A/N: Well, I finally got around to working through another chapter. This one details some more of Jack and Amy's early days on the island, so time jumps around a fair amount. Hope that doesn't ruin the chapter. Actually, I hope the chapter is good in general. I started this one earlier in the year, but I'm just now getting around to finishing it. So, hope you enjoy it.

Jack sat beneath a tree dutifully scraping away at the end of a long stick with a stone he had found. A few shavings littered the ground and his lap, and Jack was sure there would be more. He had barely whittled the wood to a point, and he had been doing this since morning. Still, he hoped that his effort would produce something that resembled a spear.

He and Amy had spent three days so far on the island, and they had managed to survive. While they had found enough coconuts nearby to sustain them, neither of them wanted to live solely off the fruits of the palm trees. They had managed to catch some fish by hand yesterday, but it had taken too long. So, he had gone out, found that long stick and a stone, and set himself to work.

As his labor continued, Jack found himself wondering if this was how his ancestors had lived so long ago. Had they struggled, just as he and Amy had struggled? If they had, how did they learn to survive? How did they possess the wisdom to create the tools they had used?

"At least we already know how to discover fire," Jack joked to himself as he continued to scrape at the wood. He had already stripped away most of the bark, and the wood was starting to look like a point was forming. Jack felt a sense of pride when he considered he had never done this before, and it was apparent. Already, his hands were hurting, and he hoped that they wouldn't blister or bleed. The odds were already against the two of them surviving on this island, and Jack did not wish to add to that grim likelihood. Still, Jack thought it was rather impressive that he was making progress.

The sun soon hung directly over Jack's head, and he knew it had come on to around noon. He had to growl a little as the spear was continuing to take shape, but it was not yet finished. His belly ached from hunger as the fruit they had gathered had done little to satisfy him. He wanted meat of any kind, and so Jack focused himself to complete this new task. Finally, after an amount of time he couldn't discern, Jack raised the crude spear high with pride. He looked at his hands, and though they were starting to blister, it seemed more of a reward. Despite the pain, he hurried to the stream.

As he stood on the bank, Jack eagerly watched the shadows of fish swimming wildly about. His first impulse was to thrust the spear just as wildly, but he knew that he would need patience for this task. He stood as still as he could and waited, trying to ignore his own hunger. He barely dared to breath, hoping to keep the fish in sight. Finally, he caught sight of one fish that had stilled itself to feed. With one quick thrust, he brought his spear down. Jack closed his eyes for no reason that he could think of, and he heard the splash.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and raised his arms. His eyes went wide at the sight of the fish neatly skewered through the middle. It was a rather large fish, though Jack wasn't entirely sure what kind of fish it was. He was sure his club members would have teased him to no end, knowing he couldn't identity a fish, but at this moment, all Jack cared about was that it was edible. Unsure of what to do with the fish, Jack shoved it into the pocket of his jeans, cringing a bit as he did so. He wondered if he could find anything that would serve as a basket before returning to the task at hand.

After catching three fish, Jack decided that he had probably done enough for the afternoon. He only wanted to eat, and he figured he could catch more fish later. Grabbing his spear, he headed towards the cave.

The heat of the fire greeted him as he entered, and Jack spotted Amy gathering wood from their pile. They had found enough twigs to keep the fire going throughout the day, as the cave would have grown far too cold otherwise. They had also decided that he would handle gathering food while she would stay near the cave to gather firewood. Once again, Jack found himself smiling at the sight of his companion.

"Hey, Amy," he called out. "I'm back."

She turned towards him, and Jack did notice a similar smile appearing on her face. He saw her eyes light up at the sight of his catch, and he held the spear near the flames to roast the fish. It was difficult to avoid setting the spear on fire, but Jack thought back to all the times he'd roasted marshmallows with his club members and how he never lost a stick to the flames. Somehow, he managed to do the same, though he wished he'd done more cooking during those camping trips. If he had, he reasoned, he might have had a better idea of when the fish was fully cooked.

The fish were almost blackened by the time he removed them from the heat, and they tasted just as they looked. Still, food was food, and Jack wasn't about to complain. All the same, he could help but wrinkle his nose since the fish tasted a bit like ash.

