As the sun set over the canyon,
Akram held Maora as best he could with his only remaining arm, but it was too much for him. Already on the verge of losing consciousness, Maora collapsed heavily onto the ground.
He fell to his knees in turn, his breathing ragged, right in the middle of the Grand Canyon. His strength was leaving him as well, and he knew he wouldn't last long if he didn't find something to heal himself and something to eat.
Water… food… I need to find some, I need to find it fast!Akram thought, forcing himself to stand once again.
He dragged Maora's unconscious body as best he could toward a hollow in the canyon, placing her out of sight — from cannibals or wild animals alike, then began searching his pockets and hers, looking for anything that could help them survive.
He found a half-eaten piece of dried meat, a crossbow bolt, and… a small rusted penknife.
Akram froze.
His eyes never left the knife for a single second, dull and unfocused, as the realization finally hit him.
He started laughing. At first softly, then louder and louder, until it turned into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
He had just realized that if he had searched his pockets more carefully earlier, he would have found this knife — and never would have had to cut off his arm. His impatience had turned him into a one-armed man, and laughter was the only way he could bear that truth.
His laughter stopped abruptly, drowned out by animal noises — low growls.
He instinctively crouched down and peered through the rocks hiding both him and Maora.
The fading light of the sunset allowed Akram to see without being seen.
A pack of Iron Maws. Boars whose bodies had fused with various pieces of metal debris.
Akram had heard of them back in Vulkania. He knew how dangerous they were, and how difficult it was — even for someone like Barid — to face an entire group.
Watching them move away, Akram realized he had no choice.
They were the only viable source of food for him and Maora, if he wanted them to survive.
Casting one last glance at his companion, he slipped out of his hiding place and began following the Iron Maw pack quietly.
These creatures had a den nearby, and it didn't take Akram long to figure out its location once he got closer.
An adult, even alone… With two arms, it wouldn't be possible… I need a piglet, Akram thought, nervously gripping the penknife in his hand.
After a few minutes of observation, Akram chose a piglet isolated from the rest of the pack and put his plan into action.
He placed the piece of dried meat several meters away from his target, then positioned himself strategically behind it.
He struck the ground with a stone to scare the piglet in the opposite direction of the noise — straight toward the bait.
His plan worked, almost too well. The piglet moved even farther away from its pack and approached the dried meat, completely unaware.
Akram didn't waste a second and rushed toward his target.
The piglet barely had time to turn around before the penknife plunged straight into the back of its neck.
Akram immediately grabbed the crossbow bolt and drove it into the piglet's eye with blinding speed.
But the worst-case scenario happened — the piglet had time to squeal before collapsing.
Akram slowly turned around, his breathing heavy, sweat pouring down his forehead, and saw the pack charging toward him, screaming at the sight of their dead offspring.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the still-warm body of his prey and ran as fast as he could toward where Maora was hidden.
The Iron Maw pack chased him, but the darkness became Akram's ally. With their limited vision, the predators could only follow him for a few dozen meters before completely losing track of him.
Akram jumped behind the rocks of his hiding place and threw the piglet's body down in front of him. He struggled to catch his breath — he hadn't run that fast since his fight with Varog.
His head began to spin. He clearly wasn't in good enough shape for something like this.
He struck his head three times. He couldn't pass out — not here, not now.
Suddenly, a familiar voice pulled him out of his inner struggle.
"Akram… Where are we…?" Maora murmured, slowly emerging from unconsciousness.
At the sight of his friend still alive, Akram felt hope surge through him and gave her a brief smile.
"Safe, for now… Get some rest, I'll make us dinner," Akram replied warmly, as if nothing was wrong.
"Akram, I'm cold… I'm cold…" she whispered as she began to shiver.
Akram then remembered the lessons taught by the Vulkanians. The greatest enemy of humans in the Grand Canyon wasn't the cannibals — it was the cold. It could kill them long before hunger did.
He wasted no time gathering dry branches, which were plentiful in the area, then started a fire using his knife and a piece of flint.
He removed what remained of his tunic, leaving himself bare-chested in the freezing air, barely warmed by the makeshift fire.
He wrapped Maora in the cloth, shielding her as much as possible from the cold. When he placed his hand on her forehead, he immediately realized she had a fever.
Her wound must've gotten infected… Shit. I don't have much time left… he thought helplessly.
He turned to the piglet's carcass and began the grim task. He wasn't skilled at skinning and wasted a large portion of the meat, but with each cut of the knife, he improved.
He learned to carefully work around the pieces of metal embedded in the animal's flesh.
Akram spent the rest of the evening cooking over the campfire, his lack of experience causing more meat to be lost to smoke and flames. Still, he gave the best pieces to Maora, hoping she would hold on.
As long as you're here, Maora… I can do this.
He finally sat beside her, pressing close to share what little warmth he had, and eventually fell asleep on the uneven canyon ground.
***
A few hours later, as the first rays of sunlight touched his face, Akram opened his eyes.
Maora was looking straight at him, apparently awake as well.
Akram instantly sat up, embarrassed, stumbling over his words as he tried to explain why he had slept against her during the night, but…
He froze.
Maora's eyes didn't follow him. They no longer moved.
She didn't either.
She was dead.