Chapter 167: Chickens

Wind rushing over your face is a unique pleasure. From sticking my head out of car windows to flying with large leathery wings, I can’t quite get enough. The sensation of acceleration combined with the cool air blasting you in the face; you feel free.

Nearly forgetting about the steak, doing the equivalent of aerial joyriding. Spotting the house on the horizon, quickly approaching; I dive-bomb it. Opening my wings wide and breaking like all those dragon movies. The halting momentum blasted the surrounding grass with a wave of wind. Wings aching from the air pressure; “that wasn’t a good idea.”

Landing on the soft earth, flexing my now sore wings. “I’ll give them a day.” Hoping the damage will be short-lived.

Opening the door, I see Cassie and Jengal wrestling across the ground. Kicking up dust and making a mess of my recently built room. “1 hour, that is how long I was gone.”

They turn to me, eyes wide in shock. Crossing my arms and keeping my back straight, “troublemakers.” Rolling my eyes and walking past. Placing some stone, adding a furnace on top.

Looking over my shoulder, “so… You guys gonna continue wrestling, or does dinner sound appealing?”

They, with some embarrassment, break apart. Cassie regretfully allowing him to escape a masterful chokehold. Jengal clearing being pleased, taking deep breaths. Returning some red to his half-blue face.

“And it was just getting good,” Cassie complains.

“How you guys have the energy to fight, I don’t know. My stomach is rioting.”

Jengal sits beside me; on the closest wooden chair. “Whats a rioting?”

“It's Riot when said like that. It's when people like break stuff, fight and steal, in response to some corruption or evil stuff related to the government.” Pausing, rubbing my thigh as I turn the steak. “Like, if they upped the taxes for no reason, a riot would be a risk.” Turning to Jengal, “wait, you guys don’t have riots, or like fight against the kingdom if they do wrong.”

He looks down, “well, no. If you rebel against a noble, capital punishment is a lenient consequence. They rule with iron, all be it, loosely.”

“He’s right, but he failed to add something,” Cassie says, joining us. “We have always been taught to respect nobles and royalty. We don’t know any better; until you start climbing the ladder. Since my family got a merchant in the blood, we know a little more. Corruption is eliminated with extreme prejudice. The royal family knows that it seeds trouble.”

“I see, that’s good to know.”

“You say that about everything,” Jengal says with a smirk. Eyeing the sizzling steaks.

“I do not.”

“Yeah, you do.” Cassie agrees.

“Ganging up on me, are you?”

“Ganging up?” They both ask, tilting their heads slightly.

Rubbing my temples, “save me from this hell.”

The following silence was music to my ears. Serving the steaks with haste, realizing too late about a lack of cutlery. Jengal just shrugging, grabs it, and malls it like an animal. Cassie, with a dash more decorum, uses a wooden sword and sharp stick.

Walking over to the crafting table, I make a knife and fork. Getting a dirty look from Jengal, “no fair.”

“Not my fault you didn’t think of it.”

His return jab getting stuck in his throat. Turning away, “I don’t have access to every recipe.”

“2 sticks, that was the recipe. If you are failing at 2 sticks, I have many concerns.”

He shoots me an annoyed glare, continuing to maul his steak in bitter defeat. Cassie just continues to eat with her creative cutlery, choosing hunger over humor.

With dinner complete, we each go to bed.

It just so happens that Jengal found a mineshaft. Allowing us to complete the remaining two beds with the influx of string. Full stomachs and extreme exhaustion caused Jengal and Cassie to pass out on contact. Resulting in some funny sleeping positions.

The white beds give me an eery, serial killer vibe. Sitting on the bed, I take a moment to relax. Looking around and enjoying the smooth wooden room. The windows sealed, given the perpetual day. As much as the sky is beautiful here, it’s a little hard to sleep under its eternal rays.

What happens when you sleep within the dream dimension? I can’t help but ask myself. What happens to our bodies? Are they okay? With mountain paranoia, I lay my head to rest. Won't get any rest, falling into that rabbit hole.

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Feeling the expended stamina of the day seep out of my bones and drag me into the abyss of slumber. The void of light quickly turns into the hypnotic fog of dreams.

Peering into the pink-tinted fog, I see shapes and figures darting around. Heart sinking ever so slightly at the unknown: “freaky.”

Walking through the fog, seeing as it ebbs and flows like the ocean. Within, I didn’t find the source of the shapes.

As I walked through, the fog, it began to slowly diminish, revealing a parting, like a waterfall split on a rock.

Stepping through the doorway, I see an object. By no means small, in fact over 10 feet. A rickety wooden tower held together by rusty nails, toothpicks, and love. The wooden apparatus curved down, ending in a vicious butcher's hook.

It screamed danger, so I simply walked back into the fog. The hook disappeared into the mist, never to be seen again. The fog's thickness increased with every step. The fluffy cloud turned into a white wall within a meter. Continuing, ignoring the paranoia in the back of my head. The white shifted to black before I knew it. Opening my eyes, I see the familiar ceiling.

“An odd dream,” I murmur, not turning away from the wooden roof.

“You too?” A groggy voice on my right said.

“What did you dream about, Jengal?”

“White walls. A white cube; with little else than a single door carved into the white material. The door led to another room, holding a large hanger made of bees.”

“Bees?” I say In surprise. Turning over in the bed and looking at my hunched-over companion.

“Yeah.” Not moving his head an inch.