He and Amy gingerly ate and handled the fish. Jack wondered if he could manage to make even crude utensils to better prepare meals, especially if they would be living off animals with small bones.

"I found a stone today," Amy remarked in between bites. "I think maybe we could cook on it."

Jack hummed as he had just taken a bite. "Maybe we could," he answered after swallowing. "We did that a few times, my club and me. It wasn't exactly the best grill in the world, but it worked. There's another part of the beach a little ways away, and there's all kinds of rocks and things. I could probably make some knives out of them."

"I wish we had some salt," Amy said after taking another bite.

"I wish we had a lot of things," Jack replied dryly. "I think I did some rock salt around. I'll see about gathering some."

Later, Jack helped Amy bring the stone she had found to the cave. It wasn't large, but it was still heavy. It was also thin, and Jack did have to agree that they could most likely use it for cooking. He spent the rest of the day gathering the rocks he'd mentioned. He imagined he would make some of them into tools and some into spearheads, if he could figure out how to attach them. As evening drew close, he returned to the stream to catch some more fish for the night, and he and Amy managed to eat their fill.

For five more days, Jack and Amy remained at the beach where they had found each other. Jack was sure he was beginning to develop a talent for the spear. He had even managed to fix a stone head by cutting a notch in the wood, filling it with resin from some of the trees nearby and letting it harden. He also found himself becoming more accustomed to spear fishing, although it still took a great deal of patience. However, more and more, Jack began to see fewer and fewer shadows of swimming fish in the stream.

He sighed as he returned to the cave with little to show.

"No fish again?" Amy asked upon his return.

"Not too many," he answered. "I managed to catch two, and I guess that will have to do."

Jack started clean the fish with one of the crude stone blades he had made. When he had first made the attempt, he found it was not easy. He had even cut himself once or twice, but thankfully, his wounds were minor. Though it had burned, Jack had even rubbed some of the rock salt he'd found into the cuts to help cleanse them. He had reasoned that if salt burned the way it did, it could be used as an antiseptic. By now, they were beginning to heal, and Jack hadn't felt any signs of infection, so he supposed it had worked. Now, he was much better at cleaning and scaling fish.

He and Amy were silent as they ate. A thought had occurred to Jack, and he wondered how to convey it best. His lips pursed in thought as he wondered what words he should use or if he should even speak at all. Still, he looked at the two fish they had, and when he thought of how he used to manage to catch five or even six some days, he doubted that they had any choice in the matter.

"Jack, what is it?" Amy asked, tilting her head in concern. Jack mentally sighed, and then an audible sigh left his lips. He wished he hadn't looked as if something were weighing on his mind. He had not wanted to let Amy know. He didn't know why, but he hated the thought of sharing bad news with her. All the same, Jack knew what he had to say could not be left unspoken, and he sighed to prepare himself.

"I think we need to leave, Amy," he said plainly.

"Leave?" she exclaimed in disbelief. "We can't leave here," she added.

"Amy, we have to," Jack stated.

"But why? We have we everything we need here. We have fresh water nearby, and we don't know what's out there."

"I've done some exploring," Jack explained. "It's not like we're totally lost."

"You told me you've only been to that other beach not far from here."

"I know, but we still need to leave."

"But Jack, we're safe here."

"Amy, if we don't leave, sooner or later we are going to die here."

"What makes you say that?"

"If we stay here, we'll starve eventually. I've been catching less fish you know. We need to move on; find somewhere else to stay for a while, at least until the fish start coming back."

"Can't you just catch fish in the ocean?" Jack noticed a pleading in her voice, and he understood why.

"I wish I could, but I don't think my spear is going to do much good out there." Jack rose and sat next to Amy, wrapping a comforting arm around her. "Amy, I know you're scared. So am I. But I know what I'm talking about. And I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

Amy only stared at the fire pit, looking at the comforting flames and the blackened ashes beneath them. Jack wondered what she might be thinking. Did she think that he was right in this? Did she think he was being foolish or worrying excessively? He felt her shoulders sag.

"When should we leave?" she asked at last, although he didn't really like the tone of resignation in her voice. He said nothing of it, however.

