11 - Forest Fruits

621 1 1

"I think that's enough of you backstory for now." Kaitlyn cleared her throat to collect her thoughts as Emil's once vacant gaze left the fire and turned to her. He caught a hint of something other than hostility in her eyes, though whatever it was was a complex mess of emotions and trying to unpack it would not end well for either of them.

The sound of a small growl reached his ears, and he got up and rummaged through his bag, producing some forest fruits and dried meat which he offered to his flush-faced target. His kindness was returned with a glare.

"Are you trying to poison me now?"

Emil sighed, took a bite of the jerky he offered her, then offered her the same piece with the bitten end facing her.

"You expect me to eat that now?!" Her face was now an even deeper shade of red.

"You don't plan on making this situation anything less than miserable, huh?"

"Of course not! Why would I want my assassin to have a pleasant experience!?"

"Keep your voice down. We don't know who might be lurking. The fire was dangerous enough."

Kaitlyn took a moment to reflect on her raised voice and situation when her stomach adorably gurgled again. "Pretend you didn't hear that."

"Since you haven't started pulling food from somewhere. I'm going to guess you don't have any."

"I was about to resupply when I heard people looking for me. I left before I could secure anything."

Emil once again offered the bitten jerky, which Kaitlyn balked at. "You expect me to eat after you?"

Exasperation became clear in Emil's tone and gaze, "Listen, Miss Kate, I ain't got much, and I'm sharing with you. You got nothin' and are bein' picky. I bit it to show it ain't poisoned. You can eat the little I got or stay hungry, but I'd like it if you could appreciate my efforts to not end your life, excluding our first meeting, of course."

"But..." She stammered, staring at the piece of jerky. She snatched it from his hand and gulped it down, not bothering to even taste it. She failed miserably as she began to choke. By the time she realized it, an open water canteen was shoved into her failing hands. She greedily drank, dislodging the food, finished gasping for breath, and said a quick thanks while handing the canteen back, only for a realization to hit as she watched Emil immediately drink from it.

Her palpable embarrassment was met with a smirk as Emil made eye contact as he lowered the canteen. She grumbled, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. Just because you want me to be miserable, don't mean I ain't gonna try to make the best of things. Get some more sleep. I'll keep watch."

"You expect me to be able to sleep in this situation?"

"I 'spose not, but now is the best time."

Collapsing from magic-induced exhaustion wasn't exactly the best type of rest, and Kaitlyn found herself yawning only a few moments later. "What about you?"

"I'm used to not sleepin' much, and when I do, it's light."

"Oh..." Kaitlyn lay near the fire, turning her back to it, and shallow rhythmic breathing followed soon after. Emil doused the fire and sat with his back against a tree, allowing himself some time to sleep as well.

Kaitlyn was awoken by rays of the mid-morning sun peaking through the forest canopy. She glanced around and found Emil leaning against a tree, his cloak nowhere to be found. She discovered it once she picked herself up as it fell to the ground around her. She ground her teeth in exasperation and folded it.

She crept closer to Emil, set the neatly folded cloak near him, and turned away. She'd taken all of 3 steps when her stomach grumbled, obviously discontent with her previous meager meal. She exited their camp, partially to find food, and partially to debate if she should escape.

She didn't debate for long. She was 5 berries into picking and was about to toss them into her mouth when her hand was caught. She froze and gazed at the hand that held hers, following up the arm and to the face of none other than Emil.

"Those are Mela berries. If you eat them now, you'll have a bad time." He released her hand

Kaityle jumped, turned, stumbled, and caught herself all within the span of half a breath. "When in the 7 hells did you wake up?!"

"When you started walking in my direction, I think."

She glared daggers at him, but he merely responded, "Jerky?" after producing yet another piece from somewhere. "I can bite this one for you too, if you insist."

"Ugh!" She continued attempting to bore holes in him with her gaze. "That won't be necessary..." She snatched the jerky from him, crammed it into her mouth, and turned away in a sulk. "Fank you" she said with stuffed red cheeks.

"Just so you know, I'm out of food now, too. We'll have to forage. You do know what berries and mushrooms can be eaten, right?" He stooped down to pick a berry.

"I know that you're about to eat a 'toot fruit'."

Emil paused, "A what? This is a prudya. You can eat them."

"You can, but they cause stomach discomfort, and... well, 'toots', hence the nickname."

"I've never heard that name, but my stomach does hurt after eating them..."

"Yes, I'd rather eat a handful of Mela berries, but it's better with other food. They're also rather bitter, but I didn't want to deal with the stomach pain of the prudya. As long as I don't use the saints' power, I'm fine."

The pair each picked a handful of berries. Emil picked prudyas and Kaitlyn the Mela berries. They exchanged glances and Kaitlyn spoke. "You have the saints' power of water, right? Couldn't you cleanse yourself of the alcohol or something?

Emil's eyes opened wide, "Yeah, I can. I could also cook the prudyas to stop the stomach problems, but I can't be bothered..." He turned slowly towards Kaitlyn, having come to the realization. They exchanged berries.

A few moments and the most mundane application of divine ability later, they divided the berries and started heading towards what would be the second closest village.