“That’s crazy.”

“Took one look and turned around.” Lifting his head to look me in the eyes.

“I… Don’t blame you.” Shrugging; that sounds pretty terrifying.

Looking over, Cassie is still snoozing away. “Guess I’ve got some witchery to get done.” Getting up from bed.

“Can I join you?” Jengal asks, surprising me slightly.

“Sure thing,” beckoning him to follow.

Walking through the house. Finding the same light level, noise level, and general same… nes, to be a little uncomfortable. The world is designed to keep moving. Seeing it, not doing that, is unnerving. A sentiment my companion seems to agree with; as he nervously rubs his arms.

With a little bit of haste, we chuck a bunch of iron into a furnace. We will need it to upgrade the oven. Once done, we head outside.

The eerie sensation disappears upon stepping into the bright sunlight. The pink sky seems to burn away at the mental demons.

We walk towards the natural wonderland known as a witchery area. How I wish my garden had looked like that back home. Alas, plants on earth take a very long time to grow.

“Jengal, did you find any lava in the cave?”

He nods, “Yeah, a little.”

“The iron that’s smelting; make a bunch of buckets and bring it here.”

“Got it.” He says, saluting me before heading to his hole.

“Bloody dwarf,” I curse with a laugh. Shaking my head at his current interest in caves.

Now, I need eggs. Placing a sigh, saying “gone egg hunting,” in an attempt to avoid confusion.

Mutandis is ever so important; I do hope I can find a chicken, or 10.

Before leaving, I craft several golden lassos; using our sudden influx of metals. Enough to capture a flock of the damned poultry.

Flexing my wings, they feel better, if still a little tense. “Well, I sure as hell ant walking.” Taking a breath and rising into the air. Enjoying the crisp air as I ascend into the sky.

“The forest had cows, let's try the plains.” Gliding along the rolling hills.

This place is ever so slightly boring, without the erratic nature of life. Not that it’s a bad thing. Just wouldn’t live here long term. Hey, it would make one hell of a holiday home. Damn, it would make a great prison as well.

You could force them to remain here, out of worldly affairs. If they choose to break the rules, send them into a nightmare. I’m sure they would change their tune very quickly.

Soaring through the air on warm drafts of winds, after some time, the rolling hills shifted into a flat plato of vibrant green. “Perfect place to find a chicken.”

Swooping around like a bird of prey, it wasn’t long before I found both chicken's and sheep along the green canvas. Their whites, browns, and blacks, standing out.

Taking the time to collect 6 chickens and 4 sheep. Cursing my lack of foresight, having only made 10 lassos. Looking around, I fail to find any eggs nestled away in the grass. Realizing I simply have no hope of finding them due to the nature of their home.

With a sigh of regret, I fly home with the animals on tow. Quickly finding my home. “Since when could I navigate so well?” Remembering my first few weeks and the sheer terror involved in leaving my home. Well, now I am more experienced; rebuilding wouldn’t be too hard. Back then, everything was new and scary.

Reaching home, I see Jengal patiently waiting with a tapping foot.

Breaking slowly this time, I land.

“No fair.” He says in disdain.

“You can’t be jealous when you have the syringe that will give you wings,” I say with a chuckle.

He rolls his eyes, “Yeah, yeah.” Sitting up from his slight slouch, stretching his limbs. “I am jumping in excitement for the agony of the change.” Said in a strong, yet flat voice.

“Good,” I say in reply. Getting an annoyed glare. “Any luck in getting that lava?”

Returning to his energetic self, “sure thing, made two trips.”

“Where is it?”

“Under that trap door,” he says, pointing towards a trap door I failed to spot.

“Nice, thank you, Jengal.”

I quickly make a fenced-in area, placing down the chicken and sheep in 2 medium pens.

“Now, we need eggs.”

“Thought we were gonna do magic!?” he says in frustration.

“Witchery is rooted in ingredients. Raw magic takes a lot of time to work towards. Back home, I’ve only just gotten access to it.”

“Ugg,” he complains. “Well, what do we do?”

“Care for the chickens until we get some eggs.”

“That is something I can do.” He says in pride. “Get me a hen house, hatchery, and nesting pen.”

“On it, boss,” saluting jokingly.

He rolls his eyes, crafting some hoppers and chests while I make the chicken stuff.

Handing them to him, he digs out a small hole, creating a little room under the chicken pen. Placing the nesting pen above ground, a hopper under it, and a chest under that, all eggs now go into a chest. He creates a few of these for all the chickens. Aside from that, he placed the hatchery and hen house above the ground. Giving them a more comfortable place to live.

“And now we wait,” he says confidently. Looking into the pen.

“Yep.” I agree, looking into the pen.

“This is pretty boring, ant it.”

“Absolutely,” I say with a smile.

“Thanks, by the way. I never thought I would be able to live in the wilderness like this without risk. It’s exciting, it’s new. Can’t do it back home because of the monsters.” He says with a longing expression.

“Learn to fight.” Recalling how I started.

“As if it is so easy.”

“Never said it was easy. I just told you to learn. This world is gonna change very soon. Perhaps, learning to live in the wild is wise.”

“I will keep it in mind,” he says, turning away.

“Surprised you didn’t want to sheer the sheep to make clothes.”

He stops, looking down at his plant-based clothes. He swivels on his heel, walking towards the sheep.

Chuckling at him, I follow.