Anointed" were one in the same. She wanted to ask a whole bunch more questions about it but she could tell from the look on Mel's face that it was making her uncomfortable. So she decided to distract the elf by showing her more "strange" things.

Mel's eyes lit up when Quinn pulled out her phone. She touched the screen and the light from it bathed their faces. "What sorcery is this?" she gasped.

Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "It's not magic, it's called a phone. It's for talking to people far away."

Mel's eyes went even wider. "But it makes no sound!"

Quinn laughed. "It does. But it's not like our voice, it's through these little things called waves."

Mel gave her a funny look. "Like the ocean?"

"Air waves" said Quinn, explaining the best she could. "I wish I could show you but they don't work here. This one is running out of power too."

She looked at her battery indicator. She'd been keeping it off in hopes of preserving it. The phone was a little under half now. She frowned because soon, she'd lose it and the pictures of her family.

"What is this?" Mel asked, holding up a half-used pack of gum.

Quinn laughed, taking the pack from her. "It's gum. You chew it."

She unwrapped a piece and showed her. Mel reluctantly took a piece too and mimicked everything that Quinn did. Her face lit up as the flavor hit her taste buds.

"It's delicious!" she exclaimed, her eyes watering a bit.

"It's strawberry," giggled Quinn, happy to have someone to share it with.

Mel nodded, her cheeks bulging as she chewed. She looked like she was enjoying it immensely. "It tastes like a berry that we have that only blooms once every hundred years!"

Quinn chuckled. "I'm happy it's a taste you like."

Mel nodded, chewing away. "It's like a celebration in my mouth."

The next few hours were spent in a delightful exchange of knowledge and curiosity. Mel was fascinated by Quinn's tales of her "world" and the various contraptions she had brought from it. For Quinn, it was the first time in a long time she felt like a girl among girls. At home, she had no female friends. It was hard to connect because she always felt like the "impostor" girl. She knew she was a girl but all everyone else saw was the boy fate had made her. Things were so much different now and she could finally be herself.

They talked about everything, from the elf's daily life in the forest, to the latest TikToks Quinn had seen before they got trapped in this world. Mel had never heard of such things but she listened with rapt attention, her eyes lighting up with wonder at each new word. It was a strange but beautiful friendship that was blossoming in the middle of a nightmare.

They talked through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. It was clear that both of them just needed someone to talk to.

"Everyone get some rest" said Ellara as the night slowly fell. "We're leaving at the break of dawn."

The Elves took shifts while the humans did their best to sleep. Quinn laid down next to Sadie, her usual sleeping spot. The young girl snuggled up close, her little body giving Quinn some comfort. As she lay there, she gently stroked the girl's hair. It was very strange how only a few days with this girl and she felt overly protective to her.

She fell asleep with those thoughts.

In the morning, everything that was worth taking from the summer camp was all gathered. The Elves had moved with swift efficiency, and Quinn was surprised by how much they had packed up. The sun was just rising over the treetops, casting a warm glow over the camp. It was strange to think that just yesterday, this place had been filled with the laughter and chatter of her friends. Now it was eerily quiet except for the sounds of the forest waking up around them.

Bren had returned during the night and he was now speaking in hushed tones with Ellara. They were going over a map made from a piece of animal hide. The lines drawn on it looked more like a child's scribble than any map Quinn had ever seen. It had symbols and drawings that she couldn't make heads or tails of. She approached them, the question on the tip of her tongue.

"Where is it we're going exactly?" she asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

"Not business" snapped Bren, annoyed, struggling with his words. "Go away."

Ellara glared at him but spoke to Quinn. "Most maps of the forest are worthless. Bren scouted the area last night. As luck would have it, the path is stable."

Quinn nodded, remembering what they had determined by themselves. The forest was alive and it kept changing. The Elves were just confirming what they already figured out themselves. She just didn't realize how much it changed.

Twenty minutes later, the group gathered to leave. Jake tried to help Kurt but Kurt shoved off his hand.

"I'm fine" he said, the bandage already gone from his shoulder.

Mel's ointment had really healed everything.

Ethan and Heather were up front with the two scouts, Tak and Ven. Quinn, Charlie, Jake and Kurt were in the center with Mel and Teia. In the rear of their procession was a female Elf called Hena and her partner, Drey. Bren and the seventh member of their group, Qosa, had scouted ahead.

They slowly moved through the abandoned summer camp. Quinn felt a pang of sadness as she took one final look at the Rec Hall, their home and sanctuary for the last few days. Then she took a deep breath and turned away.

The Elves cut their way through the foliage again. They were in the parking lot once more. Quinn looked at the little bus. It was an older school bus, most of its yellow paint peeling away. Mr. Harris had told them it belonged to his friend. She felt sad that she didn't even know the bus driver's name and now he was dead. It was sadder still that the bus was being swallowed by the forest as if their old life and world was being swallowed as well.

She felt it in the pit of her stomach.

Goodbye, she thought and let the Elves lead them away.

The trek into the forest was surprisingly not so bad on that first day. They took a few breaks, stopping to pass around water and food that the Elves had brought. The Elven rations mostly consisted of bread and dried meat, which Quinn noticed did not seem to satisfy Charlie's nerd sense of fantasy and adventure. She figured he was probably looking for them to have some kind of strange fantasy story food.

At midday, Bren swapped out with Drey for their rear guard. When he passed Quinn and her friends, he glared at him.

"Forgive my brother" said Mel, sidling up next to her. "He means well."

Quinn turned back to look at Bren. He was Mel's brother? She squinted. Now that she looked, she could sorta see the resemblance between the two of them.

"What's his problem anyway?" asked Kurt, giving Bren a glare of his own.

Mel shrugged, it was a very Earth-gesture thing to do. "Dwellers don't like humans"

Humans? That was the first time any of them had mentioned other humans. It made her wonder something just then.

"The 'Them' you guys mentioned earlier?" asked Quinn, curious.

Mel nodded. "The world is pretty vast outside this forest. This place wasn't always our home, one time we had cities spread all throughout. Then..." She let her voice trail off.

"It happens in our world too," said Ethan, hoping to reassure her.

Mel nodded. "The Teacher told us some."

Teacher? They had mentioned a Teacher before.

"That's the one that taught you English?" asked Quinn, looking for more answers.

Mel smiled. "She was an Outworlder like you. She said she taught at a school. She came with other humans from your world but they didn't stay. Only she did. She was a smart person. She didn't just teach us words either, she taught us some history of your world too."

Quinn was confused. They said earlier that it was 300 hundred years ago?

"Mel, how old are you?" she finally asked.

Mel blushed. "Over 400 of our years but who's to say in this forest. I could be older. We Dwellers are a rare race to begin with. We age slower than humans. Some of our oldest Elders have been around for several centuries."

Charlie nudged Quinn. "Just like the books!".

Charlie was nerding out again.

They stopped for the night as soon as the sun went down. It was a small clearing that was ringed with trees.

"We don't travel at night" explained Ellara as she ordered her people to set up camp.

The Elves began to set up what looked like bells made of shells and bones. They strung them up in the trees, creating a ring around their camp. It was an eerie sound that filled the night air as the wind danced through the strings.

"These bells" Ellara explained, "will ring if something big enough comes through."

Quinn nodded, watching as the bells made from shells and bones swayed in the breeze. The sound they produced was like a strange, haunting melody that seemed to echo through the trees. It was both comforting and eerie. It was a clear sign of the Dweller's knowledge of the forest. They had lived here for centuries, adapting to its whims and dangers.

With the perimeter secured, Hena went to work starting a fire. It was surprisingly easy for her. A few twigs, some dry moss, and a spark from a small stone she had in her pocket. Within moments, the small clearing was bathed in the warm glow of the flames. The humans set to work on their own camp, spreading out their tents and sleeping bags. Quinn felt a pang of nostalgia as she saw the familiar logos from home. It was a stark reminder of how far they were from everything familiar.

"What are these?" asked Mel, poking her head inside Quinn's tent as soon as she had finished setting them up.

"They're called tents. It's where we humans sleep outside" Quinn said with a smile.

She was just glad that found them in the store room before leaving the summer camp. There was enough for each of them to have one. In the end, it was decided they would take only four. Quinn would share one with Heather while the boys would pair up, leaving one they offered to Ellara.

Ethan was currently showing her how to set it up.

"Is there room for me in there?" she asked curiously.

Bren came by, barked at her in their language, causing Mel to frown.

When he was out of earshot, Quinn whispered. "There's plenty of room."

Technically the tents were designed for four people.

Mel looked around the tent with curiosity as the humans settled in. She'd seen tents before, of course, but nothing like the bright ones these Outworlders had. She spread her bedroll out beside Heather's sleeping bag, her eyes wide with excitement. "This is so warm!" she exclaimed, her breath misting in the cold night air.

Quinn couldn't help but smile. It was strange, the way Mel was so amazed by everything. It was like looking at the world through a child's eyes again. They had forgotten what it was like to be amazed by the simple things in life.

Not long after Mel fell into a restful sleep, leaving Heather and Quinn awake.

"Quinn" Heather whispered, her voice filled with tension. "Do we really trust these...Elves?"

She knew Heather was being cautious but she'd be a liar if she didn't think the same thing. Sure they seemed to be nice and friendly, it was hard to trust things in this world. So far, everything has tried to kill them. Just when they thought they were getting a moment to breathe, something new came at them. She knew the "Elves" had claimed to rescue and help the kids at the summer camp, she wouldn't truly believe it until she saw them with her own eyes.

"They're too nice," continued Heather in a low, hushed tone. "They just met us and they're being this hospitable?"

"You think they mean to hurt us?" asked Quinn, looking down at sleeping Mel, a small smile plastered on the Dweller girl's face.

"Maybe not all of them," said Heather, nodding to Mel. "But be cautious regardless."

Quinn took Heather's words to heart and was restless for the remainder of the night.

The next morning, as they broke camp, Quinn found herself drawn to Mel's side once more. The elf's curiosity about their human world was as boundless as the forest around them, and it provided a welcome distraction from the looming sense of dread Heather filled her with last night. As they set out, Mel pointed out various plants and animals that Quinn had never seen before. Some of them were breathtakingly beautiful, while others looked like they could be straight out of a horror movie.

