❛ forest

@❀ manon meret Christian had become accustomed to Manon’s whispery maunderings, the first day he got in he had assumed the camp’s shy, and authoritative bookworm was just that “quiet” but he had swiftly learned she would ramble somewhat nervously, it was almost endearing. Crossing his arms, he brushes at his face as if to ward off the deepening smirk, his eyes scale the “mosquito buffet” legs in question, though they look soft and unblemished.
“Loosen up Manz, I thought you came for the great outdoors? For the mosquitoes, and the potential but slim-to-none bear maulings,” crossing his arms over his sternum he looks off into the shadowed distance of the sloping mountains, as if questioning momentarily himself that bears could actually exist on the mountain. Then he shakes the thought out swiftly, reaffirming, “They can’t hold camp activities if there were bears.” Nonetheless he follows her lead, minding a comfortable distance to admire the scenery and loosely hang off of Manon’s audible and weakening fears. He opted most times to quietly tag along after her, more often than not, they had been partnered up, and Christian knew he’d have an easier time if he let her do the talking. Though this time he let out a wry chuckle,
“Aww don’t tell me you get separation anxiety Mannnyyy,” he singsongs, his next few steps alight with a newfound vigor, “You and I both know, tired or not you’d be right behind me, might even be holding onto my shirt in case yogi bear comes sniffing around!” Chris recognizes the familiar shrubbery of this pathway, taking it in more scenically, he keeps his gaze reverent and in mere worship of the unending beauty of the forest in the low-hanging sun, a few minutes shy of dipping beneath the blue horizon.
The breezes have begun to skitter past the two, marking a cooler night from the relatively hot day they’ve endured, but Chris didn’t mind, in fact it reminded him of home, fueling him throughout the scavenger hunt. Chris falters for a split second upon the mesmerizing sight of the field, golden light fills the unfettered clearing, grass emerald and lush. The single thing that breaks him from his trance is Manon’s familiar lulled voice, one he would hate to admit to anyone, let alone himself that he found soothing. Whether it cited complaints, or strained anxiously, frustratedly at him, he thought it was soft, and breezy. He slowly nods, woodsy brown eyes rounded, the lad more pliant —defiance weakening.
As soon as he had softened he watched the klutz trip over the coppery crusted link, and he immediately shakes his head looking up to the heavens, saying out loud through a laugh,
“Reason l five hundred ninety six as to why you wouldn’t last a day without my supervision,” He demonstrates his unparalleled coordination in a cocky running leap over the chain, landing in the open arms of the green grass. Wobbling into the landing, he grounds himself before he flings his arms out gesturing like an Olympic gymnast. He even adds a dramatic bow,
“Thank you, thank you,” Christian calls to the imaginary audience plus his favorite klutz, “When you get older kiddo, you too can be an athletic marvel as yours truly,” Beaming he realizes his sole audience member is too busy frolicking in the sun, basking in its pinkish glow.
He hides his smile as he watches her, just before sitting down in the grass, remembering that daybreak was approaching soon, and that at the very least they needed a shelter from the elements. While she’s basking in sunbeams, Christian motions back towards a flatter part of the clearing, where the grass is shorter, uneven, saying in more of a soft mumble towards her, “You’re doing great. More passion, more passion more energy. If my phone wasn’t on 5% you’d be on my instagram reel doing—what is that-like a happy dance, Manny?” He chuckles to himself, also cursing himself for the long FaceTime to his mom earlier that day, that was responsible his phone needing a nice long charge. Shrugging out of his backpack he let her dance joyously in the setting sun, as he pulled out the waterproof bag of a folded, portable tent. Pulling it from his sleeve Christian focused on unfurling the material, he had done this a million times it felt like, mostly as practice before he came to Camp Everwood, and then a hundred more times in his cabin much to the chagrin of his cabin-mates.
Like muscle memory, he starts to fashion it together in focused speed, mindlessly humming a song he had heard before as he passed Manon’s cabin’s in the morning, for his morning jogs. The song infectiously apart of his routine these days, and always he found himself humming during tasks like these, his mind solely on constructing the tent, so that would be one less thing to do.

