Kai grimaced, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth."That was Dray," he said, his voice heavy with bitterness. "The son of Kern, the lead hunter."
He turned to Arin, "Before you came, he used to harass us all the time. We never had the energy to fight back, not with how little food we had. We were totally reliant on the hunters to share their spoils with us, and Dray's family always got the biggest share."
"It must have been hard," she said softly, her hand unconsciously reaching out to touch Kai's arm in a gesture of comfort.
Kai nodded, his gaze distant. "You have no idea. Some days, we were so hungry we could barely stand. And there was Dray, strutting around with a full belly, taunting us."
Arin turned to Lena, her curiosity piqued. "What's your connection to him?" she asked, her voice gentle. "You seemed to know him."
Lena sighed, her shoulders slumping with defeat. She sat down heavily on a nearby log, her fingers absently tracing patterns in the dirt at her feet. "We grew up together," she said softly, "My mother was the healer for the hunters, so I was always around them. Dray and I used to be friends, but then he changed."
She paused, her brow furrowing as if trying to pinpoint the exact moment when everything had shifted.
"Somewhere along the way, he just developed this sense of superiority," Lena continued. "It was like he woke up one day and decided that he was better than everyone else, that the rules didn't apply to him. He started treating me differently, looking down on me because I wasn't a hunter's child."
Arin nodded, her expression softening with understanding. She reached out, laying a comforting hand on Lena's shoulder. The warmth of the contact seemed to bring Lena back from her memories.
"I'm sorry," Arin murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. And I'm sorry we couldn't stop him this time."
Lena shook her head, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "It's not your fault, Arin. We all did the best we could. And we'll keep doing the best we can, for as long as we have to."
Kai, who had been listening intently, suddenly straightened up, wincing as the movement aggravated his bruises. "Hey, speaking of doing our best," he said, his tone lighter as if trying to shift the mood, "we did pretty well against Dray and his goons, didn't we?"
Arin turned to him, her eyes searching his face for answers. "Yeah, about that," she said, her voice low and curious. "Are the tribesmen really that weak? I mean, we took down Dray and his lackeys pretty easily, and we're just... well, us."
Kai shrugged, then immediately regretted it as pain shot through his shoulder. Lena, noticing his discomfort, reached for her pouch of medicinal herbs.
"Hold still," she instructed, her healer's instincts taking over. As she began to apply a pungent-smelling salve to Kai's bruises, he continued speaking.
"If you think about it," Kai said, his voice strained as he tried not to flinch under Lena's ministrations, "most of them don't go out of the village, you know, because of the aura beasts and all. They're mostly fed from the meat that the hunters bring back."
"Besides, we've got more experience and sensitivity since we put our lives on the line every time we go out foraging. We've had to learn how to fight and survive in ways they haven't."
Arin nodded slowly, considering his words. She looked down at her own hands, calloused and scarred from months of foraging and survival. It was strange to think that their hardships had made them stronger in some ways.
Lena sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion as she finished tending to Kai's wounds. "Well, so much for roasted rabbit," she muttered, her voice tinged with bitter humor. "Looks like we're back to bugs and berries for dinner."
At the mention of food, Arin's stomach growled loudly, reminding her that they hadn't eaten since morning. The fight with Dray had driven all thoughts of hunger from her mind, but now it returned with a vengeance.
A small movement in the corner caught her attention. Mika and Tarn, who had been huddled in the corner during the fierce battle, their eyes wide with fear, slowly emerged from their hiding spot.
"Is... is it over?" Mika asked, her small voice trembling as she clung to Tarn's arm. Her messy brown hair fell into her eyes, and she brushed it away with a shaky hand.
Tarn's bottom lip quivered as he looked up at Arin and Kai. "Are the bad men gone? We were so scared." His voice cracked on the last word, and Arin felt her heart clench at the sight of their frightened faces.
She knelt down, opening her arms wide to offer comfort. Mika and Tarn hesitated for a moment before rushing into her embrace, their small bodies shaking with relief.
"Shh, it's okay," Arin soothed, gently stroking their hair. The firelight cast a warm glow over their faces, highlighting the tear tracks on their cheeks. "The bad men are gone now. You're safe."
She pulled back, looking at them with a reassuring smile. "Kai and I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Mika sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "But... but what if they come back?" she asked, her voice small and frightened. Her eyes darted towards the shelter's entrance as if expecting Dray to reappear at any moment.
Kai stepped forward, crouching down to meet the children's eyes. Despite his own injuries, his voice was firm and confident. "If they come back, we'll protect you," he said. "No matter what."
Tarn's eyes widened, a glimmer of hope shining through the fear. "Really? You promise?"
Kai nodded, his expression serious. "I promise. We'll always keep you safe."
She pulled back, looking at them with a rueful smile. "I'm sorry, though. Looks like we won't be having rabbit roasted tonight after all.
Mika's face fell, her eyes filling with disappointment. "No roasted rabbit?" she asked, her voice small and sad. The mention of the missed meal seemed to hit her harder than the fear of Dray's return.
Kai stepped forward, ruffling Mika's hair affectionately. "Hey, don't worry, little one. We'll find something else to eat. "
He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "In fact, I was just telling Arin about the delicious bugs we could be eating instead. Want to try one?"
