Survival Island

I forgot about the water we collected yesterday, Dusk said to himself. Then again, it wasn't too hard to forget due to last night's and today's events.

"Thank you Wisp," he said as he took the bowl with his magic, but before he drank, he gave her a quick nuzzle in gratitude. As he drank, the water was fairly cool, which did him much better than water straight from the hot spring. Once he finished, he then said, "I'll put the bowl back with the others later. Thank again."

He then went back to work, finishing up the second to last tent, and beginning to work on his and Wisp's tent.

Wisp returned the nuzzle, now that she was a little more familiar with the gesture, and once Dusk had his drink, she returned to her own work of getting the tests their roofs. One large leaf at a time, it was tedious work, but she was ever glad to be working and useful. Soon she was doing nothing more than awaiting Dusk to finish the skeletal frame of their tent so she could attach the large leaves she'd been collecting to make up the roof.

While waiting, Wisp turned towards the water and after a bit of scanning, managed to find Griff. She waved over to the shark from her aerial position before going back to gathering up additional leaves.

Dusk and Wisp's tent was obviously going to be bigger than the others. He first moved his and Wisp's bed, or the bed he assumed was Wisp's, and placed them together. From there he made the tent. It still would be too small for him to stand up in, but Wisp could if she stood in the center. He soon finished the last of the bindings. He definitely felt the work was worth it.

"Alright, that's done. Your turn Wisp," he said, noticing she was pretty much waiting for him to be done. In the meantime, he placed the water bowl back with the others, and afterwards decided to watch Wisp work. He had to admit that he liked how willing she was to work, kinda like how he liked to do something and work.

((I likely won't be available to post much this Friday and Saturday.))

Using the collection of leaves Wisp had already gathered, Wisp only had to make a couple trips back up to the threes for additional leaves. Soon enough their tent,along with the others was completed. With it done, she settled back to inspect their work and admire the admittedly limited shelter they'd managed to make.

Griff did not notice Wisp as she waved at him, or rather, his only visible fin. He was resting, letting the flow of oceanic water brush against his still shark body as he was holding a rock to not get pulled too far away from the camp by the flow. Unless someone touched him, he wouldn't give away any response.

When Wisp finished, Dusk came up and stood beside her, nuzzling her neck as he did.

"You did a great job with those leaves," he said to her, "I think everypony will appreciate this."

It was then that his stomach, just like yesterday, growled rather loudly. And he again embarrassingly blushed. "Well, I guess I should get something to eat. Um... I'll be back soon."

Dusk then took his crude spear that he left near the fire and went to the water to fish.

Wisp happily returned the sincere gesture, smiling warmly at Dusk as she received the compliments on her work. When Dusk let her know of his intentions to do some fishing, and went off with his spear to do so, Wisp merely watched from her standing point on the beach for a moment. This lasted only a short while though before her mind began to wander. Maybe I can find some more stuff in the jungle? Wisp thought to herself before wandering aimlessly off into the jungle like forest.

Dusk was fully focused on catching the two fish that would be his meal. He really hoped somepony would find some fruit for them to eat. It was only after he had his two fish that he realized Wisp was gone. He soon started to worry about where she had gone, and more importantly if she'd come back alright.

Calm down, she'll be fine. It's not the first time she's been out there without me, and she came back fine. She'll be fine, Dusk told himself. He then went to cook his fish over the fire once he got it going again. As he cooked, and afterwards ate the fish, his thoughts were mostly on Wisp.

However long Dusk had spent at the camp, he wasn't exactly paying attention to the time, it was all spent try to decide if and when he'd start looking for Wisp. By sunset he'd definitely start looking for her, despite the danger inherent with searching the forest at night. He then took a look at where the sun was, and it looked like it was maybe a few hours before sunset. Even though it wasn't that close to sunset, a part of him wanted to start searching for her now.

Come on, I don't have to worry about her. I trust she'll return safely. ...right? He then spent the next few moments trying to answer that. "Blast it all." He then grabbed his knife, spear and first aid kit and galloped into the forest. He'd never forgive himself if Wisp was left suffering somewhere because he didn't follow after her sooner.

Dusk wouldn't have to search for long, for just a foot or so into the forest, Wisp emerged from behind some thick foliage. She came out far too close though and ended up crashing into Dusk with a somewhat solid thud. The force of the blow knocked her on her rump and Wisp was slightly dazed by the action. Though, after shaking her head slightly to regain herself, Wisp looked up curiously at Dusk. "Oh, hello Dusk, where were you going?"

Dusk had barely comprehended Wisp was in front of him when he ran into her. He was surprised he didn't completely bowl her over. Though he too was dazed, he wasn't dazed as much as Wisp. When Wisp asked her question, he found himself blushing a bit from embarrassment.

