Life With A Yautja Child (Book 2)

A Day In Nature

It took us a few minutes to finally reach back to the blueberry patches that we had walked through on our way to the helicopter. They were all ripe and looked to be freshly grown as if they had just grown a day or two ago, sliding off of Nutmeg I wander over to the berry bush closest to me, kneeling down on my good foot I grab some of the berries and starts eating them. I nearly melted at the taste it's been months since I have had a good fresh batch of berries. They tasted slightly sweet with a bit of tartness after taste.

Grabbing a handful I sit down and start to eat my full as Nutmeg was already chewing on some of the blueberries, guess I made the right choice to stop here first before going to the river. The stickiness from the berries was not a feeling I liked ...but then again there are far worse feelings like the feeling of horse dung or the smell of rotten chicken eggs, those were the worst.

Looking up to the sky I sit wondering how my chickens were doing I had just left them there may be one of the villagers will come and see that I'm not there and take care of the chickens ...maybe they will die of hunger, I hope not. After eating 3 handfuls of blueberries I look to Nutmeg before I laugh seeing the silly horse rolling around in the sand. Chuckling I whistle to her which makes her stop with her ears perk up in my direction.

Amari: Come here you silly horse, we need to get a move on to the river.

Getting up wobbly I wait for Nutmeg to walk over to me before I hop onto her back gripping my legs tightly around her so I don't fall off her back. Grabbing her mane I pull her head gently in the direction of the river before she starts trotting towards the river obviously in a far happier mood. Looking around I careful note to watch the area for any prey or predators and to keep an eye out for ways to distinguish the way we are going and coming. 

The trees swayed gently as the wind passed through them, I wish I could tell which way the wind was coming from so that I could tell where I was. Looking down I try to remember anything that could help me with my problem before I shake my head getting myself out of my thoughts and back into the real world only to find myself staring at a beautiful crystal clear river, fish jumping out of it and up higher into the waterfall. 

Pulling on Nutmegs mane she slows to a stop near it as I slide off of her letting her walk to the water and drink it, I sit down on the bank of the river slowly lowering my hands into it and bringing my hands back up cupped full with water, I take a sip only to be surprised by the sweet taste of clean water, really it tasted like sweet nectar even if I haven't had water only for a day or two, it felt like years.

Gulping down a few mouth fulls until I feel bloated I lay back looking up at the sky knowing I have things to get done but can't bring myself to move. Looking at Nutmeg I chuckle seeing she's exactly like me, laying on the ground on her side relaxing. Closing my eyes I listen to the waterfall as I start to hear the sounds of bird calls off in the distance ...seems like I found my dinner for tonight since the pups can't eat berries as Nutmeg can.

Slowly after what seems like an hour, I get up whistling to Nutmeg to wake her from her relaxing slumber. Hobbling over to her, I wait till she is standing before I climb onto her back and start heading in the direction of the bird calls. It was a few minutes before I caught sight of one, a simple woodpecker pecking at a tree, pulling my bow out I thank the stars when I see I have one arrow left.

Pulling Nutmeg to a stop, I slowly raise the bow as I slide the arrow into place between my fingers. Pulling the string back with the end of the arrow I take aim carefully before I take a few slow breaths calming my heartbeat as after my 3rd breath I let the string go and watch as the arrow sores through the sky and pieces the Woodpecker killing it instantly. Getting off of Nutmeg I walk to the woodpecker picking it up as I chuckle turning to Nutmeg only to see her giving me the stink eye.

Amari: Oh come on you don't have any say in this you aren't the one gonna be eating this thing.

Chuckling I pull the arrow from the woodpecker before I place it in my bag, my hunting trip continued on until around midday near 1 pm before I finally gave up and headed home by the time we got back the pups were awake and running around and to my surprise, a half-eaten bunny lay at the entrance of the cave...guess they grew hungry...

Pulling my bag down I pull the 4 birds out from my bag, yes in all that time I had only caught 4 birds, it's a good thing I did go for birds since I can use their feathers to help make more arrows for me. Walking outside I go grab some more dry branches for the fire to cook the birds, picking up an armful again I walk back to my cave and lay the branches inside by the firepit. Breaking them apart I leave some of the longer branches out they can be used for my arrows. Throwing the branches into the fire I light the kindling again before I watch as the fire burst to life.

Grabbing two big sticks I push them into the ground right beside my fire standing up before turn back to the birds and walks outside with one of my daggers. Cutting the heads of the birds off I scoop out the innards leaving them on a rock to dry for later, I can maybe use them as bait for fish. Walking back inside I leave my dagger by the doorway so the blood doesn't stink up the inside of the cave. Sitting down by the fire I start to get rid of feathers on birds making sure to get all the feathers off them.

Once done I take a stick before I shove it through 2 of the birds before I throw it over the fire to cook slowly, it would take a few minutes like 30 or so. Looking at the feathers I grab them before I turn to the sticks I have, 8 arrows, that is all I can create. Signing in annoyance I start the process of making the arrows. First, I remove the bark on the sticks before I cut them and bend them slightly into a straighter shape, stopping I remember I don't have anything sticky with me. 

Rubbing my neck I try to think about what I have that can be used as glue for the feathers, looking outside I grab my dagger before I limp over to one of the trees and stabs it seeing if my suspicions are correct, pulling my dagger out I smirk seeing the tip coaked in sticky sap. Walking back with my blade covered in the sap I sit down in a spot before I start cutting the feathers into a more proper shape, taking some of the sap, I stick the feathers to one end of the sticks before I use some string from my medical kit to tie the feathers down.  

Taking the sticks I use my dagger to cut the other end into a point before I put the pointed end over the flame only to push it again the wall and scrapping it quickly to make it even more pointed, I do this for the rest of them before I sigh softly once I'm done. 

Looking at my food I smile seeing them start to turn gold, I sigh praying they are cooked inside just as I hear one of the pups take off running with one of the two birds I had left down for them I chuckle watching it run to the front of the cave as the other two follow him. I watch smiling before I pick my arrows up placing them next to my bag as I turn to grab my bird meat while I think to myself about what I should name the puppies.

Sitting down back in my spot I grab the stick with the birds on it before I stab it into the ground waiting for it to cool off and once so I start to eat the meat. It was dull and chewy but better than canned beef I guess...

Once finished eating, I walk outside throwing the bones far away as I decide to walk around the area of my cave, better to know my surroundings I guess that, and I'm bored. Walking through some bushes I come to a stop seeing the bank of a river, rubbing my forehead I try not to hit my head on a tree. Walking over to it I lower my blade into the water and start cleaning it off along my hands.

Looking down to my leg, I slowly sit down after I put the dagger down behind me, undoing the wrapping around my leg I lower it into the water letting the current wash over it. I couldn't risk getting an infection in my wound, if I did then it would just be like starving myself then I would die.

Pulling my leg out I dry it off with my shirt before I wrap it back up in the bandage, getting up I hobble back to the cave with my dagger in hand, Nutmeg lay outside enjoying the breeze as the pups fought over the bird body. Walking inside I head over to my bag before I put my dagger back inside it, turning to my bed I go lay on it.

"If I want to get better I need to stay off this leg as much as possible, rest is my best friend right now" with those thoughts in my head I slowly drift off to sleep. 

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Sorry for the long wait everyone been busy with family things...

What should I name the wolf puppies?