Gathering firewood was hardly as worrisome as Sun Priestess played it out to be. He knew all to well that wet wood could still burn well. Not to mention, it would be wise to gather more wood that necessary to make the flames lick long into the night.

Once Kevlar was safely in the dank cave, he took to the forest. As swift as lightning but with the grace of the doe that resided in the thicket, he leapt over ever rock, stone, and branch upturned. Nothing in his path would cause him to misstep or take a tumble for after all, Saith was a woodland creature.

Darkness all around him, his eyes began to glow. The moon, though hidden beneath a blanket of gray storm clouds and harsh, pellets of rain, still flickered above from time to time. It's ghostly whiteness illuminated the landscape, casting its silver aglow over all that Saith needed to see. Having no axe at his hip, he was forced to pry small trees from their earthy homes, which he regretted doing. Nothing displeased an elven folk more than uprooting young life, but Saith had not a moment to waste.

The scent of fresh, wormy mud wafted into his nostrils and instantly caused the black-skinned man to grimace. If there was one thing he hated, it was that unpleasant, pungent scent of earthworms. They were just the right mix of fish, frogs, and decay.

Hands full of what hardly looked like firewood, he rushed back to the cave. Before he could even open his ears to Mae's lovely tunes, he was grabbing Kev's gear and trekking back out into the dark. Like before, his eyes glowed and he could see all that was before him. He needed a hefty tree, one whose logs would burn long and hard. When his eyes caught a glimpse of it in the distance, he sprinted with uncanny speed toward the tree.

Hiking back the axe, he let it rip into the tree. The sound of screaming pierced his ears but his mind knew better than to let the forest speak ill of his actions.

"Hush, I haven't time to listen to your whimpers. A friend is in need of your bark and wood. I pray you accept this life you've been given. Die with courage and embrace your role as a hero of man."

Blow by blow, the tree toppled. Rich with bark infused with a honey-like sap, he draped it into Ruine's saddle cloth. It was the only thing left to fill and drag across the needly canopy between he and the cave.

His pace was slow but calculated. Each step brought him closer to Mae and Kev. And before long, he could see the two, their glowing bodies dancing with shadows on the walls.

Sweat masked by the rain that matted his face, he dropped to his knees and made quick work of his cuttings. "He's already looking better," Saith said in a breathless whisper. "His color is back," which paled in compassion to Saith's sudden lack of color.

When was the last time they ate today? Drow exerted much of his energy keeping Kev upright and had yet to munch on a snack between the fall and now. To make it worse, he pushed himself into grabbing enough wood to last the night.

Mouth ajar, his hand snaked shakily toward his quiver of arrows and his bow. "I'll be back," he huffed. Using the walls as his crutch, he forced himself to stand. He was a confident and proud man in that regard that he would go onward without asking for help. Of course, being well aware of his situation, he knew the lovely lady at his side would likely argue.

"I'll be fine," he quipped before glancing at her radiant face. "You just keep the fire going and watch after our friend. I'll be back momentarily."

Before another word could be muttered, he slipped from the cave and moved to the hunt. Eyes shifting blue again, he scanned the entrance of the cave for easy prey. Naturally, there was nothing in sight. Just his luck. No, their luck.

Tugging hood over his head, he swept off into the rain again. This time, he moved at a slower pace for he was quickly losing his strength due to fatigue and hunger.

Eyes closed and ears alert, his breathing stopped and his heart slowed to nearly one beat a minute. He was listening, breathing in the world around him and seeking the vibrations of life.

There! Bow up and arrow laced, he fired off a single round. With peerless accuracy, the arrow embedded itself right into its mark. Without a sound, the doe dropped and Saith cracked a grin. As heavy as the deer was, Saith wouldn't let the animal go to waste so he forced himself to half-hull, half-drag the carcass back to the cave.

When the cave was back in sight, he rolled his eyes at his dumb luck. Of course there was a wall of water between he and the inside. Shiver running down his back, he sucked in a breathe. Parting the water, he became completely drenched. Thankfully, now inside the cave, he could feel the warmth of his comrades and their fire.

"Told you I wouldn't be gone long," he teased before sitting down beside the healing woman. Once he was beside her, Saith could feel his worries melt away. There was something calming about Mae. His eyes grew heavy but his growling stomach kept him awake. Hands as cold as ice tried to make use of the deer, but seemed to fumble and fail due to the cold and wet.

Sad, defeated eyes turned toward the woman at his side. Meekly, he looked away before rubbing his hands together. "I don't suppose I can ask you to prepare food. I cannot feel my fingers...."

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