CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE – ANIMAL TROUBLE

As the shadows grew longer and the temperature began to drop, it became increasingly clear that they were well and truly lost. The jeep's fuel gauge was dwindling, and their supplies were running low, but Gordon remained undeterred, his sense of adventure overriding any logical concerns. "It'll be fine," he assured Jasmine, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "We'll just stop and set up camp for the night. Think of it as an impromptu camping adventure!" Jasmine couldn't help but admire his optimism, even as a hint of doubt niggled at the back of her mind. Still, she pushed her worries aside, determined to embrace the spirit of their Outback odyssey. As night fell, they built a small fire and huddled together beneath a blanket of stars, the vastness of the Australian sky stretching out above them like an endless canopy. Despite their predicament, there was a sense of peace and wonder in the solitude, a feeling of being utterly insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe. It was a