The thought of Melon waiting back home made her even more agitated, especially given that she wasn't Remy's biggest fan to start with.

But pointing fingers wasn't going to get them anywhere now. Bickering would only drag them down more.

Ariana knew she couldn't bank on Remy anymore.

She powered through, doing the work of two, completing more than half of the task. By the time she was done, her hair and clothes were a wild mess.

Yet, Ariana wasn't fussed about her appearance. She figured Melon had probably beaten her back, so she made a beeline for base camp.

ALL the grown-ups and kids had made their way back except for Ariana, Remy, and their little ones.

Upon returning, Ariana's eyes darted around, searching for Melon.

Considering how sharp Melon was, he shouldn't have been out this long.

Had something happened to him?

Still, with the camera crew shadowing them, what could have possibly gone sideways?

Ariana took a seat, trying to shake off the creeping feeling of unease.

Time ticked on. Thirty minutes felt like an eternity, and there was still no sign of them.

Worry gnawed at Ariana. She couldn't just sit there. Turning to one of the crew, she asked, “Any clue why they're not back?"

“Just hang tight. I'll call the crew with Melon," the staff reassured her. But the call didn't go through.

A sinking feeling hit Ariana when the call didn't connect.

Without missing a beat, she dialed Melon's smartwatch. Its familiar jingle filled the air, but she got no response.

The rest of the adults caught the drift that something was off. They all headed out to hunt for the missing kids.

Tagging along, Ariana stumbled upon a crew member lying in a meadow, already passing out. To make matters worse, his camera was gone.

Ariana's heart sank, leaving her rooted to the spot in sheer disbelief. A wave of panic washed over her. "What's our next move?

What do we do now?" she said.