[Don't Starve] Forbidden Knowledge

Chapter 4- Daily Life Amongst the Shadows

holy shit i'm so so sorry i'm taking forever to continue this fic, i PROMISE on my LIFE that i'm going to finish it though

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 A few days had passed at this point. Not much had changed other than the fact that the base had been expanded on a bit, and the survivors' resource-gathering expeditions had started to become longer and more grueling. On this particular morning, Wilson awoke to find himself alone and with his back absolutely killing him.

"Sweet Jesus." The scientist groaned, sitting up and attempting to stretch his arms above his head. He really wasn't used to sleeping on the ground anymore, was he? He noticed the camp was almost deathly quiet and looked around to see if he could find Maxwell, or anyone for that matter, but the only sign of life he could see was Woodie going through a chest across the base. Wilson got up and started making his way over to where his lumberjack friend was.

"Morning, Wilson," Woodie said.

"And good morning to you, too." Wilson replied. "Have we got any extra food? I'm nearly starving."

"I think, but we're running low." Woodie dug through the chest for a moment, then went through his inventory. "Ah. I've got some spare berries." He handed them to the scientist, who popped them in his mouth like a handful of pills. Sweet, juicy pills.

"Well, that'll tide me over until I can find something else, I suppose." He still felt quite hungry, but this would do for now.

Woodie nodded. "Yeah. Hey, have you a moment or two? I need to talk to you about something."

Wilson raised his eyebrows. "Well, of course. At the moment I've not got anything better to do. What's up?"

"You've noticed how Wigfrid's been acting lately, right?" The lumberjack asked him in a quiet voice.

"Huh...? Oh." Wilson had indeed noticed how depressed Wigfrid had become again lately. "Yeah. She seemed to be doing so well before the reset, too."

"Look, I'm not a scientist myself so I don't feel like I should say anything in regards to it..." Woodie sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "But she's my friend. She's a friend to all of us. And seeing her like this makes me feel terrible. You don't happen to know anything about mental illness, do you?"

"Mental illness?" Wilson thought for a moment. "Unfortunately, no I don't, old friend. I'm more of an inventor than a psychologist. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Woodie gave him a small smile. "I just want to be able to help her, you know?"

"Yeah. that makes sense." Wilson looked out on the camp. "I know I'd want the same for everyone else here."

"So what do you suppose we do? Nothing seems to be helping." Woodie seemed genuinely saddened by his friend's depression, more so than Wilson.

"I...I'm not sure." Wilson sighed. "I'm sorry. You know I'd give advice if I had any."

"Let's both think it over a little more." The lumberjack picked up his axe. "In the meantime, I'm off to go resource gathering. See you around."

"Yep." Wilson waved a little as his friend walked off into the woods. He went back to the camp and saw that Wendy and Webber were hauling some saplings over to the area by the chests, with Wolfgang in tow.

"Good morning, scientist." Wolfgang greeted him in his heavy Russian accent. "Insisted on carrying themselves." He gestured to the two children dropping the armload of uprooted saplings by the chests with a deep sigh of relief.

"Wow! You two have become quite strong, haven't you?" Wilson knelt down to meet Webber and Wendy at approximate eye level.

"Yeah! We're strong just like Mister Wolfgang!" Webber attempted to flex a pair of his arms and Wendy imitated him.