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Having one nonfunctional limb makes labor not easier at all. I hoped that thanks to my former experiences with preparing the fishes I would be ready for gutting a wolf. Man, I was wrong, in other words - I am in deep shit.

Should I harvest his skin? Ha, as I have a clue how to do so. But at least I will try. Even if it will be a complete failure I may still learn something. And in the future, I will definitely need fur. This bastard destroyed my favorite hoody, using his body to make myself a replacement is not only something I have to do, but also WANT to do.

Pft, can you imagine me dressed completely from heels to ears in wolf skin? I need to find or make myself a bow. Then when somebody would get in trouble I would jump out of bushes and yell “what are you doing here fool? The forest in not a place for weaklings! Follow me if you want to live!”.

Enough of my merry wishes. First I have to remove the body from the cave. I don’t want to make it even smellier. Additionally, some predators may sense the blood. That would only add more problems to the list.

The body of wolf is surprisingly light. I thought that with my arm it would take some time to drag it away. Then again - my strength is not "high" either. 500 meters should be enough. Right?

I pushed my dagger into the wolf’s stomach and then slide it up to its throat. There wasn’t much blood spreading out. It’s probably because he died last night and most of his blood already coagulated. I will still get dirty though. I have to open it. Ugh, the stench is horrible. Is it a liver? As I remember there were some cultures who thought about liver as a delicacy. It was healthy - rich in iron. But well… Nah, keep looking.

I removed all of the wolf’s internal organs. I was covered in blood up to my elbows, now - how do you remove the skin? I have once seen a tutorial online. It said to start near the leg and remove it with as little flesh as possible. Gross. The sensation of slippery skin running out of your blade as you try to cut through it. Maybe I’ll just stop thinking about negative parts of my situation… but what is exactly a good thing in my situation?

I know! In the end, I am the one who is about to eat wolf, not the other way.

It didn’t take long. About 40 or so minutes. I bet a skilled hunter could do it in 5. A skilled hunter with both efficient arms I would say. You know, it was annoying when I had to help myself with a foot to hold corps in one place.

Now impregnation. I don’t want it to rot. Oh, my handy dagger, what would I do without you? Now it’s time to remove the fat. Easier said than done. It was supposed to be done with a spoon - a special one. As I was done I was supposed to rub salt all over it. I have no fucking salt. I hope exposing it to the sun and let it dry up will do.

I looked upon a piece of fur. It was a disgrace to all leatherwork. I tried to appraise it.

[lower quality lone shade wolf fur]

Lowest. Honestly? I know that it’s not perfect but I really did my best! Come on! Change it to atleast low, please! Don’t do it to me! You are hurting my feelings!

Congratulation! Skill [Skinning level 1] acquired [Skinning level 1] Allows the user to succeed while attempting to acquire skin from animals and monsters. The quality and success ratio of gained items rise with skill level. The quality and success ratio of gained items rise alongside with dexterity. The quality and success ratio of gained items rise alongside luck

It was the lowest quality fur because I did it without having skill? So now it will be only better? I hope so. Yet, I need to make another fur first. Wait. To level up appraisal I have to use it like 1000 times. You don’t want me to skin 1000 god damned wolves to get a level up, do you?

I turned back to the furless corpse and harvest all parts of edible meat. Don’t misunderstand me. The most of it is edible, but I wanted parts edible FOR ME! I am not going to eat a brain, heart, liver or other stuff like that. I am hungry, not desperate.

I should cook it. Why I am saying “should”? Because I have no god damned lighter nor anything I could use. Why for fuck sake in schools they are tellin’ us that [mitochondria is powerhouse of the cell] instead of how to survive in the forest? If not some of survival shows I used to watch I would be dead about 10 times already.

I transported meat back to the cave.

I started collecting wood. The only thing I will have no problem looking for. Yet still, some basic rolls have to be considered. Firstly the small one that will burn easily. Then bigger and bigger, the one that will burn longer. The fireplace has to be located in a good place. Why? Because in windy places the same amount of wood that normally would burn for an hour would be burned in 10 minutes. In the cave? Hell no! I was poisoned by carbon monoxide once. Not going to have that happen to me again. I started to isolate the pit from the ground. Now we have a nice construction. And the best part of the show!

I sit in front of my soon-to-be fireplace. With a stick rubbing another stick. I feel like an idiot but hopefully, it will work.

Rub

Rub

Rub

40 minutes of rubbing. I think that my hands will catch fire sooner than branches. Every time I moved them my left arm was screaming in aogny, yet every time I was trying to stop - my stomach was telling me to continue… wait, was that a moment that could be described as [My mind telling me no, but my body, my body telling me yes?]... or reversed?

Get your shit together, you silly body, and decide on one action at a time. Ok?