Mika's nose wrinkled in disgust, her head shaking vehemently. "Ew, no way! Bugs are gross!"
Tarn, however, looked intrigued. "I'll try one," he said, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and bravado. "I'm not scared of bugs."
Arin's face contorted in an exaggerated grimace, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
Kai grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief despite the gravity of their situation. "What's the matter, Arin? Afraid of a little extra protein in your diet?"
He reached down and plucked a wriggling beetle from the ground, holding it up to Arin's face with a flourish. The beetle's legs flailed in the air, its shiny carapace reflecting the firelight. "Here, try this one. I hear they taste like chicken."
Arin recoiled, her hand swatting the beetle away with a yelp. It flew through the air, landing on the ground and scurrying away.
Lena rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Don't be such a baby, Arin. Bugs are a perfectly valid food source. Plus, they're a lot easier to catch than rabbits."
Arin shuddered, her face scrunching up in revulsion. "I don't care how easy they are to catch. I am not putting any more bugs in my mouth. Period."
Kai's grin widened, his eyes taking on a wicked gleam. "Oh, really? Not even if I dared you?"
Arin glared at him, her hands planting firmly on her hips. "Not even if you double dared me. I have standards, you know."
Lena snorted, her eyebrows raising in mock surprise. "Standards? Since when do you have standards? I seem to recall you eating a whole handful of mud on a dare just last week."
Arin's face flushed, her cheeks turning a brilliant shade of red. The memory of that particular dare was still fresh in her mind, along with the earthy taste that had lingered for hours afterward. "That was different!" she sputtered, her voice rising in indignation. "It was a matter of honor!"
Kai laughed, his head throwing back in gleeful amusement. The sound echoed through the shelter, startling a few birds roosting in the rafters. "Honor? What kind of honor is there in eating mud?"
Arin huffed, her arms crossing over her chest in a defensive posture. "The kind of honor that comes from not backing down from a challenge. Unlike some people I know."
She shot a pointed look at Kai, her eyebrows raising in a clear challenge. Kai's grin only widened, his eyes sparkling with barely contained laughter.
"Oh, is that how it is? Well, then, I guess I have no choice but to prove my honor."
Before anyone could stop him, Kai reached down and grabbed a handful of beetles, stuffing them into his mouth. The crunching sound that followed made Arin's stomach turn.
Arin and Lena watched in horror as he chewed, his face contorting in a series of increasingly comical expressions. Mika and Tarn, on the other hand, were watching with fascination.
"Mmm," Kai mumbled around the mouthful of bugs, his voice slightly muffled. "Crunchy."
Arin gagged, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. The mere thought of eating insects made her feel queasy. "I think I'm going to be sick."
Lena patted her on the back, her expression sympathetic. "Deep breaths, Arin. It's not that bad. I mean, at least he's not making you eat them."
Arin glared at her, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Don't give him any ideas."
Kai swallowed the last of the beetles, his face splitting into a triumphant grin. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "See? Easy peasy. Now it's your turn, Arin."
Arin backed away, her hands held up in front of her like a shield.
Mika and Tarn giggled, their earlier worry forgotten in the face of the adults' silly banter. The sound of their laughter was a welcome change from the tense atmosphere that had pervaded the shelter earlier.
"Yeah, Arin!" Mika chimed in, her voice filled with gleeful accusation. "You ate mud! That's way grosser than bugs!"
Arin groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
Kai grinned, reaching out to ruffle Arin's hair affectionately. "Nope. Not as long as I'm around."
Arin batted his hand away, but she couldn't quite keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. The absurdity of the situation was starting to get to her. "Fine, fine," she said, throwing up her hands in surrender. "I guess I'm outnumbered.""
Lena chuckled, shaking her head at their antics.. "Alright, alright, enough bickering. Let's see what we can scrounge up for dinner."
She rummaged through her pack, her brow furrowing in concentration. The others watched expectantly, their stomachs growling in anticipation. After a moment, Lena's face lit up.
"Aha! Here they are." She held up a small pouch, her face splitting into a victorious grin. The sweet scent of berries wafted through the air as she opened the pouch.
Arin sagged with relief, her hand clutching at her heart in an exaggerated gesture. "Oh, thank the Moonfire."
She reached out and snagged a handful of the small, sweet fruits, popping them into her mouth with a contented sigh. The burst of flavor was a welcome relief after the stress of the day.
Mika and Tarn scrambled forward, eager to get their share of the treat. Their earlier fear seemed to have evaporated completely in the face of the promised snack.
"Yeah, berries are way better than bugs!" Mika declared, reaching out to grab a handful for herself. The juice stained her fingers purple as she eagerly devoured the fruit.
Tarn nodded, his face splitting into a grin. "But I still think it's cool that Kai ate those beetles. He's so brave!"
Kai puffed out his chest, preening under the praise. "See, Arin? The kid knows what's up. Bravery is key in this world."
She couldn't quite keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, yeah" she said, "Now quit hogging all the berries and pass them around."
Kai laughed, tossing the pouch to Arin with a wink. "As you wish, my lady. Wouldn't want you to go hungry on my account."
Arin caught the pouch with grin. "You're impossible."