"This one," Mel whispered, indicating a peculiar plant with luminescent blue berries, "it's called a moonlit berry. They're delicious, but only when the moon is full."

"What happens if I eat one when the moon isn't full?" Quinn asked, staring at the little bush.

Mel's eyes widened. "You'll retch up the contents of your stoMackkh".

She mimicked throwing up, causing both girls to laugh.

Somewhere off to their right, Bren was glaring but none of them noticed.

The forest grew denser as the day went on, the trees towering high above their heads, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming flora, a stark contrast to the world they left behind. This world's colors were much more vibrant and twice as deadly. Whereas the fog wasn't as thick, the glowing moss and thick foliage was still all around them.

Looking ahead, Quinn took notice of her friends. Jake and Kurt were silently walking together, their faces a mix of determination and fear. Their eyes scanning the surroundings as if expecting an attack at any moment. She knew they were strong but she couldn't help but worry for them. They had been through so much already.

Ethan, on the other hand, was deeply engaged with Qosa, one of the Dwellers. The scout was showing him a set of peculiar knives, explaining something about their hunting techniques. Ethan's eyes lit up with fascination, and Quinn could see the wheels turning in his head. He seemed eager to learn new things, especially if it could help them survive. She only knew him for a short time but she could see how enthusiastic he was.

But it was Charlie that had Quinn truly bewildered. She watched from afar as he spoke to Ellara in a language she didn't understand. It was beautiful, almost melodic, but the way his mouth moved and the ease with which the words flowed was unnerving. She realized quickly that he was speaking the Dweller language. It must have been his new ability she realized. The same way he knew so much about the forest and how he was able to identify the gun shot from Uncle Mack's rifle that day.

"That will come in handy" said Heather softly to Quinn's right.

At midday they stopped for a rest and lunch. The group sat around the stream, the cool water babbling over rocks as they ate their meager lunch of dried meat and berries that Mel had picked. The elf had assured them they were safe to eat. The sun was high in the sky, casting dappled light through the leaves. It was a serene moment amidst the chaos of their new lives.

Quinn moved to sit next to Charlie.

"So, when did you learn to speak their language?" she asked, her eyes glancing over to Ellara who was speaking with the other Dwellers.

Charlie shrugged. "I didn't learn it, I just knew it" he explained. "As soon as they started talking to one another, I didn't realize it until you all looked so confused."

"So what have they been saying?" she asked, Heather's words from last night still fresh in her mind.

Charlie lowered his voice. "Ellara appears to be some kind of noble maybe. I'm not fully sure but they defer to her. She's definitely of higher status. She wasn't lying about stumbling upon us by accident."

Quinn nodded. She got that much from Mel the last couple of days. Well maybe not that bit about Ellara but she kinda figured that out on her own. Ellara carried herself differently. The others spoke to her like she was someone to respect. She even noticed it in the way the infliction of their voices changed when they talked in their own language.

Quinn explained to Charlie about Heather's fears.

"They're cautious," he said, keeping his voice low. "Before I revealed I could understand them to Ellara last night, I overheard Bren talking to some of the male scouts. They don't trust us and I think they fear us."

That was a surprise. "Why?" asked Quinn, looking at the Elves around them.

"I'm not sure" said Charlie, his voice still hushed, looking at Bren. "But look out for that one. I don't think he likes you being friendly with his sister."

"Noted" said Quinn, having already figured that out herself.

Lunch was pretty quiet after that.

As they were getting ready to move again, Quinn's danger sense went off. It was a feeling she had grown accustomed to since they entered this world. Her heart raced and she pushed Mel down hard. The sound of a twanging string filled the air a second later. An arrow shot straight over their heads, burying into a tree trunk with a thunk.

Moments later, the forest around them erupted as Grunks flew out of the foliage. It was a small group of five or six, the large Ogre-like brutes crashed through the bushes. The elves immediately sprang into action. Their graceful movements turned into a blur of steel and agility as they engaged the Grunks. The Grunks were brutish, using clubs and rocks, but the elves were nimble and precise. They drew long daggers and fired arrows.

Jake had thrown himself over Sadie, his skin hardening like before. The Grunks had noticed them and were charging towards them. Kurt was stunned with fear, hiding behind Charlie and Ethan. Ethan was firing off arrows but none were finding their mark.

A Grunk came at Quinn and Mel. Quinn pulled herself to feet---that same battle instinct that fueled her when she rescued Charlie from the goblins---kicked in.

She felt it swell inside of her, taking over. She pulled her hatchet and knife free and dodged one of its massive, clumsy swings. A moment later, she spun on her feet, slashing at the still swinging arm. She cut at the wrist, causing the Grunk to drop his club. As the club was falling, Quinn slammed into it, throwing her full body into the hit.

She and the Grunk fell to the ground. It roared. She slammed her hatchet into its forehead, embedding it right between the beast's eyes. She didn't give it a chance to say anything else because she deftly slit its throat, ending its existence.

Another Grunk rushed her but was quickly dropped by an arrow to the back of its head. The one who fired it---Bren---was looking at her with awe, respect and fear.

A moment later, she threw her hatchet at him. Not to kill him though. The weapon whizzed past the stun Elf's head and stuck itself in the throat of the Grunk behind him, killing the brute instantly.

Just like that, the fighting was done.

Quinn felt herself relax, her body untensed, her breathing slowed. She was still panting and sweating.

All the Elves around them were staring at her with stunned expressions.

"You killed a Grunk with your bare hands!" said the one called Qosa, shocked.

"Two" said Ellara, wiping her bloodied short sword on the leg of her pants.

"How did you do that?" asked Hena, helping Kurt to his feet.

Quinn wasn't sure what to say, so she just shrugged.

A moment later, Mel threw herself at Quinn, knocking her backwards into the soft moss. She felt the Elf's arms wrap around her, a warm pressure that was surprisingly comforting. Mel's eyes were wide, filled with gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered into Quinn's ear, her voice shaking slightly. "You saved me."

Quinn hugged her back, feeling a mix of pride and fear. She had killed before, but never like this. The ease with which she had dispatched the Grunks was unsettling, even to her. But she pushed those thoughts aside for now. Just like with those goblins, she thought, concerned there might be something wrong with her.

Ellara's voice cut through the silence. "This was a small group but they will be missed. We can't stay here. Shake off whatever you're feeling, we have to go" Her eyes were still on Quinn, but she was all business.

No one had to be told twice and a few minutes later, they were leaving their stream side lunch spot.

The group picked up the pace, their boots crunching leaves as they hurried through the forest. The Dwellers moved with an unnatural grace that was almost impossible to keep up with, but the humans pushed themselves, driven by the adrenaline from the recent encounter and the fear of more Grunks finding them. The elves didn't speak, their eyes scanning the underbrush with a sharpness that made Quinn feel like they were being hunted.

She sensed nothing though.

"Almost to the safe spot," Ellara called over her shoulder, her voice tight with urgency.

Twenty minutes later, they emerged into a small clearing, surrounded by trees so dense they formed a natural barricade. Quinn's heart was racing as they all filed through, her senses heightened from the recent battle. The sight of the clearing brought a small sigh of relief to her lips, but she knew they couldn't let their guard down yet.

Thankfully, she still sensed nothing.

"Hena get a fire started" ordered Ellara then she turned to the Outworlders. "None of those tents tonight. We might need to move fast."

Her orders were clear. She was concerned the Grunks were hunting them now.

The group obeyed without question, setting out their sleeping bags in a tight circle around the fire Hena had started. The warmth from the flames was comforting but it was the proximity of their allies that truly brought a sense of safety. They had never felt so vulnerable in the open. The elves had proven to be formidable fighters but the raw power of the Grunks was something none of them had encountered before.

As the flames danced, casting flickering shadows on their tense faces, Quinn couldn't help but feel a strange kinship with them. Despite their differences, they were all outsiders in this alien world, bound by fate and survival. She watched as Drey and Ethan shared a quiet conversation, their expressions earnest as they tried to bridge the gap between their worlds. Jake and Kurt sat by themselves.

Sadie crawled next to her, scared. Quinn reached down and gave her a gentle, reassuring hug.

"You did it again" said Charlie as he took the spot on her other side.

Quinn was looking at the blood on the blade of her hatchet. It was darker than human blood, making her feel more reassured. She was still a little shell shocked by it all again.

"I did it without thinking," she said, setting her weapon aside.

Bren came over and at the fire across from them. He stared, silent for a long while.

"How?" he finally spoke in broken English, his eyes searching Quinn's. "How know?"

Quinn looked up from her hatchet, meeting Bren's gaze. His question hung heavy in the air, the weight of his curiosity palpable.

"It's...just something I can do now," she replied, her voice quiet and contemplative. "I feel it, like a warning before something bad happens."

"The Anointed have many gifts," said Teia, sitting down next to Bren. "Some have the Touch like me. Others can heal, some have Understanding like Charlie. I think Quinn has the Hunter sense."

"What's that?" asked Quinn, intrigued.

"Not here" said Ellara, tossing a stick into the fire. "We've already said too much. If everything goes to plan, we'll be safe by tomorrow afternoon. Then you can get all the answers you seek."

Her eyes searched the group, lingering on Quinn for a moment. It was clear she had more to say but she remained silent.

Bren finally spoke again, two words: "Thank you".

Bren's words had hit Quinn hard. The elf's gratitude was unexpected, especially after the way he had acted towards her since they met. His voice was gruff, his words forced but she knew he meant it. She nodded at him, a silent acknowledgment of the bond formed in battle.

Then he stood up and left to go join Qosa on guard duty.

"That's a first," said Mel, taking her brother's empty seat. "I've never seen him thank anyone before".

"Brothers care for their little sisters," said Ethan, taking a spare spot near the fire as well.

Quinn forgot he mentioned he had a sister.

"Your sister is back on Arth?" asked Mel.

"Earth" said Ethan "and yeah. It's weird. We weren't close but now that I'm here, it's...".

Quinn absently found herself patting his knee. The gesture was not lost on either of them. Mel noticed too, her eyes trailing from the hand to the subtle blush on Ethan's face. No one else saw of course.

Hearing about Earth and Ethan's sister got them talking a bit.

"I just want to get out of this place so we can find Ben" said Jake, Kurt nodded along.

