**Cayden & Hackmon**

He walked ahead, ignoring Eden's question but being forced to hear everyone behind him. It seemed like he was going to be the “glue” of the group. The person that tried to keep them close and together, to keep them stuck to each other... to keep them festering when things got bad. In all honesty, it made him want to sprint from them but he stuffed the feeling down and kept it buried. 

Walking along the jungle path he spotted several prints that just didn't seem human, large gashes in the bark of the oddly formed trees, foot prints the size of his entire body, entire tree-tops laying over in fields far away. 

Hackmon swiveled his head around as he sniffed the air.  “You smell anything?” Cayden asked, continuing his trek and pushing aside a thin, strong-veined leaf in his path.

“... Not any Digimon. I do smell water though. Lots of it too.” 

Cayden knew the importance of water in a foreign place. He had separated himself from his family plenty of times, leaving only the TV as a source of sound to block out their “bonding”. It was usually on the Discovery Channel or Nat Geo. 

“Water is good, I'll need water if I'm going to survive,” he nodded absently.

He paused for a moment, hoping to halt the entire group behind him. It hadn't been that long since Eden had ask that question, and honestly he felt he should tell them his deal before just throwing his hermit-lifestyle onto them. Sticking his hand in his pocket, he turned his side to them. 

“We've all been thrown into this piss-poor assembly, made to work together by _something_ unknown. I've only been here for a little but it feels like months. I'd rather not spend this purgatory having awkward conversations with strangers.” He didn't appear upset or bothered but he let out a airy breath. “... Hackmon smells water up ahead. There might be a lake or river,” he informed before returning to the path. 

Hackmon looked over his shoulder at everyone, feeling slightly barred from the rest of them. Cayden sounded like he was issuing a warning to them although it didn't feel threatening. The glinting dragon scowled while trying to figure out its meaning. Earlier the guy was willing to fight along side him. Recently though, its been obvious that Cayden only speaks when to convey surface emotions and its not like he's nice about it either. 

_Still though, he's my partner. I won't leave your side, Cay? _ resolved the dragon youth as he followed behind.