In a strange world as a Doppelganger

Chapter 19 - South

It's raining quite a bit and it's slowly trickling down into the burrow. Not enough to reach all the way in and get us wet, but enough to make the entrance slippery with mud. My head is still spinning with yesterdays revelations after making peaceful contact with the boggards. Learning about my skills was interesting as well, I might see if I can tap into them somehow know that I am aware of them. The water is moving further and further in ever so slowly. I should put it on my list to make something to prevent that. Through the rain I walk, south this time. My current mental map says that's where I have explored the least; to the north there is a dead patch of forest where the goblins live, to the east is the rivers and whatever lands the frogs make their home in, to the west is where I came from and to the south I don't really know.

Having grabbed my pouches, a knife and the sword I walk in the opposite direction of the goblin village. Honestly I don't even make an effort to be quiet. After making peace with the frogs I lost my main source of experience and I am still desperately in need of that level up. Halfway there, the frog elder had said. Being at level zero it feels like something special ought to happen upon reaching level one. I am getting excited just thinking about it, so excited in fact that I stumble over a badger. It, of course, had already seen me and was ready. A tusk scrape my leg as I stumble to find my footing. When I draw my word the badger becomes hesitant and it takes no more than two strikes to kill it. It's good meat and I shouldn't waste it. I undo my belt and tie it around the badgers hind-legs, letting it hang against my back like a sack.

The forest changes after having walked about two hours south. The trees seem twisted and gnarly. The ground is wet but not really like a swamp. Bugs are everywhere and their sizes vary from normal and tiny to the size of the rat back in the burrow. This looks perfect, these things shouldn't be able to talk to me and make me feel bad. I laugh to myself internally. They could swarm me though, I suppose. After contemplating for a moment I decide to give it a go. Swinging the sword down at a centipede crawling by. The thing is as long as I am tall and started wriggling around creepily as the jagged blade gets caught in its hard exoskeleton. The grip is wrought from my hands as the bug scrambles around wildly. I pull out the knife and try to take aim at its head. The wriggling is starting to freak me out and I can't get a proper stab in. Changing tactics I put the knife away again and step a foot down hard on its tail end. This stops the movements for long enough that I can grab the handle of the sword and pull it out. As soon as I do that the centipede stops wriggling and turns its face toward mine, raising itself up almost like a snake. I slash at it and the head splits open. Moments later the death throes stop and all of its legs curl up under the body. That wasn't so much difficult as it was freaky. It was certainly hard to hit while it was going around at full speed but it didn't seem to have a lot of health. 

I snap off some of the centipedes legs and put into a pouch, who knows what they'll be good for. It's becoming somewhat exhausting to carry around the badger. Heading back I make marks of where I have been. Around the time I can see the clearing there is the satisfying feeling of a prompt inside my head.

Skill [Survival] attained level 1

I guess that has to do with my markings, I still can't get any in-depth information on my skills. What level of [Observe] did the frog elder have to be able to see my skills and how far I had to a level up. At least level three I'd think. If level one gave me the ability to just see race and level, would level two show me skills or more specific information? Wait a second, I have an idea I want to try out. By the edge of the clearing I grab what looks like a wild flower and concentrate my eyes on it. Wildflower. That's convenient to know, I can see the names of plants too, though it seems very vague and general. The rain has let up over the day, it's still very cloudy in the sky but almost no rain is coming down. 

Having a sharp knife makes skinning so much easier compared to when I was just using my claws. When I have wrestled a pockmarked badger skin from its body I take a quick look around but can't find what I am seeking.

"Gngoblinnj!" I say loudly, not a shout but louder than a normal speaking voice. After a moment a goblin comes out of the bushes and looks quizzically at me. I motion for it to come close and it complies hesitantly. I hold out the skin and say, "Ffiks forr mee?". The goblin looks from me to the pelt and then seems to suddenly get it. The goblin nods rapidly, grabs the hide and walks into the undergrowth. Let's hope I do get it back after it's been treated. Today was a good day, I got plenty done and I crawl back into the burrow with a content feeling inside myself. I pull the gutted carcass down with me and both the rat and I eat our fill and fall asleep soon thereafter. 

The sad person is angry, this seem to be an earlier time than when I last got a look at them. They're being forced out of a house by shady looking types and someone is trying to reassure the sad person. The person doing the consoling has an untrustworthy look to them though. After being promised that all will be fine, the sad person leaves and the mischievous one laughs with the enforcers.