Wrath of Jaeger

Chapter 2

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I woke up to the boat stopping. We were in wall Rose now. I grabbed a still sleeping Kaori and sot across town to the outskirts. I heard this town was going through a famine, so I wouldn't rely on them to feed us. I set up camp, using a tarp I had nicked from a roof in need of patching, t make a shelter. I made a small fire, and laid Kaori down under the shelter with a note.

I set off to hunt, and managed to find and kill a deer. I also found some wild onions and a potato. I used a helmet Mike-oji had given me as a pot, and collected water from a nearby stream. I skinned the deer and laid out the hide for cleaning. I could make something out of it. I threw the bits we weren't going to eat in the stream to wash the scent away, and washed the onion and potato.

I carried the food to camp and set the helmet of water to boil as I cut the meat and tossed in what we would eat for the night. I set aside part of the bulb so I could grow more, and cut up the potato, keeping a couple chunks to plant.

She watched it boil, and pulled out some salt from the rations to add some flavor, as well as some ginger. 

At the smell, Kaori woke up. "Minna-nee? Where are we?"

"We are in a forest in wall Rose. There is a town over there, but they are suffering from not enough food. So we won't bother them. Now, the food is nearly done. ready to eat?"

Kaori nodded, and got up, coming over to the fire. I blew off some wood dust from the bowl I had just carving. I dipped the bowl in the helmet and pulled it out. a light broth with deer meat, onion and potato. I quickly carved a spoon with a sharp point on the handle to stab the meat. I handed the bowl and spoon to Kaori.

I set on making my own bowl and spoon, and soon joined her in eating. It wasn't bad, surprisingly. After, I went to the stream and cleaned the dishes. I turned the deer meat left over into jerky, which used up a good deal of the salt I had. We bathed in the stream and slept on the uncomfortable ground. I had some money on me, I could buy some material tomorrow.

I woke, and took off my ODM gear,, hiding it in the tree. I hoisted Kaori onto my back, and made my way to the village. I wore some ripped jeans, a off white tank top and a denim crop top jacket, like what the Scouts wore under their uniform, except it was a faded blue.

I looked around the Market are. It was packed, people arguing and fighting for food left and right. I gave a piece of jerky to a child who was far too thin. They smiled and cried while carefully nibbling the food. These people... I went to a tailor.

"Welcome how may I- oh. Are you two lost?" A woman with black hair and glasses looked at us. She too was painfully thin.

"No. I need a blanket soft and warm enough to last a winter. In return, I'll pay, and give you this," I pulled out ten strips of jerky. Her eyes widened. 

"Deal. Child, tell me how big you want this blanket."

"Seven by eight."

"That is a lot of cloth... I'll do it. It should be ready in a few days."

I nod. "I'll be back then. If you ever need something, go to the forest just outside of town. Me and my little sister will be there."

Kaori peeked out from over my shoulder.

The woman nodded. "I'll look for you or the child."

I nod and walk out. I set Kaori down and hold her hand. She looks older than one and a half, more around four. We walk to a shop that has stacks of hay.

We go in. 

"What are a couple of kids doing here?" A big burly man grunted. He was bald, and looked just as hungry as everyone else.

"I need four bales of hay. In return I offer meat." I held out ten more strips of jerky. I was lucky the deer I killed had a lot of meat on it's bones.

The mans' eyes widened. He probably hadn't had meat in a long while. "Can you cart it?"

"I'll have to make a couple trips, but I can carry two at a time." I say.

"Nah, I can't let a kid do that. I can carry four. I'll help you."

I blink. I wasn't used to that. "Uh, sure, I guess. Strap some to my back and I'll show you where we're staying." Speaking of which, I have to tan the deer hide later.

The man helped me load the hay. It was heavy, but I've carted worse. I keep hold of Kaori's hand as the man effortlessly carted the other four. I started walking, and he followed. He seemed kinda surprised, and a bit suspicious, as we entered the forest.

"I live here, don't worry." He still seemed a bit wary as he followed me. We soon arrive at the camp site. I unhitch the hay. Kaori quickly climbs on my back. She seems to like it there. I lug the hay under the tarp, which was basically the roof. I turn to the man, who stared surprised.

"You live here?" He asked. He looked over the shelter, some logs and vines weaved together to make walls and the tarp as a roof. No door. 

"Yeah, just yesterday. We are refugees from Shiganshina. My Mom was... she didn't make it. I couldn't save her. But I saved Kao-chan here, and we are waiting for her parents. They are practically my second family. My brother and adopted sister are here somewhere, I saw them earlier ."

The man was obviously confused. "Then why not join your brother and sister?"

"It wouldn't make a difference. They haven't looked at me since I was seven. I'm better off here." Then I remembered the day before yesterday. Eren had looked at me. Had seen me. Had stared at me with the eyes he used to have.

The man shrugged. "If ya need anything, come on down to my shop. I won't leave a child in need."

I nod and he sets off back to his shop with the jerky I promised. I arrange the hay until it was in the shape of a bed. It was around twin sized, and would be a bit pokey until I get the blanket made, but I can go hunt, and make a mattress casing from animal hide.

It's getting late, so I steam some potato chunks and grab a pack of crackers from the rations. We had jerky, steamed potatoes, and crackers that night.

A week later, and I had gotten enough meat to trade for an axe. I didn't want to risk breaking my ODM blades trying to get fresh wood. As we walk to town Kaori asks me something I had been expecting.

"Minna-nee?"

"Yes Kao-chan?"

"Can... can you help me be strong like you?"

I sigh. She would benefit, but she was young. Almost two, and extremely smart for her age, but she was still young.

"I'll do my best."

I saw Kaori smiled, a determined look on her face. One I once wore.

We go by the Tailor lady and she gives us the blanket. I give her a few more strips of jerky.

Next stop, the traders.

I walk in and a bell dings. "Hello children. What can I do for you?"

"I need an axe. For kindling."

"Well, what do you have to trade?" He looked skeptical, like there was no way I had enough of anything worth an axe.

I pull out an entire three pounds of meat. I almost laugh as his eyes widen comically and he practically thrusts his finest axe at me. I hand him the meat. "Pleasure doing business with you." I say.

Kaori climbs on my back and we walk out. I hurry back home, seeing that it would soon storm. The rain hits just as we get under the tarp. I spread the blanket over the new mattress casing I had made, and we laid under it, keeping warm from the cold air. We ate plain jerky for dinner that night.