"And Alex," added Quinn.

She felt bad that she hadn't been thinking about him the last couple of days. With everything that had been going on, it was hard to think that their troop was not complete.

"He's your friend, right?" asked Mel.

Quinn nodded. "My best friend."

Mel lowered her head. "I had one of those. Kwili. The Grunks took her too."

That admission soured the conversation fast.

The rest of the night everyone was on edge, the fire casting eerie shadows across their sleeping bags. They talked in hushed whispers, sharing stories of home and loved ones, trying to find comfort in the familiar. But the forest had a way of swallowing sound, making their voices seem too loud. They slept in shifts, two or three at a time, never letting their guard down fully. The rustling of leaves, the distant calls of unseen creatures, and the occasional crack of a twig made each of them jolt awake, expecting an attack.

Quinn never detected a single threat though.

When dawn finally arrived, they broke camp quickly. The urgency was clear, they needed to get to safety as quickly as possible.

The Elves moved with an energy that hadn't been present before. They talked in hushed whispers, their eyes darting around the forest as if they could see the very threads of fate that bound them to their destination. It was as if they had found their stride in a race they had been running for a lifetime.

The humans struggled to keep up, their legs heavy and laden with exhaustion from the days of travel. But the promise of safety and the sight of their new elf companions' excitement kept them moving forward.

Ellara led the charge, her eyes sharp and focused on the path ahead. The others followed close behind, their movements a blur of agility and grace that seemed almost supernatural to Quinn. The forest itself seemed to bend to their will, the foliage parting just enough to allow their swift passage. It was as if the very essence of the woods had recognized them and granted them a swift and silent passage.

Their earlier fears from the day they started out were unfounded---the forest was indeed being kind.

By midday, the trees began to thin and the group found themselves standing before the entrance to the Sanctuary. The archway was a sight to behold, two massive trees that had grown together and been shaped over time to form a gateway, the bark etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly. The air here felt different, lighter somehow.

As they stepped through the archway, the Dweller village unfolded before them. It was a breathtaking spectacle of intertwined wooden structures that scaled the trees, connected by suspension bridges and rope ladders that swung gently in the breeze. Homes were built into the trunks and branches, blending seamlessly with the living wood. The place bustled with life, with elves of all ages moving about with a sense of urgency that seemed to echo their own.

The buildings weren't just in the trees though. There were several structures on the ground level as well.

"We're safe here, right?" asked a nervous Charlie, glancing about.

"Did you see those ruins etched into the archway?" asked Teia, Charlie nodded. The Elf girl smiled. "My Master put them there. They are warding marks, no one with hostile intent may pass beyond them."

Quinn looked at Jake for a moment before slowly casting a long glance at Heather, whose back was to her.

Ethan noticed and they shared a collective look, both probably thinking the same.

Ellara stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Welcome to Sanctuary," she said, her voice filled with a warmth that seemed almost out of place in the tension of the moment. "You're safe now".

Safe.

Quinn never thought that was something she'd ever take for granted.

The moment the contingent of elven guards appeared, the forest air grew still. The tall, dark-haired Elf at their helm had a commanding presence that was impossible to ignore. His eyes were sharp and assessing, sweeping over each member of the group as they approached. He wasn't wearing armor or wielding a spear. He was dressed in a green tunic top and leather pants. There was something familiar about him that Quinn couldn't place until she looked toward Ellara.

That's when she saw it, the resemblance.

"Ellara" said the man, his voice cold. "What's all this?”

His English was crisp and clear, like his sister's.

Ellara visibly tensed. "Narn, these our guests"

"Humans?" he said, looking at Quinn then quickly at the others. "Have you lost your mind?"

Ellara ignored the insult. "They're Outworlders".

The man she called Narn looked even more pissed. "What in the name of the Gods do you think you're doing!" he hissed, not even trying to hide his anger.

"My duty" she said simply.

"Your duty? Father will..."

"Welcome them with open arms" said a voice from behind them.

They all turned to see an older Elf with long white hair that flowed like a river of moonlight. He was dressed in a simple white tunic with a leather belt that held a short sword at his side. His eyes were like the purest of emeralds, filled with a warmth that seemed to belie the gravity of their situation. The air around him was charged with an energy that Quinn couldn't quite define.

The Elf walked towards them, his steps so light they barely disturbed the leaves. It was as if he floated rather than walked. The tension between Narn and Ellara was palpable, but it seemed to dissipate in the wake of this newcomer.

"Father," The siblings said together, bowing their heads.

The man scanned the faces of The Outworlders, his gaze finally falling upon Quinn. There was a slight smile before his face turned serious again.

"I am Jarvan, Chief of this village" he said, addressing Quinn directly. "You my dear, we've been waiting a long time to meet."

Quinn's shock and confusion grew as she stared at the Chief. What did he mean? They had never met before, she was sure of it. She had never seen anyone like him in her life. Yet his eyes searched hers with a familiarity that sent a chill down her spine. Yet he said he'd been waiting to meet her?

Jarvan then addressed all of them. "You must all be very tired and very eager to be reunited with your fellow countrymen" He turned to Ellara. "Why don't you show our guests to the boarding house?"

Ellara nodded. "Of course, Father."

Jarvan turned to Quinn again. "This evening, you all will join me for dinner. There's much we must discuss".

Then he turned as if floating on air and started back toward a rather large building he apparently came from.

Ellara nodded and the group followed her, leaving the elf guards behind. The village was indeed more like a city, but instead of concrete and steel, it was made of living trees. The buildings were carved into the bark, the bridges connecting them looked as if they had been grown into place. The whispers grew as they passed. The Elves eyes were wide, filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. It was like they had never seen humans before, despite Ellara's familiarity with them.

Quinn looked about, amazed that something like this could exist in this horrible forest. She wondered how long something like this city had been here.

"Why do you call this place a village?" she asked, sidling up to Ellara.

She smiled. "Force of habit I suppose. It was smaller once, less people. Then..." She paused before continuing. "We used to have grand cities throughout this country. Our people lived in a symbiotic harmony with the other races, peaceful, secure."

Quinn looked around, seeing all the Elven faces. "What happened?"

Ellara sighed. "Outworlders."

That was a surprise but not a shock. It would also explain why Bren and even Ellara's own brother were so weary of them.

"It was several centuries ago," Ellara explained as they walked. "It was our first encounter with people from another world. We were cautious but welcoming. Some---like our Teacher---were good and honest. Others, not so much."

Quinn knew the story. Not this one per se but ones just like it. After all, human history on Earth was full of strife and conflict. Some would call them explorers, others maybe "invaders". Honestly she wasn't surprised, especially if even a bit of their technology came with them. A place like this, steeped in a more fantasy world vibe, wouldn't be all that hard to conquer with advanced means. It was sad really but it happened far too often.

"They conquered, didn't they?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Ellara nodded. "It was fast and brutal. The humans of this world were no match in the end. Your fellow Outworlders had knowledge that we did not possess. They joined forces with a group of Barbarians and wiped out the human monarchy. Then they took control. They deemed themselves the Ameri Ka Empire."

Ameri Ka? Seriously. What douche came up with that?

"And your people?" asked Heather, speaking up for the first time.

Ellara sighed, seemingly looking for the right words. "We lasted longer than most."

The group walked through the village, the laughter of children echoing through the trees, mixing with the chatter of the adults. They passed a small gathering of children playing a game that involved throwing acorns into a basket. Quinn noticed that there were human kids among them, wearing t-shirts that looked like they were from a summer camp. They were smiling, playing with their Elven peers as if there weren't any difference between them.

A large two story building stretched out before them, the supposed Boarding House that Jarvan mentioned.

In front of it, a blonde haired teenager with a stern expression was trying to get a group of boys to settle down. They were a mix of humans and elves, all of them laughing and poking each other. The girl looked in over her head. Exasperated, she turned away and caught eyes with them. She seemed surprised to see them. That's when she noticed Sadie and her surprise gave way to something else: relief.

"Jenny!" she shouted. "Jenny!"

A few minutes later, a dark haired teen girl came out of the building. She looked annoyed at being called for. Her annoyance evaporated as soon as she looked in their direction.

When she saw the group, he was stunned into silence.

"Jenny!" Sadie screamed, bursting into tears.

The little girl pulled away from Quinn and rushed toward the dark haired girl. A moment later, she was in the teen's arms. The girl---Jenny---was still shocked, unable to speak as she stared at them.

No, not them, Quinn released.

She turned and looked where the girl was staring.

Ethan.

"Do you know her?" asked Quinn, concerned and a tad bit jealous.

Ethan started. "I'm not sure..."

The dark haired teen slowly started walking over, as if numb. She was carrying Sadie in her arms. When he finally reached the group, she set the little girl down.

"How" she finally muttered softly. "This is a dream, right?"

She was standing directly in front of Ethan. A moment later, she burst into tears and threw her arms around him. He was stunned, not sure how to react. The teen---Jenny---sobbed uncontrollably into Ethan's chest.

Ethan finally reacted and when he did, he looked very confused. "Jenny?" he asked, not sure what was going on.

"You know her?" asked Quinn, trying to play catch up.

"I think this is my sister," he said quietly.

His sister? The girl currently clinging to him was Quinn's age, if not a bit older. How could this be Ethan's sister? Didn't he say she was like nine years old?

Quinn turned to Ellara but she looked just as surprised as the rest of them.

Jenny didn't let go and Ethan was still trying to figure out what was going on. The blonde, noticing the distress, finally came over. She tapped Jenny on the shoulder, trying to get her attention.

She finally managed to get Jenny to look at her.

"It's him," she sobbed. "It's him but it can't be him, it can't be!"

"Maybe we should move this inside," said Ellara, looking around with concern. She turned to the blonde. "Do you think you can get her inside?"

The blonde nodded, gently pulling Jenny away from Ethan.

"Come on," she whispered, "Let's get you inside."

He didn't move.

"What did she mean when she said, 'Its him but it can't be him'. If she's my sister...I don't understand..." He looked as white as a sheet and was shaking.

Quinn wasn't sure what to say. "Why don't we go and find out?"

It was enough to get him moving. She walked with him and they entered the Boarding House together.

