Warnings: None

~Mitch's P.O.V.~

     "So you're sure you're okay to go?"
     "I'm sure Jerome."
     "You're sure you're sure?"
     "Yes, I'm sure I'm sure Preston."
     "You're sure you're sure you're su-"
     "ENOUGH." I finally snap, Preston and Jerome clamping their jaws shut. "I'm fine, now let's get going before we waste any more time."
      "We're just looking out for ya Mitch." Jerome defends.
     "Yeah... I know." I reply simply to a baffled Jerome, flashing a quick smile before hopping onto Arrow and charging ahead.

     Digging my heels into Arrows side and lashing the reins, Arrow neighs and shifts into his maximum speed. Trusting him not to buck me off, I subconsciously reach to stroke my necklace. But as my fingers only make contact with air I frown, reminded that it was taken from me. I also growl slightly under my breath, noting the dull pain within my leg. Yes, a couple healing potions do well in healing it to the point of functioning... But that doesn't mean the pain is completely gone.

     Suddenly something tingly is triggering in my brain. I perk up and try to direct my through to outwards, honing in on the feeling. I let my head turn itself, and find myself facing the direction I had originally predicted... The opposite way of the Jerome's mutant. Aka, the left.

     "Guys I've picked up in the feeling! Follow me, it's going into the forest!" I call over my shoulder, leading Arrow to the left.

     And fast forward several minutes later, Arrow along with everyone else's horses are refusing to step on block into the forest.

     "Looks like we're going the right way..." Vikk mutters, trying to calm Twilight down. Although, eventually he gives up and slides off.
     "It's probably better we leave our horses here anyway... I don't think trying to ride through a forest is the most pleasant of ideas. They probably wouldn't make it through." Rob comments, Winter snorting in a challenging manner as if to say 'try me'

Just like that, before Rob can dismount, Winter is whinnying heartily and shooting right into the tree line. But she doesn't stray far... Just far enough in to whack Rob into multiple branches. None of us makes a move, instead watching in amusement as Rob repeatedly pleas Winter to stop, only to run into another branch. A minute or so later and Winter is victoriously trotting back towards us, proud of her work in completely wrecking Rob.

I bite my lip to prevent laughter, as do Jerome and Vikk. Preston and Lachlan on the other hand break out into mocking laughter, taking in the sight of a shaken Rob with many sticks and leaves stuck in his now dishevelled hair. He grumbles slipping off of Winter who in return snorts happily.

"Not funny guys..." He mutters, picking a leaf from his shirt.
"No, actually, it's pretty funny Rob." Jerome pitches in, now joining in with chorus of laughter.

It's not long before Vikk and I join in too.

~~~

     "Are we getting close Mitch?"  Lachlan asks, breaking the silence.

     I pause, everyone else stopping with me. Then I close my eyes for a moment, trying to estimate how far away we might be, judging on the strength of the feeling.

     "I'd say halfway..."
     "So I guess we're staying here for the night then." Jerome states wearily, glancing at the darkening sky.
     "Did anyone happen to bring a bed? Or... Six?" Preston asks us, but we all shake our heads. Except Rob... He raises his hand.
     "I brought one..."
     "Of course you did Rob." Preston snickers.
     "Well that won't do any good... There's no way we can all fit on it. And even if we could it'd be super awkward." I point out jokingly.

     At this point we've all resumed walking, and have wandered to the edge of the forest, right beside a swamp biome.

"All in favour of sleeping underground?" Vikk sighs.
"I." Well all state in unison.

Rob and Vikk, apparently the only ones who brought pickaxes, start to burrow into the ground. It only takes them about ten minutes to hollow out a space while the rest of us fend of mobs.

"Guys if you could finish up that'd be great!" I call, quickly shooting down a skeleton.
"Okay, it's ready! Get in!" Rob shouts, yelping as an arrow skims past his head.

I grunt and throw my bow back into my inventory, in a flash drawing my sword to slash at the approaching zombie. It groans in distress and stumbles back a few steps. I use the brief moment of distraction to back towards the hole in the ground. I quickly hop in before the zombie can regain its footing, and as soon as Jerome enters after me Vikk seals the hole shut with a piece of dirt.

"Phew that was close..." Lachlan breathes, waltzing over to a corner and slumping down.
"Remind me to bring a bed next time..." Vikk chuckles, settling against the wall.

The room we're all currently hiding in is three blocks tall, seven blocks long, and seven blocks wide. For only a short period of time it's actually pretty impressive. Five torches light up the room, four near each corner and one placed in the middle.

Snapping back to reality I notice everyone's already either sleeping or curled up against the cold stone walls. I decide to bed down right against the wall behind me, just under the entrance. I rest my head against the uncomfortable stone and fall into an uneasy sleep, the cries of mobs filling the night.

~~~

     "Alright so who's the strongest one here? Someone has to lift us all out of the hole." Vikk inquires, Preston and Jerome perking up.
     "I AM." They both shout in unison, glaring at each other after a second.
     "I'm the strongest Jerome..." Preston leers, his skin glowing more fierce.
"No, I am..." Jerome growls in return.

