On a night hike on a camp, two hikers accidentally get seperated from the rest of the group. As they wander through the bush, looking for the others, they find that they have no idea where they are and have to wait until morning for the search parties to come and find them.

----------

It was nearing sunset when the group was making their way though the bush back to camp. At the rear of the group were two individuals caught up in conversation. So much so that when the group reached a crossroads and turned off down another track, they missed it and continued ahead. And so they walked for many minutes until they realized that no one else was with them. Damn, Chris said I think we got left behind. We got to pick up the pace, come on! And so they started jogging. Wow, the packs are heavy. He said, more to himself than his companion. They continued at this pace for a while until a thought crossed his mind. Surely we should have caught up to them by now? Do you think we could have gone the wrong way?

Sapphire puffed along, barely keeping up with Chris. Maybe she shouldn't have packed all that food... She was paying for it now. "Maybe... They... were... jogging... too?..." She puffed. The one light Chris was holding wasn't enough to light the path very well, and she tripped over a log. "Oof!" She rolled into a sitting position and nugded off her pack. "Ahh. I need a break or I'm gonna die!" She sat there leaning on her pack, breathing heavily.

OK, we'll take a breather here and head off in a few minutes. Chris crouched beside her, not removing his pack. He grabbed a sip from his water bottle and rocked backwards and forwards, helping the blood flow in his legs. He looked around at the area. Uuh... I don't recognize any of this from the trip out of camp, what about you? I mean, I'm sure there must be something we can recognize. Uugh! Why does this place have to be so bare!? He said to no one in particular. He was nervous. They were seperated from everyone , neither of them had a map and night was falling. This could be a problem.

Sapphire looked up at Chris's nervous face. She tried to lift the mood a little. "Chris, I don't know if anyone's told you this but, your hair is really puffy." She smile with her eyebrows furrowed. She looked around. She hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings before, so she couldn't really tell if the surroundings now were different. Subconciously she grabbed a packet of chips out of her bag and started to eat them.

Yes, people have told me that, Sapph. You in particular. Many times. Today in fact. Then, much to his own disliking, he laughed. Sapphire was good like that. OOH! Chips. Anywhoo, you good now? Want to keep going? Sun's setting pretty quick now, could be a problem. He walked to the edge of the track to lean against a smal tree. He pulled an apple from one pocket and a switchblade from another. He began slicing the apple up and eating it, waiting for Sapphire to say she was ready.

"Geyarkh! A switchblade? Shoulda known... Anyway, " Sapphire finished the rest of her chips in a single mouthful and got up. "Let's get going." She shouldered her pack and grunted under the weight. "Hmm, it was lighter a few minutes ago... And I took something out. How does that work?". She moved to where Chris was and ruffled his hair. "SQUIRRELS!" SHe poked out her tongue and started to head off, before she realised she needed Chri's light.

Chris chucked the squared apple core over his shoulder, wiped the blade on his pants and folded it and stuffed it back in his pocket. He held the lamp out ahead of him and walked to Sapphire's side. Yes Sapph. Squirrels. And why wouldn't I have a switchblade? C'mon, I thought you knew me better than that! He laughed sarcastically as he walked. It was getting darker now. This might be bad.

Sapphire shrugged. "What can I say? I swore that the group leaders made sure no-one had blads of anysort..." She ducked a tree, that got hooked on her pack. After a fight she got the pack free. "Grrr, this bush is annoying me! If you can even call it a bush." She looked up to see the last glimmer of sun disappearing behind the group of mountains. "Aw crap."

Nothing wil come between me and my knife Sapph. And yes, crap.
I'm sure we must have gone the wrong way. They would have come back for us by now. We might have to spend the night out here. He shuddered as a cold wind swept through, adding emphasis to his words. This is the kind of thing you hear about but you never think it will happen to you y'know? Ah well. If worse comes to worst we got sleeping bags and food here. we can stay out here for a night and find the group in the morning.

Sapphire shivered. This was awful... so cold. "I knew I should have brought the hot cocoa..." She muttered. Heaving her pack off, she took a seat on the ground. Spending a night with Chris shouldn't be so bad. "I know! Let's tell scary stories! Oh, and turn the light off. We may need it later."

