'What the hell are these?!' He ruminated, still maintaining a defensive posture, incase something was about to go wrong.
Speculating that those creatures weren't bombarding him or even moving an inch, Mattaniah sedately maintained his former dauntless facial appearance.
He then subconsciously fixated his gaze on the unparallel walls of the once obscure cave he was in, and then at the glowing pinky sized miniature creatures that were constituted in an organized manner atop its surface. And the next moment he heard the system's typical ding sound in his head:
Ding!
But luckily, this time Mattaniah wasn't startled by the system's sudden ding sound, unlike most times. This was simply due to the fact that he was already getting acquainted with it. And although it may seem silly, but this literally made him feel a slight sensation of pride and elation.
Afterwards Mattaniah diverted his focal area at the window tab in front of his face to see what the system wanted him to know.
[Information about the creature:
Name - Flamefly
Race - Insect
Grade - None (they don't evolve)
Description - Flameflies are insects whose size are equivalent to that of a freshly hatched chick. It often glow in the dark when its awake, but when its asleep its light would automatically go out.
Defect - Although when they're disturbed they do bite which can sometimes be painful. Notwithstanding that, their venom isn't poisonous and is no less different from that of a mosquito.]
Taking his time to read and reread the multiple informations about the creature which was present on the screen.
Mattaniah composedly exhaled, "Oh…" he muttered, unfathomably glad that the insects were harmless.
It would've been a massive pain in the ass if they were. Simply because the insects were quite plently, approximately two hundred in number, if not more. But fortunately for him it was harmless. He had to admit it, this actually has to be the first time things has been going smoothly for him from the very first moment he landed on this planet—he found water—he found a cave—and also free light all at once. Besides, what harm could a few mosquito-like creatures do? As long as both him and Andrea doesn't touch any of it, then it wouldn't bite them.
It was even rather an advantage on their side, since those insects would automatically serve them with the light that they need even if night comes. Now the only thing that Mattaniah needed to worry about was hoping that no beast would venture here for as long as they decided to stay.
Since Mattaniah was done reading what was present on the system's screen. He then thought about it disappearing, and in an eyeblink it was out of sight.
A side of Mattaniah's ghast lip curled up into a smirk:
'Seems I'm starting to get the hang of this system thingy.'
'As soon as I get more time. I'm definitely going to get to the bottom of this system and operate every nukes and crannies of it so as to know what I'm dealing with, but right now… Andrea needs me first.'
'She would've probably grow anxious by now.'
'Anyways, since I've found a cave and water—and even free light. Then I should quickly go and get her here before she freezes to death out there.'
With that thought, Mattaniah persuaded his frail, short and skinny figure towards the entrance of the cave. As he navigated away from the cave he could observe that the Flameflies' lights were all starting to fade one after the other. Perhaps they were drifting back to sleep.
He hurried out of the cave.
Stepping out of it. Mattaniah moved his face upwards, and as he studied the gloomy sky, he could feel numerous mellow and cold substance landing on his pale face periodically. And that was when Mattaniah eventually realized that:
'It's starting to snow.'
Seeing this, although Mattaniah was pretty wasted already, he hyperactively scurried away from his present position and towards the direction he had once treaded whilst coming here. Good thing he wasn't a type of person who forgets things easily, so therefore going back to where he left Andrea shouldn't be too uneath as he remembered his way back perfectly.
Mattaniah was sure that within thirty minutes time then the storm would begin as the sky had already turned even darker than before. So he was pretty sure that if he was quick enough then they should both arrive at the cave he just found within twenty minutes.
After some minutes of insane racing and several seconds of stopping to catch his breaths. Mattaniah eventually reached his former destination.
He panted pallidly. And as he stared forward, he could see Andrea's puny body still layed against the tree just the way he had left her. She was curled up like an adorable little squirrel, and from where Mattaniah stood he could discern that Andrea's body was quivering exuberantly.
'Poor thing,' Mattaniah thought piteously as he clicked his tongue thoughtfully, and then conclusively approached the scraggy looking thing present on the excessively frigid snow amalgamated ground.
