My journey home is one of the most infuriating experiences I ever had the displeasure of taking part in. Feather’s talons and claws, not to mention its teeth now and again got hooked on something and no amount of pulling would dislodge it. I was forced to make frequent stops, which after some time sent me into a frenzied search for vines or ANYTHING that I could use to rope its appendages together and close its jaw shut.

Only to come back and be forced to shoo away inquisitive fauna, that in the short time I was gone, already took few bites.

I really wanted to smash my head on the nearest tree trunk after having the idea of taking one of the teeth from the club and slitting Feather’s throat, to let him bleed out on the way.

I knew that animals have to be bled before skinning and cutting the meat, and I knew the blood will summon stuff but I was sure I will be able to deal with whatever comes. I was not ready for a buzzing cloud of flies and mosquitoes trailing me.

I was reaching such apocalyptic levels of fury I was of half mind to just dump it and only take few pieces.

My journey is slow and agonizing. I think my fight did not take much time and we did start our dance in the morning. I should have a whole day to drag it before night falls. But my strength and stamina are starting to fall.

Lazy Scales reared up its head when I started to skirt around his domain and flicking its tongue inquisitively. I was seriously peeved now but just a short moment later I got an idea. Just as fast, a tip of Feather’s tail got sawed off and left as my toll.

Please don’t follow me. Mine.

But it’s better now. Behind the Lazy Scales’ domain, my section of the forest truly begins. I even remember the exact amount of trees marked on the way here. After reaching the tree I had in mind, I took a sharp ninety-degree turn right, hoping that my hasty calculations are not off too much. This is a new trail here but it’s still the same, slightly diminished area.

Time passes and I’m getting more and more worried, my direction veering off more and more to the left. I felt I was burning calories I no longer have, dammit, I should have just kept straight and...water!

I found it!

Spurned by sounds of running water I raced as fast as I could to the now unveiled clearing. Me and Feathers crashed into the stream with aplomb, and I could not resist getting rid of caked blood and stuff off me.

The dive in felt heavenly and did uplift me, new strength surging.

My journey home restarted and I began to yet again question the wisdom of it all. Will the stream wash off smells of our passing? Please work. At least Feather’s got a good wash and does not squirt blood as much anymore.

I don’t know how long this part of our trek lasted but a familiar sight of the riverbank adorned by my trash proclaimed it’s time for the last straight line towards the finish.

The stretch between my cave and stream got covered in record time and I was soon dumping Feathers on the ground in front of my cave. The suns position showed it took me more than half a day to get back here. I’m tired beyond anything and my hand sports blisters upon blisters but nothing a sip of Cure would not take care of.

Wood? Check. Leaves? Check.

I got a fire going in a blink, my skill now at stroking it good. Rocks got arranged and skewers were prepared to be put over the fire. I really don’t want to let meat spoil but I have limited options here, not to mention I’m absolutely NOT prepared for processing. I’m likely to lose a lot of goodies from Feathers.

Can’t help it. I will save as much as possible and what I think I can use while feasting.

And feast I did. The tail got roughly skinned, deboned, feathers ripped off and meaty goodness diced. As I started to earnestly collect feathers off the rest of the carcass I heard alluring sizzling sounds behind me and waiting for it was true torture.

But it is here! It is now! I take a bite.

!

I thought of making a witty line but all I could do was to let my tears flow and utter a weak, choked…

“Delicious.”

I allowed myself to slowly indulge in few first skewers, there are no words that could properly describe the taste, the sensations. It was also very very humbling in its own, weird way. I watered it down with a bit of Cure and water itself.

As I prepared new skewers I knew I have to process Feathers...Delicious Feathers...Deli? Deli. Yes, I’m not good with names and this one actually has a very important meaning. But processing. I have to do it now, save what I can, and cast away the rest or this place will become a frenzied feeding grounds of scavengers.

I offered a few small strips of meat to Jim and I’m shocked at the frenzy he displayed. I was for a moment afraid that he is gonna try eating the trough it was put in. But processing. Deli got dragged to the flattest area around and I, surrounded by my rough tools and big leaves spread around like platters, got to work.

The plumage got meticulously collected and stored, it will become fletching of my future arrows. Deli’s head got sawed off and stored for later, my very first trophy. Its feet and paws also got the same treatment, I have to check what I can do from its natural weapons. And now, the meat of the matter.

My untrained hands left many wounds on the hide and I knew from the onset I was doing it wrong and my grandfather in heaven is weeping. I ought to hoist the prey and then with a help of just a few cuts, pull the skin down. No go, I’m not prepared enough. But strips of hide are good and needed in their own way. This will be my first of many experiences with skinning...and perhaps tanning in the future?