Chris sat down across from Sapphire and dropped his pack. Doing as Sapphire said, he clicked off the electric lamp he had been carrying. Despite the lamp being off, it was still quite bright thanks to the moon. Reaching into his pack he grabbed out his sleeping bag, laid it on the ground and kicked it out. You start then. I don't have many.

"Aww, none of mine are good! And you've heard them all before!" Sapphire pouted, struggling to come up with a new interesting story. She sifted through her brain, to find one that she mahbe hadn't told Chris. But to no luck. "Um... DISTRACTION!" She pointed over Chris's shoulder.

Where?! Chris shouted sarcastically. He laughed, this was what Sapphire did. She made light out of any situation. Never a dull moment. Chris laughed a bit more. Want to get some food ready for dinner?

"Mmmmmmmm... I would never turned down food." She smiled, in heaven by the thought. "What's on the menu? Maybe we should have canned food, I fear the fire could burn more than our sleepings bags." That reminded Sapphire that she hadn't goten hers out yet. She pulled her sleeping bag out of her pack, producing many food packets with it. "Eheh, whoops!" She scratched her head apolagitcily. She set her sleeping bag up and snacked on of the various foods.

Chris reached over and grabbed a few packets of various foods. From his own bag he got a tin of soup and a fork and sat down on his sleeping bag to eat. All was silent bar the soft wind rolling through and chilling him. He finally spoke up. When do you think they would start looking for us? It's been a while now. Perhaps we should light a fire to show them where we are?

Sapphire yawned. "Maybe they'll set out a search crew in the morning. It'd be no use since they might get lost as well, in the dark and all. Hey wait a minute! Gimme that back!" She attempted to grab the stolen packets of food off Chris.

Chris rolled onto his back and held the packets out as far as he could. Sapphire would never get them back. He laughed evilly as she attempted futilely to regain possession of her snacks. No way Sapph. I'm keeping these, you got heaps. While she attempted to take back the food he wrapped one arm around her and pulled her into a hug. No Ge repeated smugly, grinning.

Sapphire elbowed him in the ribs, and palmed him in the face. She grouchingly accepted the fact she wasn't going to get the food back. "We all know I'm hungrier than most." She pushed Chris back and fought out of his hug. She crossed her arms and pouted. If Chris kept stealing her food and giving her hugs, she was gonna kill him before the night was through.

Rubbing his ribs, Chris sat back up. He sifted through the assorted packets in his hand and picked out something he didn't want to eat and threw that back to Sapphire. Fine, have this back. Jeez, did you really have to hit me so much? It was just a hug. He laughed. This sort of thing always happened. He mucked around, she hit him, rinse and repeat.

Sapphire caught the food packet with one hand and glared at Chris, though she wasn't sure he could see her in the darkness. "I didn't hit ya much. Just tossed you around a little." She stuffed the food back into her pack and yawned. She was getting tired.

If that was just tossing him around, He would hate for her to actually attack him. Well we should probably get ready for bed soon. It's a bit late. He grabbed the head of his sleeping bag and dragged it a bit away from her. More for her sake than his. She probably didn't want him too close and so he put distance between them. He then went to clean his teeth on the other side of a tree in their small clearing.

Sapphire watched as Chris pulled his sleeping bag away. Lucky, if he didn't he may not have seen morning. She finished the remainder of her various foods and pulled her sleeping bag even further away for good measure. Only a few girls would enjoy sleeping this close to Chris. She yawned again and climbed into her case.

Chris lay down for a few minutes on top of his sleeping bag. He looked up into the tree above him. After some time passed he got up and went for a walk. There was a large rock nearby so he climbed it and looked up at the moon. Into the wind he said I'm sorry Sapph. You shouldn't be out here. He hung his head. And for a few minutes he sat there and threw rocks into the night. Releaving his stress.

Sapphire had a normal dream. Cupcakes were chasing rainbows and nyan cats were flying through space, but every now and again a cold shiver would wake her up in the middle of the night. Other then that, Sapphire woke up refreshed. She looked over to see if Chris was awake yet.

Chris had been out all night. He never returned to their little clearing. He spent the whole night on that rock, watching the stars pass by. He silently cursed himself as the first glimmer of sunlight hit his rock. Sapphire would be up soon and would be wondering where he was. He ran back to their makeshift camp to see Sapphire sitting up and awake. Crap. Crap, crap, crap. he made entered the clearing and stopped. Hey Sapph, uuhh... You're up early.