He'd thought himself brave.  He'd thought himself ready.  He was learned and practiced with a sword, his parents had been readying him for this journey his whole life.  He'd talked Ruth into taking the Wennbar path.  Now they're both captured.  They're going to be - cooked, or left here to die in the woods, he doesn't know - they're going to die.  He's killed himself and he's killed Ruth and he's lost the Belt in the forest before finding even one gem, the quest has failed and it's his fault.

There are tree branches above him, crossing and webbing blackly across the starry sky.  He cannot move.  Ruth cannot move.