Mama Bear

Well, now that's done...

The hysterics come quickly. Shrieks of terror, wailing at the unknown... it's all gone through in about 15 minutes.

Then they realize the don't have the energy to put into that kind of a tantrum.

Next is shock. As the sun travels up the sky, unconcerned with their plight, the guys, one at a time, realize they're too hot and shuck off layers of stale and sweaty clothes.

Then their noses become aware of how pure the air is, and how it doesn't smell of the city. Human lungs haven't inhaled air this pure in centuries. 

The drama starts up again when  everyone has the same thought. They're hungry.

A quick scavenge through the vehicle provides nothing other than a granola bar in Hobi's carry bag. A quick fight over it makes it crumble in a mess on the ground, the guys eyeing it sadly as their bellies continue to protest not having breakfast.

It's not until almost noon when they actually start paying attention to their surroundings.

****

'Do you hear running water?' Asks Tae.

'I thought it was my tinnitus.' Jimin replies, earning a stuck out tongue from his soulmate.

'If there is, we should head that way. We need to keep hydrated if we want to figure this out and stay alive.' Joon says as he nods at Hobi to lead the way.

'Hold on, let's collect containers to gather the water.' Jin insists. They check every crevice to find old water bottles discarded and forgotten until now to bring with them.

Grunting his annoyance Yoongi pockets the keys to the vehicle as he locks it before attaching himself to the end of the line of men heading towards the unknown.

By the time they reach the swiftly moving stream Joon recognizing it as a tributary of the Han River he loves to cycle along. 

Once the water's edge is found the maknae line get distracted, curious about foraging for food. Instead of waiting to fill the bottles they were given they leave them with the hyung line while the wander in to the nearby woods they just traveled through, hoping to find some to fill empty bellies.

Tae finds Korean blackberries, filling his and JK's bucket hats to the brim, leaving his fingers and their hats stained with the juices. His lips might also be stained when he tried some to confirm that they were just as tasty as he remembered from his childhood.

Jimin finds a wide swath of perilla bushes as well as a few clumps of wild green onions. 

JK, once he hands his hat to Tae, stalks a few hares. His first thought is meat for dinner, but when he finds them nibbling on mushrooms attached to trees (and finds out just how hard it is to catch a hare with your bare hands) he decides to gather the mushrooms that grow up the side of the trees. Ones that show bite marks from other animals eating them.

When they gather back at the water's edge, the hyung line have finished filling the water bottles, their treasures are gone over, given the stamp of approval from Jin hyung, and shared out for everyone to fill their bellies with.

It's not hot food, but it's more than they've had in almost 24 hours. The smiles when everyone finishes has the maknae line grinning happily at being able to help provide for their brothers.

The maknaes show where they found their provisions, and they gather more to tide them over, this time sweatshirts are used to hold the greater quantity of foodstuff for the trip back to the van.

As they figure out how to get back to the vehicle twilight is overtaking the leafy shadows they are walking in, the night sky just starting to brighten with constellations.

If they had thought to peek up and look through the leafy coverage of the trees they might've seen bats and owls flying through a night sky so clear it hasn't been seen in a city in centuries.

Instead the shrieking of a certain dance leader is announcing their location to every living thing in a mile radius.

****

JK's stick he picked up while he tromped through the bush to scare out hares is used to clear a walking path for them.

Hoseok, having given up the lead position to hover behind the curious Tae who offered to protect him, is glad to let JK lead.

The trip back to the vehicle is fairly unremarkable. When they walk clear of the forested area to where the wheels of the van sink in the soft soil instead of firmly place on a hard road, they realize the sky is both darker than they've experienced in a long while... as well as brighter.

'You know, now I wish I had bought that copy of the star map from the museum I visited last month.' Namjoon says lowly as they all gape at the clear night sky, twinkling like so many fairy lights.

'Where is the North Star?' Jimin asks, searching for it. 'It'll help us orient to where we are when we go back for water again.' 

'I don't think we should go for water at night in the future.' Hobi says, glancing from the sky to the darkness of the forest undergrowth that they emerged from.

'Until we know the fauna of the area, Hobi-ah is correct.' Joon says, frowning as he follows his friend's gaze.

'Yeah, we're being watched. And intelligently.' Tae says, not even looking away from the sky. 'Oh, I think I found the North Star! It's that one, right?' He says, pointing over his soulmate's shoulder to guide his friend to where he's looking.

'That seems correct.' Jin agrees. 'It's that water pitcher shape that we've been taught to look for. I think the smaller one is that set of stars right near it. See?' Waving his hands off to one side, Joon nods, seeing what their eldest is pointing at.

The sudden silence from the previously noisy night makes everyone hold still, distracting them from their search of the sky.

'Everyone in the vehicle. We're bunking down here again for the night.' Yoongi growls as he quickly moves to the driver's seat, unlocking it for his friends to find protection from whatever made all the wild animals quiet.