Saturday had just begun for the curious Bobby and the intrepid Wane, each one with a camping backpack; Wane, in particular, had on her left leg a gun holster, occupied by the weapon in question and loaded with plastic pellets.

A wooden arch stood before them as the entrance, leading to a dirt road that pierced through the depths of a lush forest. Behind them a country house stood gracefully and modestly, its oak frame as clean and strong as the day it was built; a carpet of green grass connected the building, its surroundings, and the road as if the house was a green oasis that separated the human world from the wild reality of nature.

The last member of the trio looked confused as, behind her, the yellow car that had brought her and Bobby there was going further in the distance.

"I thought Uncle Linc would be accompanying us…" She said before approaching Bobby, "Why would he leave us?"

Bobby turned to her, "Ahm… Loan, I told you earlier that you would be the one who would take care of us."

"Wh-wh-what?!" Loan couldn't stop her body, the trembling in her arms was imminent, "BB-Bobby, I thought you were talking about an arcade game or something like that, I do not know about camping, I m-mean, I can barely survive with mom watching over me!"

"Don't worry, Wane will be the one taking care of us, she has experience."

Wane then turned to the disturbed girl, confusion the first reaction she got upon seeing her. "Right, we haven't introduced ourselves. You must be Loan, right?"

"Yes…" Wane extended her hand to the girl, to which Loan responded by shaking it weakly. "My Name is Loan. Wane Geraldine, ri-right?"

Wane nodded, "a pleasure, Bobby has told me a thing or two about you. I hope you can enjoy the experience. The wilderness can be a good teacher."

"Surviving this day will be enough for me…" Loan said as she scratched her neck. Bobby immediately saw what that sign implied.

Oh no … the situation is already getting on her nerves.

"Loan, do you mind if you take me by the hand? It'll make me feel safer," Loan immediately agreed to the request, her recurring crooked smile showing no shame.

It's a white lie… but it doesn't matter as long as it makes her happy.

And so the trio ventured into the forest, although the first few minutes could be considered more like a simple walk.

Wane took advantage of the freedom of this safe stretch to give free rein to his desires. It took her less than a minute to run vertically through a tree, jump towards one of the branches, propel herself towards the branch of another tree and use the same momentum of the jump to end up standing on a thick branch. She was now cautiously watching the nearby landscape while standing about ten feet above her other two friends.

"Nawara!" Exclaimed the girl, emphasizing the last vowel. "These forests are really dense, I'll need to climb more if I want better information about our surroundings..."

Loan arched an eyebrow, "Nawa what?" Wane subtly came down from the tree, allowing Loan to ask her directly. "That word you just said, was that Japanese?"

Wane laughed at the comment, and apparently from Loan's slight growl, she didn't seem to like that reaction. The young adult now looked uncomfortable.

"Loan," Bobby tugged at her sweater, "it's just a saying. You'll get used to those."

"I just want to know what she said?!"

"From the tone she used…" Bobby brought his hand to his jaw and rubbed it a couple of times, "maybe she was impressed."

Wane snapped her fingers and smiled at the boy. "It seems that you are already learning how to translate me. I knew naming you the boy of the plan so early was a good decision. But for now, the important thing is that I am the girl of directions, so follow me!"

Wane waved at them, beckoning the real journey to begin. Along the way, Bobby and Loan gathered the fruits and branches that Wane indicated in preparation for when they found a good place to camp. As the road became less clear and the directions being taken became more difficult to regain, Bobby made sure to check on Loan.

The girl in question, albeit sweaty, did not seem concerned during the expedition; surely, a relief for the little Bobby who could now have the pleasure of seeing the forest around him and all its details.

Birds and insects hovering over them subtly through the foliage leaping from branch to branch as if swimming through the air, squirrels scampering from the branches, a little fox that escaped as soon as it made eye contact with them.

Together with the existence of these animals, the shadows and lights struggling to reach the bottom of the forest gave fueled the boy with a fuzzy feeling, as if each focal point of the sun that arrived was something unique; every animal and plant touched by the light seemed to harness more detail while at the same time the darkness left behind gave a mysterious sense to the surrounding of each chosen spot.

To finish the mix, the forest had a mist looming in the distance, a foggy wall that intrigued little Bobby and fueled his desire to find what other things the forest was hiding away from him.

It's almost like a dream...

The joy of the moment overtook Bobby and made him jump several times as he laughed, shocking Loan by accident.

"Uh, huh?!" Loan approached her face closer to the boy, "Is there something wrong, Bobby?"

