Vrakhu kept them in the field for half an hour before the twins were allowed to venture into the forest for their second meal gathering of the day.

  Same as before, they had twenty minutes to find and retrieve only what they could eat and return to the field.

  Corvin didn’t even try to find meat this time. As he was in no mood to go running around right now.

  Instead, he stuck close to Corin and took only what she pointed out, which consisted of berries…berries…and more berries.

  Sadly, all she could find in the limited area they were able to search.

  Corin’s hands shook while pulling the small purple fruits from the bush.

  What if they were poisonous?

  Would he make them eat it again?

  The thought of the deadly mushroom she’d brought back the first time still lingered in her mind.

  Corvin was eating what she picked this time.

  She didn’t think she was wrong.

  She thought she recognized the shape and color of the berries from her grandmother’s book.

  But…

  What if she was wrong?

  She would be responsible for poisoning her brother.

  The twins dragged themselves back to the field with a dozen berries between them.

  Their bodies were tired. No, beyond tired. They were exhausted to the point of being unrecognizable.

  Corvin could barely make a fist tight enough to hold the small berries and Corin felt like every step landed on loose sand.

  She was constantly losing her balance, tripping, or stumbling over nothing.

  Still, they made it back to the field and found Vrakhu sitting on the northern stone.

  A simple grass basket sat on the ground by his feet, and a pile of long leaves lay across his lap.

  Corin’s exhausted brain managed to stir enough energy to recognize the basket.

  Vrakhu had used it to gather medicine for them on the first day they met; but she hadn’t seen it since.

  Corvin was too exhausted to care about the old man’s activities.

  He just wanted to sit down and enjoy, or try to enjoy, his meal.

  The twins dropped to the ground beside their respective stones and laid the berries between them.

  Vrakhu glanced over the berries once, then went back to his weaving. “You have six minutes to eat.”

  Corvin paused just before pushing one into his mouth. “I thought we had ten?”

  Corin ignored him and ate with abandon.

  She needed to eat or her stomach would revolt.

  “You were late.”

  “But we’re so tired…”

  “Five minutes left.”

  Corin shoved the last of her pile into her mouth and chewed with her eyes closed.

  “Shut up and eat. Shut up and eat. Shut up and eat.” She repeated this phrase like it was a mantra.

  Eventually, Corvin dropped his head and pushed the first berry into his mouth.

  At first it was bitter; the acidic juices made his tongue tingle, and his taste buds beg for relief.

  But once the juice was gone, the tender, plump meat of the berry revealed itself; a soothing sweetness like he’d never known.

  He groaned at the taste and closed his eyes.

  He’d savor as much of this as he could.

  “Three minutes.”

  He supposed that was enough savoring.

  He shoved all five of his remaining berries into his mouth at once.

  Corin had to hide her smile.

  His cheeks were puffed out and his eyes were scrunched shut.

  He looked like a chipmunk who’d just eaten something sour.

  Vrakhu silently extended his count to allow Corvin to finish chewing.

  If the boy was willing to tolerate that much sour fruit at once, he would let him finish it.

  “Finished?”

  Corvin opened his eyes and looked at Vrakhu.

  Then he opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out to show he’d swallowed it all.

  “Corvinus!” Corin wanted to punch his arm and rebuke him for being rude.

  But she didn’t have the energy to throw a punch. The most she could muster was a shout.

  Vrakhu said nothing and looked at the boy’s blue tongue.

  He would need to find them a spring to drink from.

  Corvin’s tongue showed signs of dehydration, and it was safe to assume Corin’s looked the same.

  Vrakhu placed his half-finished weave aside, stood up, and walked twenty paces to the north.

  The twins watched him walk for a few seconds before dragging themselves up and staggering over to him.

  They stood side by side, both hunch-backed, and bleary-eyed.

  Neither would be able to avoid sleeping tonight.

  “Have you fought before?”

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  The twins glanced at each other in confusion.

  Fight?

  Them?

  Only every day.

  Corvin pointed at Corin. “She hits me sometimes.”

  Corin shot him a half-hearted glare. “Only because you’re always an idiot.”

  Corvin shrugged. “Beats being a brat.”

  “Moron.”

  “Mouse.”

  “Sloth.”

  “Enough.” Vrakhu’s voice cut through their argument and had them standing straight in an instant. “You have enough energy to argue. You have enough to spar.”

  Vrakhu stepped away from them, locked his hands behind his back, and waited.

  The twins looked at each other once again.

  Then their heads simultaneously turned to look at Vrakhu.

  “Spar?”

  “Us?”

  They pointed at each other and shouted, “I can’t fight him / her!?”

  “Look how scrawny she is.”

  “He’s too simple.”

  They both froze and turned to face each other.

  “I’m not scrawny.” Corin’s fists clenched at her sides; the fire in her eyes infested Corvin’s stomach with butterflies.

  Which added fuel to his own fire.

  “You keep calling me stupid. I’m not.” He straightened his back and stared down his nose at her.

  For the first time, Corin saw something besides her brother when she looked at him.

  Corvin was huge for a seven year old.

  She’d known he was bigger and stronger than their ten year old brother. But hadn’t truly realized how small she felt standing next to him… Until now.

