Cass gave a knowing smirk. "Jealous?"

A quick glance away, followed by a defensive, "N-No!"

Scarla landed gracefully and turned towards Deck as Jack approached them. 

"Impressive. You might prove useful after all," Jack acknowledged. 

He motioned for Scarla to follow him into his tent. Inside, the tent was surprisingly well-equipped, a stark contrast to its plain exterior. Cloth draped from the ceiling, and various weapons lined the walls. A table in the center was covered with papers and a large map. Jack took a seat and indicated for Scarla to do the same.

"Is this a map of the entire city?" Scarla inquired, studying the sprawling diagram.

"Only where we've scavenged," Jack replied, pointing to several marked areas. "A few of these buildings still need to be checked." 

He rose, retrieved a handgun from the wall, and offered it to her. "Take this and check those buildings. Gather anything useful, and only use this if absolutely necessary. And try to come back alive."

After a brief hesitation, Scarla took the gun, securing it in her belt. She made a copy of the map and headed to her area to gather her gear. As she prepared to leave, a voice stopped her.

"Hey, be careful out there. Make sure you come back in one piece. We wouldn't want to find a Scarla jigsaw puzzle," Deck said with a chuckle.

"Right…" Scarla responded with a confused smile, quickly making her exit. 

As she walked away, she overheard Cass, "Scarla jigsaw puzzle? That's weak even for you."

She let out a small chuckle as she stepped outside. The air was dry, and dust motes danced in the dim, gray light of a cloud-laden sky that promised no rain. From her vantage point, the dark silhouettes of distant buildings loomed. She descended to solid ground, lost in thought as she headed towards her destination. She pushed away thoughts of her past, focusing on the immediate task. The decision to join this group weighed on her, and she was determined not to let them down. A breeze ruffled her hair, and she tucked it behind her ear. Apocalyptic streets stretched before her, flanked by towering, damaged buildings. The sheer scale of the ruin was still jarring. Consulting the map, she navigated to the building Jack had indicated. It resembled the others, save for the faded remnants of a large sign three-quarters of the way up. 

The front doors were accessible, and she stepped into what was once a lobby. Dust and debris covered the floor, and most doors were blocked, but a staircase offered access to the upper floors. Finding nothing of interest on the ground floor, she began her ascent. Floor after floor yielded nothing. On the fifth floor, however, something finally caught her eye. An abandoned room contained a small cache of medicines and first-aid supplies. She quickly gathered what she could, stowing it in her bag. Just before leaving, a faint sound echoed through the halls. Rats. The pervasive creatures, one of the few species to thrive, scurried just out of sight. Their presence was a constant, though unwelcome, accompaniment as she continued her search.

Having concluded her sweep, Scarla returned to the lobby and stepped back outside. The wind swept across her face and down the empty street. The sky was growing darker, a sign that she needed to return to the group soon. She quickened her pace, making her way along the streets and back towards the barren river. Suddenly, a deafening crack rent the air, followed by a blinding flash of light. It was time to run. Lightning intensified, striking faster with each bolt. Scarla found herself caught in a fierce lightning storm, still a considerable distance from the lighthouse. She pushed herself to move faster, but a stumble sent her sprawling.

Her arm bore the brunt of the fall, and her face scraped against the ground, leaving a slow trickle of blood on her cheek. Pulling herself up, she clutched her sore arm and continued her rapid journey toward the lighthouse. The storm, however, only grew in intensity. A lightning bolt, too close for comfort, threw her backward. She cried out in pain, attempting to rise but collapsing back to the ground. Tears welled as she looked up at the tumultuous sky. 

Was this the end?

Just then, someone approached. She was lifted into someone's arms and carried away.

Her tears muddled her vision but she muttered “Thank you…”

"It's going to be okay." they assured her, moving swiftly toward the lighthouse.

Upon reaching the entrance, they set her down and helped her inside, guiding her to their camp.

"Oh my god! What happened?" Cass exclaimed.

"Looks like you got yourself beat up," Deck remarked.

"Quiet, both of you," Jack interjected, silencing them. 

He led Scarla to her bed, gently laying her down, and began to tend to her wounds, his expression one of focused concern. She watched in silence as he addressed the bleeding on her cheek.

"Did you get hurt anywhere else?" he asked.

She nodded, holding up her sore arm. He carefully examined it, gently manipulating it until she winced. He concluded it would heal with rest. He then had her turn over to inspect her back, finding only minor bruising. After she turned back, he finished cleaning her cheek.

"You should be good now," he stated.

A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Um, how did you know where I was?"

As he stood up to leave, he said “I…wanted to keep an eye on you.”

After a moment, he turned and started to leave but two arms wrapped around him from behind preventing him from doing so.

“Thank you.”

Scarla climbed back into bed, a small smile playing on her lips. She closed her eyes, replaying the events and drifted to sleep as she dreamt of Jack and the others. It was then that she realized she found her people.