"Here we are..."
"Grr!"
"Did we just go in a circle again?"
Looking at the Mirkwood ahead, then at the sky and the fresh footprints that fit his own feet perfectly, Guts couldn't help pursing his lips in frustration.
"Just as I thought!"
"Maybe I really shouldn't have taken a shortcut through this forest..."
That was what he said, but he didn't want to keep backtracking, and by now he couldn't even find his way back out. After thinking it over, he could only steel himself and keep walking toward some place where there weren't any footprints.
"Look!"
(▽)
"Uncle Guts, you dummy! I just told you!"
"This forest looks pretty strange, but you insisted on coming in. Well, look where that got you! There's no way you'll find your way out today!"
(ω)
"Just wait. You'll be in for it once it gets dark!"
() Hehe
Following behind him, Annie sat on Tibbers' shoulder, swinging her legs and eating some wild fruit she'd picked from who knew where. Naturally, she was gloating and rubbing salt in the wound.
She used to get lost all the time, so seeing someone else get lost made her incredibly happy—especially now that she didn't have to worry about where she was going and could simply follow along at her leisure.
"..."
Guts was long used to the teasing and taunts from the annoying little girl behind him, so he didn't bother responding. He simply kept walking, deliberately choosing places without footprints.
There was no way he'd make it out tonight anyway, so he'd decided to throw caution to the wind and go wherever the path took him. Then, when those things appeared, he'd fight them through the night again. Once the sun came up tomorrow and he could get his bearings, he'd slowly