The road they followed wasn't really a road at all—just a worn track through the trees where the underbrush gave way to hardened dirt. Morning had passed quietly, and now, as the sun crept toward its zenith, warmth trickled through the canopy, dappling their path with light. The air was still and rich with the scent of sap and wildflowers.
Nova walked a step behind Theo, her thoughts wandering. Her legs moved on instinct now, used to the rhythm of travel, but her mind was anything but steady. Questions turned in her head like restless birds—about the world, about what came next, and more often than she'd admit, about Theo.
He hadn't said much since they broke camp. Neither had she. Silence had become its own form of comfort, a thread between them that didn't need words to mean something.
Behind them, Ayen hummed softly under her breath, the sound faint but soothing. She had braided her hair back and tucked a sprig of some fragrant herb behind one ear—an odd, gentle rebellion against the wildness around them. Nova glanced back once, catching Ayen's eye. The other girl smiled, tired but warm.
They were still here. Still together.
The path sloped gently upward, leading them to a ridge overlooking a quiet valley. The trees thinned at the crest, and Theo stopped to let them catch up. Nova reached his side, and for a moment, they simply stood in silence, taking in the view.
Below, a river wound its way through a patch of open grassland. There was movement in the distance—a herd of something grazing, too far away to identify. Smoke drifted faintly on the wind, thin and almost imperceptible, curling from somewhere near the riverbank.
Theo saw it too.
"Smoke," he murmured.
Nova nodded. "Could be people."
"Could be something else," Ayen said as she stepped up beside them. Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Animals. Wildfire. A trap."
Theo exhaled slowly. "We'll get closer. Carefully."
They descended into the valley with quiet urgency, moving between trees and thick brush. The closer they came to the river, the more signs they noticed—disturbed grass, snapped branches, and prints in the dirt. Footprints. Human.
Nova's heartbeat faster.
They stopped just beyond the last trees before the clearing. From their vantage point, they could finally see the source of the smoke: a campfire, nestled beside a collapsed structure. Beside it sat a small figure, hunched over with their back to the flames.
A child.
Nova stepped forward instinctively, but Theo's hand shot out, firm against her shoulder. "Wait."
"We can't just leave them," she whispered sharply.
"I didn't say that," he said. "Just… give me a second."
They watched. The child didn't move much. No sign of others. No guards, no obvious danger. After a moment, Ayen stepped up beside Nova and gave a small nod. "Looks alone."
Theo exhaled and stood. "Alright. Let's move."
Nova was the first to reach the edge of the clearing, her voice low and careful. "Hey… hey there. Are you okay?"
The child—no older than ten, maybe eleven—looked up, startled. Wide eyes. Gaunt cheeks. Dirt-smudged skin. A long pause passed before the kid spoke.
"You're not one of them."
Nova blinked. "One of who?"
The child stood slowly, his limbs stiff. "The loud ones. The ones with the drones. They come through here sometimes. I hide."
Theo's voice was tight. "When was the last time?"
"Yesterday. Maybe the day before." The child scratched his head, unsure. "They don't look like you. They don't talk like you. They scan everything."
Ayen stepped forward now, crouching. "What's your name?"
"Rell."
Nova kneeled beside him, gently. "We're not here to hurt you, Rell. We're just trying to survive, like you."
He nodded slowly, eyes searching each of their faces. "Then you shouldn't stay here long. They come back. Always do."
Theo exchanged a look with Nova. It was unspoken, but the decision was made—this boy wasn't being left behind.
"Do you want to come with us?" Nova asked.
Rell hesitated for a long moment. Then, with a solemn nod, he whispered, "Yes."
As they moved to break down the boy's makeshift camp, Nova caught Theo watching her. His gaze wasn't hard or distant—it was thoughtful. She met it with a small smile.
"You did good," he said.
Nova shrugged. "Just did what anyone would do."
Theo didn't argue. But the way he looked at her said otherwise.
The four of them set off together again, the valley stretching behind them, smoke curling faintly into the sky.
For the first time in days, Nova felt something close to hope. Not certainty, not safety—but the faintest trace of a future. A thread to follow.
And for now, that was enough.