Starting Over Again

Things had been hectic for Martha as of late. Work had been piling up as explorers over the wall had been returning beaten and burned and gashed and every other sort of injury imaginable. Groups had been sent out to find the missing settlers of Northaven. Martha hadn't been allowed to help in the effort, as her skill were needed inside the wall to assist the injured. But it had been too long. Remi had been among those that vanished, and Martha was worried sick for her dearest friend. She finally grew tired of it, and spent the evening packing travel gear and medical supplies into a large pack, which she now wore. It was the middle of the night, and if she was to have any chance of finding him, she would have to sneak out alone. She left, dressed in dark clothing to make herself difficult to spot, and made her way to the wall. She looked around for guards, and just as she was about to cross the boundary, everything went dark. She awoke in the middle of a dense forest sometime around midday. At first, she was worried that someone had darted her from the wall in the attempt to keep her from venturing into the jungle. But as she took in her surroundings, she realized she was not in a jungle, but a forest. This wasn't Northaven or anything of the sort. She quickly rose to her feet, picking up her bag and adjusting it on her shoulders. She had to find water or civilization or something that would ensure her survival, but something just didn't seem right. She walked for what seemed like hours, the sunlight waning from the canopy and the forest growing dark. Now this, she did not like, and she realized she had to have been going in circles. But Martha was determined to at least ensure her safety for the night, and kept walking. That was when she heard noises. At first, she hoped it was all in her head, and she looked around to see if anything was nearby. "Curiosity killed the cat, Martha," she told herself, and yet her curious nature directed her feet towards the sounds, instead of away from whatever it was. "It could potentially kill you, Martha. You need to stop and go the other way, Martha. Remember all the injured that returned to Northaven? You could be next." She continued to tell herself all of these things, and yet, she was compelled to find out what was causing the ruckus. Remi martha "You can't hide anything from me."