Milo sprawled across the floor, groaning as his eyes fluttered open. "I'll make your breakfast, but every other meal today is on you peasants."
Mors stumbled to his feet, rubbing his eyes as he stared at Milo, who wore a smug grin. "Finally. Here, I'll even bring you the scraps."
Milo held out his arm as the vase adorned with a food tapestry appeared with a low hum. He set it on the ground, the sound of ceramic clinking against stone echoing softly.
The spoiled leftovers from the day before burned Mors's nose as he approached. Reaching into the pile, he coughed, a lump rising in his throat, threatening to make him puke. Mors's fingers brushed against the slimy edges of a fleshy ball of burnt meat, making him gag harder.
Mors dragged what he could over to the vase, slowly shoving the scraps inside. The vase emitted a disturbing growl, like that of a starving stomach, while glowing ominously. The vase rattled, and the glow vanished, leaving behind a wonderful smell.
The aroma made Mors salivate and gasp for air. He glanced at the vase and reached for it, but Milo slapped his hand away, knocking it from the vase.
Milo scrunched his eyebrows, scowling at Mors. "The first one is mine, you worthless rat."
Feeling dejected, Mors slouched, stumbling back to the pile to retrieve more scraps for the vase. He shivered as his hand dug into the pile, pulling out more remains. He staggered back to the pot, glaring at Milo with hatred.
Mors shoved what he could into the vase, which once again began growling and humming. The inside of the vase lit up, producing another meal.
Mors reached into the vase, his hands quivering as he pulled out the plate of food. His stomach growled, the aroma swelling into his nose.
Mors sat back in his corner, wrapping his hands around the burger. A tear slid down his cheek as the warmth seeped into his fingers. He opened his mouth, slowly taking a bite, the warmth of the meat soothing his heart.
Mors clenched his teeth as the food slid down his throat. A pang of homesickness gripped him. 'Damn.'
Mors savored each bite, lingering on the taste as if it might be his last. When he finished, he stood taller, color returning to his face, and handed the plate back to Milo. "Thanks, dirtbag. I appreciate the meal."
Gazing around the cave, Mors noticed everyone else finishing their meals. His gaze met Brandon's, and without a word, they began walking toward each other.
Brandon stretched and yawned as he stood in front of Mors. "That was a good meal. I've missed eating food like that."
Mors sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, too bad he's only making breakfast. What are we supposed to do about the other meals?"
"Me, you, Jack, Price, Hope, and finally Rain will head out and get some ourselves."
Mors raised an eyebrow, rubbing his head. "I get the rest of the group, but why me?"
Brandon looked at Mors with disbelief. "Kid, you're the most athletic person here. I mean, Price is a close second, but you're leagues above everyone else. Like I told you earlier, if we get attacked and are about to lose, you can warn the others."
"Oh... Well, I guess that works. Anyway, where are the others then?"
Brandon pointed at the entrance. "They're at the entrance. Price doesn't want anything to do with Milo, so he refused the food, and Hope has been following him around ever since I met them when we fell."
Mors squinted against the sunlight as it beamed into his face. He raised his hands over his head to cast a shadow over his eyes and was greeted with smiles.
Price smiled and pulled Mors into a tight embrace. "Hey, kiddo, ready to hunt for some food?"
"Sure. When do we leave?"
Jack patted him on the back. "Right now."
The group gathered their gear and made their way back toward the entrance of the cave. As they stepped out, the cave's dim light faded behind them, replaced by the bright expanse of the open world.
Their eyes squinted against the sunlight, a mix of wonder and nervousness flickering in each of their gazes as they took their first steps beyond the safety of the cave.
"Everyone, stay close. Keep behind me," Brandon warned, glancing over his shoulder to make sure everyone was in place.
Mors nodded, his hand resting on the rough hilt of his sword as he jogged. The dense foliage shaded the ground, keeping the group concealed, along with anything else seeking cover.
Mors followed behind the group, whispering, "So, what do you guys think Karn is?"
Hope panted, then asked, "Who is Karn?"
Jack stumbled over a root as he jogged. "He's the beast that attacked us at the beginning. I gave him that name. Remember, it was me who named him."