"In the next few days," Jack replied. "Tomorrow, I'm going back to the beach to see if there's anything we can use for traveling. We'll need water, that's for sure, and a place that might make a good camp if we need to. Then we'll have to decide what we can carry. We can go without food if we have to."

Jack took notice of Amy's feeble nod and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"I don't want to leave either," he added, "but we don't have any choice."

"I know, but I'm still scared."

"Let's try to get some rest," said Jack. He didn't know what else he could say to reassure her when he, himself, doubted their survival. As they walked to the places where they slept, Jack couldn't help but feel the same fear. What was out there? Not even the knowledge that he was right could ease it. Closing his eyes, Jack hoped that both of them could survive beyond the small beach.

As he rose on the day of their departure, Jack was hesitant to wake Amy, who still lied curled up on the other side of the cave. The previous day had passed quickly, too quickly for his liking, and he supposed the same was true for her. He'd spent most of the day gathering whatever he could find on the neighboring section of beach. Unfortunately, he had found nothing to carry water. He hated to recall the look on Amy's face when he had told her. As he watched her sleep, Jack considered simply going about the same routine and staying where they were, but he silently assured himself that if they were going to leave this place, they would need to do it now.

Gently, Jack roused Amy. They had used her white jacket as a bag to hold what tools he had made, and Jack made sure to bring his spear.

They spent most of the morning climbing the cliffs nearby. Jack wished they could find another way to get to the section of beach he'd explored, but he had found no such thing. It was slow, and Jack sometimes had to help Amy with the climb when she could not reach the next ledge. A few times, he heard her gasp in pain, but he was glad to see that she had only sustained a few bruises to her legs. They had also found an old but rather sturdy log at the top, which they had pushed down to create a shorter route. Of course, that seemed easy.

Apart from the walls of rock, they had to jump across three tall rocks sticking out of the water, which seemed to cut straight through the island. Jack had done this before, be he worried for Amy, trying to jump in her sandals. He worried she might slip and fall. Even with the water below, they were still at a fair height. On a more practical level, Jack knew she would have had nothing else to serve as shoes if they slipped from her feet, and he doubted he would have the ability to make a new pair for her. Even if he could, Jack knew he had nothing to work with. He held his breath as Amy made the first jump, then the second. To his relief, she made the third and the leap to solid land easily and still kept her sandals on, although she was trembling.

"Where did you learn to jump like that?" Jack asked, once Amy was safely across.

"Right here, just now," Amy remarked, still shaking.

"You did fine, Amy," said Jack, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did just fine." Jack looked up towards the sky. "Are you hungry? We didn't really eat much." Amy nodded, and they followed the path down to the beach. They found some coconuts near the shore and some wild carrots a little further inland. After picking a few, they sat down to eat. It wasn't much of a meal, but Jack was still glad to have them. The carrots were a welcome taste, and it surprised Jack that they were growing on an island of all places. Of course, he wasn't about to complain.

After the meal, they spent most of the afternoon climbing again. This time, the ledges were almost always in reach, but that didn't stop Jack from lending a helping hand. Jack had not been this far, and he began to wonder if he should have scouted around before bringing Amy. He had no idea what was beyond this little area of beach. Actually, he didn't know what they would find here for that matter. It probably would have been wiser, but Jack knew it was too late to think of that now.

They found a boulder in their path at the top of the ledges. Jack didn't know what was ahead, but they might at least find shelter. The day was growing older, and it would soon be evening. Jack didn't want to be caught outside after dark, and he doubted they would make it make to the cave in time. With Amy's help, they managed to move the large rock, although it had taken a good deal of effort.

They found another cave, this one larger than the one they had lived in, and Jack noticed it was lighter inside. He looked up to spot a few holes in the ceiling, which provided some light as long as daylight lasted. Even better, he saw a pool of water had formed in a large hole in the floor. At first, Jack wasn't sure if they should drink from it. For all he knew, the water had pooled here years ago. Still, in the fading light, he could see an almost ravenous look on Amy's face as she eyed the water. He knew she was thirsty; he was too.

