The Path Not Taken

Jonas didn't understand why Kim was so resistant to merely checking to see if that narrow trail led anywhere. He himself didn't expect anything, but even if it didn't help them with this challenge, there wasn't a guarantee that it wouldn't help them with another.

Or even lead them to a secret challenge. They just didn't know enough to say for sure either way.

However, Jonas was counting on Elin and Elmo being curious as to what was down that path. As such, he was looking forward to the vote. He was rather surprised when Kim suggested it, which also made him wonder if Kim really cared or if she was merely wanting that subject to get dealt with so she could focus on something else. If so, it would explain why she'd been so quiet since.

The day seemed like it was trying to act all innocent about the weather from the night, and possibly day, before. Like the heavy downpour hadn't occurred, despite the signs of erosion in places and remaining rain water drying in others.

The sky was clear and promised to be a warm, if not hot day.

Maybe it was the fact that he'd been in caves for the past few days, but he couldn't help but feel better than he usually did. Part of it was definitely the clear and beautiful day, but he was also certain that part of it was from how he'd been away from the sun for so long. There was something about it that seemed to lift his spirits somehow, even though he hadn't really cared that much to be in sunlight that he could remember.

While the day seemed to be trying to pretend that the thunderstorm hadn't occurred, but Jonas didn't care so long as it wasn't leading up to another. At least not any time soon.

While he had imagined that things would have settled back down to where they had been before they'd been forcibly separated, Jonas had to acknowledge that things had changed. With Elmo, it was hard to say if he had decided to remain or to leave the group. He had been clearly moving in that direction before he had joined Jonas in the river and in that cavern network. While now Elmo seemed like he was more comfortable and wasn't looking for a way or time to leave. Then there was what had happened between Elmo and him. While he didn't think much about it, especially since he didn't promise anything and wasn't sure if he'd want anything more than what they had done, he couldn't be sure if Elmo had taken as a promise or that he would want more.

Elin was a different matter. Not only was she rather withdrawn, which could just mean that she was tired, but she also seemed to be where Elmo had been and looking for a way to quietly leave the group. She would still sound cheerful and full of life when someone spoke to her, but other than that, she didn't initiate conversation, nor did she move with the same energy.

Jonas couldn't help but wonder if maybe something had happened with Kim and Elin, but unless he found an opening to ask, he doubted it would be good for him to broach the subject. Even if an opening did appear.

Kim seemed mostly the same, although if anything, she was a little more forceful in her opinion than before, but that could just be because she'd tired or something else. Which for Jonas was completely understandable.

The changes he found most concerning was how Elmo and Elin were acting. With Elmo, it was a little because he couldn't tell how much of it was something Elmo had determined on his own and how much of it was because of the night he and Elmo spent together. As he couldn't be sure what was going on in Elmo's mind, nor was he sure he wanted to know.

With Elin, he was worried that she might be more than just interested in leaving the group, but rather that something might have happened where she might be giving up on things in her own life. Such as if she'd given up on getting back to her own world.

Kim certainly didn't seem to notice anything different, but he couldn't help but wonder if her actions was from giving Elin 'some space.' As he was sure that Kim likely would know what had happened, and since they were essentially going out, then it would be something that they really didn't have to share with anyone else if they didn't want to. At least in Jonas' opinion.

Fortunately, nothing eventful happened before they reached the path that Kim had mentioned. The sun had already gone down on the day after they'd been reunited, but there was still plenty of light for them to see with. Jonas was a little annoyed at how long it took them to get here, but he could't be sure if there were other aspects that influenced Kim's perceptions of the distance.

Though, Jonas would have been fine if they'd stopped for the night well before they reached it. Especially since the didn't stop the night before until it had almost gotten dark then. He would rather go to bed right then, and he suspected it was from being in the sun so much , essentially getting used to it from spending days when he was the caves, away from the sunlight. With two days like that, he was starting to feel like he was ready to drop right where he was.

"This is it," Kim said, indicating the trail.

If Jonas hadn't been so tired, maybe he'd have noticed it before it was pointed out, or it was that he was just too distracted at the moment. Either way, as he looked at the trail in the canyon wall, he couldn't help but feel like there was something there that was calling to him. He didn't know what that was, but was pretty sure that it was definitely worth taking a look at.

Whatever it was, it was too distant for him to tell if it was his Magic Sense or something else. What he could be sure was that he was certain that he needed to figure out a way to get the vote go in favor of taking a look at the trail. Though, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to do anything about it regardless.

"So, we're going to do a vote," Kim informed Elmo and Elin. "If we should waste our time seeing where that path leads or if we should continue on with the main path."

Jonas couldn't help but smirk with how Kim phrased that. It was clear what she thought of the path and how she'd already indicated to Elmo and Elin just what she thought of that path and what they should as well. At least according to Kim.

"So, which of you would like to see where that path leads?" Jonas asked, not bothering to raise his hand, since both he knew what he wanted to do and Kim knew. If he said anything, it could potentially influence what those two voted, and he was sure that Kim would object to that, even though she had already did some influencing as well.

Jonas watched at Elin and Elmo look at each other, clearly unsure how to respond. Neither of them moved or said anything right away. Jonas was pretty sure they didn't really know how to respond, with how abrupt the subject had come up for them.

"It doesn't matter which you pick. Don't worry what any of us will think with whatever choice you make," Jonas said after a minute of silence. He had a feeling if he didn't say anything, that the silence would continue on, leaving them in an even more deadlocked position than they had been in before.

"Don't try to influence them," Kim warned predictably.

"I was merely letting them know that no matter what they picked, that they won't be criticized or anything for that choice," Jonas replied, feeling like both Elmo and Elin wanted to pick the path, but were to uneasy about Kim's stance on the subject. Which he could fully understand. Right then she seemed to be putting off some impatient and irritated vibes.

Elin slowly rose her hand. She'd gotten it up about three quarters of the way before Jonas or Kim noticed. Jonas was pretty sure he noticed a split second before Kim, but Kim was faster to say something.

"Are you raising your hand to vote for moving on?" Kim asked.

Elin clearly didn't want to look Kim in the eyes, as she kept her gaze towards the ground as she took a deep breath. "I want to see where the path leads," she said quietly.

Jonas felt like they could have heard a pin drop in the canyon somewhere with how quiet Kim and Elmo got right then. Though, Jonas was pretty sure Elmo went quiet because he was afraid how Kim was going to react in general. Though, Jonas could see Elin was uneasy about that as well, though he had to admire her for taking the stance she had in general.

Kim sighed after a couple minutes of tense silence. Then she looked at Jonas. "Well, looks like it's a tie about if we should take it or not," she started to say, but stopped when Elmo raised his hand.

"Uh, I think I'd like to see where it goes too?" Elmo said, his nervous tone making it sound like a question.

Kim sighed, looking like she really wanted to strangle someone. "Ugh. Fine. We'll see what's down that way."

"How about in the morning?" Jonas asked, earning a glare from Kim. "It's getting dark already, so if we send someone now, they might not have time to really see what's around."

Kim looked like she wanted something that she could vent her anger on and Jonas had to admire her self-control about not taking her emotions out on him or any of their group.

"Fine. In the morning," Kim said shortly after a minute of heated silence.