21. She finds enough for two days

Malene shakes the trees around her and is showered with delicious nuts. She gathers enough for two days, excited she won’t have to search tomorrow for sustenance.

As she takes stock of her situation, she realizes she’s once again yearning physically for another’s touch. She thinks back to the woodsmen from the day before. They certainly could have taken care of her. But she shakes her head and rededicates herself to her path home.