“Just a little longer, okay?”
His thick arms tightened around her with a delightful warmth. “As you wish.”
Maria’s eyes focused on the landscape their elevated position was revealing as the sun climbed higher and higher, its raysilluminating more and more of the fascinating alien land every second.
“It’s so beautiful.”
His arms flexed slightly as he nodded. “It is indeed. Something more would be better off to stop and observe.”
“How can you not? I mean, just look at it all.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. But many take things for granted. Everyday beauty we just don’t appreciate.”
“Don’t saywe.Youdo.”
He chuckled. “Yes,Ido. But even I was not so cognizant until recently.”
“Oh?”
“A story for another time, perhaps. But for now, let us just lay here and enjoy nature’s exhibition.”
“Works for me,” she replied, falling into a contemplative silence as Mother Nature put on a show to remember.
It was a good ten minutes later when they finally untangled themselves and sat up. With the rising sun came warmth, and Maria didn’t so much mind the absence of her own personal living space heater. At least, not the heat he threw off. But resting in his arms had been the safest she’d felt since she had been abducted by the Raxxians, and the best she’d slept as well.
Sure, a good portion of the sleep part was due to the prior day’s extreme expenditures of energy. But the mental benefits of feeling such comfort had nothing to do with that, and her mind felt energized as a result of real, proper rest.
“Here, you will undoubtedly need this,” Zepharos said, handing her a gel pack and a bottle of water. “Start early and your muscles will thank you.”
“Noted, and appreciated,” she replied, taking it with a thankful little nod.
Maria downed it in a flash, her body craving it more thanshe’d realized. Apparently, she was quite a bit more drained than anticipated.
“When you’re ready,” he said, presenting her a small spread of their remaining prepared foods. “It’s a bit meager, but it will suffice. I’ll forage as we trek, and tonight I will see about finding us shelter that will hide us from sight. If I can manage that, we can have a fire.”
“You kept me plenty warm.”
“And I’m glad. But fire also means I can cook. I’m not as skilled as my tribe’s hunters, mind you, but I think I can manage to acquire us something a bit more substantial for dinner. And after a long day I’m sure we will both need it.”
The thought of a barbecue was enticing, and Maria was quite curious to see just what her new friend might be able to whip up. And with the lingering exhaustion stubbornly clinging to her limbs like sap on her hands after an ill-advised tree climb, she was more than sure her body would be grateful for it.
She felt Zepharos’s eyes on her, staring.
“What?”
He hesitated. “You are still drained.”
“You can tell?”
“Your movements, your energy levels seem diminished. I have something that will help. An energy elixir that has some sensory boosting properties, as well as strength enhancing?—”
“Fantastic.”
“Butit can cause quite a headache,” he finished. “For that reason, I am a bit reluctant to use it as we don’t know how your race reacts to it.”
“If it’ll get us clear of here faster, I’m willing to suffer a headache. But to be clear, you’re saying it’ll help my muscles work harder?”
“Yes.”
