Behind her, Cutie stayed still for a moment, holding the snake like it was a pet. The snake, surprisingly calm, rested on his arm without hissing.
Kaya didn't look back. She just muttered under her breath, "I need sleep. That's all."
And with that, she started walking further away, her eyes searching for a clean spot with less stones, softer grass—anywhere she could just lie down and close her eyes.
After wandering for a while, Kaya finally spotted a cave a little off the trail. It wasn't anything special—just a hollow space between rocks, wide enough for her to sit upright and maybe lie down if she curled a bit.
It looked like it might've belonged to some animal once. The ground at the entrance was a little dug up, and the inside smelled faintly of old fur and damp earth. Still, there were no fresh tracks, no broken twigs, no signs of anyone—or anything—coming back recently.
Kaya crouched near the opening and waited for a few moments, listening.
