Lost in the forest

Jim wandered around in the forest. He still had no clue about where he was. If just he hadn't left the group in the first place, but he had been so thirsty and he had been sure he would have been able to find them again. But everything looked the same in this forest.
Jim took one last bite of the banana he had found not so long ago, before he got rid of the peal. At least he had been lucky enough to find food in this forest.
But he wished he could find someone else, or he would for sure end his days here and that was not something he wanted to do.

Ping was walking around in the forest, hunting with the bow he had built some time before. It was calming him down: it was passed almost an hour from when he had left his room where Tulio and Rose where together, and he still couldn't leave the image of that kiss from his mind. He was sick tired of those feelings that he couldn't understand but it seemed like they didn't want to leave him.
He had just seen a bunny not far away and he was ready to launch the arrow, when he heard a noise: he turned, leaving the bunny go, and walked silently toward the noise to find, over the trees, a boy... it was... Jim!
"Jim?" he asked unsure walking toward the boy

Jim heard someone say his name and looked in the direction the sound came from. "Ping?" he said surprised, yet relieved.
He hadn't seen anyone else in such a long time, and a part of him had started to give up hope.
"I never thought I should see another human again," he said as he walked closer to Ping.

Ping was really surprised to see him there, luckily alive. He had wondered where the boy had finished and he had thought for the worst... he had even felt a bit guilty, but he hadn't realized to have left him behind...
"Where... how... where have you been? Why did you leave the group?" he aked stopping in front of him, looking at him to check his conditions

"I .. uh.." Jim started a bit nervously. "I got thirsty so I wanted to find something to drink. But I didn't want to slow the group down and I thought I would be able to find you again, but then I got lost." He knew it had been stupid of him so go off on his own, but it had seemed like a good idea at the time.
"Are the others here with you?"

Ping listened at the boy frowning: it had really been a bad idea, but the boy seemed already really sorry and he didn't want to rage.
"Well... at least you're alive..." he sighed before to answer to his question "yes, the best part of the poeple of the group have reached a big tree. We have rooms there, and food and water... come, i'll show you..." he finished moving already a step, looking at him like worried he couldn't walk on his own

"Really? That sounds great," Jim said, already picturing it in his head.
He walked slowly in Ping's direction, but then he noticed Ping looking at him. He quickly walked so he was next to him so they could go together. He didn't want him to worry about him. He was a bit sore after the rough nights, but except for that he was fine.

"Yeah... great..." Ping nodded looking elsewhere: the boy had just been found, he didn't want to ruin already everything to him telling that they were the toys of the goddes that ruled on the island... even if he had started to like Eris, it didn't make the news a good news... he could give the boy a break. When he noticed that he could stand on his own feet, he smiled to him
"So... ehm... how have you managed to survive here?"

"I walked a bit from place to place. Whenever I found a tree or bush with something edible on it I collected as much as I could so I had for a little while."
They continued walking further.
"So what's with these room you talked about?" Jim asked eventually. "Is that girl from the beach somehow involved in it?"

he listened him talking, nodding at his words: it hadn't been simple surbive all alone... then, at his question, he frowned angrily "yes..." he growled while his thought went back to Rose, but then, trying to calm down once again, he explained "Well... Actually that girl is the sister of Eris... and Eris is a goddes that lives here on his island... it's... kinda her fault if we're here..."

Jim was a little shocked to see Ping frown in such an angry way.
"A goddes?" he said even more shocked. "D-do they really exist?" Jim wasn't sure if he should believe what Ping said, it seemed so unreal. But he didn't seem like he was lying.

Ping nodded at his question "Yes, i've met her. If you don't trust me, go to her temple: is in the forest..." it wasn't like he was accusing him, but he understood that it was difficult to belive. They had walked for a while and finally, after Ping had moved some bushes, they arrived in front of the tree's entry
"Here we are: there's a list somewhere, there you can read in wich room you are and who's your roommate"

Jim stared at the tree. He was so relieved to finally be somewhere safe... or at least safer than the unknown forest. That was at least how he felt as he stood in front of the tree.
"Thank you," he said as he turned towards Ping, ".. for finding me out there."

He smiled to him, shrugging with modesty "No matter, i'm glad i've found you" then, looking again at the tree, maybe a bit embarassed, he continued "Well, i suppose you would want to eat something decent! Come with me." And he started to walk toward the kitchen