Chapter 79: Reward
Dune awoke with a jolt, his body sore and head aching faintly. His eyes met a pair of wide green ones staring intently at him. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was still dreaming.
"Ah, you're awake!" Mindya chirped, crouched above him with a crooked grin.
Startled, Dune pushed her back gently and sat up. His senses came back slowly. The place was dim, earthy. "Where... is this?"
"Uh..." Mindya hesitated, then jumped to her feet and gestured proudly around. "My house!"
Dune blinked, taking in the oddly shaped walls, the slight sway in the floor beneath him. No, this wasn't a house. They were inside a tree.
"You live here?" he asked, rubbing his temple.
"Yep!" she said with a nod, her sharp teeth flashing in a genuine smile. "This here's the window I made! And that over there is my bed, your bed for now, I guess! That's the table... and that's where I sleep!"
Dune stood and walked slowly around the cramped space. Despite its strangeness, the place had a strange warmth to it. "It's... cool," he said with a smirk.
Mindya's eyes sparkled. "Right?! I love sitting here, watching through the window. And hunting! I love hunting and eating meat... though..."
Her voice trailed off. Her grin faded. Her hand trembled slightly as she brought it to her chest. Her body, previously full of energy, seemed to shrink into itself.
Dune watched her in silence. He didn't need to ask. He already knew what shadow her thoughts had stumbled into.