@❀ christian daloii More than anything else in the moment, "Manny" was what fell on Manon's sharp ears. She furrowed her eyebrows together some more, her face started to turn sour hearing the unlikable nickname Christian had for her since the first time they met on campgrounds. "/Noooonnie./" She stressed even more, her soft voice even hardened a bit when she drawled out the nickname she went by on her tongue. "And the tiger or spider lilies can wait till the morning!" She exclaimed through a whiny cry, her hands outstretched as she spoke to him. She knew there was no changing his mind, it was how they ended up so far out in the first place. Their counselors had whistled and walkied for those too scared to camp out in the forest to come back—Manon was one of them, she had never been to any stayaway camp, much less went camping. "I'd rather not die out here with mosquitoes feeding on me, and a bear trying to sniff me out." She quietly grumbled on to herself as she watched Christian dig in his pockets. Manon tugged at the shoulder straps of her backpack as she looked down at the rest of her exposed legs that weren't covered by black biker shorts she was wearing, the oversized flannel shirt she was wearing over her tank top wasn't helping much for the coolness of the summer night air that was starting to roll in.
( granola girl hiking fit: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/3e/09/66/3e0966583c7a9885d8d86b6abc135eb6.jpg )

"Is that?" She started to question as she walked over to Christian, eyeing the copper coin in his hand. "I'm dying out here." Manon deadpanned as she watched Christian slapped the coin over the back of the palm of his hand. She gently clenched her front teeth over the side of her tongue as she watched the coin, mentally praying that it would make them stop their search for the night. She swallowed, her anticipation turning into dread before her hiking partner spoke up again, his answer being what she wanted the most. "Yes!" She shouted with a small and awkward jump on her feet, she was a complete klutz and it showed sometimes. "Okay! Let's find some ground and set up before we're completely in the dark." She her heel of her shoes in the direction down the stones, her arm outstretched and her finger pointing into the trees the orange sun was starting to fall. Manon didn't care whether or not he called her "Manny", she was just happy they weren't going to be on a wild goose chase in the dark. "Before we came up this hill I'm pretty sure I saw a clearing." Manon thought aloud as she carefully took steps down the unleveled earth until they were on the flatter part oft he aged trail. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Christian was still behind her. "Now if it was heads, I'm sure you would have left me here if I started complaining some more." She said with a small shake of her head, a ghostly hint of what looked like a playful smile had the made one corner of her lips twitch. Manon knew she was right, it wasn't the first time he did it to her, it was always concealed as a "prank" but Manon knew better, she would just roll her eyes and go about her way. Manon looked forward again, eyes full of focus as memories of their travel came back to her. Details of certain trees and path they didn't take all felt familiar, especially when she lead them back to the eerie fork in the road. The right side lead to small opening with an overhead of tangled bushes, tree branches, ivy, and wild flowers somehow growing within it all. The pathway was closed off with a single rusted chain link they could easily step over, but what caught Manon's attention earlier in the day, was how bright the grass was. It was like the sing beamed down directly on the grass. "Here, it's here! I remember it being here because it was closed off. We can set up over there." Excitement had filled her voice as she jogged over to the right side of the pathway. She stepped over the chain link, but not without the toe of her shoe catching onto it, but it only made her stumble, she was okay. The syrup in Manon's eyes brightened, she was happy they didn't just pass it up. The small opening lead to a much larger clearing, the grass was to Manon's knees, the twinkles of harmless fireflies floated around her, the ground was partially covered in moss but it was hard underneath, and the light of the orange sun spilled over as she happily twirled around, her eyes closed and arms outstretched as she took in the glory of the nature that surrounded her.

