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Night 1 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The wind quiets. The dust settles. The stars blink.

The Boopiter attempts to start a fire for itself and Glade. Sparks flicker, but the kindling wont catch.
Glade doesn’t seem to mind. She lies back on a slab of Martian stone, eyes looking upon the Martian nightsky.

Elsewhere, Cynamity and The Mercurii sit back-to-back at a makeshift camp. The Mercurii hunches over, wrapping one of his arms with a torn sleeve.
Cynamity staring at the sky in silence. Neither speaks.

Bexxi, wrapped in what little she has, tries and fails to build a fire. She curls into herself and sleeps without warmth.

The Venling hums, trying to sing Sadbread and itself to sleep.
Sadbread listens in silence, unsure whether it’s comfort or madness.

Toraix climbs a twisted Martian tree and settles into the branches.

The Marzie slumps beside a dry riverbed. It had expected to find water, unfortunately it found nothing.  It is too late, it should have found water sooner.

The Glimloop spends the night digging. Not for food. Not for shelter. It’s carving shapes into the dirt - circles, eyes, spirals. It doesn’t sleep.

Suchomimos finds a small, rock-lined crater and curls up in it like a nest.

Feminem, stares into the darkness with wide, reflective eyes. She hasn’t lit a fire either. She’s listening... for movement, for breathing, for betrayal.

Day 2 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The Martian morning breaks red and silent.

Feminem spends the morning alone. She draws her bow, holds her breath, and releases. She's practicing.

Elsewhere, Bexxi stares into the sand for too long. Her hands tremble slightly, she isn't sure if she is hearing the other contestants or if it is just her own thoughts.

The Venling and Sadbread travel together still. They discover something rare - a narrow river. The water is red-tinged but cool. They drink without hesitation.
Nearby, The Venling, having spotted Sadbread from afar, turns and bolts in the opposite direction. A misstep and a sharp crack. It stumbles down a slope, while clutching its ankle.

Toraix spends the day combing the terrain. He collects what he can. He is preparing.

Across the dunes, Glade and The Boopiter are seen sprinting - Cynamity is behind them. The Boopiter slips on loose gravel and lands hard, clutching its ankle. Glade helps it up, and they vanish behind a ridge.

Suchomimos explores alone. He scales a ridge, slides down a canyon- He doesn't know what he's looking for - only that he hasn't found it yet.

The Glimloop is quiet today. It finds a strange tree and climbs. It picks soft, purple fruit.

Night 2 of the Drekkal'Zuun
The cold creeps in. The Martian night stretches long and brittle. Every sound is sharper now. Every silence, heavier.

The Venling jerks awake. The nightmares are worse tonight. Sadbread moves closer without a word, resting a hand on its shoulder. The Venling doesn’t speak, and it doesn’t pull away.

Glade and The Boopiter lie side by side beneath an arch of Martian stone. Their fingers brush once. Then they hold hands. Neither of them says why.

Suchomimos convinces Bexxi to share warmth. She hesitates - then nods. They curl together in silence, their backs to the wind.

Cynamity and The Mercurii share the same resting spot. They don’t speak, but their hands find each other’s in the dark.

Feminem climbs a jagged rock formation and tucks herself between branches of a tree. She watches the stars.

Toraix stays awake, unmoving. He is watching the distant flicker of small campfires.

The Glimloop spends the night whispering to something in its hands - a fruit? A rock? A memory? It giggles softly at intervals, then shushes itself. It hasn’t blinked in hours.