Sapienophobia

Chapter 28

The first step is the most monumental. The rest should be easier.
It doesn't feel any easier.

I purposely made one of my traps detectable, it wasn't that noticeable from a distance, but it'd be impossible for anyone to not see it before they arrived at it.

I hoped that it would get Sod to head towards the other surrounding traps.

But this will put him on edge. It should.
And if it doesn't?

I had no special training on how to set up my snares, I was afraid of hunting even in my province. If the traps I made worked, it would be thanks to my comprehension skills and trust in my books.

If I understood it correctly, there was a spring or trip mechanism that would activate once enough pressure was applied to it inside of a rope's loop. The mechanism would tighten the loop around the victim's ankle before pulling them upside down and hanging them above their former position. The victim could be lowered by resetting the snare or cutting the rope. The rope needed to be tossed over a strong branch that wouldn't snap with the weight of a person on it. The lassoing technique I had sworn off made a comeback here. The branch also had to be flexible and reasonably close to the ground; I found one, but it fought me going to the grass without breaking, and applying consistent pressure upon it kept it from shooting back to its original position and hitting me on the way. Its bendability was similar to a fishing pole that had a defiant catch.

To hold the rope to the ground, I carved nail-like anchors surrounding it. These wooden anchors were tied to the trigger via the snipped ropes of the double net of my pit trap. I cut out the minimal amount that I thought wouldn't impend on that snare.

The trigger was set in the center of the loop, the place where I hoped my victim would step. I didn't dig the anchors in deep because I wanted the loop to be able to retract without restriction.

The loop itself needed to have a wide diameter despite the fact that the intended victim's limb was relatively small for probable captures. I wanted to make the trigger large as well, but I was scared it would draw attention.

I threw a rock at the toggle and missed the shot. It landed in the loop, so I wouldn't be retrieving it. I threw another rock, and it hit the trigger, but the mechanism wasn't released.

It needs more weight. I need to test it.
No, I don't. I'm injured enough as is. It just doesn't work, and I don't need it to.

How it looked was how the trap was illustrated in the hunting booklets and cartoons Danny gave me as per my request; I had memorized the description and diagram.

If it doesn't work, then there should be no problem with me trying to trigger it. Regardless of whether it's meant to distract or not, it's best to take additional measures.
There's nothing wrong with not trying if the price of failure exceeds the reward of success. No amount of additional measures could exceed the threat of dangling from a trap of my own design. I'd be utterly vulnerable.
Nothing exceeds the embarrassment either.

Decidedly, I turned away from my traps and yawned.

Going back to town for more materials and convenience meant finding myself a new human whisperer or buying what I needed from the humans myself, which wasn't an option for me, so I didn't resist when the idea of staying in the Murks came to me.

Nearly every forest sound caused my ears to twitch and my neck to crane.

I drew my arms into my torso when I got cold and let my empty sleeves sway from the shoulders with the wind. The leafy odor harassing my nostrils didn't give me the mercy of acclimating my nose to it. The smell was always there in that part of the Murks, but I was able to ignore it when I had distractions. The stench was so pungent now that I felt I could taste it.

Climbing another tree to sleep in it was a no-go; sleeping on the ground was the less unsettling option. I went out of my way to yank the leaves from the lower branches of the tree I found.

I pulled one of my knees up to my forehead while keeping the other flat. This shielded the state of my eyes from those who would approach.

It was a technique I reinterpreted from the deer. To an outsider, it'd be impossible to tell whether I was asleep or not. It was wholly defensive save for the small opening to my right, which was why I occupied that space with my good hand and my satchel.
Initially, the position made the back of my knee and triceps sore. After some shuffling, I was able to find enough comfort in the position to sleep.

Though, the sum of senses reacting to my surroundings made it difficult for my body to want to leave itself in as vulnerable a state as slumber despite my preparations.

In the event that such senses failed me when I was sleeping, I had trailed fibers from one of my ropes around the small radius I was inhabiting. Unwinding the ropes to separate one thread that was thinner than demon hair took as much time as setting up a trap itself. At one point, I even considered finding spider thread, it would be just as durable with their magic. I ultimately decided against it to spare myself the risk of being bitten. The possibility of being felled by such a small bug was a future a coward like me didn't want to face.

Being overly cautious isn't cowardly.

Fortunately, the ever-handy scalpel helped me cut through the exterior protective yarn to reach the core fibers I needed. It took several attempts to bring out an intact singular thread that was the length I needed it to be. Once retrieved, I tied the threads along the bases of the tree trunks; the measure formed an uneven rectangle. The place where I rested was far enough from the perimeter that I could have time to run away from whatever was sounding it.

I hung bells made out of acorns and small rocks on the threads. I tripped the wire myself to check if it worked; the first clinking would have been a questionable hum from my location. I needed to replace the rocks inside so that when the thread was pulled, I would have had no doubt of the sound I heard.

I didn't plan on using the alarm to find Sod should he pass like I suggested, but it would've been greatly appreciated if it informed me of any predators in my vicinity.

It took all of a panic attack and an impromptu restroom break, but after a few hours, my body and the nocturnal natives let me spend the night on the ground in the partial center of the Murks.

I felt something nudge my ankle as I jolted awake. Both suns were up.

"Are you trying to catch something?"

My pupils quivered.

Sod.