Jordan slept better than the night before. The stones he'd placed near the fire and heated earlier radiated a gentle warmth that lasted through most of the night, keeping the chill at bay. The makeshift bedding of dry grass and leaves had also done its job, providing a surprising level of comfort against the hard ground.
When he woke, the fire had died down to glowing embers, but the shelter still felt cozy. The faint light of dawn seeped through the gaps in the moss and leaves, casting soft patterns on the interior of the lean-to. For a moment, he allowed himself to simply lie there, listening to the quiet hum of the forest.
Compared to yesterday's restless tossing and turning, this felt like a luxury. His body was sore from the previous day's work, but the ache was manageable, almost satisfying—a reminder of the effort he'd put in to survive.
He sat up, stretching out his arms and legs, and rubbed his eyes. The air outside was crisp, carrying the earthy smell of the forest mixed with the faint, lingering scent of charred wood. As his stomach growled, he chuckled softly.
"Another day, another meal," he muttered to himself.
His gaze shifted to the remains of the firepit. The rocks around it were still warm to the touch, a testament to how well his small adjustments were working. He'd need to rebuild the fire soon, but first, he wanted to scout the area again and plan out his next steps.
The promise of a more productive day kept him moving. He wasn't sure how long this calm would last, but for now, he felt ready to face whatever challenges the forest would throw his way.
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Jordan walked through the forest, taking careful steps as he tried to map out the area surrounding his little camp. He didn't want to risk being ambushed in his sleep if any monsters—or worse, a pack of them—lived nearby. It wasn't a foolproof plan, but knowing the lay of the land gave him a better chance to react if trouble came knocking.
Before setting out, he'd taken a quick bath in the river. The cold water had been shocking at first, but once he adjusted, it was refreshing, washing away the grime of the past two days. He figured he might not have fresh clothes—or any other clothes—but that didn't mean he could skip a bath entirely. Small comforts like cleanliness made him feel human in a situation that constantly tried to strip that away.
As he walked, his knife caught his eye again. The carvings along its blade seemed to shimmer faintly, even in the dappled light of the forest. He held it up, inspecting the intricate details. The slot at the knife's base, where the cores fit, was empty now. The core from the first rabbit-like creature had vanished after use.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the core from last night's catch. It glimmered faintly, its surface smooth and almost crystalline. With a sense of cautious curiosity, he slid it into the slot. The carvings flared to life for a brief moment, glowing with the same soft light as before, but then the glow faded, leaving the knife unchanged.
"Again?" he muttered, a twinge of disappointment in his voice. He had expected—or maybe hoped—for some kind of transformation, but the anticlimactic result was becoming a pattern. Still, the knife felt different somehow, like there was a quiet hum of energy within it now. He couldn't quite explain it, but the weapon seemed a little sharper in his hands, a little more balanced.
As he walked, his mind wandered to something else he'd noticed earlier. While bathing, he had caught a glimpse of the marking on his chest. It had spread further, creeping along his skin like dark tendrils. What had once been a small, strange symbol now covered almost half of the left side of his chest.
Jordan glanced down at his chest, though the shirt he wore obscured the mark. He couldn't shake the unease it brought. Was it growing because of the cores? Or was it something else entirely? He had no answers, and the uncertainty gnawed at him.
For now, he tried to push the thought aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. He needed to stay alert. The forest was eerily quiet, with only the occasional rustle of leaves or chirp of an unfamiliar bird breaking the stillness. Every so often, he paused to examine tracks in the dirt or claw marks on a tree. Anything that could tell him what else might be living out here.
The knife was steady in his grip as he moved forward. The carvings glinted faintly in the light, a small reminder of the strange, otherworldly energy tied to it.
"Shriek!!!"
The sharp, piercing cry of an animal rang out, not too far from where Jordan stood. He froze, his senses immediately on high alert. The sound was familiar—it was the same noise the fanged rabbits had made before.
Gripping his knife tightly, he moved forward, careful to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible. The massive tree in front of him provided ample cover, and he crouched behind it, peering around to see what was happening. What he saw was… unexpected.
A slime—its translucent, gelatinous body gleaming faintly in the filtered sunlight—was dragging one of the rabbit creatures into itself.
Jordan watched as the rabbit struggled, kicking and thrashing with desperation, but its efforts were in vain. The slime pulled it deeper, its body undulating as it worked to envelop its prey. Within moments, the rabbit's movements slowed, then ceased altogether.
"Damn," Jordan muttered under his breath, gripping his knife a little tighter. "I guess that would happen to me too if it got a good hold on me."
The thought sent a shiver down his spine, but he shook it off. The slime didn't seem fast, and he was confident it wasn't strong enough to drag him in, at least not if he kept his distance and played it smart.
Still, his gaze lingered on the creature, his mind turning to the core. If the slime had one—and it probably did—it might finally be the key to triggering his knife's transformation.
The knife glinted faintly in his hand as he weighed his options. The slime was preoccupied, its focus entirely on digesting the fanged rabbit. This was the best time to strike.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and stepped out from behind the tree. His movements were deliberate but quiet as he closed the distance between him and the creature. The squelching sound of the slime's movements filled the air, but it didn't seem to notice him yet.
Jordan crouched slightly, holding the knife in a reverse grip, and fixed his gaze on the core that seemed to faintly glimmer within the slime's body. He would aim for that—quick, precise, and decisive. Maybe the newly transformed knife will make a difference this time.
"Alright," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Let's see what you've got."
And with that, he lunged forward, slashing at the creature in a clean arc aimed directly at its core.