He has the brief urge to give a half-mocking little salute. Weird. He doesn't do it. Instead, he nods, then turns back to the village. There's got to be a store, right?

He's back an hour and a half later, with his backpack and a second bag full of edibles-- a loaf of bread, some cheese, a box of cereal with nuts, a jar of peanut butter, and some little plastic cups of fruit-- and a very small, cat-like creature on his shoulder chewing on his collar and lashing his little flower tail.