I tried to make my cuts following the line from neck to tail, spreading towards the extremities. I thought I would then, I don’t know, skin him off as I would just be pulling a suit off him? The results were varied and a lot of skins had uneven, jagged edges, punctures, and dangling strips of meat. It was also very hard to cut. Which was both good and bad for obvious reasons.

And just when I thought I wrapped my last skin and deposited it in a basket, they came.

They are here, they have come. Thiefs, scavengers, ne’er-do-wells!

Hungry eyes from both the canopy of the forest and behind the rocks around traced my meat. Campfire got more fuel dumped in and my club was in reach of my hand. I was ready.

I continue my work, unphased. Chunks of meat get deposited on a slate rock and then cut into strips, and when enough is gathered, wrapped in big leafy packets. I know I have only one means of preserving meat here and that is smoking it. But this will have to wait till tomorrow, meat stored in the chilly darkness of the cave.

As more and more meat gets processed, another big pile of discarded guts also is rising. I tried to brainstorm what I can use and so far, save for tendons, bones, and liver, I came up blank. Especially tendons, they can become my drawstrings....should I dump it into the water ASAP? Or dry it? Let’s try water.

Hours pass and my fight with scavengers intensifies, they are getting more and more aggressive, closing the moment I turn my back to work. One time a lizard, which is definitely a cousin to not missed Jim’s big bro, got a funny idea of charging at me and claiming my spoils.

His head vanished as my club splattered it on the ground.

It makes me a bit miffed that a lizard of this size made me fight for my life not so long ago. But the atmosphere now is filled with a slow-building frenzy and I have to do something. I dragged several leaves full of guts I decided to discard away from my cave, maybe in the future, I will learn to be less wasteful.

The moment I left the immediate area and went back to my processing spot, a wild free-for-all began in earnest. By the time I was done with the rest, I had to fling several more handfuls of guts, which only led to more furious competition. The cacophony of hisses was unbearably loud.

I’m tired, absolutely full and satiated but debilitatingly tired.

I braved the sore muscles and swimming spots in front of me as neatly packaged meat got deposited in the most chill places in the cave, along with bones, hides, and the rest of my spoils. All my junk I could somehow drag got deposited in front of the cave making an impromptu wall and in front of it, I made a big bonfire. Hopefully, it will last through the night and discourage guests. Ah, and Jim, can’t forget about Jim.

I took a swig of Cure and let sleep claim me, my hands on a knife and club.

-&-

My mind crashed through the haze of drowsiness with rage as I ripped, choked, stabbed, and fought for my life. What started as a nibble, exploded into pain as something clamped on my bare toes, catapulting me from sleep to hazy drunkenness.

Without any preparation, I entered the brutal melee full of my grunts and furious hissing. A crushing kick sent one shadow into the wall. Another got its neck skewered with a knife. I jumped at another, crushing it with my weight, my hands sneaking around its neck. Snap it goes.

As I cooled down, I did not register any more movement in the cave. Good. As I sat and waited for the haze to dispel itself, I tried to get a look around.

The portal to the cave gets brighter with each passing moment, suns are raising. As more and more ambient sunlight entered the cave I am able to assess the damage. And it’s great. Jim’s cage is half-broken, some sticks bit off. My stuff is spread around the floor as if a cataclysm happened here. Meat lies around, just as bones and other items. It’s chaos.

I don’t rage or throw a fit. I half expected this to come but I was too zonked out yesterday to do anything else. Rather, a smoldering, grim acceptance of events fills my mind. If you don’t have the strength to keep your stuff, it will be taken. Without any doubt.

Fresh fire gets stroked and skewers with meat and shrooms are prepped. As I wait and later eat, I try to arrange a plan. I refuse to stuff like just now to happen again. I will rip apart anything that comes my way and if I can’t beat it, I will cheat. With all the cunningness I can muster.

As for here and now…

I need to smoke the remaining meat, pack it, make baskets just for it. Hoist it high to keep it away from pesky thieves? If smoked, will it rot in the glaring sun? Forest? Cave? I need to make a stake barrier of some kind to block the cave entrance, then smoking racks. Most of the stuff I gathered is gone, used up. They will descend on this place like ravens if I leave...

I munch crunchy Deli-meat and come to the realization that even if all the meat disappears due to bad planning or just bad luck, I will be okay. I will learn. I still have shrooms and a possible source of fish not that far off. Not to mention insects.

I will slowly grow and rise each time I’m beaten down. In the end, it will be me who will dance on their burial grounds.