Zami reached into his pouch once more, his fingers brushing against the smooth wooden surface of the bird figurine. It was a simple carving, worn and weathered by time, but it had survived the endless trials of the colony with him. He held it in his palm, staring at its delicate craftsmanship—a relic of a world that once knew peace.
He walked over to the girl, who was still nibbling on the berries with slow, measured bites. Her black eyes lifted to meet his as he crouched beside her.
"I found this," he said, his voice low and steady, as he extended the figurine toward her. "Near the corpses of humans in the colony. People who were likely caught in the chaos of the meteorites."
The girl hesitated, her gaze flickering between the figurine and Zami's face. Her small hands trembled slightly as she reached out, taking the bird with careful fingers.
"This...," Zami continued, "shows the true nature of the world before the meteorites. A time when people had the freedom to create things like this. A time of life, not destruction."
The girl studied the figurine intently, her fingers tracing its grooves and edges. Her expression remained inscrutable, but there was a faint softness in her eyes—a glimmer of recognition or perhaps gratitude.
"You should rest now," Zami said, rising to his feet. He adjusted the black, tattered cloak draped over his shoulders, his katana hanging at his side. "I'll watch the territory. If anything comes, I'll handle it."
The girl nodded faintly, clutching the bird figurine close to her chest as she leaned against the wall of the hut. Her small frame seemed even more fragile in the dim light, but there was a quiet resilience about her that reminded Zami of the survivors he had encountered during his long journey.
Zami stepped outside, the cold air biting against his skin. The gray sky stretched endlessly above him, a stark reminder of how far the world had fallen. He scanned the surroundings, his senses heightened as he searched for any signs of danger.
As he stood there, the wind rustling the broken trees, his thoughts drifted. He couldn't shake the feeling that the girl's presence wasn't a coincidence. There was something about her—something he couldn't yet name.
But for now, all he could do was keep watch. And wait.