It turns out, that finding mushrooms is easier than I assumed. Some of them grow in small groups at the base of the trees growing in a loose stand right here, where there is shade and plenty of moisture. There are quite a few of them. I'm not terribly happy with this find anyway.

Sure, I have found some mushrooms. They all have pretty red caps with lots of white dots and they glisten. Damn it! This is probably the only kind of mushroom even a city girl like me knows not to eat. I'm loathe to even touch them.

Damn it all! I probably should check them out anyway. I better not just pass judgment based on assumptions. Maybe these are perfectly safe to eat mushrooms in this world.

I grimace and tear a big leave off one of the nearby trees. It is big enough so I can pick up the mushroom without actually touching it. And that is exactly what I do. I pluck one of the mushrooms from the ground and focus my attention on it to activate the [Identify] skill.

The effect is as expected. I can feel the usual fatigue as some of my Mana drains away. A moment later I'm rewarded with some information about the mushroom I'm holding.

[Dotted Red Cap (Fungus, Common) – A very common mushroom. It can be found just about anywhere in temperate forests. It prefers shady spots with plenty of moisture. It can be used as an alchemical ingredient to brew potions. Category: Alchemical Ingredient, Properties: ???, ???, ???, ???]

Damn. That is neither terribly helpful nor reassuring. The information provided simply contains too many question marks for either of that. Even worse though, there is not even the briefest mention of the word edible in there. That decides it for me.

With a sigh I drop both the mushroom and the leave I have been using to hold it. Although I never actually touched it directly I wipe my hands on a few more fresh leaves anyway. I'll wash them too, for good measure, once I reach the creek again, just to make sure.

Well, I guess this one kind of mushroom I can easily skip from now on. I have high hopes now though to eventually spot others. After all if one kind grows around here, the conditions have to be good for others too.

There is still a point that worries me though. All those question marks in the information provided by [Identify] and thus the properties not yet revealed to me. How can I change that? Do I need to upgrade the [Identify] skill? Or do I need some other skill? Maybe [Alchemy] or something like [Botany]?

Somehow I doubt that getting either of the latter will be easy. I might just have to do some actual studying to unlock those skills. Might I be able to upgrade [Identify] through an achievement? Well, I better use the skill a lot if I want to find out anytime soon.

I drive those thoughts from my mind and resume my trek through the woods. I stay stealthy and I keep my eyes open. Neither earns me an immediate increase in any of the involved skills, but I keep going anyway. My progress in that regard may be slowing down, but even slow progress is better than no progress.

I pass several more stands of dotted red caps, but I ignore them. Even if they turn out to be valuable alchemical ingredients sometime in the future, they aren't worth the hassle right now. Picking them by the dozen, without even knowing if there is a market for them, is beyond wasteful.

A little later I finally reach the creek once more, not in a spot I'm familiar with though. Yet, I'm moderately certain that I'm still heading in the right direction.

I take the chance to wash a little more thoroughly than I did in the morning. I'm still not taking a bath though. The water might not be quite as ice cold as the water from the tower's underground well, but it still is too cold for comfort. I feel a little better afterwards anyway.

Afterwards I follow the creek upstream for a little while, until I reach a spot where I should be able to cross it in a single jump. The place even allows for a running start, which is a good thing, as I want to play it safe.

Sadly there are no notifications as I jump across. Neither for my [Running] skill, nor for [Jumping]. I feel a little better about the latter anyway, which I take to mean that I'm a little closer to an actual skill increase once more.

My landing on the other bank is less than stellar though. Probably because my momentum is a bit too big. I end up stumbling forward. It is a good thing that the creek's bank is sloped, thus the fall is only half as bad as it possibly could have been otherwise. Still, I end up spitting out a mouthful of leaves, needles, grass and dirt. Well, it could have been worse.

I'm halfway through the motion of getting back up and rolling my eyes in the process, when I stop dead in my tracks.

There, just a few steps up the bank, is the log of a fallen tree. It is a pretty big one. That in itself would barely be worth of note on its own though. No, what really captures my attention are the mushrooms growing on the trunk of the fallen giant.

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I have no clue, if those are edible, but they are at least not more of the dotted red caps. That on its own is already a small blessing. They don't look like plain old tinder fungi, the only other fungi I'm even just remotely familiar with, at least. Well, I probably should check them out.

After brushing some dirt off my clothes I climb up the rest of the way to the tree trunk and the mushrooms in question. I puck one from the spot where it is growing, this time without taking any precautions, as this one doesn't glisten with poison.

I focus my attention on it and activate the [Identify] skill. Some of my Mana drains away and I'm rewarded with some tidbits of information in short order.