Sensing that someone or something was approaching her, Andrea who wasn't aware that Mattaniah had arrived yet apprehensively flung her face towards the direction of the footsteps.
Immediately after doing that, she soon realized that there was nothing to be afraid of and that it was just Mattaniah.
"Oh Matt, it's you…? You startled me a bit," Andrea slothfully admitted, and instantly relaxed her anxious and nervous mind.
"Yes, I'm back. Sorry that I startled you like that."
"It's alright, Matt. I'm just glad that you're back," Andrea offered a weak smile. She then continued, with her pretty blue eyes overflowing with hope, "Well? Did you find anything?"
Boastfully, and contentedly, Mattaniah spoke, "Yes I did. I found water, but I couldn't bring it over since I possess no source of conveying it over here. I was hoping that I could take you there so you could drink by yourself."
"Oh thank goodness. I was a little worried that you wouldn't find any."
Mattaniah continued, "Well I did. And by the way Andrea, whilst searching for water I found a cave, it is extremely warm. Plus, it's also located in the same spot that the water I found is located too," Mattaniah explained thoroughly. However, he found it a little bit unnecessary to inform Andrea about the light part yet. He wanted them to get there first and then show it to her as that would be the icing on the cake.
Supporting herself upwards, "That's incredible. Let's go right away, it's so freezing out here."
"Sure. Careful there," Mattaniah spoke as he amiably accompanied Andrea to stand on her feet, speculating that she was having complications doing so. "How is your shoulder now?"
"I think that the bleeding has temporarily stop. But I'm guessing that without proper medical care soon it would start to bleed again," she warily pointed out. Standing up on her weak feet, she spoke again, "Is the cave very faraway from here?"
"A bit. Why do you ask?" Mattaniah inquired, letting go of Andrea's arm as she no longer needed his support, since she was already on her feet.
Andrea tucked her golden blond hairs behind her ears before replying.
"I feel a little bit dizzy that's why. I'm afraid I might pass out if I walk for long."
"It's not too far away from here actually, it's about twenty minutes walk from here if we are quick."
"Oh, okay then let's go," Andrea replied and they both went forward, with Mattaniah leading the way.
As they advanced farther. Snowflakes had already started to fall on them like rain, even more intensely than the last time. Additionally, it was starting to get excruciatingly cold, as the chilled wind blustered by.
Andrea whose whole body was basically vulnerable beforehand, could feel herself getting more and more extremely vincible with every single step she took.
Convincing herself that she could walk to the cave by herself with every seconds that went by. However, soon her feets couldn't take the torture anymore, and then the next moment she fell downright flat to the freezing ground as her shoes became even too heavy for her to lift.
A dull sound was what Mattaniah heard before expeditiously shifting his gaze backwards to Andrea.
"Good lord! Andrea are you okay?!" Mattaniah said and swiftly advanced towards the scrawny poor girl on the ground.
Helping her upwards, Mattaniah spoke, "What happened to you?"
"I can't seem to move my legs anymore. I'm so weak right now. My feet feels numb."
Mattaniah thought about what to do for a brief second as he couldn't just abandon Andrea out here alone.
"Let me carry you then," Mattaniah suggested. Although he himself was also extremely weak, still yet, he was absolutely certain that he still had a little bit of strength left in him to give Andrea a piggyback ride. Seems the 10 Points he appended to his strength collection was extremely helpful at this point.
"Okay," Andrea concurred without a second thought. If it wasn't for the situation that they were in then Andrea would've been plainly shy to be carried by someone of the opposite gender. However, since it was a do or die situation, Andrea didn't mind at all, not like she had any other option anyway. And besides, she felt that it was even quite kind of Mattaniah to offer her a piggyback ride, so far she could tell that he was also as weak as her at the moment—fuck shyness!
Mattaniah stood in a way that would make it simply comfortable for Andrea to climb upon his back. And when he could feel Andrea's weight upon his back he elevated himself upwards and stood properly before he began walking forward.
'God! For someone as thin as her she's so heavy!'
Mattaniah could only complain inwards. Although as much as he felt extremely exhausted he still certainly knew that carrying her was the right thing to do.