Not Alone

Chapter 11: Deus Ex Orca

Now that we have the 'shelter' aspect of survival sorted out, now it's time to focus on food. A renewable source of food would be fantastic, but having enough meat and vegetables stored for winter is our baseline, especially since Asper told us we are only a couple of months away from the "Rainy season".

Asper set out early this morning to hunt and gather the 'medicines' aka herbs and spices that I requested with a determined look on his face. I feel a little bad about sending Asper away so often, but he is the only one of us who knows how to hunt properly.

To be able to start processing the meat Asper is sure to bring in, Dias has started building a smoker. It's basic for now, mainly made of fallen tree branches in a rough teepee shape.

Tying a tight knot at the end of the cord, I finish the fourth wall of the chicken coop. I squat down by the other three stick walls and begin tying them all together with the shoelaces off Dias' boots. I snicker at the thought, he isn't using his boots anyway, he really went barefoot native as soon as it occurred to him that it was something he could actually do.

I know in the manga, Bai was able to have a coop of chicken-like birds, so I asked Asper to keep an eye out for any sort of groundbird while he went hunting. Quail or the weird chicken things in the Manga would be nice, but I would settle for grouse or ducks.

Dias jogs over to me, his hands and arms covered in sticky tree sap. He spreads his arms out with a grin, causing me to squeal and jump away "Dias! Don't you dare!"

He laughs, still approaching with arms spread wide "C'mon babe! I came all the way over here after building you a nice smoker, and you won't even give me a hug?"

I skitter away, my lips creeping into a smile even as I mock scowl at him "You will get me all sticky! And we are running low on the soap!"

He extends his arms towards me, his hands grasping as he waggles his eyebrows "I could make you sticky in ways you would enjoy"

I pick up a thin stick and wave it at him like a fake sword "Back! Back I say! Begone ye horndog! Mine virtue is not for filthy peasants to defile!"

He puts a sticky hand to his chest in faux dismay "Filthy?! I shall have you know woman," He lifts his hand, wincing as the sap pulls on the short chest hairs "That I am perfectly clean!"

I snort a laugh "Go wash up first, I won't sit on a dirty face"

He salutes "Say no more!" Dias, after shucking off his pants and tossing them to me, shifts into his giant bat form and lowers his shoulder, allowing me to climb into the thick fur on his back. He crawl-walks over to the cliff edge before leaping off the side, spreading his leathery wings wide to catch the air.

It only takes a couple of minutes before he finds a decent rock near the water. After climbing off of his back, Dias shifts back into his human shape and jumps into the water.

I laugh as he comes up sputtering, whipping his hair out of his face "FUCK THATS COLD". After a few seconds of cussing and cursing, he dives back under, the water churning.

Quickly getting used to the water, Dias starts to properly clean himself off. I take a seat near the edge of the rock, taking off my shoes and dipping my feet into the cold water.

I sigh as I lean back on my hands, my feet lightly swishing the gently lapping waves. The sky is clear, and the wind is a gentle breeze across the cool ocean water. Tilting my head back to look up at the sky, I consider how we should go about distilling salt for seasoning and curing. Maybe boiling the water in the metal cans and leaving behind the salt?