Chapter 6
966 Words
Phew...
I took a few deep breaths to steady myself. Back during wilderness training, I had encountered wild wolves before. These creatures were pack animals, and if I didn't deal with this one quickly, I feared the rest of the pack might show up soon.
Glancing at my axe and calculating the distance between me and the wolf, I quickly grabbed a rock from the beach, aimed at the wolf's head, and hurled it with all my strength.
Back in the army, I had been a top performer at grenade throwing, and my aim hadn't dulled. The rock struck the wolf squarely at the corner of its mouth, near its eye.
The wolf let out a sharp, pained howl and whipped its head around to glare at me, the human standing just a short distance away.
Florence, her face pale with fear, saw me appear in front of her. Just as she opened her mouth to cry for help, the wolf suddenly turned and charged straight at me.
"Watch out, Arthur!" she screamed.
I stared at the oncoming wolf with a serious expression, gripping the axe tightly in my hands.
During training, I learned just how tough the bones of these beasts could be.
Arrgh!
The wolf's glowing green eyes locked onto mine as it lunged forward, jaws wide open.
My eyes widened as I swung the axe in a swift, powerful arc.
The blow was fast and fierce, but I was shocked to feel the axe rebound slightly off the wolf's dense, muscular body.
The wolf was knocked to the side by the strike, but I didn't have time to hesitate. Raising the axe again, I brought it down repeatedly on the wolf's head.
Blood gushed out, staining the seawater red.
Once I was certain the wolf was dead, I gripped the axe tightly and took a moment to catch my breath.
Since arriving on this deserted island, I hadn't had proper food, water, or even decent sleep. My stamina was nowhere near what it used to be.
Even though I felt a lingering sense of unease, the sight of the wolf's lifeless body gave me a small measure of relief. At least tonight, we might have some meat to eat.
As I examined the wolf's corpse, I said, "Florence, we'll have meat tonight."
But just as I looked up, I saw Florence sway and collapse onto the beach.
I rushed over, and the moment I touched her skin, I felt the burning heat radiating from her.
Right now, she was like a sick kitten, instinctively curling up in my arms.
Her pale lips and fragile expression were a far cry from the confident, commanding presence she usually exuded in company meetings.
If this had been the past, I might've pulled out my phone to snap a picture of this rare vulnerable moment of hers. But now, I only frowned deeply.
On this deserted island, with no access to modern medicine, a fever that couldn't be brought down quickly could easily turn into something fatal.
The most urgent task was to cool Florence down and figure out how to find some fever-reducing herbs.
With that in mind, I quickly took off my shirt, soaked it in seawater, and placed it on her forehead. Then, I carried her back to the tent.
After reigniting the campfire and confirming that her temperature hadn't risen further, I cautiously approached the wolf's corpse with the axe in hand.
If a pack of wolves caught the scent of blood and gathered here, it would be dangerous. We might even have to move the tent immediately.
Fortunately, it seemed that the seawater had masked the scent of blood. There were no other wolves or predators near the beach.
I put the axe back in the toolbox, hoisted the wolf's body onto my shoulder with my left hand, and carried the toolbox in my right as I returned to the tent to process the remains.
As I stepped inside, Florence seemed to sense my presence. She parted her lips and weakly murmured, "I'm thirsty... Do you have water?"
Hearing her faint, barely audible voice, I quickly brought her the fresh water I had collected.
But Florence was so weak she couldn't even drink on her own. I fashioned a small cup out of banana leaves and tried to pour the water into her mouth.
To my dismay, the precious fresh water just pooled in her mouth and dribbled out.
"Unconscious and unable to swallow, huh?" I muttered under my breath. Looking at Florence's pale lips, I sighed and said, "I'm only doing this to save you, so don't have your lawyers sue me later. And for the record, this is my first kiss. It's not harassment."
With that, I poured the water into my own mouth and fed it to her, bit by bit.
Maybe because of her fever, her saliva felt warm, almost like hot water, which gave me an odd sense of comfort.
After a day of running around, exhaustion was catching up to me.
As the sun sank below the horizon and darkness enveloped the island, Florence's temperature gradually returned to normal. But the sea breeze was relentless, chilling us to the bone.
With no extra clothing to keep us warm, I had no choice but to hold Florence tightly.
Perhaps because of her hazy state, Florence instinctively sought warmth, snuggling closer until she was pressed against my abdomen.
Her soft curves and firm hips brushed against me, and her delicate face, still faintly flushed, exhaled warm breaths that stirred something deep within me.
I could only grit my teeth and suppress my desires, doing my best to maintain control.
Before I knew it, the fatigue from the day's events overwhelmed me, and I gradually drifted off to sleep.
- Writer