The interior was surprisingly cozy. The floor was made of polished wood, with rugs woven from vibrant leaves and fur scattered across it to keep the cold at bay. The walls were lined with bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling, filled with tomes that looked like they were made from the very trees around them. The scent of cooking meat and baking bread wafted from somewhere deeper in the large house, making Quinn's stomach rumble. It was a stark contrast to the outside world of danger and uncertainty.

The room they entered was a communal area, with a large wooden table in the center surrounded by benches and chairs. There was a roaring fireplace at one end, casting warm light and heat throughout the space. The light was soft, coming from candles and a few magical orbs that floated gently in the air, casting a warm glow that bathed everything in a comforting light.

Quinn noticed at least twenty kids here, all of them still wearing their summer camp t-shirts. If she counted them and the ones she saw outside, that was at least forty. She was shocked. There weren’t that many parents out there back home probably worried sick about their missing kids. It made her heart drop. It was bad enough that her own parents were probably climbing the walls but most of these kids looked to be about eight years old.

Several of them were flocked around Sadie, all talking at once.

Quinn found her friends. Charlie, Jake and Kurt were awkwardly sitting at the large table. Heather was off to the side, scanning the room like the ex-soldier she was. Jenny and the blonde girl were at the other end of the table, with two other teenagers---a red haired girl and a blonde boy. Quinn guessed they were probably the other camp counselors.

As she and Ethan approached the table, Jenny looked at him and started crying again. Ethan paused, not sure what to do. Finally though, he took a seat in the middle of the table, far enough away to give Jenny some space.

A few minutes later, the blonde girl from earlier came over and sat across from Ethan and Quinn.

"Hey I'm Jessie" she said sheepishly. "Am I right to believe your name is Ethan?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"That's fucking unreal" gasped Jessie, before shaking her head. "Jen and I have been friends forever. She used to talk about how her big brother used to be, how cool he was."

There it was. Quinn quickly took note of how Jessie seemed to refer to Ethan in the past tense. Almost as if he was gone and no longer around.

A cold chill ran up her spine.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking at Jenny. "That's Jenny Holmes right?"

Jessie nodded. "Yep and you're her big brother Ethan..." She paused and looked back at Jenny for a moment. She then turned back to him. "Her brother who went missing five years ago."

A moment later, an older Elven woman came by and set a basket of bread on the table. Ellara who had been sitting close by spoke to her in their language. The woman nodded and left.

"I asked her to get Teia," she explained. "I think I know what is happening here."

"Good because could someone please explain it to me," said Ethan, shaking. "I'm freaking out here. How could I have disappeared five years ago when I'm right here, right now!"

Quinn bit her lip. There was something she noticed a while ago but her mind had never registered it. It was when they went searching Uncle Mack's truck back at the parking lot. When Ethan got his bag and took out his phone. She was so lost in the moment, she didn't notice it. But now her mind and memory were playing catch up. It was his phone. It was an older model, one from maybe five years ago. It looked similar to hers but it was larger, not as thin. She never even connected the dots.

Now though...

She took a deep breath and asked one simple question: "Ethan, what year is it?"

Ethan gave her a strange look. "What year? It's 2020. Why would you ask me that?"

There it was.

Quinn looked at Jessie. The girl was just as shocked.

Quinn cursed. What the hell was going on? She took another deep breath. "It's 2025".

Ethan opened his mouth, ready to say something. He closed it just as quickly though. He was trying to process what Quinn just said. How could it be 2025? It was a joke, it had to be a joke. It all had to be a joke. That girl only looked like Jenny and had her name and...

He looked at her, he really looked at her. He saw it, he saw his sister. That girl over there. She was maybe fourteen now? It fits. Five years. How was that possible? What the hell was going on?

He looked at Quinn. He wanted to say something to her but before he could, Teia appeared.

"Master and The Chief want to meet with Ethan and Quinn immediately" she said after catching her breath.

Quinn shared a look with Ethan and the two of them nodded.

"Jessie, look after my sister" he said, struggling with the "sister" part.

He stared at Jenny, still trying to connect the now fourteen-year-old version with the nine-year-old version he saw back at home days ago.

Jenny still didn't move from her spot at the other end of the table, the other counselors still comforting her. Ethan wanted to go to her but he wasn't sure what to say or do.

"C'mon" said Quinn, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. "Let's go get some answers".

The two of them left the Boarding House with Teia and Ellara.

They quickly backtracked their journey through the village, finally finding themselves back at the entrance. Ellara led them up a different path, one that went straight to that large house that Quinn had watched Ellara's father, Jarvan, return to.

The house was indeed large, but it was unlike any palace Quinn had ever seen. It was made almost entirely of wood, the same living wood that made up the rest of the village. It grew out of the largest tree in the center, reaching up to its very top, branches weaving in and out of the structure to create balconies and windows that looked out into the forest. It was like the house and the tree were one. It was beautiful in its own right, a true testament to the elf's ability to live in harmony with nature.

There were two guards at the entrance who nodded and stepped aside as Ellara approached.

"They said they'd be in Master's meeting room," explained Teia.

The interior of the house was a marvel. The walls were not just wooden panels but intricately carved with scenes from what Quinn assumed were Elven history and folklore. They depicted battles with creatures that Quinn had only seen in fantasy novels and movies. The ceiling was open to the tree's branches, allowing natural light to filter through. The floor was made of a polished stone that was surprisingly warm underfoot. It was as if the tree's essence had been absorbed into the very foundation of the structure.

They passed by several open doors that revealed cozy looking chambers with large beds made of branches and leaves. Quinn could see elves of all ages moving about, some looking at them curiously, others with a hint of suspicion. It was clear that humans weren't a common sight here. They ascended a spiral staircase that seemed to wind around the trunk of the tree, leading them up to the second floor. The walls here were lined with portraits of elves in various poses of power and grace. Each one had a nameplate beneath it, but Quinn couldn't read the script. It was obviously Elvish.

The third floor was where the meeting room was located. It was the largest room they had seen yet, with windows that spanned from the floor to the ceiling, giving them an amazing view of the village below. The room itself was round, with a large wooden table at its center surrounded by chairs that looked like they were made of twisted vines. There was a roaring fireplace, much like the one in the boarding house, which filled the room with warmth and light. The floor was made of the same polished stone as the one below, but here it was inlaid with intricate patterns that looked like they were made of gold.

Inside, Quinn noticed Ellara's father, Jarvan, Ellara's brother, Narn, and an older Elven woman in a robe. The woman's eyes were closed and she had her hands folded in her lap. She looked peaceful, almost like she was meditating. The tension was palpable as they entered, with Narn's arms folded and a scowl on his face.

"Father this is preposterous" Narn was already complaining.

Quinn was quick to note he was speaking in English, clearly wanting the two of them to know what he was saying.

"When you are in charge, you can decide who can and can not attend meetings," said Jarvan, his voice direct and to the point. "But as it now stands, I am Chief of this village".

Ellara stepped forward, giving the table a bow. "Father, once again I present to you the Outworlders, Quinn and Ethan."

Jarvan smiled warmly. "Thank you, Ellie, you all may be seated now".

Ellara moved to take the spot on the other side of her father. Teia led Quinn and Ethan over to some chairs next to her Master. She shot Narn a look that said enough.

The woman finally opened her eyes and stared at the two Outworlders. She locked eyes with Quinn and smiled.

"This is an informal meeting" started Jarvan, his voice carrying an authority that would make even the President bow to him. "I had meant to formally greet you at dinner tonight but circumstances have taken pressing matters over such trivial things." He turned to the older Elf. "Allow me to introduce our Shaman, Tooga."

The old Elf nodded. "Thank you, your highness".

"I am no longer a King," he reminded her.

Was he sure about that, thought Quinn, feeling the presence radiant off the man.

Tooga then spoke to the Outworlders. "How much of our history with the Outworlders has our princess and my overeager apprentice shared with you?"

"Just the cliff notes ma'am" said Quinn, the old woman chuckled, confused at her choice of words. "I mean just a brief summary of things."

Tooga smiled again then a moment later, she began her explanation. "Three hundred years ago by our standards, there was a large violent storm. Our people were not living in this dreadful forest at the time, we were not a scattering of refugees. We had a king, a palace and an army that few could conquer. During this storm, people arrived in our world. Does this sound familiar to you?"

Quinn nodded. "I figured the storm brought us here."

Tooga nodded. "We believe it was the fracturing of the barrier between our world and yours. When it happened the first time, we were not sure what to believe. The men who appeared in our world that day were different from anything we ever knew. They were humans in green, carrying strange weapons and speaking a language we did not know or understand. They were confused and lost. When our scouts found them, they brought them back to our capital of Grenlyn."

She paused as if remembering something fond and beautiful.

Quinn had a thought. "You said the men were in green with strange weapons?" Tooga nodded, Quinn sighed. "Soldiers".

Tooga nodded. "We did not know that at the time. They said they were from something called the United States Marine Corp and were on a training exercise. They had a strange iron carriage and their weapons spit fight and tore down any and all things they struck with it. We soon began to realize with weapons like those, these men could conquer the world."

Quinn felt the color drain from her face. She had heard this bit already.

"You know that part?" asked Tooga, Quinn nodded. The old woman let out a sigh. "There was a division in these Outworlders. There were one or two who felt we all needed to live in peace. The rest saw an opportunity and wanted to cease it. It didn't take long for the ones who wished to conquer left our city. The two who were against such things stayed behind. One of them, the only woman in the group, had what she called "education". She was called Madeline Morris but in time we all called her Teacher."

"She taught you English, right?" asked Quinn, Tooga nodded.

"Not just your language but your history and mathematics. She was a gentle and kind soul, so caring and..." Tooga sighed. "She is greatly missed by all."

All the Elves looked sad, even Narn.

Ethan finally spoke up. "Wait, this doesn't make sense. Three hundred years ago? The United States didn't have a military force like that, hell we didn't even have a country."

Tooga gave him a nod. "That is why I said the standards of this world. These soldiers claimed to come from the year 2013".

"12 years ago" said Quinn, the pieces falling into place.

"12 years for you, 300 for us," said Tooga with an understanding nod. "We didn't think much of it until another Outworlder appeared. This one claimed to be from 2022. A mere decade after the first ones but centuries apart for us."