[Common Trunk Hugger (Fungus, Common) – A common mushroom that can be found growing on the trunks of fallen trees just about anywhere in temperate forests. It's a favorite of foresters, foragers, hermits and bandits alike, as it can be easily rendered safe for consumption, by simply roasting it on a skewer over an open fire. A handful make for a decent meal. Category: Alchemical Ingredient, Properties: ???, ???, ???, ???]

This already is a nice surprise, but it isn't all. I receive another most welcome divine whisper right after.

[*Ding!* Your skill Identify has leveled up to level 6!]

I big, goofy grin spreads across my face. Nice. I can even feel my Mana pool expanding a little, offsetting the Mana expended for the skill use. Very nice indeed! Way to go!

The question marks in the result provided by [Identify] still bother me a little, but I'm willing to take the rest of the information at face value. These are definitely edible.

After wiping the goofy grin off my face, I gather a few more of these mushrooms. I take my time, carefully picking those that are neither too small not too big. I take care not to pick any that show signs of rot or bite marks from insects or other creatures. I don't want them to go bad on me after all. As I finish another notification surprises me.

[*Ding!* You have unlocked the Foraging general skill at Level 1!]

Well, thank you. That sure is convenient. I'm a little surprised though, that [Foraging] isn't rolled into the [Survival] skill. Never mind. I probably really shouldn't complain. This probably will make finding edibles out here in the wilds a lot easier.

Anyway, now I just need to find a nice spot where I can roast my bounty. I put the mushrooms into my bag for now and finish climbing the little river's bank. I only stop when the ground evens out for the better part, as a realization hits me.

How the hell am I going to make a fire anywhere around here? Where am I going to get dry wood? What about kindling? Curse me for a fool! Damn it all! I still had some back at the tower and there would have been plenty room in my pack, but I forgot to bring any.

I slap my face and sigh.

Well, it is no use crying over spilled milk. I certainly won't turn around now. No, I actually might as well give the [Survival] skill a good workout. I'm sure that everything I need for a little fire, wood and kindling and all, can be found around here.

There is only one thing giving me pause. Where can I make that fire without setting the damn forest ablaze?

I dig the heel of my boot into the ground, moving about leaves and needles a little as I do. The ground might not be terribly dry, but it is dry enough to trouble me a little. I'm pretty certain that I won't be outrunning a forest fire anytime soon after all.

Maybe I should pick a spot along the creek. Maybe one of the big rocks? There are a few that are mostly flat topped. No, the gravel along one of the wider, shallower stretches is probably a better bet. As long as there is no sudden flash flood anyway.

My gaze turns to the sky above, but there are no clouds worth mentioning to be seen anywhere. I should be good, at least for the next few hours and I doubt I'll take that long. I just want to roast some mushrooms after all.

I nod an resume my trek along the creek until I find a suitable spot. Along the way I pick up some dry wood as I go. I gather some pine cones and a little dry lichen too. Hopefully that will do.

No, hopefully won't do! I better make sure! Thus I set out to look for something else. A little tinder fungus shouldn't be too hard to find. I might as well give it a try anyway.

It takes some time, but in the end my persistence is rewarded. I find some fungi, growing on trees, that look about right. A few are even dry enough. I pick up one and check it out with [Identify]. A little of my Mana drains away and I'm rewarded with the information I seek.

[Tinder Fungus (Fungus, Common) – A common mushroom that can be found growing on the trunks of trees just about anywhere in temperate forests. Only the ones that are dead and dry are useful. It's one of the few fungi that has no use as an alchemical ingredient, yet it is far from useless. Anyone who wants to make a fire greatly appreciates these. Category: Consumable]

Satisfied I grab a few handful. Just as I finish another divine whisper interrupts me.

[*Ding!* Your skill Foraging has leveled up to level 2!]

This counts? Just as well! I grab one more thing on my way back to the chosen fireplace. A twig from a willow. It is of decent length and about as thick as a finger. This will be my skewer for the mushrooms.

I remove the bark from the twig and sharpen it a little on one end. I have to use my sword for this, although I'm a little loathe to do it. A proper utility knife should be among the first things I get myself once I find civilization. I tear what little is left of my bread into several pieces and skewer it together with the mushrooms.

Next I get the fire started. By now I have a little experience with flint and steel and the tinder fungi I collected work as advertised. I'm even rewarded with another divine whisper as I finish and the first flames start to consume the dry, or at least mostly dry, wood.

[*Ding!* Your skill Survival has leveled up to level 4!]

Nice as this might be, I don't let it distract me. Instead I focus on the skewer. I turn it slowly over the fire, to make sure the mushrooms roast nicely while the bread toast evenly.

Considering my focus, the next notification startles me a little.

[*Ding!* You have unlocked the Cooking general skill at Level 1!]

This time I don't even try to hold back the grin blossoming on my face.