Taking the clear path makes the most amount of sense – a path of least resistance means you can wander around a lot easier than if you were to go the other way. The clear path is full of trees that look old, having grown for years and years and managed to survive when the path was made. It takes you a moment, but you realize a few of the trees aren't actually what you would consider "trees", because most trees tend to be made out of wood. Instead they appear to be very tall mushrooms that branch out into the air. Without really thinking of it, you lift the camera to take a picture, intent on maybe studying it later or asking about the formation. At the very least, this has been a very nice walk along a very nice path. In fact, it feels pretty good to be getting a breath of fresh air as you've been cooped up in the station for quite some time.
But as you walk, the path begins to narrow. The trees close in, as if whoever made the original path just decided that they were done with making it. Where did they go, you have to wonder, if the path ends so suddenly. With what you know of Shantyland, a part of you feels like you might not want to know what happened to them. Whatever the case, you feel a bit like you might have hit a dead end and are set on turning back when you hear the rustling. It's a strange kind of rustling – less like dry branches and grass being moved around and more like something heavy with dampness. You can hear lapping water, as if something is dripping.
-go back the way you came, heard tell of some weird things that live in the water here.
-go forward to the sound; you've heard a lot of weird stories about the things that live in the water here.