Durken Forest

When Jesse and his friends first stepped foot on Carkayous, they couldn’t believe it was real. How could there be an entire undiscovered continent just sitting in the Pacific Ocean, virtually untouched by humanity? It felt like they were entering into an alien world, filled with secrets and creatures beyond imagination. After exploring Killick Falls Lagoon and documenting wildlife in the area, the crew was eager to see more. They asked their pilot, Ricardo, where they should go next. It turns out, while Ricardo knew where to find Carkayous, he had never actually stepped foot on it. While growing up in Ecuador, locals whispered about the mysterious land. Their ancestors, who had survived trips to Carkayous, refused to speak of what they saw and warned others against traveling there themselves.

So, without direction, the group followed the coast to the east and stumbled upon a massive, ancient forest that sprawled out endlessly before them. Durken Forest, as it’s now known, was densely packed with trees and stunning blue foliage that covered every inch of the ground before them. Jesse and his crew were understandably reluctant to enter. But in the name of adventure, they pulled out their machetes and pressed onward. They slowly trekked through the woodlands, hacking away at the undergrowth, hoping to find some relief from their oppressive surroundings. The further they ventured, the more uneasy they became. They heard chilling, animalistic cries echoing from the darkness and rustling leaves that seemed to follow them as they trudged silently into the neverending blue void of the Durken Forest. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the group entered into a large clearing where a small stream flowed from one end to the other. Relieved, they let out a collective sigh and decided to rest before heading back into the claustrophobic grip of the forest. As the crew set up camp, Jesse sauntered towards the stream and noticed a group of small, tadpole-like creatures gathered around an acorn. He crept forward, trying to get a closer look, but only got so far before the tadpoles noticed him and scurried away in a frenzy. “What did I get myself into?” Jesse thought to himself as he washed his face with water from the stream. 

After his run-in with the local wildlife, Jesse made his way back to camp. He sat down next to the fire and looked around at the ragtag group of tattoo artists and their pilot companion. He was exploring an uninhabited continent, and if anything went wrong, he’d never be heard from again. But at least he was with his friends. And hey, Ricardo wasn’t so bad either. Before going to bed, Jesse pulled out his notebook and started drawing the little tadpole creatures he saw earlier, then drifted off into sleep, wondering what the next day would bring.