Don didn’t expect to feel any different. He assumed being in the tribe wouldn’t be anything more than a formal title. He was proven wrong instantly.

He was suddenly bombarded with a new pair of senses he didn’t know how to process. Don reeled, losing his balance momentarily before the new senses oriented themselves. It was as if a blindfold he wore for his entire life was suddenly ripped away. He felt something like a pull in several directions at once. It was like a gentle stretching, like parts of his soul were reaching outwards towards something. He felt the sensation most strongly in the two patches which pulled towards Grey and Sik. When he concentrated on the sensation, a translucent panel appeared. It was littered with green dots. The center was occupied by a blue dot and had a pair of green dots next to it. The rest of the panel was sprinkled with icons marking notable locations. Around the forest.

Don experimentally took a couple of steps away from Sik and Grey. The blue dot denoting his location moved away from the green marks showing the position of his tribemates and the pulling sensation lessened. He watched in awe as the roving green markers searched the forest. Everything his tribe saw was represented in real time and the map updated as they searched. Don watched the map as the images from the previous night were revised. Mushrooms on a rotting log swelled from a day’s growth. New shoots poked out of previously barren soil. Twigs were snapped. A track wound across the soil.

Previously insignificant details were made simple to interpret. As if this wasn’t enough, a goblin started to squeak.

“All clear on the northern slope.”

Don snapped his head around looking for the speaker.

“Signs of a Forest Ape passing through the eastern valley.”

This time Don noticed a resonance in one of the new forces pulling at his attention.

“I smell a fox in the southern wood” squeaked another gob. Don was ready for it now and caught the sensation. A memory of one of the gobs flickered through Don’s mind. He recalled an event days ago when this unfortunate gob managed to offend Gat and his young gang. He somehow knew the speaker was Tag. A red glow superimposed itself on the previously realistic vegetation a good distance to the south of Don’s location.

Don cleared his throat, suddenly aware of Grey and Kat patiently waiting for him.

“Thank you for including me in your tribe.” He meant it too. He suddenly felt so much more a part of the tribe than he did before. “I’ll do my best to help you reclaim your home.”

Grey smiled, it was the first time Don could remember seeing the wizened gob make the expression. He was struck by the almost complete lack of teeth. “It’s good that you’re eager but you’ll need to be a good deal stronger to drive away our enemies. Don’t go running off after making such bold claims just to die.”

At this point she became serious again “Also, Don’t forget, you are one of us now. You won’t be fighting to reclaim just our home, but yours as well.”

Don nodded, taking the sentiment to heart and said “Well, I better get started then.”

He left the two alchemists to their work, retreating into the otherwise empty cavern. He sank down into a cross-legged position and began to formulate his plan.

The first thing he did was to take stock of his supplies. Don had forgotten to add his herbs to the pile last night so his inventory was still two-thirds filled. Every point of strength he earned increased his inventory slots by one but his increasing forage skill kept a steady stream of new types of plants to fill up his inventory. He also had the pelts from the rabbit and hedgehog he killed. He was completely out of potion but the empty gourds still took up space. He would have to replenish his supply before heading out again. He also made a note to find out why his potions were categorized as trash. For now, he would just have to make more of the potions.

Potions and items aside. Don needed a way to level up. Grey was right, he was too weak to drive away even a single of the apes as he was now. If he relied on rabbits for exp however, he would only be able to get 5 exp a day, unless he lucked out and found two rabbits.

He thought back to his fight with the fox. The animal gave three times as much experience as the smaller animals but it was also a lot more dangerous. At the very least he would have to run through a lot of healing potions. All the same, two foxes would provide enough exp for Don to get to the next level. It would take five rabbits. He could do the work of a week in a single night if he could find the red bastards. His eyes wandered over the tribe-map and the glowing zone denoting where a fox might be.

Don absently rubbed his arm where the last fox bit him. If he was going to fight more foxes he was going to need some protection. He took the rabbit skin out of his inventory and wrapped it around his forearm. He frowned. It would stop thorns but a fox would still sink its teeth right through it. He scanned his inventory until he spotted an ingredient. Ironbark, it was a pain to grind down into powder but it was a vital component for stamina potions. He took out a few strips of ironbark and used a 6 ft long vine to secure them over the rabbit skin. The result was ugly and poorly made but the medicinal properties of the vine gave it an interesting effect.

You have crafted: Makeshift bracer of minor healing

Warning: Due to lacking the required crafting skill, the durability of this item is halved

Defence: 3

Durability: 5/5

Effect: heals wielder 3hp for each durability lost.

Don wasn’t too confident about his armor. The notification was basically telling him he made a crappy item and would probably fall apart quickly. On the other hand, he would heal as it fell apart. It was better than going into a fight with nothing he supposed.

He eyed his hedgehog hide next. He tried to wrap it around his other arm but it was way too small. Next, he wrapped it around his knuckles. The spikes might be useful but it was hard to keep in place. He grabbed a stick off of the ground and placed it over the spikes on the inside of his hand. Now he was able to grip the skin and keep it in place. It made his fist feel a bit more solid too.