"I'll test it," Jack said, holding her back as she took a step forward. Jack set down his spear, knelt, and took a handful of water. To his surprise, it did not smell or taste foul, as he expected. Jack pursed his lips in thought. He supposed there was a spring beneath them. With a shrug, he took another handful of water and beckoned Amy to come drink.

They drank their fill, and Jack looked upwards towards one of the gaps in the roof of the cave.

"I think we might have to stay here tonight, Amy," he said.

"I'll go look for firewood," Amy replied.

"We should probably both go," stated Jack. "We don't know what's out there," he added, motioning towards the other side of the cave, through which more of the last lights of day shined. He grabbed his spear, and the two of them left.

Jack looked on the new piece of land with disappointment. There were hardly any trees to gather twigs and branches to make a fire. Jack knew they had a bit of daylight left, so he reasoned that he could backtrack if needed. He wished they had some blankets to help ward off the chill. He also wished they weren't even on this island in the first place.

All at once, Jack heard a loud shriek of terror. His eyes darted to the side towards Amy, and he saw a look of unconcealed fear on her face. With one shaking hand, she pointed, and Jack followed her finger. And then he saw it.

A large wolf stood in their path.

The creature stood tall with its ears held high and fur bristling. Its mouth gaped open, revealing its sharp, bared teeth. The thing that worried Jack the most was that it seemed to stare directly at them with obvious aggression in its eyes. Jack remembered hearing the howl of wolves on a few of his camping trips, but he had never seen one.

"Don't make any sudden moves," he told Amy. Jack only allowed his eyes to look around. He knew wolves hunted in packs, but this one animal seemed to be alone. He dared not look behind him to see how far they stood from the mouth of the cave. He knew they were far enough away to prevent them from running to safety. Jack tightened his hold on the spear in the realization that he would have to fight.

"Step back, slowly," he said. He heard a sound from Amy's mouth, as if she intended to protest, but Jack spoke first. "Just do it," he added firmly.

Slowly, Jack raised his spear, and the wolf crouched, as if tensing for a strike. With a loud cry, Jack charged and the wolf sprang. Jack thought he heard Amy scream, but he wasn't sure. He was only sure of the need to strike first. He lifted the spear only slightly and thrust it forward

Then, in one single second, it was all over. Jack looked down at the dead wolf and the spear buried inside it. At first, Jack felt strangely numb as the realization of what he had just done settled over him. He had never killed anything in his life, except for insects. He found the sensation and the knowledge disturbing, but then another thought came to mind as he stared at the carcass.

Lying at their feet was food. While Jack had never tasted wolf meat, he would not refuse it. He looked back at Amy, and he could see in her eyes that she knew what she was thinking. Were they at home, they might have found the notion sickening, but they were here instead.

"Go back to the other section of beach and get some firewood while you can," Jack said. "I'll take of this," he added with a tilt of his head towards the wolf. They both hurried back to the cave, but Jack returned with one of his knives and set to work. It was a messy, unpleasant chore, and Jack grunted in frustration at how little he was accomplishing, but he did manage to remove a fair portion of meat before the coming night forced him to return to the cave they had found. He was not sure what he would do with the rest of the carcass, but he doubted he could carry it.

When he did return, Jack found Amy preparing their fire, and he roasted the wolf's meat.

Later, they slept with their bellies filled with hardy meat, and in his last waking moments, Jack began to think that there was more than a faint glimmer of hope that they could survive. They could do much more than just fish and forage, now that he knew there was game on this island. He thought again of the wolf he had killed. Besides food, they could find fur, if there were other wolves or even animals. They could make blankets or even crude clothes if needed. They might even find a use for the bones and fat as well.

Jack realized that they had many resources here, and if they were wise enough to use them properly, they could very well survive.

A/N: I know that the idea of wolves on a tropical island sounds weird, but it was a part of the game, so I decided to include it. People who have played Lost in Blue 2 will probably know the cave I'm talking about where they find water, and I know that in-game, you can't have them sleep there, but I figured I'd have to bend things around for the purpose of this story. I also wanted to portray that Jack and Amy are now learning to survive, in contrast to the previous chapter where Jack is just getting a lesson on things that he probably doesn't need to know.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm sorry for the long delay.