Challenges of the Aether: Call of the Abyss

Chapter 21: Melodies of the Abyss

 I woke up in the morning feeling a gentle pressure on my chest and something wrapped around my leg. Blinking awake, I shifted slightly and realized Scarlet was still fast asleep, her body cuddled against mine. Her head was nestled comfortably on my chest, and her arm was draped over my leg, creating a cozy, albeit unexpected, arrangement.

I softly called her name, nudging her gently to wake her. "Scarlet... hey, Scarlet," I whispered, trying not to startle her.

Slowly, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open. As she realized the position we were in, her face turned a bright shade of red. She jumped away from me, scrambling to her feet, embarrassed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Scarlet exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and apology. She looked around frantically, her cheeks still flushed.

I tried to reassure her with a calming smile. "It's okay, Scarlet. No harm done. But if you wanted to cuddle, all you had to do was ask."

Her face turned even redder, a mix of embarrassment and shock. "I-I didn't mean to," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I must have just moved in my sleep."

"Honestly, it's not awkward at all," I said, trying to ease her embarrassment. "It's just one of those things. Let's focus on starting the day."

We both started to laugh and got ready for the day ahead of us. As we finished getting ready, I was the first to step outside. The crisp morning air greeted me, and I quickly reached a discreet spot to relieve myself. When I returned to the camp, Scarlet was just stepping out of the tent, looking more composed and ready to tackle the day ahead.

I turned to Scarlet as we finished our preparations. "I'm heading into the woods to check the traps Terrence and I set up yesterday," I said. "Hopefully, we've caught something good for breakfast."

Scarlet nodded, giving me a supportive smile. "Good luck! I'll make sure everything is ready here. Let me know how it goes."

I gave her a quick nod and headed into the woods towards where we had found the berries and set up the traps. As I walked through the underbrush, I felt a sense of anticipation for what we might have caught.

Navigating the familiar path to the berry patch, I looked for movement around the traps. As I reached the traps, I noticed two had been triggered. My heart raced with excitement as I hurried over to inspect them. To my satisfaction, I found a few rabbits caught in the traps.

I wasted no time. Carefully and efficiently, I began to butcher the rabbits right there on the spot. I worked swiftly, taking care to use every part of the animals. The meat was carefully separated from the bones, and I collected the pelts and other usable parts.

Once I had finished processing the rabbits, I gathered everything up. I returned to camp, eager to share the results of our successful hunt with the others.

With the rabbits carefully bundled, I made my way back to camp. As I approached, I called out to the others, drawing their attention. "Look what we caught!" I announced, displaying the rabbits proudly.

I handed over the intestines and other parts of the rabbits we wouldn't be using to the group in charge of fishing. "Here's some fresh bait for you," I said, hoping it would help them in their efforts.

I then turned my attention to the rabbit meat. I carefully cut up the meat, preparing it to be added to the stew from last night. As the stew simmered, the rich aroma of fish, rabbit, and onions filled the air, blending with the subtle sweetness of the mulberries we had gathered.

Not long after I added the rabbit meat to the stew and started cooking, everyone had woken up and gathered for breakfast. I handed over the task of serving the food to Amber. Once I received my bowl, I began to eat, savoring the rich blend of flavors from everything mixed together.