Storm Island Expedition

Rain

Cedric, Hodgins, and Ella were stuck under their makeshift shelter.  Four days of drenching rains in the forest had left them with no way to move about.
A localized thunderstorm had formed overhead and without any warning.
Now, the area was partially flooded.  Any spots where there was dirt, was now waist deep mud.  Worse, the rain was falling hard enough to cut the skin.
The area they had setup in luckily had plenty of cover from trees and was surrounded by assorted berry bushes.  Normally, it would be unsafe to eat unknown foods, but when Cedric saw some local kebbits and birds eat the berries, he couldn't resist trying some himself.  Ella and Hodgins opted to wait a full day or two to see what happened to Cedric, just in case they had unexpected side effects. Now on their fourth day, nothing has happened to the man.
Stuck, they did what they could to pass the time: review the maps and tell the tales of their own adventures.  Hodgins tested the berries with various herb combinations to see if he could create any new potions.  He only succeeded at making interesting colored damp herbs.
Ella simply poured over all of the records they collected to date on the northern forest.  "Trees ... bushes ... grass ... more trees ... "she sighed "I think the port was the most interesting part of our trip so far."
"Bah" Cedric tried to brush off her negativity "nothing wrong with a stroll through the woods.  I've always found it relaxing."
"You sure those berries haven't had some sort of side effect?" she asked.
Cedric simply too a small clump of purple berries and ate them.  "Not a bit."
"OK, I'm bored now. What else can we do?"
"Finished the samples already Hodgins?"
"Yup. Even took my time with it ... "
"Learn anything?"
"Make anything?"
"I think I invented teal harralander."  After taking a closer inspection "or is that periwinkle?"  The trio laughed to hide their boredom.

After several more unsettlingly dull hours; Cedric finally got bored, yet inspired.  "Is there any way we can check up on the progress of the others?"
Hodgins looked up as if Cedric mentioned the impossible. "Like how?  Magically contact them?"
"Maybe.  Either of you know any of those Loon Spells?" Cedric inquired.
"Lunar Spells."  Ella corrected. "And no."
"Me neither."
Cedric twiddled this thumbs  "So then ... it is not like you guys said there was NOT a way."
Ella opened her journal again. "Well, there is A way.   I'm surprised I didn't think of it sooner."
"Oh?" as both Cedric and Hodgins perked up.
"Do you remember that spell that mage Radimus brought in and showed us?"
"What mage?
"When was this?"
"You know.  After the presentations and everything.  Radimus brought in the mage who was talking about how the journals were fireproof, and would record everything, and so on."
Cedric and Hodgins seemed to go into a blank look as if they were remembering that day.  But Ella cut them off before they could switch off to some cut-scene flashback.  "Never mind, I guess I was the only one paying attention."
Cedric just stared at her. "Sounds like one of those odd conveniently placed plot devices in a story to me."
"Yeah." Hodgins agreed.
Ella muttered a few words, nothing happened.  "Maybe I mixed up the fourth and sixth parts of the incantation... " A second try and her journal seemed to slowly fill up the page with a map and notes she knew weren't there before.   Within a few minutes, she could flip through pages and pages of new details.  Eventually, their map was updated.
"Well.  Now we have something else to pass the time."
They spent through the next day reviewing all of the updates to the Island.
"Statues ... underground city ... trees ... swamps ... this is what?  Almost two thirds of the island?"

"Give or take."
"Do you think we could have made better ground?"
"You mean if we hadn't run into this rain?"
"Unlikely.  Sure we didn't take the most direct route ... "
"Direct?  How many times did we back track so Hodgins could look at a plant he thought was something?  Or ... "
"How many times did we have to try and go around thick thorny hedges you were too scared to go through ... "
"Enough boys!" Ella finally broke them up.  "We weren't going to make much headway whatever route we took."
"Why?" both gentlemen asked.
"Simple.  Did it occur to either of you that something might have been trying to block us?"
"Uh, no."
"Did you read any of the other notes from the others?"
"Yes."
"And how they each got stalled along the way?"
"Yes."
"No Ella, don't go down the conspiracy theory route."
"And why not?"
"Just ... please don't."
"But ... "
"No!"
"Fine." Ella crossed her arms and gave a pouty look as she then turned away from them.  Both men started to giggle at her.
Just then the rain began to let up into a light drizzle.
"You see that?"
"Yeah."
Cedric stuck his hand out first.  "Seems safe enough.  Not hurting my hand like last time." He left the safety of the cover and stood upright for the first time in days.  "Oh that feels good to stretch.  And what do ya know ... the rain has finally stopped."
"Hurrah."
"So we can pack up and continue?"
"Yes."
"Where to next then?"
"Northeast?"
"How about due East?"
"Why due East?"
"That Thomas character seemed to be not too far from here, maybe we should check in on him?"
They all nodded in agreement.  A day later, they were at the same 'mysterious statue' that Thomas had encountered.  Cedric leaned against it, but nothing happened.
Hodgins managed to find Thomas' gear.  "Thomas! Thomas?" But no reply.
A pheasant ran about before running off into the trees.
The trio searched for another hour, but found no other signs of Thomas. They continued headed east to the coast.