"Oh God" said Ethan, finally catching on. "So she really is MY Jenny."

"It would appear so," said Tooga, reaching over and gently squeezing his hand. "We do not know why such things are happening. We thought it was the Gods but asked ourselves why they would send us such men to do horrible things."

"Because they've cursed us," spat Narn. "These people, they are not our friends. They mean to conquer us again!"

"They are mere children you damn fool" snapped Tooga, not caring she addressed a "prince" in such a manner.

"There is one," said Narn. "She bears one of their weapons. I have seen it!" He turned to Jarvan. "Father, we can not allow this. We must imprison these people at once. They are dangerous!"

Jarvan raised a hand. "I don't suppose you have come here to cause us harm?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

"No sir" said Ethan a bit too quickly, clearly not catching the humor.

Quinn quickly spoke up. "Ethan and his uncle were hunting in the forest, my friends and I were on a camping trip. We're not evil people, we're innocents."

"And that woman?" asked Jarvan, taking some of his son's concern to heart. "The one with the weapon?"

"She's a forest ranger," said Quinn, trying to come up with an understandable explanation. "In the forest we were transported from, it was her job to maintain the forest. Make sure people don't do stupid things like start forest fires."

Narn scoffed. "She carries herself like a soldier."

"I think she was one," said Quinn.

Jarvan turned to his son. "If it will make you feel better, put some men on her discreetly. Keep an eye on her."

"Father..." Narn still wasn't happy.

"I am not about to break the promise we made to the Teacher," snapped Jarvan.

Narn lowered his head. "Yes, father."

Tooga turned to Quinn as if to explain. "On her deathbed, the Teacher made us promise that if anymore Outworlders even appeared in this world that we would shelter them and care for them. We Dwellers take our promises very seriously. We live a very long time, all we have is our promises."

The room fell silent.

Jarvan was the first to break it. "As I stated before" he said, looking at his son. "It is our responsibility to offer hospitality and shelter. We shall do so until it is no longer necessary or until our guests decide they no longer want it."

Quinn nodded. "Thank you...your Chiefness".

Jarvan chuckled. "Jarvan will be fine. We do not stand on ceremony here."

Narn glared but said nothing.

"Now with that interesting bit of information out of the way" said the Chief, clearly his throat. "I feel now is the ideal time to discuss what I had wished to discuss later." He looked at Tooga. "I believe this is your expertise, I shall leave this part to you as well."

"Thank you, Highness," said the old woman, ignoring completely what he said about "ceremony" just a few moments ago.

While Tooga waited to explain, Ellara slipped out of the room and soon returned with the rest of their group. Charlie, Jake and Kurt stared around the large meeting room with awe before they were pointed to seats. Sadie was absent but Quinn was certain the little girl was too young to understand. If need be, she'd explain things to her later.

Quinn was quick to note Heather's absence and was happy about it.

"Now that you're all here" said the old woman. "I think it's time I explain the idea of Anointed to you."

"I explained some but Ellara said it would be safer here" added Teia with a happy smile.

"For good reason, child" said the old Elf. "For the Anointed are from the Gods and those who wish to control their powers have eyes and ears everywhere."

The Gods? There it was again.

"Teia mentioned that before" said Quinn "but I'm not sure what your Gods would have to do with us. We're not from this world."

Tooga smiled and nodded. "The Gods have been blessing people with the power of the Anointed for eons. None of us knows why and none of us can detect when and where it might happen. When the first Outworlders appeared, three of them were Anointed, including Teacher. Of the five hundred Dwellers in this village, less than half have been Blessed."

"I have what we call The Touch," explained Teia. "It was what I was able to use on little Sadie. It was also how I was able to tell all of you possessed a gift as well."

"Can you tell what kind of gifts we possess?" asked Kurt, showing interest in something for the first time.

"Yes and no," said Teia, staring at him. "I can only tell if you have used it". She turned her attention to Charlie. "For instance, Charlie has a gift we call Knowledge. It is the same gift that the Teacher had."

At the mention of this, Jarvan and Narn shared a look.

She looked at Jake. "Yours is something we call Rock Skin" She looked at Ethan. We call yours Hawk Eye."

"Wait, mine?" said Ethan, confused. "I haven't used a gift."

Tooga smiled. "Some are easier to see and feel than others. Yours is tied to your skill with the bow. Many of our Scouts have such a gift."

"And Sadie?" asked Quinn, hoping it wasn't something scary that might hurt the girl.

"We've never seen hers before" said Teia "but I know it has something to do with bending light and shadow around herself, disappearing from view."

Quinn had a quick memory. It was the moment she looked into the wardrobe, right before she found Sadie. "Like a shimmer?"

Tooga nodded. "Perhaps. I will need to observe it myself to make sure."

Invisibility.

"What about Quinn?" asked Charlie, realizing no one had said anything.

Tooga stared at Quinn, scrutinizing her. Teia had looked too and while she saw something there, she had not been sure what to call it.

When the old Elven woman spoke, it was cryptic. "She is exactly what we need."

She said no more.

"I think that's enough for now" said Jarvan, interrupting the small discussion. "I think a meal is in order. There will be time later to discuss more things on this".

He stood up, the others did the same. Slowly the Elves started to leave, first Jarvan then Narn. Ellara lingered long enough to order someone to fetch Heather.

Finally it was just the Outworlders alone with Teia and Tooga.

"I wish to discuss this more, perhaps tomorrow?" asked the old woman, Quinn nodded, apparently their unofficial leader in this. "Good. Teia will bring you in the morning."

Then the old woman left.

The group followed her out of the room, Quinn's mind racing with questions she hadn't had the chance to ask. The Teacher, the Anointed, their own gifts...it was all so overwhelming. Yet, there was something about Tooga's words that stuck with her. 'Exactly what we need'. What could that mean?

The dining hall was vast, with long wooden tables and benches that looked like they could seat hundreds. The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of battles and triumphs, the vibrant colors of the threads telling a silent story of valor and loss. The room was already filling up with the scent of a hearty stew and the sound of hungry chatter as villagers took their seats. The Outworlders were directed to a table reserved for them, close to the fireplace that roared with a comforting heat.

On the table were plates of food that looked like they had been plucked straight from a fantasy novel: roast beasts with crispy skins, piles of steaming vegetables, and bread that smelled like it had just been pulled from the oven. There were also fruits that glowed with an inner light and dishes filled with a thick, dark sauce that smelled faintly of chocolate and spices. Quinn's eyes widened as she took it all in. The sight was as overwhelming as the story they had just heard.

Elves young and old approached their table, curiosity in their eyes. They asked about the wonders of Earth: the fast metal birds that flew through the sky, the magical devices that allowed humans to speak to each other from afar, and the vast lands beyond the forests. The children were especially fascinated by the concept of ice cream, their eyes lighting up at the thought of something so cold it could melt in your mouth. Quinn chuckled, trying to explain the delight of a hot summer day and a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

The conversation grew quieter as the group finished their meal. The weight of the day's revelations lay heavily on their shoulders. They were not just lost in a strange world; they had been brought here by a cosmic force and had been granted gifts that could change the very fabric of this land. Or so Charlie was enthusiastically telling them, falling into his stories again.

"Miss Quinn" said a soft voice as some approached her.

Quinn turned to find an Elf woman, no older than twenty or so, wearing an elegant yellow silk dress.

"If you would follow me," said the woman. "I will take you to your room."

"My room?" she asked and looked to Ellara for clarification. "I thought we were staying in the Boarding House?"

Jarvan was the one who answered. "We put the children there because there were too many to house here. You are all my honored guests, I can't very well have you staying there."

Quinn wasn't sure how to react to something like that. She was no one special. None of them were. They definitely didn't deserve to be staying in some place as fancy as this.

Teia leaned in close, all but whispering in her ear. "Take him up on the offer. They can't protect you in the Boarding House."

"Protect us from who?" Quinn whispered back.

Teia cast a look across the table toward Narn. Quinn followed her gaze.

"It's safer here," said Teia.

Quinn nodded and then politely accepted Jarvan's offer.

The servant, whose name Quinn had missed, led her from the bustling dining hall into a corridor lined with more of the intricate carvings that adorned the Chief's house. The walls whispered tales of battles and alliances, of love and loss, of a world so much richer than the one she had left behind. The soft light from the glowing mushroom-like sconces painted the walls with a gentle warmth, casting long shadows that danced with the flickering flames. The floor beneath her feet remained the same welcoming stone, but now it was adorned with rugs that looked like they had been woven by the very forest itself, the patterns intertwining in a symphony of greens and browns.

The door to her room was made of the same living wood as the rest of the house, but it was carved with such delicacy that it could have been the entrance to a fairy's abode. Quinn felt a twinge of guilt for the luxury she was about to be granted, remembering the simple bunks at the Boarding House where the other children slept. Yet, as she stepped over the threshold, she couldn't help but be in awe of the chamber that greeted her. It was larger than any room she had ever seen, with a canopy bed that seemed to have been grown from the very branches of the tree. The bed was draped in silk sheets that shimmered like moonlit water, and the pillows looked like clouds. The walls were lined with shelves that held books, scrolls, and what looked like ancient artifacts.

A small fireplace crackled in one corner, casting a warm glow over the plush rug that covered the floor. The room smelled faintly of cinnamon and pine, a comforting scent that reminded her of home.

"Would you like me to draw you a bath?" asked the girl but Quinn shook her head.

Instead she looked longingly at the bed. Though the sun had barely dropped below the horizon, the exhaustion of the day was finally catching up to her.

"I think I just want to sleep," she mumbled.

"Very well. I shall wake you in the morning. Have a good night" said the girl, who bowed and left.

Quinn barely made it to the bed before she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the most comfortable pillow in the world.

******

Charlie:

After dinner, Charlie's curiosity got the better of him. The stories of ancient battles and powerful gifts swirled in his mind like a tempest. He couldn't just retire to his room and let all these new pieces of knowledge sit unexamined. So, he decided to explore the Chief's home. The house was a labyrinth of twisting corridors and open spaces, each telling its own story through intricate carvings and artifacts.

