Dragging a lizard corpse, Inv can only feel regret. Regret he couldn't protect Joseph enough. Now his partner was barely holding onto consciousness with severe injuries on his arm…
Dropping the last corpse into the pile, Inv immediately starts eating whatever flesh he can from the pile. He had to eat this as fast as he could so he could take Joey back to the shelter!
Inv was used to being injured. The number of times he had been injured was countless amongst his time being alive. It was so common he had found it as something normal. Normal to be injured every time he woke up for a new cycle…
But ever since meeting Joey he hasn't been injured once. Only his partner has been getting injured. Not only by the creatures hunting them, but also by him…
The feeling inside Inv's chest couldn't be described at the moment. Only a crushing feeling could be felt further and further the more Inv tore his way into the flesh of the dead lizards and dropwig.
Why did his partner have to suffer while he was completely ok?! Why couldn't he protect him?! Why couldn't he…
'Why can't I do anything right?' Inv thought to himself.
Seeing Joey's arm the way it was, Inv couldn't believe how Joey handled the situation. Whenever Inv would get injured like that it would just heal by itself…
But Joey's arm didn't heal, it just kept oozing blood… Inv could only watch in despair as Joey lost more and more blood.
So when Joey told Inv what to do he listened right away. Inv could only be amazed by Joey's resilience throughout the whole ordeal. Knowing how to stop himself from bleeding only with a glowy thing and spear!
What Inv didn't know was that Joseph had completely winged the entire thing not even knowing himself if it would work or not.
But despite knowing that his partners injuries weren't bleeding anymore, he was still in a very weakened state so Inv had to eat this as fast as he could! This should be enough to fill Inv for the rest of the cycle!
Chomping down further and further on flesh as fast as he could, Inv didn't notice his partner walking off towards the lit area where he gathered the items from earlier.
If Joseph had stayed and watched Inv eat, he would also be shocked by how much Inv was eating.
What Inv had eaten so far that cycle was 2 lizards and a dropwig which would bring Inv up to 7 ½ food pips. So if Inv only had 12 food pips like Jospeh expected, then it should've only taken one more whole lizard and a half of the other one to fill Inv up.
But unbeknownst to Joseph, Inv didn't stop at this point. Stuffing more and more flesh into his mouth he ate all of the flesh off the 2 lizards and dropwig. Which would total a whole 15 food pips.
Right after stuffing the last bit of flesh into his mouth Inv felt a feeling of satisfaction. The feeling he would get when he was full and ready to rest. This was a feeling he would rarely get to feel due to how much food he needed to rest for 1 cycle.
But Inv knew he couldn't feel satisfied at this moment, he had to get his partner food now and get him back to the shel-
thud*
Snapping his head to where the sound came from, Inv can see his partner lying on the ground in the lit area of the room.
"JOEY?!" Inv cried out his partner's name, his hearts dropping to the pit of his stomach.
Instantly running over to his partner, Inv picks up his partner's small body as carefully as he can. Holding Joey's head to face towards him.
"JOEY! WHAT'S WRONG?!" Inv screamed in horror as he looked down only seeing his partners eyes glazed over, not responding.
Only being able to see the slightest movement in his eyes, Inv could only desperately ask Joey what was wrong.
Feeling his partner's body grow colder and colder, Inv could only watch in despair as his partner looked like he wanted to say something but was not able to.
Then with one last look up at him, his partner's eyes closed. His body growing still.
…
…
…
"J-Joey?" Inv could only mutter while looking down. His hearts freezing, fearing the worst scenario had just happened.
Lowering his ear, Inv listened for anything, any sign of life. Only hoping his suspicions weren't true.
…
…
…
Thump thump*
Thump thump*
His eyes going wide, Inv can hear the faintest trace of a heartbeat! His partner was still alive!
Inv felt relief for a very slight moment before remembering where they were. He still needed to get Joey to safety!
But then another dawning realization falls upon Inv, his partner hadn't eaten anything this cycle!
With another problem appearing Inv could only feel worried. His partner was injured and didn't even eat anything!
While he was fully fed and not injured at all!
Feeling frustrated with himself, Inv gritted his teeth. He will do better in the future! He won't let Joey ever suffer like this again!
Feeling his resolve solidify more and more, Inv's face of anxiety and fear turns to one of determination.
Looking up, Inv can see the small flying creatures he would sometimes eat. They weren't very filling to him and would take a good amount to even make him feel full. But for his partner it should be enough!
Thinking up a plan, Inv gently lowers Joey back on the ground of the lit area. He wished he could carry Joey on his back right now, but he didn't want to shake Joey too much while he was hunting the little flying creatures.
Grabbing a spear, Inv quickly climbs a pole getting closer to the flying creatures. Getting to the top, Inv jumps off and lands on a surface not too far away from his partner's food.
Using all his strength Inv runs at full speed and stabs forward with the spear catching the little creatures off guard. Inv didn't want to throw the spear in fear that it would fly off the ledge into the abyss.
With speed that the little creatures weren't used to, Inv quickly stabbed multiple down in no time at all.
With tiny screeches the creatures scattered away from the huge gray menace that was Inv.
Looking down at the spear, Inv could see 6 of the creatures dead on the spear. Feeling that this was enough, Inv adjusted the small corpses on the spear so they stayed on the spear. This would make it easier to bring them back to the shelter.
With the quick success of getting food for his partner, Inv felt joy that he could now get Joey back to the shelter.
Quickly sliding down the pole, Inv runs back to where he left his partner an-
…
…
…
'N-no… not now!'
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A/N: Trying out 3rd person perspective for a change.