When Kaden entered the tent, he saw his sister sitting up weakly, rubbing her tired eyes. Lila's once-blonde hair, now darkened by grime and neglect, hung in tangled strands around her face. Her frail frame seemed almost too small beneath the thin blankets they shared. Despite everything, the moment she noticed Kaden, a smile broke out on her face, soft and warm. It was the kind of smile that managed to make the shadows of their tiny shelter feel a little less heavy.
Kaden's heart lifted, even if only for a second, as he moved closer and sat beside her. He reached into his shirt and carefully pulled out the bread he'd hidden there. It was smeared with a bit of dirt from his escape, and he brushed it off gently with his fingers. The smell of it filled the cramped space, a simple, dusty aroma of bread that might have seemed ordinary to others, but here, it felt like a rare treasure.
"Here," he said softly, offering it to her.