He found himself stumbling upon a large foreboding room. His eyes widened when he realized it was a massive library, the walls lined floor to ceiling with books, scrolls, and tomes that looked as if they had been penned by the gods themselves. The room was dimly lit by a soft glow emanating from the same type of mushroom sconces that adorned the hallways, casting an ethereal light over the countless volumes. The air was thick with the scent of ink and wisdom.

The library was vast and filled with long wooden tables, each one laden with books and parchments. Quills and ink pots stood at the ready, hinting at the scholarly pursuits of the elves. The silence was a stark contrast to the lively dining hall, a hush that spoke of deep contemplation and ancient secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Charlie's eyes darted across the spines of the books, his gift for Knowledge tingling with excitement. He could feel the power of the words within, whispering to him in a language that seemed to have been lost to time. He reached out tentatively, his fingertips brushing against the leather bindings. The letters danced before his eyes, rearranging themselves into familiar shapes as he read the title of a particularly thick tome: "Chronicles of the Anointed."

It was a thick book and while his curiosity gnawed at him, he decided to leave it for now.

Instead, he wandered over to a cozy little corner with a small table and some large comfy chairs. He sat here, pulling out his Scout's Guide journal and started jotting down their journey since leaving the summer camp three days ago. This was the first time in days that he'd felt safe enough to update their adventures. He started writing about meeting the Elves, how he'd been surprised to learn he could understand their language and how he'd been excited to see that for the most part they fit the Elves from his favorite stories.

While he was writing, he didn't notice he wasn't alone.

The candle in the center of the table flickered and Ellara dropped into the chair across from him.

"You found my favorite spot I see" she said, startling him.

He jumped. "You scared me."

She giggled. It was a weird noise to hear from her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Her voice was like a soft melody, one that could soothe the most frenetic of spirits. Ellara's beauty was indeed mesmerizing, but it was her grace that truly held him in thrall. The way she moved, the way she spoke, it was as if she had been born of this ancient tome of knowledge and elegance itself.

Through the flickering candlelight, Ellara's tanned skin looked as if it had been kissed by the warmth of the sun in a way that was utterly foreign to him. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds, hinting at a wisdom beyond her years. And her hair...it was like a waterfall of midnight with glints of gold scattered through it like stars in a moonless sky.

She wasn't wearing the leathers from before, instead she wore a light dress of a material he'd never seen before. It did well to accentuate her curves, something the armor from before had failed to do properly.

She leaned forward, some of that hair now falling into her face.

"What are you writing?" she asked, genuinely interested.

Charlie smiled. "I call it The Scout's Guide to Another World" he said happily, turning the book to show her.

Her eyes widened as she looked over the pages. "You're documenting everything? That's incredible!"

"I've always loved writing," said Charlie, feeling a little embarrassed. "It helps me make sense of things. Plus, if we ever get back home, people will want to know what happened."

If.

Ellara bit her lip. "You know, something like that..."

Charlie sighed. "I know." He took a deep breath. "Where I come from, there are stories of people being transported to other worlds"

"Really?" she asked, brushing some hair behind an ear.

"Well they're fictional, sadly" he explained. "Fantasy tales. I like to read a lot, but I don't have that many friends."

Ellara looked confused. "Aren't Quinn, Jake and Kurt your friends?"

Charlie shrugged. "We're Scouts together sure but we don't really hang out much outside of that".

In fact, Charlie never hung out with the others outside of Scouts. Each of them had their own friends. Quinn and Alex were practically joined at the hip. Jake, Kurt and Ben were their own group too. Charlie had always felt like the odd man out.

Ellara nodded. "I understand. Sometimes it's hard to relate to others when you have a different path in life".

He couldn't help but feel kindred to her in that way. He'd seen it and heard it. While they were traveling here, the other Elves were standoffish to her. He knew very quickly that she was some kind of royalty, even if her father refused to admit it anymore. The other Elves whispered about her when she was out of earshot, calling her "princess" and other things. They were her peers but not really her friends. It was like none of them could really connect with her. He'd seen her staring at them too. It was the same way he stared at everyone too.

"You're right," he said, closing his journal. "Back home, I was always the one with his nose buried in a book. But here, with all of this happening, it's like I'm actually in one of those stories I read. And I can't help but wonder if we're going to find a way back."

Ellara's gaze softened. "You miss your world," she said gently.

"I miss my family," Charlie admitted, his voice cracking slightly.

Ellara smiled and leaned forward, gently grabbing his hand. "Well you have at least one now."

She then quickly realized what she'd done and pulled away, blushing slightly.

Charlie blushed too.

*****

Quinn awoke to the soft chime of dawn light filtering through the leaves outside her window. The unfamiliar comfort of the elven bed lulled her into a brief moment of tranquility before the events of the previous day came crashing back. She sat up, her eyes adjusting to the gentle glow of the room. There, standing by the bath, was the young servant girl from the night before. She had drawn a steaming bath for Quinn, the water suffused with the scent of wildflowers and herbs that filled the air with a refreshing bouquet.

"I'm sorry" she sheepishly, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "I don't remember your name."

"It's Caelia, miss," said the girl with a bow.

"Right," said Quinn, looking beyond the girl to the bath. "Was that here last night?"

" It was brought in before you woke," said the servant. "I will lay out some clothes for you as well."

Quinn nodded, not used to being waited on.

Caelia excused herself and left the room. Quinn was grateful for that. She still wasn't used to this new body of hers and frankly, she was a bit self conscious about someone watching her bath.

Quinn climbed out of bed and approached the floor length mirror in the corner. She took a good look at herself. Her skin was smudged with dirt and grime from their travels, a stark contrast to the pristine cleanliness of the elven village. Her eyes fell to the clothes she had been wearing for what felt like an eternity now. They were Jenny's, borrowed what felt like an age ago. They felt like armor, like a shield against the confusion and fear she had felt since her world had been turned upside down.

With trembling hands, she began to peel off the layers of fabric that had become almost a second skin. The shirt came off first, revealing the sports bra that clung to her newly developed breasts. The bra still felt so foreign, like it wasn't meant to be there. She quickly reminded herself that it was or it would have been in the future. Being transgender seemed like a distant memory to her, almost as if this world had taken her old self and replaced it with this new her. She would never forget it but it didn't feel real either.

She poked one of her new breasts. She hadn't noticed before but they seemed big. Not that she could really judge of course. The only pairs she'd ever truly seen were in movies and those had always seemed larger than life to her. She had wished over and over to have a pair of her own and now that she did, they felt too big.

Did thirteen-year-olds have breasts this big?

She leaned closer to the mirror, pulling off the bra. They were definitely bigger than they should be right? Not only that, her face was slightly different. She wasn't sure but she looked older. How had she not noticed it before? What was up with her hair too? She'd just started letting it grow back home, it was barely past her chin and now it was brushing her shoulders?

She shook it off, maybe she was just over thinking it. Or maybe something else was going on?

As she soaked, the warmth of the water seeped into her bones, melting away the grime of their journey and the weight of her new reality. Her thoughts drifted to her friends, the other scouts, and the mysteries of their new world. She wondered what had happened to Ben and Alex, and what the future held for all of them as the Anointed. The concept still felt surreal, like a dream she hadn't fully woken from yet.

A moment later, Caelia came into the room.

"Pardon the intrusion, miss," said the servant, laying some clothes on the bed. "When you're ready, I can assist with dressing."

Quinn almost turned beat red. "I can dress myself"

Caelia nodded and left the room.

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, she got out of the tub. There was a towel nearby, she wrapped it around her waist at first but laughed. She readjusted it around her body like a girl should do.

Quinn took a moment to appreciate the clothes Caelia had laid out for her. They were unlike anything she had ever seen before, crafted from a material that was as light as a whisper and as soft as a kitten's fur. The garments were in shades of green and brown that would allow her to blend in with the forest, yet they had an undeniable elegance to them. The tunic looked like it had been woven by a master tailor, the stitches so fine they were almost invisible. The leggings were made of a stretchy fabric that looked like leather but when she touched it, it felt like cotton.

The underwear—if she could call it that—lacked much to be desired though. Sighing, she decided she’d still have to wear the sports bra and panties she had borrowed from Jenny’s bag. Hopefully she could get them washed at some point?

She quickly finished drying off and got dressed. She sighed in comfort, glad to be in clean, fresh clothes again.

Caelia came back into the room carrying a pair of boots.

"These should fit you," she said, holding them out to Quinn.

Quinn took the boots and sat down on the bed to put them on. They were a perfect fit, molding to her feet as if they had been made just for her. She tied the laces tightly and stood up, feeling a surge of gratitude to the elven craftsmanship.

"Thank you, Caelia," Quinn said sincerely, her voice echoing in the quiet of the room.

The servant girl offered a shy smile. "It's my pleasure, Miss. Breakfast will be served in the dining hall shortly."

"I'm starving!" moaned Quinn, her belly rumbling.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door and another servant poked her head in. She said something in Elvish, Caelia nodded.

"Your appetite shall be satiated now" said the servant with a smile.

Caelia led Quinn out of the room and through the dimly lit corridors of the Chief's treehouse, the gentle whispers of the early morning breeze rustling the leaves outside. The path grew wider, hinting at the communal space ahead. As they approached the dining hall, the faint smell of roasting meats and baking bread grew stronger, setting Quinn's stomach to rumble with anticipation.

The grand double doors swung open to reveal a scene that could have been plucked straight from the pages of a high fantasy novel. The room was bathed in the soft light of the dawn, with the same mushroom sconces casting an otherworldly glow over the polished wooden surfaces. The table, large enough to seat an army of elves, was set with an assortment of plates, goblets, and cutlery that shimmered in the early light. Only a few places were occupied, and Quinn's eyes immediately found Charlie, his nose buried in a book at the far end of the table.

Ellara looked up from a plate piled high with what looked like a fruit Quinn had never seen before. Her eyes sparkled with mirth as she took in Quinn's new attire. "Ah, I see you've embraced the elven fashion," she said with a nod of approval. "It suits you."

"My old clothes were rank" she admitted, dropping into one of the many empty seats. "They probably could stand up on their own."

"That would be a sight I'm sure" said Teia with a laugh.

"Quinn!" chirped Mel, happy to see her new friend.

Quinn smiled back. Mel's enthusiasm was infectious.

"Where are the others?" she asked, referring to the rest of their group.

