The fire crackled softly as the horned rabbit was roasted over it, its savory aroma filling the quiet night air. Thorne sat cross-legged, his sightless eyes fixed on the flickering flames, though his thoughts were elsewhere. It had been over two days since he'd saved Akira from certain death, and in that time, she had proven to be both resilient and formidable, adapting quickly to her new reality—despite the loss of her hand.
His rations had run out far sooner than expected. They were meant for two weeks, enough for one person, but Akira's arrival had halved that time. Now, they were hunting for food, scraping by on what the forest offered them. Not that Akira seemed too concerned. She was adjusting, though Thorne knew the weight of her injury hung over her, no matter how she masked it with her fearless demeanor.
Akira sat across from him, her face illuminated by the glow of the fire. Her one hand expertly turned the spit, rotating the rabbit over the flames. Despite the limitations, she had adapted to life in the Garden of the Gods with startling efficiency, displaying the same fiery spirit Thorne had come to expect from someone from Sango's kingdom. In their battles with the beasts, she had moved like a warrior possessed—fierce, calculated, and unstoppable.
Thorne admired her strength, though he wouldn't admit it aloud. After all, this place was no place for the weak, and they both had their own struggles to face. He himself had taken a risk being here, chasing the chance to gain the sight he never had.
The memory of his father's desperate attempts to heal him, to give him the gift of sight, flashed in his mind. But there was nothing to heal—he had been born without irises, an affliction the healers of Obatala had deemed impossible to cure, and that's why he hoped his mask would help.
Now, here in this sacred forest, with gods and beasts lurking, he was on his own. The choice had been his, and he would see it through, one way or another.
Akira interrupted his thoughts, her voice casual but carrying the slightest hint of amusement.
"Can you give me a hand with the meat?" she asked, smirking as she glanced down at her bandaged stump.
Thorne sighed and shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"Enough with the jokes, Akira. I've heard about Sango's people, but you're something else."
She shrugged, unbothered. "It's nothing. You get used to it, eventually."
Thorne wasn't convinced. He knew what it meant to lose something—to be deprived of a sense, a part of yourself, especially when everyone was different, complete. He didn't respond, instead focusing on the task at hand.
His fingers brushed against the charred skin of the rabbit, carefully pulling the meat away from the bone, handing a portion to Akira, who took it with a nod of thanks.
The firelight cast flickering shadows on the cave walls, the crackle of flames the only sound besides their quiet breathing. The tension of the forest still hung in the air, ever-present, a reminder that they were far from safe. Yet, for the first time in days, Thorne allowed himself a moment of stillness. He could feel the warmth of the fire, the weight of the rabbit's meat in his hands, the quiet companionship of Akira sitting nearby.
"I still don't know how you do it," Thorne said after a while, breaking the silence.
"Fight the way you do, after what you've been through."
Akira glanced up, a half-smile curving her lips.
"You adapt. Or you die. That's what this place teaches you, right? And besides…" She gestured to her sword resting by the fire. "I've always had a knack for it. Just have to learn how to fight a little differently now."
Fight a little different, isn't that what I've been doing my whole life?
Thorne nodded, though he still couldn't fully comprehend the shift. Fighting with a sword required balance, precision—things Akira had to relearn with only one hand. But he didn't press the issue. He knew better than to question someone from Sango's kingdom, especially someone like her.
They ate in silence for a while, the tension between them easing as the rabbit was slowly devoured. Akira shifted, stretching out her legs.
"What's the plan for tomorrow?"
"We leave at first light," Thorne replied. "We can't stay too long. There are still archways to find."
Akira nodded, leaning back against the stone wall.
"Fine by me. I'll stick with you until we find an archway out. After that, we part ways."
Thorne didn't respond. He was used to being alone, and he suspected Akira was too, but for now, having an ally in this deadly forest wasn't the worst thing. As long as they both survived.