"It's just that I'm really excited," he said, the smile still imprinted on his face, "it's the first time I come to a forest. it seems like I'm in another world."

"Quite a cozy world to be sure," Wane added to the conversation, "You know, I would have loved to have such a place when I was little. But meh, the past doesn't matter anymore, what matters is that now we have this place for ourselves."

After a long time they came across a stream, which Wane saw as the best place to pitch the tent for camping.

"Well guys, let's see what we have so far..." she said before pulling a green fabric out of her backpack and put it on the floor, Bobby dropped his branches there, and Loan, the fruits. "Excellent, we'll just need more wood, some stones, some dry fiber, and meat. You can stay here and look for the easy things while I go hunting something… I can bet that there must be some animals nearby this little river."

"Ahm…" Bobby scratched his cheek, "Wane, you can't hunt here… at least not the animals you are thinking of right now."

"What?! Chamo que chimbo..."

Bobby quickly told Loan that the expression was yet another one of Wane's slang, after that he turned back to her friend, "I brought some food so we don't have to worry too much."

"No, no, no, we'll have none of that," Wane said before adjusting her sleeves, "We'll have the full experience! I'm sure no one would care if I took some fishes."

"Well ... I think there will be no problem if you take a few," Loan added to the conversation.

Wane took the longest of the branches out from the bundle, produced a knife from her backpack, and began to carve the tip of the wood. "Leave your things here and go get what we need, by the time you get back I'll have about three fish for dinner."

Loan had placed her free hand on her chest, a grimace showing on her face.

"Loan, what's it with that face?"

The young woman's eyes had suddenly widened, something bad was happening for her.

"Loan, speak to me, please."

"I-it's funny that you mention it... I-I just realized that I left myself g-get distracted." Her hands turned into fists, the remaining pillars of her inner strength, "I left all my trust in the hands of a child, did I really thought that a little girl could be our guide through the woods?" those pillars started to tremble. She was on the verge of collapsing, "ha, haha ... How much of a dumbass I can b-"

Wane intervened before Bobby could comfort her, "Hey gafa!" His cold tone and dry "Bobby has a radio inside his backpack, surely the other one is in the house, " Wane looked at Bobby, who immediately affirmed, and then looked back at Loan, "See? It's all fine. Go in a straight line and mark the trees with numbers from least to greatest, so it will be difficult for you two to get lost. And don't worry too much, even if something happens, it will not take me time to find them."

Loan relaxed upon hearing those words, even though the tone used was undoubtedly rude ... Bobby knew this but taking into account that Loan did not seem upset, he decided to ignore the matter temporarily and move on, taking his cousin by the hand and leaving with her from the clearing.

Once away from Wane, Bobby wanted to make sure he knew how his cousin was feeling.

"Loan, are you okay? I know Wane was a bit rude, but I assure you she has no intention of..."

"Oh, don't worry Bobby, I'm really used to it…" the girl smiled, but her drooping eyes showed another feeling, "It comforts me to know that we have an emergency plan in case something goes wrong. That's enough for me."

Those words had made Bobby even more concerned. The beautiful forest around him no longer occupied the slightest bit of his attention, his gaze was fixed on the melancholy imprinted on her cousin's face.

"Loan… you shouldn't…"

"C-can we just not talk about me?!" Loan then turned to her cousin, "I-I just want to enjoy this moment, " Her eyes were then distracted by the landscape, "If I didn't realize earlier about the situation we are in, it was because I was very ha-ha-happy to do it."

The girl inhaled slowly, her face now sporting an expression of serenity, "By this time I would have a panic attack from being alone here, well I almost got one, hehe." She then turned her eyes to the side, "But when I'm with you, I feel like everything will be fine. I'm even liking the idea of going out more often."

Bobby noticed a faint blush on Loan's skin, followed by this he realized that his cousin caressed the union between their hands from time to time. He wasn't sure, but he liked to believe that his cousin had a high esteem of him... maybe even ... that she even shared the same kind of affection that he had for her.

He usually didn't think much about his relationship with his cousin, they had barely met after all; And yet, she had been very affectionate to him from the start, letting his honeyed side be at ease, caring for him, looking for ways for him to have fun… sometimes even against her own well-being.

And while his gaze remained fixed on her, he couldn't help but think about what he could lose by not taking care of that beautiful relationship that had been formed. On game nights, seeing that smile on her face when she received him in the afternoons ... the warmth of her body when she hugged and pampered him when they watched television together... and how her soft breasts pressed against his back-

Huh?! The boy turned itself and shook his thoughts back to reality, BJ, you shouldn't think about that!