The trees groaned as the group raced through the forest, searching for a vulnerable prey to attack. Brandon slowed down in a clearing, stopping to gasp for air.
Brandon looked towards the group, his face slick with sweat. "Honestly," he panted, slouching over and gasping for air. "I think he's at the top of the food chain here. From the way Jack described how Karn showed up, I think he kills anything that breathes."
Price spoke up, wiping the small amount of sweat building on his forehead. "I think so too. If I had to guess, when that beast left the water, Karn noticed it and wanted to challenge him, though it was one-sided."
Brandon stood straight, stretched his legs, and continued, "Yeah, I think Karn is an apex predator.
Hope looked toward the group, panic in her eyes. "Guys, there's a ringing. It's getting louder, though it's still not as loud as Karn's."
A bush creaked, and the group's eyes darted toward it, sweat pouring down their faces.
Brandon swept the group around, pulling everyone close to him. "Be ready."
Crystal antlers appeared from behind a tree, quickly followed by a creature resembling a deer. Its beady eyes stared at the group, steam rising from its nostrils.
Its gaze sent shivers down Mors's spine. 'Damn, this thing is still stronger than me.'
The deer huffed, slamming its hooves against the ground and sending up dirt. It turned its head, locking eyes with Brandon, and exhaled sharply. The air grew heavy as the creature let out a piercing scream.
Brandon drew his spear, brandishing it toward the charging creature. "Everyone, attack!"
The creature nimbly dodged the spear and lunged at Brandon with its horns, narrowly missing him. Rain fired arrows from her new bow, managing to hit it once but nearly striking Brandon in the process.
Price dove toward the deer, swinging his sword and slicing through its rear thigh. Relentlessly, the deer pursued the retreating Brandon, managing to pin him against a tree with its antlers, piercing his body.
Hope conjured her wings and flew towards Brandon, wielding a long spear, while charging. She reached the deer but was knocked to the ground by a swing of its massive tail.
Mors walked cautiously behind the beast, sweat trickling down his face. 'I hope it doesn't notice me...'
The creature opened its mouth, its fangs protruding like a goblin shark's as it attempted to bite Brandon, though it stopped.
Brandon heard a whizzing sound as a sword sliced downwards, lodging itself in the beast's neck.
Mors sighed. "Damn, that was tougher than I thought."
Hope stood up, blood dripping from her mouth. The radiant glow emanating from her wings reached everyone in the group. "I hope everyone is alright."
The deer's body went limp, its antlers still lodged in Brandon and the tree. Brandon groaned, pushing against the deer's head, slowly easing it out of his body. The deer's carcass hit the ground with a heavy thud, followed by Brandon collapsing beside it.
Gasping for air, Brandon felt the glowing light seep into his wounds. "I'm... feeling better. Thanks, Hope."
Price pulled the rope from his bag, letting out a long sigh. "Let's get this deer tied up. We'll need more if we're going to make it through the week."
Mors stepped forward, taking one end of the rope in his hands. "Of course." His fingers brushed against the rough fibers, the texture biting slightly into his skin. "Just show me what to do, and I'll try my best."
Price deftly looped the rope around the deer's ankles, his hands moving with practiced ease as he worked the fibers into secure knots. He glanced towards Mors, watching his attempt.
Mors mirrored Price's movements, but his efforts lacked the same precision. The rope slipped awkwardly in his hands, and the resulting knots were loose and uneven. Embarrassment flickered across his face as he glanced at Price's neat work and then back at his own.
Brandon stumbled over, the blood on his shirt the only reminder of the damage he had taken, and laughed. "Kid, it will be okay." his voice tinged with warmth. "Don't expect to get it right on your first attempt."
Brandon sat by Mors, slowly moving his hands along the rope, correcting the errors Mors made. "See, you were close."
Rain's face grew pale, sweat beading on her forehead. Her voice trembled as she whispered, shivering, "Guys... the ringing is back."
The crackle of dense foliage echoed through the clearing, revealing countless eyes glowing from the shadows. They clung to the branches like clusters of fruit, unblinking as they stared.
Rain whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper as more eyes materialized from the darkness. "We're... fucked."