Night slowly fell on the forest as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the hills. Zetch stopped and motioned to the group.
"We'll set up camp here," he said. "The ground is steady, and there's a spring nearby."
No one argued. The tension from that morning still lingered. Everyone got to work quietly: pitching tents, lighting the fire, unpacking food.
Caden, carrying stakes and fabric, noticed Aletha nearby, struggling with a rope that wouldn't stay tight. After a moment of hesitation, he walked toward her.
"Need some help?" he asked softly, not insisting.
Aletha stood up fast, eyes flashing with anger.
"I don't need you!" she snapped.
Caden stepped back, surprised, almost hurt.
"Look... if you're still mad about earlier, I'm sorry. Really. I was just trying to lighten the mood. I shouldn't have."
She seemed to tremble, as if every word she wanted to say had to break through something unseen.
"It's not that..." she whispered, her voice rough, fists clenched. "Just… stay away from me."
Caden froze. She hadn't shouted this time, but in her eyes, he saw something colder: fear. Like she was afraid of him. Or... of herself.
He opened his mouth, but no words came.
Aletha turned away and walked off, stiff-backed. She sat down alone near the fire, eyes lost in the flames.
Caden returned to the others, troubled.
Bella looked from Aletha to Caden. Something was starting to break.
And in the silence of night, no one noticed the brief shadow that passed through Aletha's gaze… a shadow that didn't belong to her.