"Bobby, are you okay?" - The boy let out a slight moan of fright when he saw his cousin, "You got a little red..."

"Uh ... ah. Yes," The boy replied, panic increasing the speed of his words, "It's just that I feel a little tired, my jacket and backpack are roasting me," he lied quickly before taking off his backpack and putting it on the ground, giving more truthfulness to his words. He took out one of the blankets from the backpack and threw it towards one of the branches that were nearby.

"I said is best if we split if we want to gather all the things Wane told us to get, the blanket will serve as a guide point, I will look for the right and you can go..."

Loan caught his hand before it could finish pointing to the other direction, the girl's eyes were smaller than usual, and the way she breathed was rushed.

"Bobby, I love this forest, I love the dreamy aura it has, the sounds of the birds and the wind, and the beautiful green that covers everything… but."

Loan avoided looking directly at him, her anguished face turned elsewhere, to a place she could hide what she didn't want to be seen.

"But as soon as I part with you I know that those sounds will turn into screams of agony and that shadows will come from the dense foliage ready to haunt me. My head will find the ways to turn this place into a nightmare."

It was there that Bobby realized that what Loan wanted to hide was hatred, hate to herself? Hate Towards her condition? He wasn't sure.

"I must look like a fool... we'll only be apart for a few minutes... and I'll be able to see you at all times. And even so…"

"Loan, everything is fine" Bobby smiled at her, "You're no fool. We all have our difficulties, and these can't make less of us. Also, I am glad to know that I can help you."

The two stared at each other for a while, savoring how that sweet moment nurtured the roots of their relationship.

Until…

"Hey, tortolos!"

Bobby and Loan let out a shrill moan of fright in unison. Wane was behind them, her right hand holding two salmon and a trout by the tail, while in her right a knife dripped traces of water and blood. The girl's firm pose and her chest puffed out with pride.

"While you two were looking at each other's pimples, I actually worked. Come on, I already prepared the fire, these fish ain't going to clean themselves. I'll need one of you, so get back here! You can continue what you were doing when you two get to be abrazaditos in the tent in the night." She said with a grin on her face, her arms gesturing to the act of hugging.

Still embarrassed, the two followed the redhead back to the clearing. When they arrived they saw that two stakes were holding two other salmon close to the fire, Wane quickly clarified that she had prepared them for Loan as a gesture of good faith. Just after that Wane motioned to Bobby to follow her to the river for there was a smooth flat rock that could be used as a cutting table.

Wane then placed the trout on top of the stone, handed the two salmons to Bobby, and proceeded to remove the spines and scales from the fish, her expertise so far beyond the boy's comprehension that he was only able to see a series of random events that resulted in a clean fish ready to be put on the fire.

Wane then took the fish and passed the knife to the boy, "Ready, now it's your turn."

"Uh… what?! I barely understood what you just did. No, I just lied, I didn't even understand what I saw!"

"Oh~ right, I should have taught you, hehe… sorry," Wane took the knife again and gave the prepared fish to the boy. "Okay, pay attention, I'll make sure to go slow this time."

"Understood."

Wane stared at him for a brief moment, her inquiring eyes a preamble to what he was going to say, "Why are you so far away? Come closer, I don't want you to miss anything."

Puzzled at first but finally compliant with the request, Bobby shortened the distance between them from a few inches to millimeters. Once there, the girl began to explain in detail how to deal with the animal, how to remove the less important limbs, how to hold it when passing the knife to remove the scales, and how to open it and remove the prominent spines."

At the end of the teaching, Wane left Bobby alone with the last prey while she placed the other two fishes close to the fire. The boy started with the right foot, but soon he felt unsure of his abilities, the scales didn't seem to come out, the cuts on the limbs were bad and uneven... and he did not remember how his friend had managed to open the animal.

"It seems that you still have some problems, don't worry, you will get the hang of it with time. here, I'll help you."

Upon hearing that Bobby thought that his friend would take over the reins and finish by herself, but to his surprise, Wane stepped behind him and took both of his hands, her head now resting on the boy's shoulder.

"Well, I've always said that to learn something you have to do it yourself, so this is the closest I can get to helping you without taking away the experience."

Wane's body was a truly new experience for Bobby, the intense heat radiating from her, one that was comforting in the cold weather around them was something entirely new for him. It wasn't like Loan's warmth, it was something that could make him sweat if it weren't for the cold water beneath him.

