As the sun rose, casting its first rays over the landship and surrounding forest, Sera let out a deep yawn. Stretching her limbs and tail, she prepared herself for the new day ahead. Quickly changing into a simple shirt and shorts—items she found lying around from who knows where—she felt more refreshed, ready to tackle whatever challenges came her way.
[Sanity replenished]
Sera smiled at the notification as she began her morning routine. "Daily training, here I come!" she declared to herself, enthusiasm bubbling up. She started with some simple squats, moved on to pushups, and finally set off on a jog around the landship, covering a couple of miles in no time. She might be living in a forest surrounded by ancient relics, but that didn't mean she'd let herself get complacent.
As she finished her exercises, she noticed everyone else beginning their day as well. Ava was just waking up, Zyra had wandered off somewhere, and Alaric—well, he seemed busy with his own tasks. The landship was starting to come to life in its own way, each person going about their routine.
After wrapping up her training, Sera headed to the little lake she discovered earlier to wash up. She savored the cold splash of water on her face, feeling her senses sharpen and focus. When she was done, she made her way back to the cargo bay, where the rest of the group had gathered to discuss their plans.
The first thing Sera noticed was how everyone's eyes turned to her, waiting for some sort of direction. She took a deep breath, her mind already churning with possibilities. "Okay, we can't really explore the higher floors of the landship right now since most of the stairs and entrances are blocked or damaged," she began, her voice calm but firm. "So, I say we start by gathering food and supplies. We need to secure what we can to keep ourselves going before we make any long-term plans."
Ava tried to pounce on Sera from the side, attempting one of her signature tackle hugs. But Sera saw it coming and effortlessly stepped to the side, causing Ava to stumble forward and bump her nose into the metal wall of the landship.
"Owww! Bossu! Why'd you move out of the way like that? Now my nose is all red!" Ava whined, rubbing her nose with a pout, while Zyra couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
Zyra's face became serious again as she turned back to Sera. "So, Sera, what exactly do you have in mind for today?" she asked.
Sera thought for a moment before nodding to herself. "First, we need to secure food. We don't have much to work with at the moment, and if we're going to stay here a while, we need a steady supply. We'll also see if we can find any other useful supplies along the way."
The group exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. Sera's logic made sense; they couldn't hope to tackle the landship's restoration without making sure their immediate needs were met first.
"Alright, then," Zyra said, a hint of determination in her voice. "We'll split into two teams. Sera and I will go out and gather food, herbs, and whatever else we can find. Ava, Alaric, and the engineers, you'll stay here and see what you can salvage from the landship. Figure out what's usable and what needs to be cleared away."
Ava's eyes sparkled with excitement. "You got it, Boss!" she said, giving a playful salute, even though she was technically addressing both Zyra and Sera. Alaric simply nodded, his expression calm and thoughtful as he considered what to do next.
"Alright, let's head out then!" Sera said, signaling Zyra to follow her as they ventured back into the forest, leaving the safety of the landship behind.
The forest greeted them with its usual sounds—leaves rustling in the breeze, distant bird calls, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. Sera's senses were on high alert as she and Zyra moved through the underbrush, their eyes scanning the area for anything edible or useful.
"Alright, let's focus on gathering some herbs and small game," Sera suggested, her tone practical. "We can't afford to be picky."
They worked in sync, collecting a variety of herbs from the underbrush—wild garlic, medicinal plants, and some edible roots that could be used for cooking. Every now and then, Zyra would point out a small animal, and Sera would use her precise control over sequences to catch it cleanly.
A couple of hours passed in this manner, with their bags gradually filling with supplies. The forest was proving to be more generous than they had expected.
Just as they were about to turn back toward the landship, Zyra froze, her eyes narrowing at a small clearing up ahead. Sera followed her gaze and spotted what had caught her attention—a small cub of some sort, weak and on the brink of death. It was curled up in a ball, its fur matted and dirty, shivering from the cold.
Sera's heart twisted at the sight. She wasn't one to get overly sentimental, but something about the little creature pulled at her. "Poor thing," she muttered under her breath, stepping closer.
The cub lifted its head weakly, its eyes half-open and glassy. It didn't even have the strength to be afraid of them. Zyra looked at Sera, waiting for her to make the call.
Sera knelt down, reaching a hand toward the cub, who flinched slightly but didn't move away. "Let's take it back with us," Sera said, her voice softer than usual. "Maybe we can help it recover."
Zyra raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at her lips. "I didn't know you had a soft spot for lost causes," she teased.
Sera shot her a mock glare. "I just think it would be a waste to leave it here when we could do something about it."
With that, Sera carefully picked up the cub, cradling it in her arms. The creature seemed to relax slightly, leaning into her warmth as if it could sense her intentions. Zyra gave her a nod of approval, and the two of them began the trek back to the landship, their bags full of food and their newest companion safely in Sera's hold.
As they reached the landship's cargo bay, they were greeted by the sight of Ava and Alaric arguing over the best way to organize their supplies. Ava noticed them first and immediately ran over, eyes wide as she saw the cub in Sera's arms.
"Bossu! Is that… did you bring back a pet!?" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her toes.
Sera rolled her eyes. "Not a pet, Ava. It's a cub that we found in the forest. We're just taking care of it for now."
Ava's face lit up, and she reached out to gently stroke the cub's head. "It's so cute! We have to name it!" she declared, looking to Sera and Zyra for approval.
"Let's focus on keeping it alive first," Zyra said with a small smile, shaking her head at Ava's enthusiasm.
As the day drew to a close, the group gathered in the cargo bay to share the day's findings. The engineers reported minor progress in salvaging materials, while Sera and Zyra shared the food they had gathered, including the little cub they'd found. Alaric remained mostly silent, but his expression had softened, a slight warmth in his eyes as he watched the odd little family they were forming.