The Ranch

"The Wilderness Must Be Explored" (1)

Today the boys have made time to hang out. They try to free up time in their schedules at least once a week. Today's activity is learning to cook.

Pierre and other team members previously born into rich families want to become more self-reliant in case they get lost in the forest or some other special case in which they have to care for themselves.

This isn't any normal cooking with prepared ingredients in a kitchen. They're going to hunt the animals themselves.

The nine find themselves in the forest, at the edge of Lake Phil. Victor and Basile spot a deer and run after it. Pierre attempts to build a trap with minimal effect. Kai and Theodore unpack the fishing rods they bought and set them up. Abel, Sherlock, and Lucien search around for items to make a fire.

After taking in the moment, Tih leaves for two minutes and comes back with rabbit in one hand and in his other, materials for a fire.

The orphanage didn't have heating. Tih would watch how they set up fires in a fireplace and recreated it when he lived in the forest outside of the orphanage.

He makes a teepee with dead wood and kindling. The orphanage had lighters but the children weren't allowed to touch them. The set up is done but Tih doesn't have a way to make a spark. Sherlock prepared beforehand and pulls out a lighter.

"Wasn't the purpose of this for survival purposes?" Theodore asks him.

"Yes?" Sherlock lights the kindling.

"Then are we assuming we'll have a lighter on hand at all times?"

"...don't think about it so much." The learning purpose of this activity is more of a front to make it seem like time well spent.

Once the flame grows big enough, Tih takes the rabbit and holds it over the fire. The fur is burned off and the rabbit's bottom half starts cooking with its intestines still inside.

"Ohhh, is that how you're supposed to do it?" Pierre takes notes.

"How am I supposed to do this?" Lucien mutters. He tangles the fishing line while trying to thread it through the pole.

"Give it here." Theodore takes the tangled mess and cuts it before setting it up correctly and tying a hook to the end. He puts the bait on it and casts it into the water.

Theodore glances over at the fire station as he finishes setting it up on a Y-shaped branch he stuck in the mud. His body startles and he rushes over, grabbing the rabbit and throwing it far away. "No." He's appalled by their common sense. "Someone go watch the lines for me."

He tells Tih to go get another animal. In the meantime, he finds three large branches and soaks them in water. He shoves two in the ground on either side of the fire. They split off in two at the very top. He puts the last one on top.

When Tih brings back another rabbit, Theodore takes it and puts it on a tree stump. He takes out a Swiss Army knife and skins the rabbit of its hide and cleans out its organs. He takes the wet branch and skewers the rabbit before putting it over the fire.

"Wow, you're really good at this." Sherlock watches the process in amazement.

He slowly rotates the stick,"I used to go camping with my father. My sister didn't like killing and someone needed to watch her, so half the time, I hunted or fished our meals."

Sherlock sees that he doesn't seem to be bothered by talking about his past, but he doesn't continue the conversation.

"Fish!" Lucien freaks out. Theodore looks over to see the line being pulled and Lucien not knowing what to do. Lucien doesn't know if he should touch the fishing pole or not.

"Keep turning." Theodore says to Sherlock before going over to help Lucien. He takes the rod and expertly reels in a fish. A trout.Theodore scales and scores the fish before putting it on the flame.

Once they both finish cooking, Theodore pulls the rabbit and fish off the fire and cuts the meat off.

Basile picks up a chunk of rabbit, blows on it and throws it in his mouth. He chews twice before making a disgusted face,"Bleh, tasteless."

"Well, there's no seasoning," Theodore says bluntly. He's gotten less accustomed to forcing a fake image. Actually overall, a lot of members have started acting more like their true selves and the whole team is more mellow. It may be a sign of maturity.

They all force down the gamey rabbit and fishy-tasting trout, too used to the Michelin-level cooking of the cafeteria. Well, everyone except Tih who eats it normally.

Afterwards they hang around. Lucien, Abel, and Kai pick up the fishing rods. Basile leans against a tree and takes out a Chinese pineapple bun. Victor meditated on top of a rock. Sherlock takes out a notepad and starts writing.

Pierre goes for a swim in the lake. He finds that swimming is a good exercise for him. It builds endurance and muscle. He picked it up after deciding to cut fat off his body.

Tih heads downstream, close enough that the others can watch him as he walks right into the raging rapids that should sweep him away, but doesn't. Theodore, curious, walks along the stream next to him. He watches the boy when, out of the white mist of water, a fish springs out, flapping in the air. Before it can splash back into the river, Tih catches it in his right hand.

Theodore falls on his back, cackling. The scene was just too amazing and too spontaneous. Tih's like a bear. Next thing you know and he'll be catching it in his mouth.