"I um... I was actually going out to look for you. I was worried about you, but it looks like I worried over nothing. ...By the way, what were you doing all by yourself?"

"Oh, I was wandering around looking at things. I saw some really pretty birds, but not really anything more," Wisp replied as she slowly got up. "I got a little lost though, that's why it took so long," Wisp replied as she continued onward towards the beach.

"How did the fishing go?" she asked while settling down in between the fire and their tent.

"It went well, I only needed to fish for myself. I actually didn't know you left until I finished," Dusk said as he settle down next to Wisp. "I'm glad you're alright though. I don't like having to worry whether or not those I care about are alright. The sooner we get off this island the better."

Wisp looked over at Dusk with a little surprise, since she hadn't expected him to dislike the island. "I- I kinda like it here," she stated quietly. "It's pretty here."

"It is pretty, but we're still not sure how safe it is here. Just because we haven't seen anything, it doesn't mean there nothing dangerous here." Dusk then thought he wasn't helping to lift the mood much. He then leaned into her a bit and said, "I'm sorry if I seem paranoid. I just want to make sure you're safe."

Wisp smiled up appreciatively at Dusk before nuzzling into his neck a little. "Thank you Dusk, but there's not much to protect me from. I can't get hurt, remember," Wisp said while still leaning against him. "Besides, here I have one of... these things," Wisp went on with a point towards their tent. "I don't have one anywhere else, and this one has you with it and that just makes it that much better."

Dusk found himself smiling at Wisp's comment, although the thought that she didn't actually have a home was concerning. Although it was true she could exactly be killed, he realized he often forgot that considering he treated her like a normal pony.

He then kissed her on the cheek and said, "Having you here makes this much better too. And... if you don't mind be seeming a little forward, I earlier was thinking that since you live in Ponyville, I should move there so we could see each other more often when we get off this island. And since you don't actually have a home... you could stay with me if you'd like."

"You mean... have a home?" Wisp asked back with hesitation. This wasn't something she was expecting to have ever heard, especially after so many had chased her out of their homes. She then turned to look back at their little tent. "Like this?" she asked pointing back to the simple structure as her mind put things together. "Is this, our, home?"

"Hmm, I guess this would be our temporary home, at least while we're on this island. Our home in Ponyville will be more like the houses you see there. It'll be more comfortable than living in this tent, that I'm certain," Dusk said. He found it odd to consider this tent to be their home, but it was better than not having something like a home at all.

Wisp may or may not have even heard what Dusk was saying as the majority of her attention was on the small little structure they'd made only hours ago. Slowly, she got up and wandered towards the little tent, tentatively placing a hoof against one of it's supporting limb as if afraid it'd disappear in an instant. When the tent was still there though, Wisp ventured a small step inside, and then proceeded to crouch down so she could get inside more. This continued until the mare was completely under the leaf roof, and only then did she turn around so her head was poking out the front. Wisp rolled over onto her back, and looked at the ceiling, eyes wide and curious as she quietly said "home," again.

Dusk wasn't too sure what Wisp was doing when she got up and went to the tent. However, when he caught quietly saying "home," he thought she must be... well, he didn't really know what she was feeling. Then again he always had a home, and often a very comfortable one. The thought of not having one was foreign to him.

He soon decided to join her, and he too laid down on his back. He wasn't looking at the ceiling like Wisp was, he was looking at her with a smile on his face.

It took a while for Wisp to even realize Dusk had climbed in beside her. The mare was still just looking at the roof, the light tint of green with the sun shining on the other side of the leaves. "I... I have a, home," Wisp said again still unsure if it'd disappear if she didn't keep saying it. Finally, after another while of time passed, Wisp looked over to Dusk. "I- I've never had a home... What do we do now?" She asked sincerely.

"What do we do now? Um... there's nothing that really needs to be done. I suppose we could just stay here, enjoy each other's company. If we're going to be here for a while, we might as well be together," Dusk said, turning so he laid on his side, facing Wisp. He didn't move to hold her. He felt more comfortable letting her do it when she was ready.

"Oh, okay," Wisp said still unsure about a lot of everything that was happening now. She just seemed to lay there for a while, either trying to remember or trying to think and comprehend. When no answers came to her, Wisp looked over towards Dusk with confusion still blatantly on her face, at least at first. Then it slowly melted into a content smile as she rolled over, snuggled up against Dusk, and laid her head on her hooves so she could watch the sea in these beginning hours of the night.

As Wisp moved to snuggle with him, he wrapped his forelegs around her back and chest, and also gave her a kiss on the cheek. He felt content to just gaze at the mare he loved, and not disturb the peace that had come.