The next day, Alex woke up long after the sunrise. He slept horribly last night due to the terrifying wolves outside. He listened intently and did not hear those horrible howls.
With no more howls during the day, Alex inferred that these wolves were nocturnal beasts, and they probably won't come out during the day.
Alex slowly got ready for the new day. He grilled the rabbit from yesterday for breakfast. As he ate, he made a mental note for today's activities.
The first thing on his itinerary was to find a new source of water.
The second thing was to make a map of the surrounding environment.
The third thing he had to do was, set up some traps near the cave for some fresh rations and as an alarm.
To execute these things, he had to venture outside. However, there was a slight monster problem. Not to mention the wolves, which were like monsters during the night, but any random beast in the forest might pose a fatal threat to him.
Even the fat hamster, which looks like a cuddly football, had sharp teeth that can tear your neck apart.
Therefore, to safely navigate this forest, Alex had to be invisible, and he had a plan for it.
He was going to make a camouflage using the vines at the cave entrance.
Alex walked to the cave entrance, which was covered with vines. He cut the long vines and got to work.
First, he made a grid in the shape of a hoodie and trousers using thick vines.
Then he tied the thin vines and grass to the grid. So that they dangle down, covering the whole body.
After two hours of work, he made an odd but functional camouflage suit. He also made a paste of the vines and applied it to his cheeks to reduce his scent.
After all that work, it's nearing noon. The sun was high in the sky, and the wolves deep in their dens. Alex got ready for a new adventure in this world.
He carried his Weapons, Binoculars, first aid, protein bars, the red book, a shovel, and some rope with him.
He stood there at the entrance before the curtain of vines. All geared up and ready for his first adventure in this world.
If his parents knew, they would be so proud. They also might scold him. If he fails here and becomes hamster food, Uncle Jack will laugh till he cries, and then he will curse. All kinds of chaotic thoughts occupied his head.
He cleared his head, and his eyes became resolute. He focused on the essentials. Alex remembered the advice given to him by his uncle when he was seven and was on his first hunting trip in the woods.
"Overthinking will only get you killed. So, don't overthink and trust your instincts."
Don't overthink and Trust your instincts. Alex mumbled in his mouth and parted the vines.
Alex stood on the edge of the cave opening and appreciated the view as he breathed the fresh air. Below him, he saw a 10-meter drop.
Alex caught the vines as thick as rope and climbed up the cliff as he wanted to survey his surroundings from a higher vantage point first.
He also had many questions. First, where are these vines hanging from? Second, why are the creatures here so strong?
As he was climbing, Alex had a bad premonition. After few minutes, Alex reached above the treetops. He rotated his leg in a loop and wrapped the vines around the legs securely. He freed his hands and took the binoculars to survey the surroundings. He also confirmed the bad feeling.
The cliff he was on extended to both sides in a circle, like a ring, cutting off the outside world. It's a crater. He was in a hollow cavity surrounded by cliffs.
'No wonder the wolves' howls sounded weird last night. There were a lot of echos.' though Alex.
After his first shock, he observed the crater walls closely to see if there were any gaps. Then he saw a breach on the left side cliff. He sighed with relief. If it was on the right side, he would have cried because on the right side was the wolf's den.
He took the red book out, drew an unfinished circle, leaving a gap on the left. He then marked the right as the wolf's den.
Alex also saw similar vines hanging from the clifftops at other locations. He marked them just in case.
Alex calculated the land inside the crater was around two kilometers in diameter, and it will be much easier to search for a water source.
He looked at the whole crater and stopped at the center. Usually, lakes are formed at the center of the crater cause of the low lands.
After the preliminary survey, Alex safely climbed down the cliff and landed on the ground.
Alex did not rush out of the vines immediately. He stayed in the shroud of vines as he patiently observed the surroundings. The trees looked huge from down here. The shadows of the trees and the cries of the beasts made one terrifying forest in front of him.
Alex still stayed calm and gazed into the shadows.
Alex soon noticed a group of four-handed monkeys playing in the trees and eating some yellow fruits. Alex frowned as they were blocking the way forward.
However, he had no intention to confront them in any way. So, Alex moved to his left, in the cover of vines, till the monkeys are out of his sight.
Then he saw an empty forest in front of him, which was much calmer.
After double-checking, Alex made his move. He rushed out of the vines and took cover behind a tree, blending perfectly into the surroundings with the help of his newly built camouflage suit. After his initial success, he moved from one tree to another, keeping as lowkey as possible.
Luckily the path he chose had no predators, but he still saw those huge hamsters, four-handed monkeys, and all kinds of birds in the distance. He did not panic and steadily moved towards the center.
Finally, his prayers were heard. He saw a crystal clear lake in the distance. But, he did not take action.
Alex stayed hidden behind a tree and assessed the danger of the lake. Many predators like to hide near the bank of the lakes and ambush unsuspecting prey. So, he had to be vigilant.
Alex stayed patient. After some time, few small animals drank from the lake, yet there was no movement. With no danger, he moved to the lake. He filled his bottle and some plastic bags full of water.
He filled enough water for two days and went back to his cave. On his way back, he was much more relaxed and completed some basic tasks.
He made some marks on the trees in the key locations as indicators. He dug some traps for the fat hamsters. He also found some fruit trees unoccupied by the monkeys and plucked some yellow fruits.
Alex made it back to the cave without any incident. All in all, it was a fruitful day.