Things started to lighten up again. Ishi gave me some good advice last night and it really did help ease my mind. After days of being plagued by nightmares, I was finally able to sleep soundly.
I was convinced that what I saw this morning was some kind of hallucination. Ishi was her usual self, with no trace of what I thought I saw. I felt better after bathing, and Marshall seemed to feel better after some… extracurricular activities.
I ate my breakfast on the go since I was the last one back to camp. Marshall has gotten good and setting up and tearing down the makeshift tent I made when I was traveling with Dania. I finally felt ambitious enough to start crafting more arrows. I asked Marshall and Ishi to help keep an eye out for wood, stones, and feathers that I could use.
The rivalry between Ishi and Marshall continued throughout the day, with them competing over anything and everything. If Ishi was a male, I've no doubt they would have whipped them out to measure.
The last few days have been so lifeless and dreary, even the bickering of these two seemed like an improvement.
"We are closing in on the edge of the forest. I've never been farther than this. I recommend we set up camp and stay here tonight. Beyond the forest are hills and plains for a while. However we will have to pass though some mountains if we want to reach the capital. It might be tough traveling and food will be scarce. We should prepare thoroughly." She said to Marshall and I.
"Sounds good to me, I want to finish my arrows and I have to patch up the tent." I said.
"I scented a herd of moose some distance north of us, I will do some hunting." Marshall said.
"I will find a spot to try to scout ahead of us and get a lay of the land. Let's make this spot our camp and meet back here." She said, looking at me specifically.
"I will set up camp first." And I added another sentence, since I could read her expression by now, "And yes, I will be careful and not go far."
She just snorted and took off running, transforming into a leopard when she lept up into the air. Suave as ever.
"Huh." Marshall said, watching her take off at lightening speed.
"What?" I asked.
"I wonder why her clothes don't rip when she transforms." He pondered.
… He has a point.
I didn't pay much attention before, but Marshall always strips before he transforms… Ishi never does. I will have to ask her about it later.
"Huh." I said, thoughtfully, staring off in the distance where she disappeared.
"Well, I'm off to get us some dinner and make some new bed rolls and blankets. We will be headed north first, and it gets cold up there. Especially in the mountains." He said.
"You have been there before?" I asked.
"No, but I am friends with Jack, the trader. He told me about it. that's why we can sell them so many pelts."
"Makes sense." I observed as I dropped my pack and found a nice spot to set up the tent.
"I'll be back." He said, as he came over and kissed me on the head.
His hair tickled my ear and made it twitch. I smiled and waved as he took off. I turned back to the task at hand. I unrolled a mat for the floor of the tent, then placed some of the thicker pelts on the ground as my bed roll. I decided to set up the tent before patching it.
Once I finished patching and reinforcing the corners that had ripped, I set up our campfire pit.
'Safety first' I thought to myself as I made a circle out of rocks. Then I laid down a bed of pine needles and dried leaves before finally stacking the wood. I found a few nice logs to use as chairs that I saved and set around the fire.
I admired my handiwork. Almost like a modern day campsite. It wasn't even close to getting dark yet, so I decided to scavenge for materials to make my arrows. I wandered around the forest, watching the ground for sticks that were sturdy and mostly straight. I wasn't having much luck with rocks though. Everything was too big. Maybe I can carve some arrowheads from moose antler. Feathers were few and far between as well.
I was having phenomenal luck with the sticks however. There seemed to be an almost endless supply to choose from. Once I was confident I had about 50 perfect sticks, I followed the sound of water. The stream we visited yesterday continued on through the woods and opened up to a wide river.
I walked along the riverbank, inspecting the rocks. Most of these were too round or polished. The few sharp ones I found were brittle like shale. I was crouched down by the bank when I felt someone watching me.
I looked up and saw a boy, who looked to be around 17, with reddish hair and freckles, peering at me from in the water. He was watching me curiously.
"Um.. Hello." I called, as I waved at him awkwardly.
He seemed surprised that I was talking to him. He swam a little closer.
"What are yae doin?" (What are you doing) He had a thick Scottish accent and a voice that sounded older than he looked.
"I'm collecting rocks." I replied.
He swam up to the shore in a dash. He had a long, slender body, with some body hair and age spots that looked like it belonged on an older gentleman. His legs were on the shorter side, and he had a long thick tail behind him. His hazel eyes were big and beady, and his face looked youthful and cute.
"Why?" He asked, leaning in to observe the kinds of rocks I was keeping.
I stepped back, to maintain my personal space. "For a project. I'm looking for more rocks like this, kind of triangular and thin- but strong." I showed him the rock I liked most.
"I'm Ferguson." He said, looking between the rock and me.
Well Ferguson, your attention span is remarkably short.
"My name is Mika. Nice to meet you." I said politely.
"Are yae a wolf?" He asked curiously, looking at my tail.
"Not sure." I replied.
"Here." He reached into the pocket of his shorts, "Me favorite rock." He showed me a red/orange rock that's was polished to perfection. It was more oval than I needed and the edges were too rounded.
"Oh, um.. Thank you, but no. I need something different. You can keep it." I politely declined.
He looked infuriated. He shoved the rock back into his pocket. In a flash he was standing about 8 feet away from me, in the waist deep water as he called back to me, "Yae dun want me rock? Fine! I dint want ya either!" (You don't want my rock? Fine! I don't want you either!)
And with that he transformed into a huge otter and dove into the water.
He didn't resurface.
No idea what that was all about. I shrugged and decided that the river bank was going to be a bust. I tossed the rocks I had collected, 2 wasn't going to be much help. I headed back to camp to start whittling the wood I had stacked up for my arrows.
I sat down on a log near the fire pit, pulled out my knife, and started peeling the bark and knots off the branches I wanted to use. I placed the wood scraps into the fire pit, they will make nice fire starters. I had about 3 arrow shafts uniform in size when the suns were about to set.
I wanted to set the fire, but I couldn't find the flint anywhere.
I watched enough videos on the internet in my day to know how to start a fire without flint. I got everything prepped and started doing my thing. I was twirling the stick as fast as I could, but I wasn't even getting any smoke. I kept at it.
5 mins later my hands hurt and there was still no fire.
I growled in frustration at my own uselessness. I was determined to light a fire myself.
I went at it for another 2 mins with no success.
I growled in anger and threw the sticks to the ground. How can I be so useless?! I bring nothing of value to this team - I can't even light a damn fire!
For no good reason, everything was irritating me and I could only think of every negative thing i have encountered, in chronological order.
I was angry and irritable and a nearby bird squawking non-stop was making me angrier. It was like it was mocking me and my failures. I didn't even try to calm down.
"If I wielded fireballs I would roast your ass!" I yelled at the bird.
I looked back towards the fire and saw my hands were on fire. It wasn't hot, though.
Ah-ha! I summoned fire again!!!
I immediately used it to light the campfire before it disappeared. The wood took quickly to the flames and I was satisfied. However that damn bird wouldn't shut up.
On impulse, I raised my arm quickly and pointed at the bird; shooting a small flame-like fireball at the annoying thing. I heard it scream in panic, then watched it fly away quickly.
"Serves you right. Damn winged rat." I mumbled to myself.
I was feeling a little cocky and proud that I was finally able to summon fire at will. The fire in my hands died out, and my mood returned to normal.
I continued whittling my arrows with a stupid smile on my face as I waited for Ishi and Marshall to get back.