"Ethan went to the Boarding House to spend some time with Jenny" said Charlie, not looking up from his book. "Jake, Kurt and Heather decided to join some of Ellara's men in their morning routine."

At the mention of the Boarding House, Quinn made a quick mental note to visit as soon as breakfast was over. She had a Sadie size hole in her heart that needed to be filled. She had felt a little bad last night that they just left the poor little girl behind like that. The longing for Sadie was triggering a maternal side that was growing particularly fond of since meeting the little girl.

"Which reminds me," said Teia, pausing to bite into one of those fruits. "Master Tooga wants to see Quinn after lunch."

Quinn's stomach sank. "Just me?"

Teia nodded then took another bit of her fruit.

Great.

She finished breakfast quickly and made her way back to the Boarding House.

The moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by a much happier Sadie. The little girl's eyes lit up like twin stars when she saw Quinn, and she dashed across the room to throw her arms around the young woman's waist.

"Quinn!" she squealed with delight. "You're back!"

Quinn knelt down to hug her back, feeling the warmth of her small body against her own. "Of course, I am," she said with a gentle smile. "How have you been?"

Sadie looked up at her with her wide, innocent eyes. "Good!" she exclaimed. "But I've missed you so much!"

Missed me? She'd only been gone a single night.

Quinn felt a warmth spread through her chest as she held the little girl close. It had been less than twelve hours or so since they'd seen each other, but the joy in Sadie's eyes was as if she had returned from a year-long journey. It was strange, this bond she had formed with a girl she had only met a few days ago. But then again, everything was strange these days.

Sadie chattered away, introducing Quinn to the other children at the Boarding House. They were all so different, yet so much the same. Lost in a world that wasn't their own, trying to make the best of it. Quinn couldn't remember all their names but was glad that Sadie was able to reconnect finally with her summer camp friends.

"It hasn't been easy" said Jessie, wandering over while the girls were off playing a little game with some Elf kids.

"For any of us" added Quinn, meaning to connect with Jessie. "How bad was it?"

Jessie shrugged. "Good at first. The Elves explained the time thing. It sounds like we were transported to a few weeks before you guys. The whole camp spent weeks in the forest before those things attacked. Sadie tells me that Mr. Harris is your friend?"

Quinn nodded. "Our Scout Master."

"He was a lifesaver. If it wasn't for him, I'm not sure what would have happened to us" said Jessie, crossing her arms protectively.

"What did happen?" asked Quinn, only seeing the after effects.

"It was bad," said Jessie, rubbing her arms. "They came out of nowhere. They killed the Camp Director and the doctor before we saw them. Then they came pouring in. Mr. Harris and his friend, Bernie, fought them off as best as they could. Then they killed Bernie".

Bernie was the bus driver, Quinn remembered.

"We got pushed further back into the camp, that's when Jenny ran off when she noticed Sadie was missing" Jessie sighed. "We didn't know she could poof vanish back then. I didn't see Jenny again until after. Somewhere in the chaos, the Elves came."

Jessie started to shake, Quinn rubbed her arm.

"That's good enough" she said, Jessie nodded. "We buried everyone"

"Thank you" said Jessie, tearing up a bit.

Quinn nodded solemnly. "It's okay. We're here now."

The two of them joined the girls in their play, a mix of elf children and human campers, their laughter and shouts a stark contrast to the heavy conversation that lingered in the air. For a brief moment, it was almost easy to forget the horrors that had brought them to this alien world. The simplicity of the games was a balm to Quinn's soul, allowing her to just be a kid again, even if it was in a place where she didn't belong.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting shadows that grew shorter and the air warmed to a perfect temperature, the smell of cooking food began to waft over from the kitchens. It was a comforting scent, reminiscent of campfires and outdoor feasts, and it signaled that lunch was near. Quinn felt a pang of hunger and glanced over at Jessie, who had been watching her with a knowing look.

"You should eat something," Jessie said gently. "You've got a big meeting coming up."

Quinn nodded, her stomach rumbling in agreement. They made their way to the kitchen where a group of elf women were busy preparing the midday meal. The sight of the bustling kitchen was comforting, reminiscent of the camp kitchens back home. The smells were different, more exotic, but the warmth and comfort of food being made with love was universal. They sat down at a small table and were soon served steaming plates of food. Quinn picked at her meal, her thoughts racing with what awaited her at Master Tooga's hut.

After what felt like an eternity, Teia arrived, her expression serious. "It's time," she said, her voice a gentle command.

Quinn took a deep breath and stood up, waving goodbye to Jessie and the children. As they walked through the village, she couldn't help but feel the weight of the Elven stares on her. They were curious about the newcomers, especially the one who was to be taken to the great sage. Teia walked with a sense of purpose, leading Quinn through the maze of wooden bridges and walkways that connected the tree houses. The closer they got to the center of the village, the more ornate the buildings became. The carvings grew more intricate, the materials more luxurious. It was clear that Master Tooga's hut was not just any dwelling.

Finally, they reached the hut. It was nestled in a clearing, surrounded by a ring of ancient trees that seemed to whisper secrets to the breeze. The door was made of a single piece of polished oak, adorned with runes that gleamed in the sunlight. Teia rapped three times on the wood, and after a moment, it swung open, revealing a room filled with the scent of incense and the faint sound of chanting. Inside, the old elf sat at a table laden with scrolls, potions, and arcane devices.

Tooga smiled at Quinn. "Welcome my dear" she said warmly, pointing to a wicker-looking chair. "Sit and we can finish last night's conversation."

Quinn took the offered seat. "You mean about my gift?"

Master Tooga nodded. "Your gift is something special, something we have not seen in a very long time."

"And something we wanted to keep from prying ears" added Teia with a grunt.

By prying ears, Quinn assumed she meant Narn. The man was clearly not an admirer of theirs.

Tooga nodded before continuing. "We call your gift, The Hunter."

The Hunter?

She supposed that made a lot of sense. After all, it did feel like she had some strange otherworldly tracking sense. That part she understood, it was the other part...the one that scared her. That insane battle fury of hers that took over and turned her into some kind of killing machine.

"I see the concern etched on your face, child" said the old woman. "It is the same that many in your position have had over the years."

Quinn wondered if the old Elf could read minds too?

"How many people like me have there been?" she asked, wondering if perhaps someone could help her figure out how to control this killing urge.

"For as long as we've been recording Anointed" Tooga took a pause. "Two, including yourself."

Two? So only one other person besides herself.

“And this other person, are they…” she asked, hoping for a good answer.

Tooga sighed. “It was a very long time ago.”

So there it was, she was on her own.

Seeing the look of distress on Quinn's face, Tooga gently squeezed her hand.

"This is not a lost cause child" she said with a reassuring tone. "I have mentored many Anointed on the use of their gifts. While I might not know how to quell this blood lust you fear, I can perhaps help you control it and figure out when it might come about."

Quinn scoffed. "That part is easy."

Quinn quickly told Tooga a rough outline of events from the moment they were transported here to the moment they arrived safely in the village. She detailed her slaughtering of the goblins to save Charlie, finding Mackk and Ethan, spending the night at the ranger's station losing both Mack and Keith. She continued the tale with their time in the summer camp, reuniting with Jake and Kurt, meeting Heather then finally their journey here with the Elves. Including her gruesome second encounter with Grunks where she lost control again.

When she was finished, the old woman pondered her words carefully. "You say your Hunter instinct kicked in when the garkels (goblins) were trying to hurt Charlie and again when those Grunks tried to harm Mel?" Quinn nodded, it was hard to forget. "But not when you were being attacked at the ranger station?"

It hadn't even occurred to her at the time but Tooga was right. Why didn't it kick in when her life was in danger?

"I don't understand," she said.

"If I had to guess, I'd say you truly wanted to save your friends and that's what triggered your "bloodlust" as you call it." The old Elf smiled as she spoke these words.

Quinn pondered that. It was true she hadn't felt the rage when the Grunks were attacking her and the others at the ranger station. She had felt scared, terrified even. But it was only when they were attacking someone she cared about that it seemed to manifest. How had she not seen it? Most likely because she was just so lost in the moment and so terrified of herself afterward.

"It's like... it's like I'm a mama bear protecting her cubs" she murmured.

Master Tooga nodded. "It is a fierce instinct, but it can be channeled. It is a double-edged sword, child. It can bring you peace or destruction. The key is knowing when to unsheath it."

And how to control it, she thought but didn't voice that aloud.

"So how do I learn to use it properly?" she asked, ready and waiting.

Tooga smiled. "I will teach you of course."

For the next three weeks, Quinn and her friends woke to the sound of the distant elf bells that marked the start of the day. The routine was simple yet structured. After breakfast, they'd make their way to Tooga's hut. The lessons were grueling, pushing them to understand and control their newfound powers. Quinn learned to recognize the subtle signs that triggered her 'Hunter' instinct, focusing on the emotions that arose when someone she cared for was threatened.

Master Tooga was a patient teacher, her eyes gleaming with wisdom as she guided them through ancient texts and rigorous exercises. Each member of the group discovered their unique gift, and while Quinn's was the most volatile, she wasn't the only one who had to learn to harness their abilities. After an accident during one of the lessons, they found out that Kurt actually had a healing ability. His training became just as intense as Quinn's.

Ethan had different training too.

He not only worked with Tooga but he and Jake had also taken to training with Ellara's scouts on a daily basis too. After a week of just watching, Quinn joined them as well. She was bound and determined to control Hunter and learn to wield it properly.

Her practice paid off at the beginning of the third week when she was fighting Qosa in a hand-to-hand exercise. The Elf was much stronger, quicker and far more skilled. In a moment of pure adrenaline, her "battle" instinct kicked in. It was like a switch had been flipped. Time slowed down, allowing Quinn to anticipate and counter each of Qosa's movements with an uncanny precision. Her muscles burned and her mind raced, but she felt alive in a way she never had before.

When it felt like she would lose herself to it, she felt control like a switch. In a fluid motion, she swept Qosa's legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground. She was on top of him, panting. She never felt so alive. Ellara and Mel clapped from the sidelines, Qosa was embarrassed. Even Bren seemed pretty amused by it. When Quinn climbed off him, she noticed Narn had been watching as well.

