All of them woke simutaneously, without a second delay.
The old man is now looking at me, he says.
"I'll explain things to them, please interrupt if I miss anything." I nod my head in agreement.
'I'm worried about how the children will react'. I begin to think, a rising termoil enters my mind, I deeply breath removing the over thinking from my mind.
Focusing back on reality, I return to the moment.
Not needing to voice anything we both walk towards the group of ignorant and lost people.
"Hey there". I say while helping the young girl up, she was weary of me.
Once I had aided in getting her on to her feet, she quickly takes some steps back, realising I am not her father.
Sigh*
Heaving a sigh, I go and help the boy around the same age as her, she clearly feared me.
He was less fearful, seemed used to being around strangers.
"Sir, do you know where we are?" He asks me without any hesitation.
I shake my head side to side, knowing I cannot truly answer him.
"I cannot answer your question right now, but no need to worry, we will figure it out, I only know the obvious". Instead of straight up saying no, I decide to say it in a way that will make him worry less.
It worked, he seemed to think, this kid is intelligent.
"Okay, you are all adults, I'll trust you!" He says with obedience, I smile at his foolish yet smart actions.
"Go wait with that young girl". I tell him while pointing, he jogs to her with no reply, the young girl stud nearer to the tree.
Renard had easily helped the other two, enough to where they were talking.
I walk to them I join in, while also keeping an eye on the children.
"Do they know the basis of their current situation?". I ask, while analysing the facial expressions of the new recruits,
even though where we are is obvious it's best to let these guys know more than the kids.
"Yes, we know". The middle aged man says with a deep voice, looking into his eyes, I know he is not an ordinary fellow, strong.
"Yes, thanks for watching over us". The teenager thanks me, he is more anxious, I can tell he's somewhat of a pushover.
I wave my hand. "No need to thank me, I'm sure you would do the Same." I say with confidence and truth, not wanting to feed into his lack of confidence I begin with kindness.
"Hm". The middle aged man stares at me, I smile.
"My names, Leon, yours". I copy the greeting me and the old man had just done moments prior.
"I am Adam". A weird radiance was felt when he spoke his name, he accepts my hand shake, peering into his eyes, I'm sure of it, he is not a normal man.
His grip is strong, we release after 3 seconds.
I do the same with the boy, nothing too special to note.
Now having all greeted each other, we all look to the youngest people here, who I had still kept an eye through this small interaction.
"How can we look after them, hopefully they'll be good". The teenage boy says without much thought.
"Hm, they'll be good!" The middle aged man says, as if he already knew.
"So are all of us going to explore?". The middle aged man says, knowing I'll be on the search party if we do, I allow Renard our now pusedo leader to take charge.
"Yes, day seems to still have some hours". He says gazing past the encompassing tree branches, I ready myself.
'Okay, nothing too dangerous is gonna happen!' I tell myself, having not gone walking or hiking much, this environment was frightening for me.
"Since, I have more experience with exploring, I would have to go, Adam as you just told me, you'll make the shelter.".
"Why are we not looking for a town?" The boy asks.
The oldman looks to him.
"Boy, this is the afterlife, did me and Adam not just talk about this?". The boy scratches his head in embarrassment, he remians quiet.
'The afterlife?' I question to myself.
'Why is he so sure, this is more life like, than where I had lived before.'
Shaking my head, removing the unneeded thoughts.
"Hey!" Adam says while he jogs with a smile, he heads to the two children, as if they already knew him, they listen to him with much less resistance compared to me.
'The aura of a father'. I think to myself, Renard gathers me and the boy, ready to tells us our plan.
"Our best track to find a river is to walk down hill or find valley bottems, even animal tracks will help." He tells us, since the information is easy to take in he has no need to repeat himself.
"First we will go to the berry bush I found, and pick some berries, just so we sure the kids can eat tonight !" He tells us.
