The jungle did not grow kinder with time.
Four days passed since they'd first stepped under its dark green canopy, and every step forward felt like dragging through a world that refused to be tamed. The group moved in silence for long stretches, their bodies growing weary, their minds dulled by the constant hum of insects and the oppressive heat that rose like a wall each morning.
The air was thick with moisture. Clothes clung to their backs, soaked in sweat and jungle stench. Even the balm Von had made—which had saved them from the worst of the biting insects—was now more of a curse than a blessing. The smell had become part of them. They no longer noticed it unless someone fresh groaned about it anew.
