Hok Nerris wasted no time. After giving the brief introduction, he turned on his heels and began entering the forest without checking if they followed. His pace marked the rhythm. Firm, constant, without unnecessary pauses. Students reacted quickly, forming an irregular line as they followed him among the trees.

The artificial star’s light filtered through the canopies, creating clear patches on the ground covered with leaves and damp earth. The air was fresh, with a slight smell of wood and vegetation. As they advanced, the terrain became more irregular. Roots protruded, small slopes forced them to adjust their footing.

Hok raised a hand without turning. The group stopped.

He crouched beside a low bush with small leaves and serrated edges. With two fingers, he pushed aside some branches and exposed an area where the earth was slightly disturbed.

"First common error," he said, pointing at the ground. "Walking without looking."

He stuck his finger in an almost imperceptible mark. A fine, recent indentation.

"This is a footprint. Light, but clear. Small animal. Recent."

He stood up and took two steps to one side, pointing at another area.

"Here it stopped. Hesitated. Looked around."

There was nothing evident for most. Just earth, leaves, small irregularities.

"If you can’t read this, you’re going blind."

He straightened.

"Now, follow the trail."

No one moved for a second. Then some began looking at the ground more attentively.

Bīng Xuě crouched almost immediately, observing with interest.

"Ah... there’s another one here," he murmured, pointing at a barely visible mark.

Gerald frowned, adjusting his glasses.

"I... don’t see anything..."

Aku had already taken a step forward. His gaze moved from one mark to another, without hesitating. He wasn’t looking for the complete form, but continuity. Changes in earth’s pressure, displaced leaves, small breaks in the surface.

He advanced following a line invisible to others.

Bīng Xuě followed him, bending here and there, checking.

"Yes... yes, this way."

Gerald hesitated a second before moving after them, looking at the ground with more effort, trying to find patterns.

The trail led them a few meters ahead, to a small area where vegetation was more open.

Hok was already there, leaning against a tree.

"Late," he said without raising his voice. "But you’ve arrived."

His gaze passed over each one.

"You’re not looking for footprints. You’re looking for changes."

He separated from the tree and walked a few more steps.

"Next."

He stopped beside a fallen trunk. He crouched and placed his hand on the wood.

"Shelter."

He knocked the trunk with his knuckles. It sounded hollow.

"Interior space. Dry."

He stood up and pointed at nearby branches.

"Material."

Without saying anything more, he began working. His movements were quick, precise. He cut several branches, leaned them against the trunk forming an inclined structure. Then he covered the gaps with leaves and bark, pressing to seal spaces.

In less than two minutes, he had created a simple but functional shelter. Low, compact, enough to protect from wind and preserve heat.

He stepped aside.

"Imitate it."

Bīng Xuě was the first to move. He took branches without thinking too much and began placing them, testing angles.

"Something like this... right?"

The first ones slid. He adjusted the position, tried again.

Aku approached another trunk. He observed the natural inclination, chose support points before moving anything. He placed branches precisely, fitting them in natural gaps, reducing the need for extra support.

Gerald looked from side to side, hesitating.

"Okay... branches... inclined..."

He took several, but leaned them without order. One fell. Then another.

He sighed.

"Shit..."

He crouched, picked up the pieces and tried again, this time glancing sideways at Aku.

"More... together..."

Little by little, his structure began holding.

Hok passed among them, observing without intervening. He stopped a second beside Gerald, looked at the inclination.

"Too open."

Gerald adjusted the branches, closing the angle.

"Like this..."

Hok nodded slightly and kept walking.

When everyone finished, the instructor kicked one of the poorly made structures with his foot. It came down immediately.

"This kills you," he said without changing tone.

He pointed at Aku’s.

"This holds."

He looked at Bīng Xuě’s.

"This improves."

Then Gerald’s.

"This... works. Halfway."

Gerald exhaled forcefully.

Hok added nothing more. He turned and continued walking.

The group followed him again.

The forest became denser in that area. Light arrived with more difficulty, and humidity was noticeable in the ground. The sound of leaves under feet was more muffled.

Hok stopped beside a small depression in the terrain where water accumulated.

He crouched, put his hand in and pulled it out wet.

"Water."

He let it drop.

"Don’t drink this."

He stood up and pointed around.

"Basic filtering."

He took a piece of cloth from his pocket, stretched it between his hands.

"First, remove the visible."

He placed the cloth over a gap between two branches and poured water over it. The liquid fell cleaner, though still cloudy.

"Then, boil. Or you don’t live long."

He pointed at the ground.

"Do it."

Bīng Xuě went straight to the water, putting his hands in without thinking.

"It’s cold."

Gerald looked at him with a worried face.

"That... doesn’t seem like a good idea..."

Aku was already looking for material. He took a cloth from his own inner uniform, tearing a part without hesitating. He placed it between two branches and repeated the process precisely.

Bīng Xuě improvised with a sleeve, laughing as he did it.

"This works the same."

Gerald hesitated, then took out a wrinkled handkerchief.

"I suppose..."

He placed it carefully, making sure it wouldn’t fall.

Filtered water fell in small quantities.

Hok observed a few seconds.

"Slow. But it works."

He turned again.

"Last one for today."

They advanced a few more meters to an area with more separated trees. The ground was covered with dry leaves.

Hok crouched and began collecting some. Then he looked for fine, dry branches.

"Fire."

He placed the leaves in the center, forming a small mound. On top, he added thicker branches, creating a cone-shaped structure.

He took out two stones and struck them. Spark.

He repeated. Another spark.

On the third, a small ember caught in the leaves. He blew carefully. Smoke rose, and fire began growing.

He stood up.

"Heat. Light. Life."

He looked at the group.

"Do it."

Bīng Xuě launched first, collecting leaves without order.

"I like this better."

He tried lighting them by striking stones enthusiastically. Sparks came out, but none caught.

"Uh... why doesn’t it work?"

Aku had already prepared his structure before trying to light anything. He adjusted the leaf density, left space for air. He struck the stones precisely. Spark. Another. On the third, fire caught.

Gerald observed, nervous.

"Okay... slowly..."

He collected drier leaves, placed them carefully. He tried lighting them. Failed. Tried again.

His hands trembled slightly.

"Come on..."

A spark fell in the right place. A small ember appeared. He leaned, blowing carefully.

Fire grew slowly.

"Yes... yes..."

Bīng Xuě looked at him and then looked at his own attempt.

"Hey, that’s not fair."

Hok passed among them, observing the flames.

He stopped a second.

"Good."

He added nothing more.

The sound of crackling fire filled the space. The group remained silent a few moments, looking at the small flames they had created.

The class continued. And they had barely just begun.