Then a sparkle appeared. It burned dry grass I put below it. Grass ignited the small branches, and after them, the bigger one followed.

I wanted to jump to the sky in joy and start dancing. You can’t even imagine the pride I felt. I made fire! I can eat! Me wise! Me strong!

Oh, the smell of roasting meat was filling the air. Wait till it was finished? Oh, Goddess, I can’t wait please this one time I’ll not be offended if you help me and made it roast faster. Are Ya here with me, God?

No, response. Of course that there will be no response. Gods have remained silent to my prayers for over 20 years of my previous life. I needed to die in order to finally meet him. I am not going to die only to ask him to prepare my dinner

…. on the other hand… no, better not.

The moment I dig my fangs in juicy meat I experienced feeling that was so wonderful that I completely forgot about the pain in my arm. I forgot I am all sweaty and covered in blood. Screw hygiene, I’m starving. Bite after bite I will not be satisfied till I am full. I put my hand to the side to grab another piece of meat and I found none.

Are you kidding me? I ate a whole wolf and I’m still hungry.

I told myself it’s a joke as I headed to the lake. The lake was pretty big. Enough for me to get both cleaned up and to have water to drink. Maybe I would be even able to go fishing. Note to future me. Make a fishing rod… not that i know how to fish. I bowed down to water and I froze.

Is it me? I knew I should look different but this...

My hair was still dark brown and still messy to the point where brushing it was pointless. My face looks childish. I had a smaller nose. My whole face was slimmer, but I was shocked by my eyes most. I used to have beautiful deep blue eyes. I was proud of them. I still have blue eyes. Well at least one of them. Another was toxic green. At least, my pupils are normal. I put my right hand on my face and begin to examine it. No beard. Of course not, I am 16. I can forget about small moustache I had. The most definite fact on my face was some of the congealed blood do not make me look like someone who is your average drink buddy. Actually, it was a face of a person you better not mess with. Not most handsome but not ugly either. In anime, I could play the role of some bully.

I turned my head a bit left and right, no specials traits, no scars, no mole, no freckles. I ended looking at my new appearance and striped off. I washed my bloody clothes and then I jumped inside. Water was cold, not freezing and I doubt I would catch cold. It was more refreshing kind of cold, the one that helps you awaken after a sleepless night.

I stayed there for an hour. Taking my thought together. This world is supposed to be hard. The strong hunt the weak, but even weak can fight back. I like it, it is pure and primal. I want to survive, but in order to do so I have to stay focus, keep thinking about the future.

Speaking of the devil… I should hunt some more animals… but maybe not wolf this time huh? I saw bunny-like creatures. They will do, but it can wait some more time, can it? Just a little longer...

No! Get out right now! I don’t have the privilege of getting lazy. I will move out as only my cloth would dry. The sun is strong and the heat in the forest should help it get dry pretty quickly.

I jump out of the lake. Put my cloth back on me and once again stepped into the forest looking for some smaller animals. The cave which used to be home for a wolf was close so I doubt any herbivores would live nearby. I returned to sneaking and appraising left and right.

And so soon I achieved a great success! Um, maaaayabe not completely. But, I found traces of some small animals. They left footprints in the mud and some less visible tracks in the soft earth. They were here recently. i’m not sure when exactly though. Maybe a few hours, maybe a few days. But, it looks like a place they visit often.

How often? Let’s see. I walked into bush 20 meters or so from clearing where I found footprints. It was tight, my whole body was scratched by branches. I sat there and waited. I have time - my belly was full and I was refreshed. I will wait here until evening then I will head back to the cave. If nothing shows itself tomorrow I will go further into the forest.

An hour passed. I have appraised anything in the vicinity. There was a [unknown herb], [unknown flower], [rock], another [unknown herb], [brown horned rabbit], [unknow…], wait for WHAT? Where did you hide asshole?! Oh, here you are a little bastard. Lemme see you… a bit bigger than rabbit from Earth. Yeah, that huge horn pointing proudly out of his head was a bit disturbing and damn! He is fluffy. Aww so cute! I almost feel like taking you with me and treat as a pet. Unfortunately for you, you are made out of food. Bad luck, huh? Sucks to be you. The color of its fur was completely blending with the surroundings, this is why I couldn't spot it until I appraised it my accident

But... how do I hunt him? He is definitely faster than me and running through the forest like a mad man after a bunny don’t seem like a good idea, It could even get worse. He could fight me! What then? Should I make a bow? Tsk, the one which I would make would be hopeless. There are almost no things I could use like string. Traps? It might just work.

After the rabbit left the clearing I step out of my hiding spot and started preparation.

Okay, ladies and gentlemen… it’s a wabbit season!