[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230106/a7d97e356a734ea1c85788f91060224c.png[/img][/center][hr]
Daniel still didn't understand how they could possibly be this calm, but their words of encouragement at least gave him something to focus on. Orlando was right, he was still doing better than the blubbering messes back on the beach, and walking back there to mope with them would probably only make him feel worse. He'd hoped to distract himself with whatever task Victor was insistent on them performing, but all they seemed to accomplish was taking note of the bleakness of the situation. At least they had a miniscule amount of food now.

Speaking of food, another coconut flew at him, this time from ground level rather than a lofty perch on high. The cracked fruit splashed a bit as it made contact with his chest as though it were a football before he caught it properly in his hands. Daniel raised a quizzical brow; Verity - who had evidently extricated herself from the tree - somehow made it sound unappealing. Who wanted a hot drink on the beach? Still, they couldn't really afford to waste it, and the boy promptly put the coconut to his lips to slurp from its innards.

[color=0099ff]"Uh, thanks,"[/color] he mumbled sheepishly after he'd finished, wiping away any remaining dribble from his chin, [color=0099ff]"All of you. I'm good now. I think."[/color] He wasn't, but they didn't need to know that. And if he kept himself distracted, they wouldn't. Because they'd all be back home soon. Yeah.

[color=0099ff]"So, what were you saying? We should look around?"[/color] Danny focused his attention squarely on Victor now, internally hoping with desperate fervor that the other boy's confidence came from a plan that could get them out of here and not because he was a crazy person like Verity. His rapt interest didn't last very long, as the rustling of foliage nearby immediately drew Daniel's gaze like a startled deer. Sofia [i]had[/i] mentioned animals, and while that would solve their woes about food, he had no idea how they'd manage to kill one, especially if it was dangerous. Was this island even big enough to support dangerous predators?

Thankfully, nothing jumped out at him abruptly. His eyes instinctively narrowed as he strained his vision into the not-so-distant distance, only to promptly let out a relieved exhale as he spotted movement from definitively person-shaped figures. They must've come looking for Verity after the trio of boys didn't return swiftly enough.

[color=0099ff]"Ah, hell, here comes more Sofia orders. Unless somebody already strangled her,"[/color] he grumbled as he waved away his earlier train of thought. If she didn't have an explanation ready, he really didn't want any part of her hysterics, especially since the swimmer had [i]just[/i] calmed himself down. He could feel the beginnings of a headache tingling at the base of his skull already, though he wasn't sure if it was the stress or if he was already dehydrated and really did need to drink that coconut.

[hr]