That silhouette watching them in the darkness slipped away.

  The night passed without interruption, and the survivors managed to rest a little.

  At dawn, the first rays of sunlight woke the group.

  The cool morning breeze gave them a brief respite, but they quickly remembered the difficult journey ahead.

  With determination, everyone rose and began organizing for the long walk to Zafarí.

  The group divided tasks: some prepared and distributed food rations, others kept watch, while Cody and Andrew instructed those interested in basic defense and firearm handling.

  The rest organized supplies.

  Away from the provisional camp was the “shooting range.”

  After finishing the first training session, Ander spoke with Andrew.

  "You’re a good instructor," Ander said jokingly.

  "Thanks, kid. Learning to defend yourself is essential these days. You did well for your first time," Andrew replied.

  "I’m surprised you let me use a weapon. Weren’t you supposed to kill me if necessary?"

  "Still my main task, don’t get confused," Andrew teased.

  Both ughed.

  "You still don’t realize, do you?" Andrew asked.

  "Realize what?" Ander replied, confused.

  Andrew raised his shotguns.

  "You don’t need a weapon to defend yourself. You can be the hostiles’ worst fear."

  "Their worst fear?"

  "Yes. Your abilities can be perfected—with training."

  "But… what kind of training?"

  Andrew walked back toward the group.

  "Every skill can be trained, kid. For now, reaching Zafarí is the priority. Once there, I have some very peculiar friends who can help."

  "Peculiar? How did you meet them?"

  "Zafarí is my hometown. That’s where I met them and did my military training."

  Ander kept walking toward camp.

  "Really? Then… how did you end up in Zarco?"

  "Enough questions for today… we need to prepare to leave," Andrew said, walking away.

  Ander stopped, clutching his head with both hands.

  "Come on! You always say that!" he shouted, frustrated.

  The group gathered around camp.

  Preparations were complete, and everyone was ready to begin the trek to Zafarí.

  The tension in the air was palpable, but so was their determination.

  Luke stood before them.

  "Listen up! As you know, we can’t continue by train—the tracks were destroyed. We’ll follow the tracks we can still see ahead. We’ll stop to eat, and before nightfall, we’ll set up camp. Stay together and stay alert," he ordered.

  With backpacks on and weapons ready, the group began walking, leaving behind the devastation of the evacuation train.

  The sound of their footsteps mixed with the crunch of stones and grass beneath their feet.

  The tracks stretched endlessly before them.

  The ndscape shifted from open fields to dense forests, each new setting bringing its own challenges and wonders.

  The group marveled at the beauty of the outside world.

  "Balto! Don’t go too far," Ander called, as the puppy ran excitedly across the prairie, chasing rabbits with horns instead of ears.

  Birds flew overhead, and Alicia and Anna were amazed by the many different species they saw.

  The group kept moving until they found the perfect spot to rest and eat.

  Most endured the long walks, but Luke was unsettled by the absence of hostiles in the area.

  Quickly, the group adapted to the routine of traveling to Zafarí.Scenes unfolded of their daily rhythm:

  Training with weapons.? Setting up camp.? Walking along the tracks.? Stopping to eat.? Continuing forward.? Lighting the fire to dine and rest.Day by day, their bonds grew stronger.

  They were becoming a family.

  Before the day ended, the group settled in and prepared their st meal.

  "Here’s something for dinner. It’s not much, but it’ll keep us going," Magnus said, handing out rations.

  "We’ll need energy to continue," Italia added.

  Luke stood before them again.

  "We’ve made good progress today. At this pace, we’ll reach Zafarí in three more days."

  "We only have enough food left for one more meal," Magnus warned.

  "We’re so close… we need to find more food," Italia said, worried.

  Luke looked at Cody and Andrew.

  "What do you think about tomorrow’s training being with moving targets?"

  "What do you mean?" Cody asked.

  "I get it," Andrew replied, sipping from his canteen.

  ***

  The next morning.

  Through a spygss, Cody watched a group of foxes devouring a family of hares.

  The training group gathered in the field, listening to instructions.

  "Okay, kids, we’re lucky. The foxes are distracted," Andrew said.

  "Is this really necessary?" Anna asked, uneasy.

  Andrew stared at her.

  "If you want your companions to have food, yes."

  "It’s everyone’s choice, don’t worry," Cody added.

  Andrew took command.

  "We’ll do this silently and precisely. We don’t want to scare them too soon."

  "Stay calm, aim carefully, and fire only when sure," Cody instructed.

  With a whispered count, the group prepared.

  Cody raised his hand.

  "On three. One… two… three!"

  BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

  Gunfire echoed across the field.

  The foxes, startled, tried to flee, but the group’s accuracy paid off. Each participant hit their target, bringing the animals down.

  "Great job, everyone!" Cody excimed.

  Andrew cpped.

  "Spectacur. We’ve got food again."

  The group fell silent, emotions mixed.

  They had proven their training, but the weight of killing defenseless animals lingered.

  "I’m sorry… but we need to eat," Ander said, staring at a fox lying in the grass.

  Survival demanded sacrifice.

  The training had worked, but it reminded them that every choice carried a price.

  The road to Zafarí would test not only their endurance, but their conscience.