The morning sunlight filtered through the canopy above, its warmth gently nudging me awake. My body ached from sleeping on the uneven ground, but for the first time in days, I felt… almost human. Elara was curled up a few feet away, her breathing soft and even.
I stretched and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My stomach growled, a sharp reminder of how long it had been since we'd eaten anything substantial.
Elara stirred moments later, yawning and blinking at the sunlight. "M-morning," she mumbled, her voice still groggy.
"Morning," I replied. "How're you feeling?"
She stretched her arms and groaned. "A-a bit better… but hungry. Really hungry."
I chuckled. "Yeah, me too. Any cravings?"
She gave me a tired smile and tilted her head, feigning thought. "Hmm… maybe omelet rice?"
I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Omelet rice? Out here? You really have high hopes."
"Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?" she teased, shrugging.
"Sure, but unless you've got a chicken hiding somewhere for eggs, we'll have to settle for something else." I scanned the area, trying to recall the edible fruits I'd seen on the island. "We might be able to find bananas, coconuts, or maybe even some wild berries. Let's see what we can scrounge up."
Elara nodded, pushing herself to her feet. "W-whatever it is, as long as it's food, I'm in."
We set out to forage, sticking close to the edges of the forest. It wasn't long before we found a cluster of banana trees, their fruits hanging in bright yellow bunches. I climbed up, careful not to overexert myself, and tossed a few down to Elara.
"Catch!" I called, dropping another bunch.
She fumbled with one, nearly dropping it. "Hey! A little warning next time?"
I laughed, hopping down from the tree. "That was your warning."
We gathered a few more bananas before heading toward the stream we'd spotted earlier. On the way, we came across a small grove of coconuts. Elara watched as I knocked one loose and cracked it open on a nearby rock, spilling its water into the empty chest I'd carried from the cave.
"Not exactly omelet rice," I said, handing her a piece of coconut, "but it'll do."
She took it gratefully, biting into the flesh. "Honestly? This is pretty good."
We ate in silence for a while, savoring the rare moment of calm. The bananas were sweet and filling, and the coconut water refreshed us after days of dehydration.
As we finished, I stood, brushing my hands off. "Ready?"
Elara nodded, though her expression was tinged with worry. "Y-yeah. But… do you think the next cave will be as bad as the last one?"
I hesitated, looking out at the horizon. "I don't know. But we'll handle it. One step at a time."
With that, we packed what little we had left and set off again, the forest stretching endlessly before us. Each step brought us closer to the unknown, but for the first time in a while, I felt a spark of hope. Whatever challenges lay ahead, we'd face them together.