She appeared to be fully refreshed after her night’s sleep and ready to go. Erik sat up and looked around at the sun rising pink and new, illuminating the ragged wisps of mist that hovered over the land. In the distance he could see a deer walking cautiously along a line of trees, looking for a place to bed down during the heat of the day. Off to the west somewhere, a pheasant cackled. Now that he was learning to look and to listen, this place that had at first appeared lifeless to him was bustling with activity. He and Quill had to get moving, too. They couldn’t risk staying in one place too long. And they had to keep moving steadily farther from where they’d started, in the event that a search party had been called out. From his pack, Erik took out peanut butter and crackers for breakfast. He smeared peanut butter on a cracker and handed it to Quill. Too late, he realized this was a mistake. The peanut butter stuck the cracker to the roof of her mouth. Looking embarrassed, she smacked her tongue again and again, trying to get it loose.
