A Twig(Brie is... kinda plain)

Another day had passed, though Jerarme could move more than the day before, his arm and shoulder had gotten worse. Fiery pain shot up and down his body. Jerarme's face twisted. He gripped his bad arm with his good.

There was another problem. The bird carcass. It was attracting bugs. The dead bird was also becoming a bit… strange to the touch. There was an array of insects, all looking as menacing as one can look.

One of the bugs looked at him straight in the eye with its large, large eyes. It was deeply unnerving.

Lips in a thin line, Jerarme grimaced He needed to get off this bird before these bugs ate him too. 'Or worse… those maggots.' Jerarme shivered.

Slowly, he tried to stand up. His stomach staggered in protest, yesterday's mess appeared in his mind. He ignored it.

He stumbled toward the main trunk of the tree. Grabbing ahold of a small branch sticking out, he leaned against the tree for stability.

Then in a sudden move, he broke the tree branch off. Looking at the small tree branch in his hand he sighed. Popped it in his mouth and chewed.

A small tree branch stuck in his mouth, Jerarme stared down from the tree. Though not that far off a descent down, it was enough to make him break a bone if he went down too carelessly.

Jerarme eyed the tree, there was multiple branches sticking out that seemed sturdy enough to hold his weight.

With only one arm at his disposal, it was going to be quite tricky. Eyeing the closest branch to his right, he jumped. Immediately regretting it. His body strained, the dangerous meal from yesterday added to the dangerous scuffle from the day before yesterday jumbled through his body.

Jerarme barely made it, his good arm digging its fingers into the rough bark and his bad arm gangly loosely at his side. His feet partly off the tree branch, almost slipping off. The stick of tree stuck firmly between gritted teeth, Jerarme jumped down again.

"Creak!" An awful noise ripped at his ears.

His heart nearly stopping at the noise, he held his breath.

When nothing seemed visibly wrong he let his lungs go. Deep sigh coming from his mouth. Carefully, Jerarme got ready to jump again, there was only one more. Crouching and facing the next branch, Jerarme jumped. This time making a near-perfect landing. If one can ignore the death in his stomach and the dying in his arm.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Jerarme stared at the ground below his branch. Faint smile on his face, Jerarme hopped off the branch and onto the ground. Collapsing instantly, Jerarme laid his body onto the dirt ground. His weariness increasing with each breath.

Branch still in his mouth, Jerarme heaved. Bringing his body up from the peaceful earth. He had to get on the dirt trail again. He needed to get away from the dangers of the forests. He had already experienced it once, he didn't need it twice.

Thankfully, it wasn't too far off from his resting place. Taking one fragile step at a time, he sluggishly walked towards the strip of brown in his field of vision. It really amounted to a few dozen steps ahead. But to Jerarme, it felt like a desperate eternity.

He ground his teeth against the branch in his mouth, the taste of wood on his tongue. Dragging his feet across the grass and fallen leaves, Jerarme stumbled toward the dirt road. Exhaling out a deep breath, Jerarme's legs trembled as he tried to move again.

As he was to take another step forward, he heard a voice behind him. A voice, quite deep and loud.

"Hey! Are you quite alright kid?" The voice behind Jerarme yelled. But rather than reassurance at what seemed to be help, Jerarme felt panic freeze him.

'This is most definitely not good.' Jerarme thought, his heart beating more rapidly. The hunger and pain fading away into the background. 'What if they see my eyes?' He worried. 'They would try to get rid of me.' It was a reasonable course of action one would take if they saw his eyes. He bit his lips in worry. He could hear the steps getting closer, the cogs in his mind spun.

'Maybe… as long as I don't show my eyes?' He frowned. 'There is not a much better solution for this.' As Jerarme pondered on he didn't notice the figure already behind him.

A hand touched his good shoulder, instinctively Jerarme closed his eyes. Not wanting to show his eyes. "Hey, are you alrig…" The voice trailed off, a gasp could be heard. "Solis! We need to treat your wounds immediately!" The voice came back stronger than before, the hand on his shoulder lifted.

Jerarme stood frozen, not knowing what to do. A real being in front of him! Though Jerarme had met a god, it was a god. Not a being. It was awe of what he had always dreamed of talking to others and living like them.

But the voice snapped him out of the trance. "Hey, you good? Are your eyes okay?" The being spoke again, this time Jerarme replied.

"I-I am not quite well, an-and I just cannot see." Jerarme hastily spoke, stutter in his parched voice. Unused to talking and waterless.

The being snorted. "'Quite alright,' yeah right. Lemme treat your wounds kid." The voice spoke, the sound of rummaging came to Jerarme's ears. "Aye! There it is!" The rummaging stopped, as the being exclaimed. The being put their hand on his shoulder. "Now kid, just take a seat and I'll get you some first aid." Slowly, Jerarme nodded.

As Jerarme moved to follow the being's instruction, his knees gave out underneath him. Then, everything else fell like dominos. Pain rushed to him like a herd of birds. His numbness replaced by the combined pain of his body. The bitten twig in his mouth dropped. Jerarme fainted.