with you, i am home [starlords, day 3]

Moving up the mountain is a two part process. First, they need a break - that much is understood in the way Pierce, Amaterasu and Brennan hold themselves and their injuries. There's not much they can do about bruises and broken bones other than resting on it, and Haizea tries not to get antsy. They're still plenty strong, even in this state, and she tries to calm herself by remembering so. 

Still, she can hear the galloping of the stampede, and if she squints behind her she can spot the purple matted corpses they left behind them. Even with the storm's rage, there's a brilliant light that pours on top the mountain, static she can feel in her hair. She zaps Brennan twice with a grin on her face, and she goes for a third before he swats her hand away. The sun's still midsky, and there's always more work to do. 

After an hour's rest, she gathers the boys and Ama and they begin the trek higher up the mountain. The vantage point is one thing; Haizea can't help but realize how small she is as she looks over all she can see in the arena. Trees that go and go until the horizon, passing underneath her as they trail further north. It's good to have sights and the high ground, especially at the fighting range Ama and herself can hold, but there's another benefit. 

Nobody else has come this far yet. 

Alarming almost, breeching new ground and being the first to witness its horrors. In an arena as pretty as this, there's no promise that nothing's hiding around the corner. Haizea checks for tracks or for signs, and there's nothing other than what the wildlife has caused. "I think we're the first ones up here," she says, forcing herself to say it as motivation rather than cause for concern. She'll handle the worrying, the other three just need to focus on getting better. 

Eventually, about forty minutes into the hike, they come across two things: a shallow cave, and the vision of a large temple about an hours hike away. It towers on a cliff side, and she can see it crumbling apart brick by brick even in the distance. "We should save that for tomorrow, yeah?" Who knows what waits for them, and she'd rather be prepared before finding out. The group comes to a halt and discusses their next plans, tossing about suggestions and strategy before coming to some kind of conclusion. 

"Okay," Haizea starts, speaking with her hands as she relays their plans, "so we'll turn this cave into a base, check out the ruins tomorrow and trek back here after. If we're going to be staying here, we need to deck this place out," she says, nodding to Pierce. "I'm going to start a fire, we should be good to set up a shelter here for a few days." 

"Sound good?" Haze asserts, sticking her hand out in the middle of the group's circle with a smile.

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this will happen in the next posts but including for maint xx

[ haizea collects firewood, medicinal plants (x1) and edible plants (x2) ]
[ haizea lights a fire w/ wood + flint ]
[ haizea boils her water ]
[ haizea drinks her purified water ]
[ haizea eats her bento box ]