Ghent collected his cloak from where it fell, cringing when he discovered his discarded portion of toatunt nearby. He crouched down next to his backpack, pulling it toward him by one of the straps. 
	[i][b]Adapt, boy. Or you won't survive Wonderland. [/b][/i] Ghent unzipped the backpack by what remained of the zipper, a quiet sigh escaping him. [i]Adapt, or I won't survive [b]you,[/b][/i] he responded in his head, his inner voice bitter. He hated that he seemed to have a knack for pushing all of Drust's buttons.[i] I ate it, didn't I? Why's he gotta nitpick everything?[/i]
	Although Drust's movement was slow, Ghent froze when he reached for his katana. If Drust’s abilities also covered reading minds, Ghent was as good as dead.
	Thankfully, Drust was merely getting ready. Ghent resumed breathing, embarrassed by how easily the man terrified him. He checked that Hatter’s journal was still there, pausing when he realized he hadn’t put on his cloak yet.
	Putting on a cloak with a bulky backpack wasn’t ideal, but Ghent doubted he could fit the cloak in with the rest of his clothes. Plus, the early morning air was chilling, and he didn't want to be the only one without a cloak. 
	Zipping up his backpack, Ghent slipped it on and drew the cloak over himself, pulling the hood over his head to keep the fabric in place. He began to fidget with the clasps to secure them, but Elayra’s movement caught his eye. From what he could tell, she undid something on her cloak, which created an opening to allow her backpack to fit through.
	Curious if his cloak had the same feature, Ghent removed the cloak and turned it over to examine the back. At first, he couldn’t see anything, but then he noticed a seam of sorts. He pulled on opposite sides of the fabric, and two snaps came undone. He mimicked the action on the other side, which offered room for his backpack.
	[b]Smaya's kept her promise.[/b]
	Ghent looked up sharply, startled by Drust's voice. He nodded in response, thankful that at least [i]something[/i] had gone right.
	[i]You're welcome, by the way.[/i] Ghent tugged at the cloak to fix it, reflecting on his second visit with Smaya. He thought about the lost souls in the pool, their troubles significantly worse than accidentally consuming toad meat. He suddenly felt heavier, and it wasn't because of the weight of his backpack.
	Noticing the others were waiting, Ghent hurried over to regroup with them, adjusting his cloak as he moved. He tugged at the fabric, attempting to lock the clasps together with one hand. In his opposite hand, he carried his staff. 
	Seeing Drust near the edge of the Safe Zone was troubling. If the trek through Hollow Forest was anything like yesterday, their emotions would be tampered with, which would make their journey more dangerous than he already was.
	After some trouble, both clasps finally locked in place. Ghent glanced at Elayra, suspecting she had similar concerns when it came to their guardian.
	Doing what he could to mask the worry he felt, Ghent nodded to show he was ready. At least, as ready as he could be.