Mia's brows furrow and her mouth turns down as her expression gets more serious. She's trying to concentrate on translating the alien word. She repeats it to herself, but she sounds like she's guessing more than anything else.
I can tell she's getting frustrated, but I don't blame her.
It's hard enough when we're just listening to their speech, never mind when we're trying to translate a single word out of the whole thing.
It's more than a little concerning still that even Mia, who I always see as almost fluent, can't figure out what's being said. Especially when it looks like it might be simple...
The older woman keeps pointing at the water, the sky, and then the forest. And Mia's been repeating the words she's been hearing over and over again.
Mia huffs in frustration. Finally she waves her hand at the older woman, speaking in a tone that's more firm than I'm used to hearing from her. "I. Don't know that word. No matter how many times you say it, I still don't know it. What are you trying to say?"
The woman blinks at Mia.
Mia gestures at her, and then herself. "We. Don't. Understand."
She's frustrated, but she's keeping calm and trying to explain anyway.
The older woman looks at her and nods slowly. "It. Is an advanced term..."
Her voice is soft and quiet. It sounds raspy and hoarse from lack of use. But she speaks English.
She's not very good, but it's understandable. She's probably not had to use it much until today.
"Krrrth, means to use the natural resources in order to protect and sustain. You...should be...using it." The older woman says, pointing at the pond. "...Use this to make the camp, for the test."
That.
...Was. Actually really obvious. In hindsight.
Though it's odd to think that's so advanced of a word that neither Mia nor Eric knew it.
Still, I give Eric a look, pursing my lips. "You said even she didn't know it."
He frowns and crosses his arms. The look on his face is distrusting. "Yeah."
"Well, she clearly does." I point out.
It's actually something as simple as telling us we'll have to find a way to survive in the forest on our own. But it does feel oddly satisfying that for once Mia and Eric can't understand something so simple.
They can be like me for this one time. Not knowing is normal for me, so it's nice to have the feeling be a little more shared. Not that it's their fault that somehow they're able to handle a language I still can't catch a word of.
I certainly can't speak a word of it, at least.
And it's not their fault I'm the slowest at learning.
"...It's fine, it doesn't matter. We've got something to work with." Eric says. He turns his attention back to the woman and the guard, looking over them with an assessing gaze.
He's probably right. That is the most important part. We have a direction now.
But.
What does 'make the camp' mean, exactly...?
"Alright." Mia claps her hands together. "Luckily, I'm pretty good at natural camping!" She smiles at us brightly. I know it's meant to be encouraging.
"Uh, sure." Eric says. "And the test is to survive. I can work with that, I think."
"What does that even mean, though?" I ask.
The sun is sinking even further into the horizon now. It's nearly set, and it'll be dark soon. "What kind of survival are they even talking about?" I add, feeling nervous. "Do they just want to make sure that we'll be able to handle living in these woods?"
"...Maybe." Mia hums. "I don't know.. What I do know is that once the sun is down it's going to get unbearably cold in here."
"Predators come out at night, too." Eric adds. "I'm not familiar with what's on this planet, but they're probably here."
Mia stands and crosses her arms. "The others from our group are probably nearby, too."
"Others...?"
There are others?
I guess it makes sense. It'd be outright alarming if they separated us just because we're friends, right? I've just not seen the others brought to this test because I passed out on the way here.
But if there are more...
Why are we split up like this?
And what is this woman and the guard here for? Are they going to help us survive? Or are they here to bail us out if we fail?
"Uh...okay, yeah, but-"
I'm not sure what's going on anymore.
I feel so out of my depth.
But Eric and Mia seem like they're handling it better than I am.
It's embarrassing, because I'm from the pacific northwest. We're...
So. Camp-friendly.
But I never really participated in any of that. Of course Mia knows, since she's so in tune with forests. But even Eric seems better prepared and ready for this than me.
...At least Hestia is just sitting next to me, watching me as if I'm the one to follow the lead of, and not Mia who's actually taking the lead.
She's just looking at me with wide, curious eyes. Like I have a clue what I'm doing. It makes me feel a little more comfortable, and like I should at least try and do something, even if it's just to keep up appearances for her sake. But...
I look back at Mia and Eric, who are already starting to move.
"Let's gather up rocks." Eric says. "Make a circle for a campfire. We'll need some firewood, too. Lots of it."
"I'll get it. Sarah, can you and Hestia find some good sticks to use? Just some kindling. Eric can handle the heavy stuff."
Eric scoffs in response to this.
Mia gives him an exasperated look, which just makes him snort. But he nods in the end, and sets off toward the treeline.
...I guess that it makes the most sense to go in a different direction? I don't know, but I take Hestia by the hand and lead her away from Mia, toward the other edge of the pond.
The guard doesn't move or react at all. It's like it's just watching to see if we'll survive or not.
Or...
Maybe he's just here so that we don't take this opportunity to make a break for it. Like they know they've taken us so far out that we don't need all the walls to keep us in anymore, but just in case we're willing to risk the wilderness he's there.
...It's probably something like that.
Except in that case, I don't know what the woman is here for.
But. I should focus on the task. I shake myself a little, just to get my focus. "Alright. We're looking for small twigs, I think. Stuff that can catch on fire pretty quickly." I say. I'm not an outdoors person. I never have been, and I don't know if that'll ever change. I'm definitely not the type to go on long camping trips in the middle of the woods or whatever.
But I can at least suss out what kindling is.
Hestia nods.
She doesn't seem to have any trouble finding it. Her hands move quickly and deftly, picking out small twigs from the undergrowth.
...Am I seriously the only person who isn't outdoorsy?
I'm beginning to think the aliens made a mistake abducting me.