The journey through Hollow Forest was far more grueling than Ghent expected it to be. The only thing that kept him going was his desire to get as far away from the spirits as possible. Using his fear as a means of motivation, he ignored his aches and pains and pushed onward. The endless hours of walking gave him plenty of time to think and absorb more of what he'd learned about Wonderland, and himself. 
	After what felt a lifetime, they reached the end. The intensity of the emotions lifted, and Ghent wanted to collapse from relief. He looked around with a newfound appreciation as they went on, thankful for anything that wasn't in the confinements of Hollow Forest.
	Contrary to what Ghent hoped, they weren't done. Even though they were out of Hollow Forest, they traveled for a few more hours until Drust stopped. Curious, Ghent tried to look around the Knight's shoulder, but he didn't see anything to raise alarm. He assumed they were taking another break until Drust announced he would be leaving them.
	Ghent’s brows rose. He definitely didn't see that coming. He suspected splitting up wouldn't go over well with Elayra, and it didn't. He blinked as she scowled at his backpack.[i] What'd [b]I[/b] do?[/i] He wanted to ask. He didn't bother defending himself, though. He didn't have the energy.
	Ghent stood a little straighter when Drust stepped toward him, unsure what he'd done to warrant his attention. He glanced to his staff as Drust referred to it, inwardly groaning at the latest order. Even in Wonderland, he couldn’t seem to escape homework. 
	Resuming his slumped position, Ghent sighed a less-than-enthusiastic ‘okay’. He hoped his staff would be willing to connect with him while he was sitting down. He couldn't wait to get off his feet. 
	As Drust directed his attention to Elayra, Ghent decided to let the two hash things out. Elayra was obviously upset with Drust’s decision, so much that she objected verbally. Ghent couldn't help but wince as their guardian reacted with a scowl, although his temper stayed in check despite the difference in opinion.
	Ghent stayed out of it. If Drust wanted to leave on a solo mission, he wasn’t about to stop him. He turned to watch the Knight leave, an odd mixture of relief and unease brewing in his chest. A lot could happen in an hour.
	The pain in his shoulder reminded Ghent that he was still carrying his backpack. "You guys didn't tell me you had a dress code, y'know," he grumbled, suspecting Elayra faulted him for Drust's departure. He approached the river a few feet away from where she sat and dropped his backpack and cloak onto the grass. He studied his staff up close, freezing when Elayra made the remark regarding the town. 
	“Very funny.” Ghent was never so thankful to sit down. His feet hurt so badly they throbbed, and the rest of him didn't feel much better. He scratched the side of his jaw, the jibe secretly concerning him. He had no idea what the town was like, but if the residents were referred to as ‘Forsaken’, he suspected he was in for another day of terror.
	“Just for the record? I have plenty of wits.” Feeling the need to finally defend himself, Ghent placed his staff aside and reached for his backpack. "How else do you think I made it to the Betwixt and back? Twice?"
	Inspired by Elayra, he removed a glittery water bottle from his backpack. It was one of the many his mother owned, and this one in particular had 'I don't sweat, I sparkle', printed on the side. It was something Ghent hadn't realized during his hasty packing job.
	He unscrewed the top and took a long drink, slowing as he narrowed his eyes at Elayra. He replaced the top, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "This isn't mine, so don't judge me," he warned, pushing the bottle back into the depths of his backpack.
	"Anyways, [i]Blondie[/i], you'd better not call me Featherhead when we're in town, because I don't want that name to stick." Ghent took hold of his staff again, giving it a gentle tug near the middle to see if the halves would separate for him. He pretended to be interested in the weapon, but in reality, he was thinking about Gardale and those who lived there. "Just for curosities sake, though...er, what's the town like?"