Team Toma was quieter.
In this part of the forest, the ground was clearer. Fewer roots above the surface, more undergrowth below. Bushes grew close together. Vines hung low. Branches forced them to slow down or change direction.
Kell walked in front, hands in his pockets, whistling softly.
Toma followed three steps behind him.
He didn't copy Kell's path. Where Kell pushed through branches, Toma went around them. Where Kell stepped on leaves, Toma avoided them.
After a few minutes, Kell stopped whistling.
He kept walking.
"Someone's been here," he said.
Toma had already slowed down.
He crouched and brushed his fingers through the dirt near the edge of the path. The mark was faint.
"Two hours ago," he said. "Maybe less."
Kell leaned over his shoulder. "Was he running?"
"No," Toma said. "He was being careful."
"That's troublesome. We are not dealing with a total amateur."
They unanimously decided to change direction.
Kell stepped where branches were already broken. Toma, on the other hand, walked like a ghost; every place he stepped on left no trace.
A bird burst from the trees on their left.
Toma shifted direction immediately.
A branch snapped behind them.
Kell sighed. "Alright," he said. "Now someone's following us."
Toma didn't look back. "We set a trap."
Kell smiled. "I love traps."
They didn't slow down.
Toma reached into his coat and flicked something into the brush as they passed. It disappeared without sound.
"Marker?" Kell asked.
"Tripwire," Toma said. "Non-lethal."
Kell clicked his tongue. "Boring."
They kept walking.
Five seconds passed.
Ten.
Then metal clicked against metal. They heard someone cursing.
Kell stopped and turned around. "That sounded painful. Like stubbing your toe painfully." He held his foot, pretending it was hurt.
They did not have to wait long.
A man stumbled out of the brush, gripping his ankle. Blood ran between his fingers. Not much, but enough to show how badly he was hurt. His breathing was heavy. His eyes moved quickly between them.
He looked under thirty, average height, wearing what seemed like a hunter's outfit. Anger was clear on his face.
"Easy," Kell said, raising his hands. "We don't want any trouble."
The man laughed mockingly. "That thing almost took my foot off."
"Almost," Toma said.
The man glared at him. "You set it."
"Yes."
"You trying to cripple people now?"
"You followed us," Toma said.
The man was quiet for a moment, then leaned against a tree.
"Fine," he said. "I was going to steal your plant later, at the first opening I saw."
Kell tilted his head. "What an honest thief. Did not expect that."
"I already got mine," the man said quickly. He patted his pack. "Didn't want to risk another harvest."
Toma looked at the backpack.
"Which plant?" Kell asked.
The man didn't answer right away.
"That's a lie," Toma said.
The man got flustered. "It's not."
"You said you didn't want a second harvest," Toma continued. "But you followed us without knowing what we were looking for."
Kell blinked. "Yeah. That doesn't line up."
The man's jaw tightened.
"You're injured," Toma said. "Which means you weren't planning to fight alone."
For the first time, Kell's smile faded. "There's someone else."
Close to the man, a bush moved.
A second man stepped out. Tall, with broad shoulders, wearing something similar to the first man, but this one carried a blade.
He didn't speak.
Kell exhaled. "Of course, there is someone else; there is always someone else." Kell looked almost amused, but his feet had already shifted into position.
The taller man moved first, heading toward Kell. Kell did not step back. He ran toward the man and, when he was close enough, moved sideways.
The blade cut empty air.
Kell was already gone, darting into the bushes.
"Hey," Kell called. "Miss me, miss me, now you gotta kiss me."
The injured man, thinking Toma was distracted, lunged at him.
He took a big swing.
Toma stepped inside the swing, twisted the man's arm, and drove his elbow into the side of his neck.
The man lost consciousness before he hit the ground.
Seeing what had just happened, the taller man hesitated.
That moment of hesitation was enough.
Kell appeared behind him and kicked the back of his knee. The man stumbled forward. The blade swung wide toward his back.
Toma stepped in and struck once, toward the man's temple.
He fell hard.
Silence returned to the forest for a second, until it was broken by the sound of birds and insects.
Kell straightened and brushed dirt from his clothes. "They never stood a chance."
Toma checked both men.
"They'll wake up soon," he said.
"Whatever," Kell said. "Let's loot them." Kell seemed excited by the thought.
Toma opened the first man's backpack.
Inside was a sealed container.
The capsule was intact.
"Plant acquired," Toma said.
Kell nodded. "Clean."
Toma closed the backpack and stood. "Let's continue."
Kell fell in beside him. "You think Rina's team is having a better time?"
Toma didn't answer.
He checked the compass instead.
The needle was steady.
Kell did not seem bothered by Toma ignoring him. He continued, "We now have two plants in total. I memorized the other plants we need."
Toma did not answer. Instead, he showed the plant.
Kell took a close look, then shook his head. "This one does not resemble any of the ones we need."
Toma nodded. "Then we can use it to trade for information or the one we need."
"That's a great idea," Kell said. "But are you sure we can find someone else in this giant forest? It took us quite a while to meet these idiots." He pointed at the unconscious men.
While Toma walked further east, he said, "No. We can trade at the entrance of the forest before time is up. People will try their luck stealing plants from those who are leaving. That's where we'll find people to trade with."