The group walked in silence for a long while, the weight of the previous night's events hanging heavily over them. No one spoke, though their gazes occasionally flicked to Quest, who led the way with an air of quiet vigilance.

Chris finally broke the silence, his tone measured but firm. "So, what's the plan now? We can't just keep wandering aimlessly."

Quest didn't turn to look at him. "We keep moving until we find somewhere defensible," he said. "Staying in one place for too long is a death sentence."

Leon quickened his pace to walk beside him, his voice low but edged with frustration. "You keep acting like we're just liabilities. Like we can't pull our weight. Maybe it's time you start trusting us."

Quest glanced at Leon, his expression unreadable. "Trust isn't something I give easily," he replied. "And right now, it's not about trust. It's about survival."

Leon opened his mouth to retort, but Claire's voice cut in from behind. "He's right. As much as I hate to admit it, we weren't ready for what happened last night. If Quest hadn't been there..." She trailed off, the unspoken truth hanging in the air.

The boy, walking close to Claire, looked up at her nervously. "Do you think more of those... things will come after us?"

"They always come," Quest answered bluntly, not breaking stride.

The boy swallowed hard, his small frame seeming even smaller in the shadow of the towering man ahead.

Jill, bringing up the rear, kept her eyes scanning the forest around them. "We need a better strategy," she said. "We can't just keep reacting to threats. We need to be proactive."

"Proactive?" Quest echoed, his voice carrying a faint note of skepticism. "Against what? You don't even know what we're up against."

Jill's jaw tightened. "Then maybe you should enlighten us."

Quest stopped abruptly, turning to face the group. His presence was imposing, his dark eyes locking onto each of them in turn. "What you saw last night was nothing," he said, his voice low but filled with intensity. "Those mutants? They're just the tip of the iceberg. Whatever experiments they were running in that facility—it's spread. And it's not going to stop."

Chris stepped forward, his tone serious. "Then we need to figure out how to stop it."

Quest shook his head. "You're thinking too small. This isn't something you stop. This is something you survive."

Claire frowned. "So, what are you saying? That we just keep running?"

"For now," Quest said simply. "Until we find a place where we can regroup, resupply, and figure out what's next."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, but no one argued.

After a moment, Quest turned and began walking again, his long strides forcing the others to keep pace. As they moved deeper into the forest, the tension between them began to ease, though the unspoken questions lingered: How much longer could they keep this up? And what price would they have to pay to survive?

The boy broke the silence, his voice small but filled with curiosity. "Quest... do you ever get scared?"

Quest didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. Finally, he spoke, his tone quieter than usual. "Fear is just a distraction. Focus on what you can control, and you won't have time to be afraid."

The boy nodded, though his expression suggested he didn't entirely understand.

Leon muttered under his breath, "Easier said than done."

Claire gave him a sharp look but said nothing.

As the day wore on, the forest began to change, the trees growing thicker and the underbrush denser. The group's movements became slower, more deliberate. Quest remained at the front, his senses on high alert.

By the time they stopped to rest, the sun was already beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the forest in hues of orange and red. Quest stood apart from the group, his back to them as he scanned the trees for any sign of movement.

Chris approached cautiously, his voice low. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

Quest didn't turn. "I'm not doing it alone. I'm doing it for all of you."

Chris sighed. "You've been through a lot—we get that. But shutting us out isn't the answer."

Quest finally looked at him, his expression softer than before. "I'm not shutting you out. I'm keeping you alive."

Chris nodded slowly, sensing that pushing further would be pointless.

As the group settled in for the night, the boy sat close to Claire, his small frame leaning against her for comfort. Quest remained standing, his sharp gaze sweeping over the camp, ever the sentinel.

The night was quiet, but in the back of everyone's minds lingered the same thought: This was just the beginning.