The Eyes Of A Scout

Scout Training Part 3

I jump tree branch to tree branch as I am hurrying back to the campsite, I've caught 3 squirrels and a very plump rabbit.

 As I'm getting closer to the clearing I don't see any smoke, that could be both a good thing and a bad thing. I might just have to teach him how to make a fire, hurrah.

Upon entering the campsite I ask "Where's the fire pit?"

"I..I don't know how to make one.. B-but I tried!" Jack answers pointing to a spread out 'circle' of rocks.

"That you did. Here I'll show you, hold these for me please." I hand him my kill as I get started on the fire pit.

"Is-is this a rabbit?!" He squeals, dropping our dinner

"Yes, would you rather have berries for dinner?"

"N-n-no..."

"Good then I suggest you pick our food off of the floor and watch what I'm showing you. Our training will go a lot smoother if you know how to make a simple fire." I stop moving around the rocks and turn around to show him what I had done. "The circle of rocks is to try to keep the coal and ashes from escaping and hurting the ecosystem. I dug up the dirt inside the circle to get rid of the grass inside and also so that we can use that dirt later to help put the fire out." I pause to let him process what I have said "Now we need some twigs and dried grass to get this fire started."

Picking up a nearby stick, Jack asks "Why the dry grass?" he places the stick gently onto a pile I had already started.

As I turn around a sudden dizziness swims through my head. I shake it off and answer "It helps the fire grab onto where we need it. Without the grass it will take us forever to start the fire. Dead or dying wood works the same way too."

The pile of sticks and branches now reach up to my waist, it's time to start making the fire. The sun's even starting to go down now, it's almost below the trees.

I place the some twigs down into the firepit and then on top I place the dried grass "Would you like to do the honors of starting the fire?" I ask Jack

"But I don't know how!" He exclaims

"I know, but don't worry I'll be helping. I will tell you what to do step by step!" I grab a fire starter out of one of my shoulder guards, "here take this, It'll help a lot!

I hand him the tool "o-okay.." He stutters

He sits near the firepit, I kneel behind him and look over his shoulder, my head feels lighter than it should.

"Now, strike the one in your right hand against the piece in your left hand." I pause, my vision blurs for a second but I choose to ignore it again "Unless you are left handed then it might be easier to switch them around."

He strikes the fire starter several more times, and I'm suddenly my light head gets worse. My coat is still on, zipped up tight. The heat must be getting to me, I need to take this coat off. 

I can't pass out, I refuse to. I rip off my coat so suddenly that Jack turns around, startled.

I think Jack says something but I can't hear, my senses are leaving me. I stand.

 my head is swirling and all that I can think is that I need water before this gets any worse. "I'm fine, continue trying to start the fire."

 I struggle the words out. I don't look back to see what he does, I just try to walk to the water as normal as I can. My legs feel as heavy as lead, and my vision is going out.

I am almost halfway to the water when my knee buckles. Jack is instantly by my side, I can hardly hear a thing he says. My insides feel like giving out but I never had anything to eat today, so all I do is dry heave. My vision is almost completely black now, and all my limbs are numb. Someone sits me up, It must be Jack. His hand supports my back, and something cold is put to my lips. He picks up my hand and curls it around a cylindrical object. A cup.

I drink from it, the water is cold, refreshingly cold. I down the contents of the cup quickly, quicker than I should have. I dry heave again into what I think is grass. Jack taps my back twice and wraps my arm, still holding the cup, over his shoulder. He helps me up, and supports most of my weight. I still can't see very well but he rests me back down against what I believe is a tree. Jack takes the cup back from my clenched hand, I try to stand to follow him but I end up right back on the ground. He kneels back down beside me and props me back up against the tree.

I can hardly focus on what is going on around me, my head is still swimming. Jack returns with another cup of water, and places it into my hand. I drink it slowly this time. He repeats this process several times, my vision and hearing is slowly coming back. I look up at his face as he hands me another cup of water, he looks really worried. His ears are twitching above his head, I drink the water slowly. 

I feel so tired and my eyelids feel as heavy as led, "I'm so sorry" I whisper.

The empty cup falls from my hand to the ground, as I drift off to unconsciousness. .