You have crafted: makeshift spiked gauntlet

Warning: Due to lacking the required crafting skill, the durability of this item is halved

Attack: 1-3

Durability: 4/4

Effect: Chance to leave quills embedded in target.

Even though they weren’t very durable Don felt better having some increase to his defence and attack. He focused experimentally and his new items dissipated into golden motes of light. Don’s inventory showed each in its own slot. He summoned them back just to confirm he could. He was definitely feeling better about his chances.

Don stored his gauntlet but kept the bracer on for the time being. He went back to the alcove and took a mortar and pestle and a mixing bowl. He prepared a stamina potion with his last piece of ironbark and was mildly surprised at the results.

You have crafted: Stamina Potion

Strength: Trash

Quantity: 5

Effect: restores 6 stamina over 10 seconds

The strength was still trash but it restored one more stamina than the last potions he made. Checking his skills he realized using the plants he picked personally, his foraging bonus of 7% added to the 13% boost from his alchemy skill. The combined 20% just gave him enough to see an effect from his skill bonuses. Feeling as if his work was finally paying off he made three separate doses of health potion gaining a skill level in alchemy.

You have crafted: Health Potion x3

Strength: Trash

Quantity: 5

Effect: Restores 6 health over 10 seconds

The increase in potency for his potions seemed small but he was ultimately getting the equivalent of an extra dose with every batch he made. Now with his potion stores restocked and some basic gear, Don stood and moved towards the exit of the cave. He had some hunting to do.

Nearly an hour later Don was near the area where the fox was spotted. Thinking of Tag he felt a resonance in what he was coming to think of as his tribe-chat.

“Tag, Where did you smell the fox?”

Tag responded almost immediately “Why do you want to know baby demon?”

Don grinned “I’m going hunting. I could use some help tracking my prey though.”

“Well find your own game trail, I don’t have to babysit you. I don’t know how Kat can stand such a clumsy stomper.”

“I’m hunting foxes.” Don clarified

“Beetle dung” the gob expressed his disbelief

“How about this, You help me find the fox and if I don’t go through with the hunt, I’ll owe you a favor.”

“What kind of favor could you do for me?” the gob asked sounding amused now instead of irritated.

“I could make you some potions for personal use” Don offered

“I can get all the potions I need from Grey, no thanks”

Without potions, Don didn’t have much else to offer. His mind spun trying to think of something else to offer the gob. He would be able to find foxes on his own, maybe, eventually. His plan to get stronger would fall apart if he couldn’t find the foxes to hunt.

“Well think of what you stand to gain if I pull it off.” He tried desperately. There was a silence on the other end of his connection so he continued “I’ll let you take partial credit for killing the fox. Think of all that food, you can have as much as you can eat.”

Don struck gold. The fastest way to convincing any goblin it turns out, is to offer them food. Now with his eager guide streaking across the forest to join him, Don edged towards the last place where the fox was scented. Once there, he tried to smell out the trail by focusing his senses but couldn’t pick up anything useful. He switched back to a sight focus when Tag arrived.

“This better not be some stupid joke.” Tag said warily

“I’m totally serious” Don replied, pointing at his makeshift bracer to get his point across.

Tag rolled his eyes upon seeing the tangle of vines, bark, and animal hide Don was passing off as armor. “Well, this should be entertaining at least” he said while shrugging.

“What’s the plan oh fearless leader?” he asked with a mocking bow, bending low at the waist until his nose brushed the ground.

Don wasn’t sure he liked this treatment but so long as he was helping, Don didn’t care if the gob was doing it sarcastically.

“You smelled a fox here earlier. If you can track it for me, I can kill it for you.”

Tag snapped to attention and popped off a crisp salute before setting to his task single-mindedly. Don had to respect how much the gob committed to his bits.

It wasn’t long before Tag was leading Don into the red-zone of the map. Comparing the recording of the last gob to pass this way with the forest as it was now made the fox’s passing easy to spot. The rare paw print or disturbed patch of dirt, or a bent twig in a bush the fox dashed through all told their part in a story of the fox’s passing.

In less time than Don expected, Tag signaled for him to stop before springing into the trees and scouting ahead. Straining his ears, Don could just make out the scratching of Tag’s claws and the sniffing of a predator on the hunt. He summoned his new weapon and cast shadow cloak, sliding quietly into the shadows pooled under the nearest tree. It wasn’t long before a yellow dot appeared on his map and Tag reported back through the tribe-chat.

“I’ve spotted the target boss! Bring in the artillery whenever you’re feeling up to it”

The prankster couldn’t keep the laughter out of his voice this time.

“Well done Lieutenant” Don barked through the mental link “keep the target in sight and wait for further orders!” He was starting to enjoy this. Messing around with this random gob, no, with a member of his new tribe, was just what Don needed to get over the mounting barrier of fear as the yellow dot approached. Don traced the fox’s route and found a tree in line with its course to hide in. He was up the tree and hidden among the leaves in seconds.

He watched his map as the fox continued to approach. His heart beating loudly in his ears caused to change his focus over to vision. The sounds of the forest and the blood rushing past his ears faded, becoming considerably less distinct as the scene before him sharpened.