The feeling of his hands being forced to move quickly brought him out of the trance caused by that new feeling, and soon that same warmth helped him calm down and focus more on his task.

"You know, your hands are soft," Wane commented in a low tone.

"Uhm ... Thank you?"

"No chico, seriously, they are way too soft. It's weird."

"Well, I wouldn't consider that heat you emanate normal either, so we both have something weird going."

"Believe it or not," Wane then pressed her cheek against the boy, "if anyone here is going to win by being exceptional, that will be me."

Bobby had finished cutting the salmon, so Wane released him from her grip, and he as a response gave her an honest smile, "a competition to see who gets to be the weirdest one? I like how that sounds."

"No, no, no. We are not weird, boy. Unique. Well, at least I have yet to see another girl my age capable to do what I ... oh yes ... Leia...

Wane's voice grew colder as she said the name, one that Bobby recognized.

"Leia? Leia Loud?"

"Yes, one of your cousins. I don't think she's can survive in the forest the way I do, but she's certainly someone capable of coping with me."

But she is only seven.

"That just makes her a worthier rival," Wane then took the fish from Bobby, "But that's a topic for another time, we're going to prepare these, it will take time to cook them, and while we're at it I also want to prepare a few traps."

The duo returned to the mainland, where the first thing Wane did after putting the food in its place was to find his backpack, from which she extracted a few strings. For his part, Bobby went for his flute and a sheet of paper with notes to practice.

Loan considered that she had eaten enough fish, which translates into about four bites, so she went to her cousin's side to support him while he practiced.

Bobby had been practicing in his spare time, and in the process, he received several tips from his Aunt Luna to control the use of his diaphragm, which resulted in better notes and that he was starting to miss fewer notes.

Loan enjoyed the quiet practice, and at some point Wane found herself humming the notes while she made nets with the strings she had brought.

After some time Bobby asked Wane why she was making a net, to which Wane replied in a dry tone: "Moose."

Wane said nothing more, she was too focused to expand more on the matter. At the same time, Bobby had a hunch that this was something he didn't have to touch on.

The fire finished to cook the remaining fishes long after, and Wane wasted no time and wrapped the food in aluminum, the one that was covering the lunch boxes Bobby had brought.

With nothing occupying the immediate attention of the team, they could focus on pitching a tent for the night and fun. For Bobby, just seeing nature was quite entertaining, but his friend was already used to the place; Wane's idea of fun required physical effort.

What would it be this time? Wane called it jujitsu.

For Bobby the word was new, on the other hand, the sudden change of expression in Loan made him realize that she did know.

"Do you know what that is?"

"A-a martial art focused on grabbing and using the enemy's body against him, focuses on subduing the adversary, or that's what I understand."

"And besides," Wane was quick to intervene, "It's a combat style that works specifically to defend you."

That last detail brought a smile to the boy's face, "Hey, I like the way that sounds."

Wane nodded and got to work, if she wanted to practice they would need a safe place to do so. The first thing she did was gathering leaves to make a bundle on the ground; it'll take her some time to get everything ready for them. So, meanwhile, Loan took the opportunity and approached her cousin to ask him about that new facet that was unknown to her until now.

"I didn't know you'd like something like this."

"Eh? No, I hate fighting, hehe," he said before looking at his cousin, "I only do it because I want to be able to stay strong and firm against the bullies..."

At that moment, Bobby instinctively turned to his friend.

"And… well, I also want to be able to defend the people I care for."

In a rush of emotions, possibly due to the tenderness of the moment, Loan caught him in a warm hug and squeezed her face into his curly hair.

"Hehehe, stop, it tickles!"

"You're a sunshine Bobby..."

Loan stared at him, her face perky but her eyes lost on something beyond what Bobby could see. The moment lasted a few seconds before Loan withdrew quickly and began to apologize.

"Hello, did you two finish?" Wane shouted, her mischievous and toothy grin a preamble to her battle cry "Quiero coñazooooooos!"

The girl pounced on the little boy, pulled him, and then threw him onto the bed of sheets and leaves, thus forcing the start of their training session.

Loan did not look positively at Wane and her methods at first. But the girl knew Bobby's limits and avoided hurting him at all costs. Little by little the young blonde's disturbance dissipated, and with it, it seemed that she realized that Bobby was amused by spending time with his new friend."

Although, those confused looks she gives Wane every so often are strange… Bobby thought seconds before his right hand was caught…

"Wo-Wow!"

