Page 39 of Stranded

I notice Zee’s stopped walking as she waits for us to catch up to her. “We are heading into boar territory,” she whispers quietly to us. “We need to pass it to reach the grove. Brutus was the main one to look out for, so it shouldn’t be so bad now he’s gone. But there are still plenty of other aggressive ones out here. How are you guys at climbing trees?”

She glances at each of us and I shrug. “I’m sure I could climb.” The other two nod in agreement.

“Good, if we hear one coming, you need to get yourself off the ground as quickly as possible. Preferably without being seen, as some of them will stick around, hoping you’ll come back down. They might be holding a grudge now that Brutus is gone.” Her eyes take in each of us again and she frowns.

“Try to be as quiet as possible, I’ll yell ‘up’ when I hear any coming.” I nod in agreement as she glances at me, her lips twisting in thought before she looks down at her bag.

The tension hums between us, thick and silent, as she reaches in and pulls out my knife. I’d forgotten I’d given it to her as a show of trust and safety.

“Take it,” she says, handing it out to me. My brows lift slightly in surprise. I slowly reach out to take it from her, waiting to see if she’ll suddenly snatch it away, but she doesn’t. As my fingertips brush her palm, her hand trembles almost imperceptibly, a small shiver rippling through her, making my chest tighten in enjoyment of her reaction to me.

“Thank you.” I put it in my pocket as she nods, then turns and starts walking cautiously through the jungle.

I glance at the others and King nods in approval while Bower gives me a thumbs up. They both seem to understand how huge that action was as well. Giving me back my knife, the only real weapon besides her own on this island, was a big step forward. It meant she trusts me. Not just a little, but enough to give me her back, knowing I’m armed.

We walk in silence for about ten minutes before she calls out, “Up!” Jumping onto a nearby branch so quickly, I barely see her move. The three of us quickly try to find branches at the right height and thickness, but we clearly take too long, as we’re all still on the ground when three boars suddenly appear in front of us.

All six of us freeze, locked in a standoff. Everyone’s trying to figure out who the real threat is. Then, out of nowhere, Zee drops from above, landing in a low crouch between us. Knife in hand, she lets out a fierce scream at the boar. “Ahh!”

The sound cuts through the clearing like a war cry. The boars jerk in surprise, then quickly turn, running off the way they came. I let out the breath I was holding as she stands up straight and turns to face us with a frown. “You guys were way too slow.”

“Can I offer an alternative?” King asks, and she looks at him in question. “I understand why you’ve needed to hide when they come, especially with that big guy, Brutus, out here, but you aren’t alone anymore. I think the four of us together are probably pretty intimidating to them now.”

I nod my head in agreement. “It’s unlikely we will be able to climb up even a quarter as fast as you can. And I admit, I don’t really know anything about wild boar, but the three of us aren't exactly small, Iimagine most of them will turn away unless they are defending their young.”

She tilts her head to the side as she listens to our idea and we wait patiently as she seems to consider it. “I see what you’re saying. And you are pretty slow…”

“Hey!” Bower complains indignantly. “I can be pretty fast when I need to be, just maybe not when it comes to climbing trees.”

“Hmm…” she says, tapping her closed lips with her finger as she considers us. “Okay, it’s probably our best shot. We’ll try it your way.”

“Thanks, Tink, now how much further? I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” King says with a roll of his eyes.

“Only a couple of minutes, come on.” She motions for us to follow her as she starts walking again.

This time, I’m a little more on guard as I realize if she’s not going to jump into a tree when faced with danger, that puts her at risk.

What are the chances I can convince her to still climb to safety while we stay on the ground? I have a feeling she won’t like that. That means I need to be more aware so I can keep her safe. Has she ever faced a group of them head on before? It seemed like she knew what to do.

It’s only a couple minutes later when she stops walking and calls, “Incoming!” I don’t hesitate to move in front of her as the other two move to her sides.

“Hey!” she exclaims in annoyance from behind my back. I don’t get a chance to answer her before two boars, larger than the previous ones and sporting massive tusks, emerge from the trees in front of me.

I mimic the way Zee handled the previous ones, shouting “Ahh!” as I hold my knife in one hand and raise both arms in the air, taking a quick, threatening step towards them.

They seem to freeze for a moment before they turn tail and run. Once I’m sure they aren’t coming back, I lower my arms and turn to face an angry Zee. She has her arms crossed over her chest and an adorable pout on her face. It’s ridiculous and cute at the same time, and it takes everything I have not to smile.

“Why did you do that? I could have handled them!” she says in frustration.

I lean down towards her so my face is in line with hers. When I stop with only a foot between our faces, her arms drop to her sides and her eyes go wide with surprise.

“Baby, just because you can protect yourself doesn't mean you have to. Not now we’re here to do it for you.”

She swallows heavily before she speaks, her voice quiet and uncertain. “I wasn’t protecting myself, I was protecting you.”

I finally allow myself to smile at her before I slowly reach out and cup her cheek. She inhales sharply, but doesn’t pull away, so I let my thumb stroke over her soft skin. I lower my voice as I tell her, “Regardless, from now on, we’re always going to make sure you're safe.”

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