Proofreader: Kagenesti

Chapter 8 - Furball stew

Asperd Isle - Winter, Herbalist’s Hut, Riin’s POV

Third day alone.

My night, was spent in the window with a bow and a stack of arrows as company. Around midnight the wolves had been running close to the house, they had probably tracked the scent of the wolf I killed here. I sat still not moving even as my small body began to cool down. Only when I was sure they were distracted by the shed and its scent did I reach out to grab my woolen blanket to drape over my shoulders for some protection against the cold winter night. Once again I took my seat in the window with an arrow hooked.

So far with the help of the moon light, I had counted seven sniffing around. One laid down in front of the shed sniffing under the doorframe. I took aim slow and steady. No rushing a kill, take your time find the weak point and shoot to kill. With my teacher's words sounding out in the back of my head, I took a deep breath and held it. Aim true, shoot to kill. Letting loose the arrow it shoots into the neck of the animal and get stuck in the ground. The wolf lets loose a small ‘yelp’ before dropping to the ground unmoving.

You have killed a [Young Timber Wolf]! You have gained 50 experience points!

Having killed one, the rest of them run into the forest for safety. Barks and whines can be heard from the tree line, but soon everything goes quiet once more. Only their eyes now betrays their presence.

The forest stay in an eerie silence for the remaining of the night.

A night without out sleep and sitting in the window with the wind in your face on a winter day, is bound to make you a tiny bit grumpy in the morning. I can only pray that I don't get sick. In the early hours the wolves had withdrawn deeper into the forest. Shaking off my tiredness, I head outside and drag the wolf corpse into the shed. I ready a bucket for the guts and a clay pot for the meat. Getting to work on the cleaning of the body I find it going faster than before. Hmm, can that be the [Tanner] skill helping? Must be it.

Skinning a bigger animal you have gained experience in the skill, [Tanner]!

After putting the hide up for drying, I find father's cream, - after some searching - he uses it for the inner side of the hide when the pelt are left on the hide. A bowl with some lukewarm water and a spoon of the cream, mix it up and you have a waterproofing cream for your pelt. Using a cloth to smear it into the hide I get working with the wolf and hare pelts from yesterday.

Working hides and pelts, you have gained experience in the skill, [Tanner]!

Getting the pelts done, I put them to dry for the last time. Now time to make some dinner - I mean how hard can it be, cooking that is.

Going to the kitchen and preparing the meat to get in the stew, the wolf meat is tough, so I have to tenderize it a bit. Then I start to cut it in small squares, - might as well use the hares meat too - hmm, I need to boil some water as well. Meat, water… i need some potatoes and carrots and some onions. hmm, mushrooms - yea need some of them as well. need some seasoning… let's see what mother got. Hmm, Rosemary… that will do. Now to wait - twelve hours later and I have done it!

You have cooked up a [Wild Stew]! By cooking alone from start to end you have gained the skill, [Cooking]!

Succes! Oh, and no I did not spent twelve hours staring at a stew cooking, but I did stay in the kitchen - that is after I raided the house of any and all useful books, notes and a map, not that there was many of the stuff.

The books was mostly the fairy tales that mother read to me as a small child - before I could say no to them. There was also the [A Herbalist's Guide], neatly folded in leather to keep it safe.

The notes, where all mothers. From note on herbs to notes on the fauna of the forest area. How to best keep the herbs over winter and how to transport them around safely. When I was done reading that I got a window pop up.

You have gained a more complete understanding of tending to the flora of the forests and rivers.

You have gained a level in [Herbalist’s Lore]! You have gained Intermediate level 2!

I will look at the map tomorrow in the light, the flight from the fireplace and candles make it hard to read.

I still got some time before the stew is fully done, might as well start with some flex training so I can get my body in form.

Spending five hours stretching and getting my body to bend and work as I will it, I can slowly begin to start some muscle training. Setting up a program I can do in the comfort of my room, I get to work. Doing ten minutes sit-ups, ten minutes pull ups and standing high knee running for twenty minutes followed by twenty minutes of high knee jumping to falling flat on the stomach to jumping again. After that I'm covered in sweat with a big grin on my face, nothing like a good workout.

Going down to look at the stew I find it just ready to eat, or I might just be really hungry after my six hours workout. After dinner is done I check outside, - from the windows, I mean no smart person works outside with wolves near without checking his surroundings first - when I see no sign of my newly found food source I step out and grab the two buckets by the door, going to the creek to get some water so I can clean myself up. stripping and washing down I head off the bed, hopefully I can get some sleep tonight.