  They both glanced at Vrakhu for something; a sign that it was all a joke and they needed to calm down.

  Vrakhu just stared at them with his hands firmly behind his back.

  He wouldn’t get involved.

  Something clicked in Corvin’s mind.

  All the times she’d insulted him.

  All the times she’d hit him without warning.

  This was his opportunity to stop her.

  She wouldn’t call him stupid again—

  --- Wham! ---

  Corvin felt his teeth clash together as something smacked his jaw.

  He staggered from the blow and stumbled a few paces before catching himself.

  His eyes slid over Corin; her arms were raised with her small fists pushed out towards him. Her shoulders were squared to face him without fear.

  But it was the small smirk on her face that made him realize the truth.

  Corin had struck first.

  And she hit hard.

  “Okay.” Corvin exhaled, his hands balling into fists of his own.

  If that’s how it was going to be.

  Fine.

  He walked towards her, neither fast nor slow. But every step drove Corin’s nerves through the roof.

  She smiled again.

  Not in triumph or happiness. But because she didn’t know what else to do with the emotions flowing through her.

  When Corvin was a couple of feet from Corin, he turned his body slightly and raised his fists.

  Corin threw a quick punch at Corvin’s body.

  He took the blow without flinching and replied with a haymaker; his fist rushed through the air hard enough for Corin to hear it coming.

  “Ah!” Corin instinctively ducked the blow, dropping to her knees and scrambling around him.

  Then she felt something wrap around her ankle.

  She looked back and saw Corvin holding her leg with both hands.

  He lifted her off the ground and spun; his body rotating only once before tossing her a few paces away.

  Corin landed wrong and pain shot up her arm.

  She cried out and grabbed her injured arm.

  Corvin’s eyes widened, the fog of rage lifted from his mind.

  “Corin!” He raced to her side and slid into position next to her.

  He grabbed her shoulders with both hands and tried to turn her to face him — She screamed, her arm caught between her body and the ground.

  In his rush to check on her, he’d caused her pain.

  Had he hurt her?

  What happened?

  What would he do if he did?

  Fear and regret warred for space on his face. “Are you okay—”

  Her head snapped to the side and a headbutt smacked his nose.

  A wet — Crunch! — reached their ears and Corvin’s head was thrown back for the second time.

  Corin scrambled away from him and tried to climb to her feet.

  But her arm refused to comply.

  She lost her balance while pushing off the ground and fell, her face landing in the dirt.

  She tried again to stand and — A heavy weight suddenly landed on her back.

  Corvin kneeled on his sister's back and with one hand, pushed her face deeper into the dirt.

  He would make sure every inch of it was covered in brown for what she'd done.

  “Give up!” His voice was louder, more intense than she’d ever heard him.

  And that scared her.

  “I do! I give up!”

  Corvin immediately dropped to the ground and pulled his body away from her.

  Both out of fear he’d hurt her again, and fear she’d do something to retaliate the moment his guard was down.

  Vrakhu stepped between them, blocking their line of sight and isolating them from one another.

  They both needed a moment to calm down.

  He looked at Corvin first.

  His body shook from abundant adrenaline; blood flowed freely from his nose, covering his lips and chest in red; there was some slight discoloration around his chin and on his side.

  He would need his nose set, but the rest would heal in time.

  Then his eyes landed on Corin.

  Her face was discolored from the dirt; the beginnings of a red mark, a handprint, was forming around her ankle.

  However, her arm appeared fine.

  It no doubt hurt; the pain in her expression was real and not a clever tactic.

  Vrakhu crouched beside her and observed her arm closely.

  Then he saw it, a slight tremor in her bicep.

  She overextended it when she fell.

  Because she’d never stretched that muscle in that way, her body processed it as pain.

  Had an adult landed as she had. The bone might’ve broken or at best the muscle would've torn.

  But, because she’s still young, her body’s natural flexibility saved it.

  Still, she would need some ointment for the pain.

  And they both needed fresh water.

  The juices in whatever fruit they could scavenge would only carry them so far.

  He stood and stepped back.

  The twins locked eyes past him.

  A series of emotions neither really understood passed between them.

  Hurt.

  Regret.

  Fear.

  Anger.

  Then Corin smiled at Corvin.

  Her brother was more capable than she’d thought.

  And Corvin rubbed his chin.

  His sister hit harder than he’d expected.

  Why did they both feel better after the fight?

  “That’s enough sparring for today.” Vrakhu glanced between them for a moment. “Return to camp and rest. I’ll return in time for your next meal.”

  Both twins had questions they wanted to ask.

  But neither could muster the energy nor the courage to ask them.

  They watched him leave the field without another word or backward glance.

  Corvin reluctantly helped Corin stand, putting her non-injured arm over his shoulder, wrapping an arm around her waist, and lifting her off the ground.

  “Do you think we upset him?”

  She looked up at her little brother, then down at her feet barely touching the ground.

  “You’ve been letting me do all the housework when you’re this strong?”

  Corvin blinked and a shiver ran down his spine.

  He had the feeling he’d messed up more than her arm.

  He’d won the fight, but they both knew he’d lost something much more valuable.

  Corin’s sympathy.