… And his body shot to the ground. Wane had one leg on the boy's neck and the other on his chest, while she used her body to flex the boy's arm.

"If I remember correctly," Wane then mitigated part of the force used in the grip, "once you have your opponent in this position you just have to push your abdominal section up with force and the joint of the arm will help you subdue the fool who wants to mess with you. I advise you to use the leg that is on the chest to push yourself upwards, while the other is pressed on the neck to control the fool. Understood?

"This one seems easier..." Bobby said before noticing two small details in that grip that soon made his blood flow faster for unwanted reasons. "I think I got it, can you let me go?"

"Hey, hey is that fear what I hear?"

Bobby by inertia turned to his cousin, the confused look on Loan's eyes turning into one of bewilderment and shyness. Apparently, she had noticed too.

"I-it's just that, I'm kind of uncomfortable..."

Because I'm touching your chest and crotch at the same time!

The boy thought before allowing himself to panic inside his head

Aaaaaaaaah this is embarrassing!

"Oh… well, I'll believe you this time, " Wane said before getting the poor boy out of his torment, "but only cuz I'm already starving."

Apparently, Wane didn't realize what had happened, mistaking the reaction with fear towards the grip. The boy considered for a brief moment that event as some facet of Wane to learn in-depth later; once done writing his mental note, Bobby returned his focus to his cousin and the shocked look on her eyes.

As Loan approached him, she went directly in search of any mark or scrape on her cousin's body. "Hey," she asked, "do you and your friend train like this often?"

"Ahm ... no ... it's usually more with blows or wooden swords ..." said the boy, his face showing a slight red flush.

Loan sat nearby him, still making sure everything was okay, after some seconds she stammered something incomprehensible to Bobby and then turned to the side, leaving him wondering if she was thinking the same thing as him. The awkward moment didn't last long, for Wane arrived with Bobby's meal.

Bobby thanked her for the food and sat in the space Loan had left between his legs for him.

"You want some food too?" Asked Wane.

"No, t-thank you. I am full," Loan answered before reaching her hand towards the soft bed of vines that were Bobby's hair.

"I'm surprised that you look so robust... I mean, you had barely eaten anything today."

Loan went silent on that comment, her appearance was a matter related to her condition, and bringing up such a topic was not easy. Bobby made a small gesture for his friend to cut the subject. "Oh right, I made up the nets and traps but I haven't set them. You guys stay here, I'll be back soon."

"Don't worry, we don't have the guts to move either, hehe…" Loan replied and Wane took off into the depths of the forest. When the two of them were alone, Loan couldn't help but raise the amount of affection she gave to his cousin a little more. "Hmm, you got yourself a good friend... I hope you two get to be besties in the future."

"Sometimes she messes with me," Bobby took another bite of his fish, "but she's always looking to take care of me and I love how lively and full of energy she is."

"Good to hear," Loan then wiped her cousin's little face, "I can rest easy knowing that someone is looking out for you out there."

"It's really weird that after being the oldest one for so long it is now me the one being cared for and protected..." Bobby smiled, "but I'm not complaining at all. I love it."

Loan hugged the little boy and went quiet for a while, something usual for Bobby to see.

Night had come to the forest, and the fire in the campfire blazed brightly, shielding the trio from the silent predator hiding within the surrounding mist.

Every so often the monster would show its fangs and in response, the air escaping from their lungs came out turned into steam.

Yet, being at the beast's mercy did not prevent them from relaxing within its domain. Wane had gotten more firewood, and rocks large and comfortable enough to sit on.

Horror stories had been told, anecdotes from Wane's life in the cold Alaskan forest, and unusual occurrences within Bobby's life at the orphanage. The treats they had brought couldn't survive half as long as it all lasted, but the laughter managed to deliver the same sweet taste to their hearts.

Even Loan looked happy even as the weather outside the little oasis had turned eerie and terrifying, and the latter attracted Bobby's attention to the point where that smile on Loan's face had turned into a journey to memory lane, taking him back to all the moments he had shared with her so far.

And not just her, the journey went further, to the moments at his school, the days meeting his other sisters and brothers, the nights spent with his father playing, talking, and laughing. So many things had changed in such a short time, it was as if all his life up to that moment had passed in fast motion; as if everything before that month could be resumed in few words.

But now, at last, he could enjoy the present, his present. That led him to want to immortalize that feeling, to give value to what he had just understood about the world and the desire that had arisen within him.

And he did, through a song…

Can the future just wait?

Can the days in the bank stay?

