“I know.” It was Natalie’s turn to smile wryly.
Looking outside the cave, Sean suggested, “You can try to look for some food nearby if you don’t want to starve.”
“There’s food nearby?” Following the direction of his gaze, she shook her head. “What could we possibly find in a place like this? Are you asking me to hunt?”
He laughed at her question. “If you have the means, be my guest. I’m your excuse in case any rangers decide to hold you to the law.”
“I’m not going to hunt. I’ll look around for some wild fruits. We can try to make our way out after we eat,” Natalie announced and stood up.
Sean watched wordlessly as she left the cave.
She was gone for a couple of hours, and she had found some wild fruits reminiscent of kiwis. Despite their sourness, it was palatable enough to fill her stomach, and that was far better than starving.
She ate about three of those fruits and fed the rest to Sean.
The fire went out around the same time they finished eating.
Natalie clapped her hands together and declared, “Let’s go.”
Sean followed without protest. He got to his feet with Natalie’s help, and they left the cave in slow steps.
Meanwhile, an exhausted Shane sat on his sleeping bag at a camping site located at the foot of the mountain. His rumpled, mud-stained clothes added to his disheveled appearance. Fresh cuts marred his handsome face as well.
A doctor was applying ointment to his face while Silas stood beside him. Anxiously, he asked, “Mr. Shane, do you have other injuries besides the cuts on your face?”
Half an hour ago, Mr. Shane had gone into the mountains to search for his wife.
He had slipped and rolled off the slope then; hence, the cuts on his face.
If Silas had not dragged him back here to get treated, he would still be scouring for Natalie in the mountains.
“I’m fine,” he said gruffly, resting his forehead in his hand.
Silas was still concerned. “Are you sure? We can drop by the hospital in town-”
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