Wild Boar

SLADE POV

(THAT SAME NIGHT)

I gritted my teeth and shoved the snaking vine away from my hand. This was the second time I had to push it aside, and I was getting tired of it. Glancing at Jude, I saw that he was also struggling to make his way through the dense forest. It seemed like the journey had no end.

The first time I came here, it was smooth sailing. But today, I was experiencing all the roughness I had heard about on my way to the hills of no return. A creeping sense of doubt began to take hold of me. Would I even make it back home alive?

As we trudged along, I spotted a large oak tree and grunted, "How about we rest there for a while? We can't keep going like this without passing out from exhaustion."

Jude panted and bent over, clutching his knees. "I would love to," he grunted. "But do you remember all the obstacles we faced on our way here? It's insane. I don't recall the journey being this crooked and difficult."

His brows furrowed as he scanned our surroundings before turn