As the first light of dawn filtered through the entrance of the cave, Kael stirred from his restless sleep. The air was cool, and he shivered slightly as he wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. A rustling noise drew his attention, and he blinked away the remnants of sleep, focusing on the source of the sound.
To his surprise, a small pile of food lay before him—various items collected from the forest floor. There were berries of different colors, some appearing vibrant and ripe while others looked suspiciously bruised or shriveled.
A few small mushrooms were nestled among the berries, their caps glistening with moisture, while a couple of small roots were also included, though Kael had no idea if they were edible.
"Remy!" he exclaimed, a surge of gratitude filling him as he realized Remy had scoured the area during the night.
"You found all this?"
Remy sat proudly beside the pile, its small eyes glinting with intelligence. Kael felt a wave of gratitude and relief wash over him; this food was a lifeline, especially since his own supplies were almost gone. He hadn't been provided much at the orphanage, and now, without any money or means to buy more, he felt hopelessly lost.
He knelt beside the offerings, inspecting them closely, eyeing the bruised berries and the mushrooms.
"Can these be eaten?"
Remy, as if understanding, wrinkled its nose at the dubious food, then scampered away a short distance and returned with a few more berries that looked far more promising. Kael's heart swelled with admiration.
It seemed that Remy had experience navigating the dangers of food—likely a skill honed from surviving in the sewers.
"You're amazing Remy!,"
Kael said, gratefulness lacing his voice.
"I would've gotten a sick stomach without you."
He picked up a few berries, cautiously tasting one. A burst of sweetness flooded his mouth, confirming it was safe to eat. Encouraged, he tried a root next, chewing thoughtfully. It was earthy but edible—more nourishment than he'd had in days.
As he ate, a sense of dread settled in his stomach. He had no idea where to go from here. The vast wilderness lay outside, with its untamed beauty promising danger at every turn. Kael felt a pang of regret for Remy, who had willingly put himself at risk to gather food for them both.
"Maybe we should just stay here for a while,"
He said, wiping his hands on his blanket.
"It'll give us time to plan and figure things out."
Remy nodded, seemingly in agreement, its tiny paws twitching with excitement. They could make this cave a temporary sanctuary—a place to regroup and gather their thoughts before venturing into the unknown.
"Staying put is probably best for now,"
Kael decided, a hint of determination creeping back into his voice.
"We can explore a little more and see what we can find nearby. Maybe I can learn to hunt or fish, something that will help us survive."
Remy twitched his whiskers in what seemed like agreement, scampering over to Kael's side. The cave, though small and cold, offered some measure of safety. They could rest here, gather their strength, and maybe—just maybe—Kael could come up with a plan.
But even as he thought about their next steps, Kael couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. His companion had already done so much, gathering food and guiding them through this strange new world. Kael, on the other hand, felt adrift—uncertain of what he could do to help.
For now, though, they would wait. The cave could be their sanctuary, at least until he figured out how to survive. Kael settled back, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as Remy nibbled on a berry nearby. In that moment, he knew they were in this together, bound by their shared struggles but it seems that this familiar of his is quite amazing, he needs to pull his weight a bit more...
Together, they would take things one step at a time. Kael didn't know what the future held, but for now, they were safe—and that was enough.