The forest was quiet. Thick roots twisted across the ground, slowing their pace, and every so often, one of them would stop and glance around.
Iris walked slightly ahead, her eyes sweeping side to side. After a while, she stopped and turned back. Aras, who had been watching her closely, finally spoke.
"This is taking too long. We need to move faster."
Ash trailed behind them, unusually silent. His normal banter was gone, replaced with a blank stare. Whatever he was thinking, he kept it to himself.
Aras kept his focus on Iris. She caught him looking again and raised an eyebrow.
"What?" she asked.
He studied her a moment longer, then spoke.
"What kind of curs—"
"Evolved," she cut in, tone flat.
Aras blinked.
She added, "Cursed is what people call us. Evolved is what we call ourselves."
He didn't respond. The word clearly meant little to him.
