☼ north woods

@✦ byun baekhyun The North Woods are almost familiar as Jaemin walks down dirt paths and steps over fallen logs. He's been here often enough that the fading light doesn't worry him, though it is irritating when the details of the woods around him start softening around the edges due to the shadows. Hopefully he can find the camper quickly, before he has to rely on the flashlight from his phone to even see ten feet in front of him.

It doesn't take too much longer for Jaemin to get a good idea of where the camper is though.

The blasts of bright light in the distance aren't easy to miss. That's one thing that makes the children of Apollo easier to spot than most other demigods. But the fact that the lights are clearly being aimed at something means this isn't just light for the sake of seeing in the dark. The acrid scent of poison and monster blood confirms Jaemin's suspicions as he hurries his pace, hoping the idiot hasn't gotten himself killed already.

The Apollo cabin probably doesn't want him to bring back a /dead/ camper.

Just as he approaches the line of trees Jaemin pulls a drachma coin from his pocket, tossing it into the air. It turns into a spear that drops back into his hand in time for him to burst into the small clearing. He takes a second to study the monsters; giant snakes, clearly able to attack with venom and sharp fangs, and still focusing on the stupid Apollo camper currently rolling around in the dirt. In the next second Jaemin is twisting his body around to gather momentum before throwing his spear like a javelin, piercing through both eyes on one of the heads.

"Hey!" he yells over the pained screech of the monster at the camper, running toward the giant snake and jumping up to grab the spear, wrenching it out of the snake's head and watching as it crumples to the ground. The second head clearly isn't happy, hissing at him as Jaemin dodges a shot of poison. He keeps his eyes on the monster, making sure the second one is in his periphery, while addressing the camper once more. "Either fight or keep out of this before you get killed."

@✦ na jaemin Baekhyun is ed. Not in a good way, too.

He was too curious and overeager to explore the north woods, dashing off after his late lunch at the dining pavilion. Against the advice of the head counselor, Baekhyun travelled alone into the woods, reasoning that he has his weapons and could take care of himself.

It went along well at first, Baekhyun briefly interacting with dryads that emerged from their respective trees and giggled at him. Zigzagging left, turning right, heading straight, and circling back, Baekhyun bumped into friendlies occasionally, building his confidence that he would come across no monsters during his self-tour. He even spotted a glimmer of what looked like a bunker in the distance, although it turned out to be a mirage. It was a funny moment for the photokinesis user.

He intended to head back then, recalling the time; however, he was in too deep. Even following a straight path led him back to what seemed like the same log he has passed for the fifth time. It seemed like the forest's creatures disappeared too, apart from the rare avian call. They were too far from Baekhyun to control. Due to the setting sun, Baekhyun was forced to become a walking flashlight — the thick foliage proved impenetrable for the dim sunrays. It was darkness around him, though the rays emerging from him shone a bright radius around him, enabling him a clear vision. The radius of light had calmed him a little, reducing the darkness.

He began slow, hesitant steps towards where he thought the main camp laid, when he heard a scraping noise. It was as if something was being dragged across the leave-covered ground. He gulped and turned around, immediately spotting what seemed to be a large snake, except it had a head on each end. Just beyond the radius of his glowing, frozen body, four beady eyes rested on him. There was no delay; no time for Baekhyun to process the species of that monster; why and how it was within the camp's borders– a head reared back and mouth splitting open, a green patch of thick goo hurtled towards him. Instincts taking over, he quickly twisted his body so that the poison flew past, though not before burning a hole through the flap of his jacket. He threw a ball of light at the snake, hitting it straight on the head and exploding it. A second spew of goop flew past his face. He's momentarily stunned before he whipped his head toward the source; there was another snake monster. Oh great, he thought.

Newcomer and the remainder have him flanked on both sides. They stay out of his lightrays, hovering at the dimmed edges. It's not a large circle. Trying to keep both snakes in his sights, Baekhyun steps back, though the shadows make it difficult for him to distinguish between inanimate and foe. He has half a mind to light up the whole forest. Where the are the north wood's inhabitants, he thinks vehemently. Let out a blast and incinerate the two monsters he would; however, he has not enough energy. He drops to the side and rolls just as saps of poison hit the spot where he was. He's not fast enough to use his bow and arrow too. He's ed alright, preparing to just take flight — his life depends on it — when he hears hurried footsteps towards him. What now, he mentally yelled.

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@✦ byun baekhyun It's not everyday that Jaemin is asked to search for lost campers before nightfall, but it happens often enough that he's not surprised when a member of the Apollo cabin approaches him. Thankfully it's one of the older members than can get through a sentence without stuttering at him like Jaemin is scariest thing next to a chimera.

"He's normally back by now. Would you mind looking for him? I have to help the newest cabin members get settled in tonight."

And, well, Jaemin doesn't really have anything better to do. He doesn't usually say no to these requests either since it's no skin off his back. After he agrees the camper thanks him and heads back to a group of younger Apollo kids, herding them towards their cabin. It glitters gold in the waning rays of sunlight peeking through the trees; a stark contrast to the darkness of the woods as Jaemin faces them.

Of course that's where his senses are telling him the missing camper went off too.

They can never get lost in the safe areas like the strawberry fields or the other side of the lake, he thinks, twigs crunching under his boots as he enters the North Woods.