Jerome growls deeply and unsheathes his claws, just as Preston flares up. Rob and I jump into action, diving into the middle of them and trying to prevent any fighting. Talk about rivalry much.

"Calm down dude, you're gonna hurt someone." Rob warns Preston, trying to pull him away without getting burnt.
"How about you both help us get out?" I suggest, nervously eyeing Jerome's razor sharp teeth and claws.
Preston scoffs, "Fine." Jerome snorts and draws back his claws.

     All four of us let out a sigh of relief. Vikk jumps up and punches away the dirt block, sunlight spilling into the room.

     "Jerome you go up first, and then Preston will boost us up and you can help us out." Lachlan commands, Jerome nodding in agreement.

     With a small burst of power, Jerome latches onto the ground above, and drags himself out... Curtesy of his sharp claws.

"Alright Rob, you're up." Preston states, kneeling on all fours.
"You're sure I won't hurt you?"
"Rob. You. Won't. Hurt. Me." Preston reassures him.

Rob hesitantly steps onto Preston's back, and then he jumps and grabs onto the side of the block. Jerome's hands snake down from above and latch onto Rob's forearms. A few seconds later and Rob is out of the hole. Vikk goes next, followed by Lachlan (who didn't need much help cuz he's so freaking tall), and finally it's my turn.

     Stepping carefully onto Preston's back, I eye down my target... Which is the edge of the block. Launching upwards I grab a fistful of the grass growing on the block above.

     "Any time now Jerome..." I grunt, digging into the soft dirt while my legs dangle in the air.
     "Oh- sorry."

     Jerome springs in front of me, gripping onto my forearms and dragging me up. Then as I go dust off my sweater, Jerome returns to the edge to help Preston out of the hole.

     "Onwards we go!" Preston declares, not waiting for Jerome to finish pulling him up before darting away.
     "Preston you don't even know what way to go!" Lachlan calls after him, Preston skidding to a stop.
     "Good point. In that case, Mitch! Lead the way!" Preston corrects himself, everyone (even Jerome who's seemed to forgive Preston) chuckling.

I begin towards the swamp we had seen the other night, in which the feeling seems to be leading me. Luckily, the swamp is not too long... If I focus enough I can see massive hills stretching out behind it. And although the next biome is fairly close... The swamp has almost no marshland, most of it being filled with murky brown water and lilly pads everywhere. Not only that but it would take wayyyyy to long to circle around the entire thing... It's more wide than it is long. I grimace as my foot sinks into the wet dirt.

      "This will be... Interesting..." Jerome states unenthusiastically.
      "Let's start going now then... I don't wanna be in here any longer than I have to." Lachlan comments, pulling his foot from the mud.

     With that we start wading out into the water. Well... Most of us that is.

      "Uhm... Guys?"

     We all turn back to see Preston, a helpless expression on his face as he stands frozen in place before the swamp.

     "Oops, sorry Preston. Forgot that you and ah, water don't mix." Lachlan chuckles.
     "So how do we get him across?" Rob inquires, the five of us stepping out of the waist deep water and onto land.
     "We could just go around y'know." Vikk reminds, but I shake my head.
     "It's too far. We need to get him through here somehow." I state.
     "How about a boat?" Jerome suggests.
     "There is no way I'm sitting in a wobbly boat the whole way across." Preston huffs stubbornly, crossing his arms.
     "Then how else are we gonna get you across? I mean, I'm tall enough to put you on my shoulders but it'd be pretty likely at some point I'd fall... Which clearly wouldn't be a good thing. I mean you could always parkour across if you wanted..." Lachlan trails on.
      "Abso-fudging-lutley not."
      "Then boat it is?" Lachlan guesses.
      "Nope."
     "But that means you'd have to-"
     "No."
     "Then-"
     "No."
     "But-"
     "NO."
     "Pres-"
     "NO."
     "Preston." Rob states simply, cutting Lachlan off.

    Preston glances sideways at Rob, his stone expression slightly faltering. He maintains eye contact in some sort of trust test, before his eyes go down cast and sighs.

     "FINE, I'll go in a boat..." He murmurs under his breath, "But you guys are pushing me." He adds in quickly.
     "Wh- how did you..." Lachlan starts, but Rob only holds a finger to his lips, making the 'shh' motion. "Oh come on..." Lachlan pouts.

     I roll my eyes at the banter, clearing my throat.

     "Jerome, please go get Preston a boat. The day is getting way on us." I command, Jerome nodding and starting to craft.

    A second later and Jerome is plopping the oak boat into the dirty swamp water, small droplets of water sloshing over the bank (to which Preston frowns at). Very hesitantly he creeps towards the raft, Jerome and Lachlan helping him step into it without coming in contact with water.

     "Ready?" I question, slipping behind the boat and taking the role of pushing first.
     "Yeah, let's go."

~~~