My heart tightened, and I instinctively stepped forward.
But Rhett was already faster.
He crouched down and reached into the small pit, his movements steady and precise.
In the next second, he pulled out a tiny crab, pinched between his fingers.
The crab waved its little claws in the air.
Elara froze for a moment—then her eyes lit up instantly.
“It’s a crab!”
She leaned closer, completely unafraid, even reaching out to touch it.
Rhett lifted the crab slightly higher.
“It can pinch.”
“I’m not scared,” she said.
Rhett glanced at her, then picked up a small container from the side—something he had apparently prepared in advance.
He placed the crab inside, closed the lid, and handed it to her.
“It’s yours.”
Elara took it carefully, holding it with both hands like it was a treasur