"How will we carry them?". I ask, he feels around his trousers, no pockets, the boy looks to me quietly then bald to Renard.
Renard stops his train of thought and looks to the ground, he leans down and rips three giant leaves of a plant stem.
"Let's use these". He passes us the abnormally big green leaves.
I took it without resistance while the boy took it with a bewildered expression.
"I don't remember leafs being this big, are they a unknown species?" He asks both me and Renard, I answer.
"Seems to be, I too have never seen such a leaf either". He smiles.
"Awesome". He raises his fist, I smile.
'Everyone seems to be taking this way too easily, whatever, maybe I'm worrying too much".
"Stop this dilly-dallying, we need to go". Renard says, we follow.
"Remain quiet, we need to be able to hear running water". He tells us, obviously listening we continue.
'Stone stubs?' Renard was following a trail of stone stubs until we approached another clearing.
"Over there". He points, mine and Dale's, face looks toward the direction Renard is pointing in.
Next to the clearance, only a little to the right, was a wall of thorns, that clearly wasn't where we will be guided to.
We follow Renard his pase was much faster than I had thought, we enter the clearance, and there it was, a massive berry bush.
It's height was at least 6ft its width is double.
"So many berries!" I shout. Renard smirks at my shout.
"You are right, meaning winter isn't for another 4-5 months." Renard adds.
Renard looks to Dale. "Boy, do you know how to pick berries?, we don't want a single one wasted!".
He says with an utmost seriousness!
"No, please show me!". The boy truthfully answers, his anxiety hard to hid.
I move my gaze back to the bush.
"Okay!, I assume you know how too". I look to Renard while putting my thumbs up.
"Yes, I'll get to collecting". I hold, the pouch I had formed from the leaf, I make sure it's even,
Once I had done that I begun to pick, making sure to get the properly ripe ones.
"First of make sure you get the dull ones, not the shiny ones, make sure they are plump too, they are easy to tug off, don't use too much force. Let me show you."
Plop*
Renard uses his index finger and his thumb to swiftly and skillfully pluck a berry.
A plump blackberry was easily removed from its attachment, the boy made sure to have a good look on how Renard grabbed it.
"I think I understand!". Dale evening out his leaf within his left palm copies the old man's movements, he has a different idea to how he wants his leaf to hold stuff compared to me.
He makes sure to scan the area he had chosen finding what he deems to be the finest berry, and instantly plucking it, it wasn't as perfect as Renards but enough for him to get a good grasp of what he needs to do.
Renard let the boy do as he pleased, and followed what Leon and Dale are doing.
Once all their leaves were half filled Renard gathered them in a small group.
"We will head back to drop these off, then we'll find the water source". Renard commands, both of them agree and follow Renard back to the camp.
Walking back was just as smooth as going to the bush.
Arriving at the camp, they see Adam teaching both the children how to turn plant fibre into rope, being on guard Adam notices them without fail, he send both the children over to collect the berries.
"Berries!, Yey". Ashley the young girl squeals.
The boy next to her nods.
'Hmm, Adam is good with kids, they were just so fearful only 15minutes ago, now the girl is comfortable enough to express her excitement'. I think, I look around the camp I see a small pile of bark, and shaven sticks and branches next to it.
"Come now Leon!" Having been thinking I hadn't noticed Renard and Dale leaving, I quickly turn around and sprint to them.
"Sorry!" I say.
"We are looking for water now right!?" Dale asks happily, his anxiety that he had been showing disappearing for a moment.
Renard nods, smiling and glad that the people around him are hard working he smiles.
Seeing Renard smile I too couldn't help but copy.
Whoosh**
Topp*
A white bouncing bunny swiftly moved past us, almost colliding with Renard
"What!" I yell with shock, a massive bunny just hopped passed us, I look to Renard, his smile grew wider.
He began following the bunny, me and Dale swiftly joined, he wasn't annoyed at the fact that we weren't paying much attention.