I could enjoy my moment,

Care for longer,

If they'd rolled back the rate,

In which time starts to fly.

Nothing seems to stay nor last~

Without a breath to take

Never letting me retry.

We try to save

Every memory in place~

But maybe it's time to enjoy time

Pass through~

Pleased with his work, Bobby took a breath, slow and steady, one that then transformed into a cheerful sigh.

"It was true, marico, your voice is beautiful!" - Wane exclaimed with joy, "You should forget about being a musician and become a singer!"

Bobby blushed slightly at the thought, "I don't think I can do it… I get lost very easily when I start singing." Besides, I can only sing well when there aren't many people around, right Loa...

Once he turned to her cousin the serenity in his soul vanished. His Cousin's head was hidden behind her knees, and all alarms inside Bobby shouted that something was wrong.

"Loan, are you okay?" "He asked before approaching her, "you can tell me anything."

"N-no," Loan's voice sounded on the verge of breaking, "s-just… ff-it was very… pretty."

The girl took her phone out of her pocket, which intrigued Bobby since the battery was low and there was no signal in the area, what was she going to use the phone for?

The answer came soon, Loan opened the voice recorder application and gestured for his cousin to take the phone.

"Do you want me to sing it again?" Loan nodded several times, "Oh, well, it's the first time you've asked me something like that... I'm still worried, but if you liked it that much then I don't see the problem, but… can you promise that you'll tell me later about what's troubling you? It doesn't' have to be tonight, only when you get better, okay?"

Loan was thoughtful for a moment, but in the end, she agreed.

Bobby adjusted in his seat and prepared his throat, his goal: to sing a version that could surpass the original; which he did, at the cost of a sore throat.

"T-t-thanks, Bobby ..."

"It was a pleasure."

"Well, well," Wane interjected at the end, "I think it was good for today. You can go to sleep, I will go with you in a moment. I have to take care of the fire. Oh, and Bobby."

The boy's ears vibrated instantly. He turned to his friend, "yeah?"

"You'll have two girls sleeping with you in that tent, so I hope you behave…" Wane let her playful smile shine once more, "because I'm not sure I will be able."

The result was immediate, and even with the night trying to cover him, Bobby couldn't hide the scarlet hue on his cheeks. Wane's storming laughter soon followed as she noticed Bobby's reaction.

"Oh god, you are so easy to screw with!" she said amidst her laughter, "I'm just playing, go to sleep already."

Loan hid the smile produced at the expense of the poor boy who, grumbling and still blushing, went to the tent, annoyed by the joke, and flustered at the reminder of the situation he was going to be in for the whole night.

The morning had finally arrived, and the sparkle of it could be seen in the bright and colorful reflections produced by the melting ice on the leaves and bushes of the forest, as well as in the clean and radiant face of Wane.

But... the same could not be said of those who accompanied her on her journey back home...

"S-s-sounds. T-too many sounds," stuttered Loan, who was carrying Bobby's bag in the back and the boy in question in her arms, not only because he was on the verge of falling from exhaustion, but because having him by her side helped her keep her psyche together.

"I couldn't … sleep at all…." Bobby yelled as he tried to wipe the crusting on his eyes.

Wane breathed in, enjoying the smell of her friends' complaints, "ah~ this brings me back so many memories. Don't worry, it becomes easier to sleep in the forest over time." Her eyes then focused on something at the front of the group, "Hey, Bobby, isn't that your dad?"

"Uncle. L-Lincoln. Ci-civilization." were the last words coming from Loan that morning, because right after that she started running towards her uncle, or rather, to the car near him. Which puzzled the young adult at first, and at the same time was reason to laugh when he saw his niece and son falling with grace in the back seats of his car, both inches away from the gates of Morpheus' kingdom.

"Like father, like son, it seems that these two did not endure their first day in the open," Lincoln carefully took the backpack from his niece and opened the suitcase of the car, "well, at least it seems like you two didn't end up in a fight with a bear."

"Does Wane's snoring count as one?" asked the weary child, just in time for her friend to hear.

"I've come across those, believe me, my snoring is stronger, " Wane added to the conversation, her thumb pointing at her inflated chest.

"I'll keep that in mind ..." Bobby was already in his last straws of consciousness, "when we meet one... I'll know... who to defend..."

And with that, the camping day was over, one of many for Bobby and Wane; and at the same time a day where Loan was able to prove herself to be able to persevere in a new environment, even when she had to rely on her medications.

Author's Note: The song used as a reference in this chapter is called "can't the future just wait" by Kaden Mackey.