[ truthfully, akaashi's got no better idea of how to find the forest's exit than bokuto at this point. but, even if he has no plans to lie about it, he's not going to let on feeling an ounce of doubt: it's hard enough for him to take the reins from bokuto when he's in a mood without letting on any gaps in certainty. ]

Hang on a moment…Spike! [ not bothering with any fancy telekinetic tricks, akaashi tiredly tosses a poké ball to the damp ground. his calm-natured psyduck emerges, tilting its head with a mildly curious expression. ] Use Scratch on those trees over there, please.

[ the psyduck obliges. it doesn't seem to mind or find the request strange, merely turning back to akaashi when it's finished with the same unconcerned look. its flippers come to rest atop its head like it's in pain (always the headaches), so akaashi recalls it. he then nods to bokuto. ] No more wandering around in circles here, at least.

Let's keep heading the way we were before. [ before the zubat, he means.

akaashi's not going to say anything about it until there's no putting it off, but even with the barest effort at strategically navigating the forest, they really don't have much daylight left to keep walking. as for what happens after it's dark… ]