Ernie held a leaf with a few sticky, black leeches wriggling on it.
"These leeches will draw out the bad blood from your wound," he said as he carefully placed them on Joe's calf. The leeches latched on immediately.
"And don't waste the gauze. Boil it in salt water to sterilize it. Once it's dry, you can reuse it," Ernie added.
He then used a knife to unwrap a leaf containing a small fish, noticing its bulging eyes.
"It's cooked. Go ahead and eat," he said.
Isabella reached for a package but hesitated, her eyes fixed on Ernie.
Joe also waited for Ernie to distribute the food, showing that they both respected his leadership.
There were thirteen fish in total. Ernie gave three fish to each person and placed the extra one in front of him.
He wasn't trying to take more than his share;
