Abraham's Golden City Quest

The woman crouched in front of the fire, poking it with a stick. She looked at the adventurers and said, "I'll take you to the city."

Randy looked at his companions. They were exhausted. Their clothes were torn, their faces and hands dirty. The woman had offered her help only minutes before and they hadn't had time to discuss it. Randy needed to make a decision for all of them.

"Why?" he asked. "What's in it for you?"

"I'll tell you when we get there," she said, smiling. Her teeth were white like ivory, but her eyes were dark as soot. Her black hair was braided and coiled atop her head like a crown. She wore a brown dress that hugged her curves like the bark of a tree hugging a cliff face, leaving nothing to the imagination. She seemed to glow in the firelight, like some kind of wood nymph that lived in this jungle.

Randy didn't trust her one bit, but what other choice did they have? Their water was running low and half their food was gone already. If they went back now they'd be lucky if half of them made it back alive. And even if they did make it back alive, how would they explain their failure? That question had been haunting Randy for months now - ever since Abraham told them about the treasure city and convinced them to leave civilization behind and chase after his dream. It wasn't just about the money anymore - that was long forgotten by now - it was about proving himself more than just another sheep among the herd following someone else's lead because he didn't have the balls to think for himself and strike out on his own.

The woman tilted her head to one side as she studied Randy's companions: Alana, Arthur and Willy. Each of them had their own reasons for joining this expedition - each of them hoping to strike it rich with Abraham's treasure map guiding them through the jungle - but none of them had made it past day three due to all manner of mishaps: scorpions, snakes, fevers, falls from trees, poison ivy... They were starting to doubt that this mythical golden city even existed at all or if there really was anything worth finding here other than death or madness. Maybe he should just listen to his guts and turn down this crazy woman's offer? He opened his mouth to tell her thanks but no thanks when Arthur spoke up:

"Let's do it!" he said enthusiastically, ignoring his own injuries and lack of supplies as well as Randy's obvious doubts about their new guide's motives. "Aye!" Alana agreed with a smile on her face and an exuberance that didn't fit with how tired she looked only moments ago either. Willy just shrugged his shoulders and nodded slowly in agreement too - clearly relieved that someone else was making decisions for him for once!

Randy sighed quietly as he watched them go off with this mysterious stranger into the night without even thinking twice about taking her up on her offer. He'd been right not to trust her - she would lead them astray in order to have them killed by whatever monsters infested these lands while she slipped away into safety back home somewhere far away from here!