( https://i.pinimg.com/564x/24/26/be/2426be78c17524bab6f2c6c0bf47fbca.jpg )

[post deleted by owner]

@❀ manon meret On a rocky crag Christian shifted his weight, using its vaguely eroded point for vantage over the shrubbery. His eyes were piercing into the shadowy forest clearing ahead, a faint path tracked through the dirt, then his gaze traces back down to his map examining the printed paper, smudges of what he would believe to be tinted chapstick on its edges as he looked at the encircled area. They hadn’t ventured through this part of Everwood Forest yet, daylight was fading fast, it seemed these summery nights the sun was was gone as soon as it came, but Christian was terrible with time, lost track of it often. Manon has kindly been keeping her eye on the time often referring to the face of her smart watch and announcing how much later their scavenger hunt had dipped towards dusk. As they neared the last item for their scavenger hunt, Christian had started ignoring her small pleas to stop. Mostly because he could feel it, that they were so close to be home, and perhaps he could go back to his cabin and rest peacefully from an adventure well ventured. Even now he heard the familiar tinkling of her voice now beleaguered and tired from his persistent pursuit.
“Spider lilies near the a forest ponds. That’s all and then we’re done Manny,” he knew she hated that nickname, the others had affectionately softened their voices mostly in intimidation but partially enamored with her beauty. They called her what she had kept reiterating to Christian, “nonnie” but he liked looking back and seeing her roll her eyes with a pinched scoff. Something about annoying her made things more interesting, made the silence less present. Swinging his weight off the stone he plants a hefty hiking boot into the spry rivulets of grass beneath swaying his body, black jersey shorts, and a matching black shirt dressed his form as he adjusted his cap hiding a smile.
“We checked the other ones, this is the last one I can think of.” However when his eyes lock on her Christian pauses momentarily, noting how tired she truly seemed. Swiftly realizing the calmed expression glazed over his squared features, Christian implored apathy, and sighed against his better judgement, he digs around in his pocket for loose change. To his luck there’s a lone penny, fishing it out he flicks the copper coin up into the air. Catching it upon his broad hand and slapping his other palm over it to lock the decision into place.
“If it’s tails we set up camp. If it’s heads we search this pond.” With that he lifted his hand, inspecting the shiny brown coin.A drooping from he mustered a sigh, “You’re a lucky son of a gun—,” he pockets the change, turning away from the hillside and back towards flatter ground to set up camp.
“—Manny.” This time he smirks when he says it, slinging his gaze back at her crossing his arms with a hint of insubordination, “lead the way team captain.”

@❀ christian daloii "Can we—can we take a break?" Manon said in between heavy pants. Her sharp brows pinched together as she looked at the back of Christian's head, his tufts of brown hair flopping up and down as he took another step up the rocky steps of the trail. Manon shook her head as watched him, her brown eyes rolling as annoyance pinched her spirit. She stopped walking and bent her knees, her slender hands immediately finding comfort on them as she bent over, her long braids that slipped from its bun started to fall over her shoulders as she took her rest. Her chest more more slowly rising and falling now that she had a chance to stop and actually look around at their surroundings. The forest was still beautiful after hours of tracking through the lush greenness for other hidden objects on the scavenger hunt. From the break of dawn the pair were out and about, bickering back and forth, fighting over the map, and sometimes ignoring each other when looking for the next object to the clues. Now the sun was setting, and they were too far out to make it back to camp grounds before night would come. If it was up to her, they would have went back an hour or two ago, but no, Christian just figured Manon was being lazy on her high horse instead of /reasonable/. Manon stood upright again, her hands placed on her hips and her hard pants turning softer as she looked off into the woods, her eyes roaming for a view of deer or any wild animal she hadn't had the chance of seeing yet. "I think we should stop here." She voiced louder this time, hoping Christian would agree.

The s+r team had split into groups, two people in a group and Chanwoo was feeling a little light headed from the whole process, and his cold still affecting him. Everyone took everything else so Chanwoo was left with the forest, which is a common area to get lost, so Chanwoo hoped he (or anyone else) would be successful in the search for the missing counselor.