He was glaring as usual. Then turned and walked off.

Heather came sauntering over and slowly helped Quinn to her feet. "He's been watching us a lot" she said, following Narn's receding back with her eyes.

Quinn nodded, wiping the sweat off her brow. "He thinks we're dangerous."

Heather scoffed. "More like he wishes we were".

Living in the village had changed Heather for the better. Now that she was no longer keeping them alive, she'd lowered her guard a lot and turned out to be a decent person. The Elves had seen it too and were very relieved. She even allowed them to keep her shotgun for "safekeeping" until she needed it.

Quinn was glad to see it.

Quinn wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm before wandering over to wear Mel was currently sitting on a wooden bench.

Mel took a swig from a canteen before offering it to Quinn. She took it gratefully, the water cold and refreshing after the intense spar. She took a long drink before handing it back. "Thanks" she said, catching her breath.

"Your hair," Mel said, gesturing to the now mid-back length strands that had grown out over the past three weeks, "it's definitely getting longer."

Quinn reached up to feel the soft waves that had replaced her short locks. The sensation was strange, but she had to admit, she liked the way it felt. It was a constant reminder that she was in a place where time and biology didn't quite play by the same rules she was used to. "It's weird," she said, half to herself. "But I guess that's just one more thing to get used to."

She didn't mention how it had been chin length when they first arrived here. Hair shouldn't grow this fast in such a short period of time.

"It's one of those strange things in the forest," added Mel. "It seems to affect different people in different ways."

Quinn nodded, wondering what else had changed. Her hand absentmindedly went to her hair again. "I guess we're not in Kansas anymore."

"What's Kansas?" asked Mel, giving her the typical confused look.

Quinn thought about explaining but what was the point. "Never mind," she said with a laugh.

Mel just shrugged it off, "Come on, let's go check on the kids."

They found the campers in a clearing playing a game of catch with glowing balls that floated in the air. The children's laughter was like music to Quinn's ears. She watched as Mel effortlessly joined in, her movements as graceful as ever.

It was strange really. In a lot of ways, Mel was much like a typical teenager. It was hard for Quinn to forget that they were in a different world and that Mel was a completely different species. She was so much like the girls that Quinn used to admire from afar and dream of being one day. When she first met Mel, she had considered just being a mutual acquaintance. Except Mel was hard to ignore, she was like energy itself.

Those first three days of knowing her made Quinn feel warm and special inside. Now after weeks, it was like the two of them had been friends their whole lives.

Quinn and Mel had started a daily routine of visiting the Boarding House to eat with the campers. It was a place of refuge for Quinn, a reminder of the life she left behind and the friends she'd made. The children looked up to her, and she found strength in their innocent smiles.

Sadie was finally back to being a normal kid too. Quinn was always happy to see her happy, running and laughing with the other kids. Most of the summer campers were carefree. Kids were versatile like that. They knew things were bad and she had seen some of them crying for their parents but they were on the whole a strong lot. Some of the Elven parents were stepping up too---mothers caring for crying younglings, fathers taking the boys to do boy things. It was easy to see that the community here took care of their own and they adopted these kids quickly.

"It's sad really" said Mel as they sat on a bench, watching Sadie and some of the girls playing. "These kids...being pulled from all they knew...away from their families. It's not fair."

Quinn nodded. "It hasn't been easy."

She wanted to add her own frustrations but she was sure Mel knew. It was hard not too after all. The summer camp kids had been here for almost three months now, according to Jessie's understanding. Quinn and her friends were just coming on a month now themselves. It was a hard thing to adjust to. They were getting there though, little by little.

There were some problems here and there. Charlie moaning about his lack of books and the Internet. Jake and Kurt whining about the lack of TV and their beloved video games. Even Ethan, even though he now had his sister, Jenny, was still acting like he lost the world. Well he had, they all had. Quinn even found herself pulling out her phone from time to time, the battery had died long ago but she still kept checking it for the time or the weather or even missed texts or calls.

That was all gone now. She had slowly accepted that it probably wasn't coming back either.

Quinn watched the children play for a moment longer before she turned to Mel. "You know," she said, her voice a mix of wonder and sadness, "I never thought I'd miss my old life this much."

Mel looked at her, her eyes understanding. "You're finding yourself here, Quinn. It's only natural to miss where you came from."

Mel's words held comfort for her until at least dinner.

Dinner started out well enough. All of them were gathered once again at the large table in the dining hall. The conversation was light and without conflict. Jarvan was very interested in how the training with Tooga was going, asking if they all had yet to master their Anointed gifts. Jake of course was more excited to talk about training with the scouts. Without their games and TV, her scout buddies were now fully focused on other means to get out their pent up aggression.

But as usual, Narn was sitting next to his father as usual, glaring at them. His arms folded tight across his chest and his jaw clenched. He looked like he had just bitten into a rotten apple. It was clear that he wasn't happy. His anger had been simmering since they first arrived and it was reaching a boiling point.

The Chief noticed the tension and decided to address it. "Narn," he said calmly, "I know you have your reservations about our new guests but they are our guests and we are honor bound to aid them where we must."

"Aiding them?' Narn spit it out like it had a nasty taste. "We're not aiding them father, we're teaching them how to betray us!"

Jarvan sighed, clearly fed up with his son's unreasonable manner. "What would you have us do?"

"Lock them up, at the very least! They're dangerous and we can't trust them!" Narn's voice grew louder with each word, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the table.

"Let me prove themselves then," said Ellara, speaking up for the first time. "I have been standing idly by, listening to you gripe like a woman, skulking in the shadows like a thief. If you truly believe that are not worth your time, let them prove otherwise."

Narn scoffed, crossing his arms. "Nothing they do is ever going to convince me"

"Let them scout," said a voice from near the door.

Quinn turned her head and saw Bren coming in. It was his usual time to come in and deliver his scouting report for the day. He turned to Quinn and winked. Their relationship was completely different ever since she saved Mel. Now she could almost consider Bren a friend. He'd been training with her a lot and told her how much she impressed him. He'd also been trying to convince her to join a scouting party for a week now.

Narn looked like he was about to protest but changed his mind. His face perked up and he looked directly at Quinn. "Not them," he said slyly. "Just her."

"What?" spit Ethan, kicking into protective mode.

That was something else that had been changing too. Quinn wasn't sure what to think of it or how to react to it.

"If you mean for them to prove themselves" continued Narn, more controlled and collected now. "Let them do so. I've seen that one train, she is far better than the rest. Tomorrow, my men are setting out on their rotation. Let her accompany them"

Quinn saw calculation behind her eyes. She looked at Ellara, she saw it too. They both knew her brother was probably up to something. Quinn was convinced he wouldn't go as far as to harm her but maybe he was planning to have his men abandon her or something. It definitely wasn't a smart thing to go off into the forest alone with them.

Jarvan rubbed his chin. "I might consider a feat but only if your sister were to accompany her."

Narn was ready for that. "That is hardly the point father. With Ellie there, how then will this human prove her worth?"

"Then my sister" Bren added, standing close to Quinn now, his presence looming and protective as well.

Jarvan smiled, nodding. "It's settled then. Tomorrow morning, Quinn and Mel will accompany Narn's hunters into the forest on their scouting duties."

Narn looked as if he was going to protest but a look from his father shut him up.

Shit, thought Quinn.

But at least she'd have Mel with her.

Dinner after that was definitely soured by Narn. Everyone retired early.

Back in her room, Quinn sat on her bed, her thoughts racing. The soft light of the moon shone through the window, casting an eerie glow across the room. She had a lot to think about. This was all bluster and bravado on Narn's part. The guy was an ass but he did have a right to be so cautious of them. After all, the last Outworlders did use their technology to wage war and destroy their civilization. That didn't mean she liked the guy though. She hated him even more now.

She was also very convinced he was going to have his men try something too.

Grunting, she retrieved her pack from the top of the dresser where it been sitting. She barely looked at it now. She brought it back over to the bed and started rummaging through it, wondering if there was anything still inside. She quickly pulled out a few granola bars, a couple of missed candy bars from the summer camp vending Mackkhine raid and her fingers brushed something cold and steel.

The color drained from her face.

Keith's gun.

She pulled her hand away quickly, scared. She'd completely forgotten about it. She remembered Mack slipping it in there, giving her a look. She knew what he wanted. It was no doubt meant to be a last resort to protect. Honestly, she had meant to give it to Heather. She was still a kid after all. She didn't know how to use it and it was definitely too dangerous. Plus, it did add to Narn's theory that they were dangerous too.

She bit her lip, wondering what to do.

She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Panicking, she tossed the pack on the floor. She quickly jumped off the bed and rushed over to the door. She paused before opening, trying to catch her breath and calm her rapidly beating heart.

A moment later, she opened it to find Mel standing there.

"I brought this for you!" said her friend excitedly, showing Quinn a set of brown leathers like the ones that she and Ellara wore. "Now you look like you belong!"

Quinn smiled. At least one of them was excited about tomorrow's expedition.

"Thanks" Quinn said truthfully, taking the garments from her friend.

Mel frowned. "You don't seem happy?"

Quinn rubbed the back of her head. "This is all Narn's doing."

Mel rolled her eyes. "He's always been difficult. He's a schemer. Even as a child, he twisted and turned his way about things. He likes things the way he likes them and stomps his feet where he can't have it. This is him stomping like usual."

Quinn smirked. "I don't think this is a tantrum."

Mel shrugged. "Regardless, I'll be there with you tomorrow. Nothing bad will happen". Mel nudged her shoulder. "We got this."

Her friend then turned and left, bouncing down the hall. Quinn watched her then closed the door. She sighed heavily. She wished she had Mel's enthusiasm. More than that, she wished she had more insurance. She thought about it as she carried the leather top and leggings over to her bed, laying them gently on the bedside table. Then she bent down and picked up her pack. She looked inside, seeing the gun at the bottom of it.

Mel might be right and tomorrow everything might go perfectly.

But in this world, in her experience, nothing ever went the way it was meant too.

To Be Continued.

Author’s note: As I’m sure all of you know, comments are life blood to an author. I’m not begging or demanding, but I certainly would appreciate anything you have to say (or ask). It doesn’t have to be long and involved, just give me your reaction to the story. Thanks in advance...EOF