Having done an impressive impersonation of an ape on steroids for the last 2 hours. Spiko finally felt safe. The enemy she had long since left in the dirt. But to be sure about her escape, she continued on for quite some time. Pacing herself a bit after about 30 minutes so she could keep her speed constant.

Plop

Haaa … that was too close.

Sitting down on her newly crowned sleeping place. Now way further away from the road, but still in line of sight towards it. She started rubbing her thighs, with a wince flashing over her face.

I guess, I should have been nicer to him. The teasing might have been … too much.

On her new branch, about 10 meters higher than the last one she had slept on. Spiko looked out into the dense forest.

It’s probably going to be day soon.

The slightly warmer air breeze, was a good indication for her. She didn’t quite understand why. But the coming of the dawn, always warmed up the air by a bit. Even before the first sunrays started to shine down on her.

“Hnn …”

Sitting still on her branch, leaning against the gigantic tree trunk. Her eyes quietly closed, slowly with spurts of weakly opening them again. Nodding her head slightly, she drifted off before she realized it. Night turned to dawn. Dawn turned to full on day. Ignoring the warm rays of sunlight that made it past the thick green roof above her. She took a well-earned restful break.

“Hmnn … no.”

After about 8 hours, some rays of light kept bothering her. Shining onto her eyelids. Twisting her head out of their trajectories, she only found another one bothering her in their place. A bit stiffly, she finally rose up and stretched herself out.

Knack Pop

“Haa … “

I'm hungry. And my everything hurts.

Even more angry at her Flappy. She looked around and found her loot. Searching through the assortment of small weapons, coin purses, accessories and miscellaneous things. She found a leather pouch with the smell of food stuck to it. Together with a canteen made out of metal, which she had checked previously while collecting it.

… this is food. But it doesn’t look very tasty. At least the water is still cold from the night.

CRUNCH

A disgusted expression of disbelief, together with jerking her head away from the solid dusty thing she had bitten into. Came as she started eating the ``Ration´´, which one of Flappy’s kind had named the thing she had found with.

CRUNCH

Chewing, she swallowed it as quickly as she could.

Eww … my mouth is dry. Like eating sand … or that dusty stuff he liked to make nice food out of. Flour?

Not expecting it. She gotten a lot of background info again, when she tought of the word. But this time, the pain was barely noticeable. More like a tinny prick, like a small stone that was hidden below a soft pillow you would sit down onto.

CRUNCH

Shrugging, she continued to grind the food down. Drinking from the canteen in between bites now. As that helped get rid of the dryness. Even noticing, that having some water in her mouth. Would make it less crunchy.

crunch slop

But with the added water, some spilled when she took a bite of the small stick of dryness. The whole thing devolved into a bit of a mess. As soggy mush needed to be wiped of her mouth, face and gambeson. Before it became dry and hardened uncomfortably.

Well, there they go. All gone now. At least my belly is full~

While rubbing her belly over the layer of clothing she had on. The last dregs of dried-up ration bar pieces crumbled off her.

Time to go on…

Clenching her hands, then sighing in defeat. She got down to the ground, by jumping to lower hanging branches. Using the thinner ones now to take off some momentum, as they bend under the pull of her weight. Nimbly her empty hand reached out for them, each time she had a chance to grip one.

Better if I run at a good pace. I really don’t want to meet … that again.

A shiver later, which went through skin and body hair, she started running on the dirt road. Glancing up from time to time, she really wanted to see the sky again. The color of green slowly got to be her least favorite one. Trees were alright, as long as there weren’t so many of them.

The day continued like that. Running steadily, breathing in the same rhythm for hours. Occasionally resting, while hiding behind a tree. Night soon fell down on her again. This time she made her sleeping spot about 15 minutes of walking away from the dirt road.

Can’t even see the way I am following anymore. Good that I scratched those trees up a bit.

Nodding, wisely. Because she had come up with that on her own. There now was a neat marked way to the dirt road. Neat in the fact, that all the markings were a single cut with a small knife. Not in the straightness of the path. One thing was for sure, a good sense of direction … needed reference points. As her perfect path, was more akin to a snake line.

“Hnn.”

With a sad look on her face. She started licking out the last crumbs of those ration bars. Sticking her head into the pouch. To really reach those small nifty pieces, that hid in the corners. While traveling on the dirt road was quick and lead her to somewhere she could get good food. On and around it, just wasn’t anything eatable to be found. Even water would become a problem soon, as there was maybe another few gulps of it left.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

I need to look for food and water. But if I do, I'm sure I will lose my way.

Looking at the nearest tree she had marked. Shaking her head slightly. She knew, that may work with this distance. But if she needed to do this for a long time, it would drop down her speed to a crawl. Dejected she laid down. Scratching absentmindedly at the bark with her stubby nails.

How much further is it?

Sigh

Turning onto her side, she fell asleep soon after.

Night became day. As day became night. The cycle repeat, without any heed to her blight. 3 Days after she had eaten the last bits of food. 2 Days after a few meager drops came out of the canteen. There she was, still running with a steady pace. Grim faced and with her stomach growling a bit.

Uggghh those weeds didn’t do much … and the leaves make me sick. Why is there nothing close-by!

Now she wished, for food and water. More than for a chance to get home. Looking at the deeper parts of the forest, which lacked the dirt road, with longing.

No … no just a bit longer. I will surely get out of this forest today!

The day ended, with her sitting atop another tree’s branch. Hugging her knees to her growling stomach. She chewed on the leaves, moose's and pieces of bark she had found. While her tail hung over the side of the branch. She hadn’t had the energy left to climb rather far up. The branch barely held her. While her things were left on one, just a few paces downwards.

Why is this so hard. I never had to go hungry before! My mouth burns … all this dry icky food. It’s not good!!!

Slowly her belly filled up. But there wasn’t much nutrition to be had by eating mostly dried up remains. The moos on the other hand, was nice at the beginning. Soft and moist, with juices leaking out of it. It smelled a bit stringent, like if someone sprayed too much forest scented room freshener around. But the bigger Problem was. It tingled on her tongue and made her even more thirsty. Which made her throw it out in the end.

Tomorow for sure …

Smacking her dry lips, while trying to moisten them up with the little bit of spit she had left. She could feel her coarse lips. Cracked as they were, small amounts of blood even leaked trough some wounds. It wasn’t going well for her. If she thought back towards the start of this involuntary journey. It never had been going well for her. Yes, she had found food and water quite quickly. But the very gigantic tree she had fallen onto, was probably a hub for all of creations creatures. As everything had been readily accessible for her in that area.

Hmm?

Her pupils widened, even further then duo the low light levels. With almost completely black eyes, her green iris made them look like two small blackholes. Sucking in everything in their paths. Her Irises were like Tendrils stretching out, reaching for something. In shock, she turned her gaze towards the tree’s trunk.

Trees … need water to grow. As all plants do. I always knew that! Where is this tree getting water from.

Looking down to the roots sticking out of the ground. Bulking, big and with a thick sturdy bark. They reached deep down into it. A smile formed on her.

“He .. hehe.”

Teeth flashing. She clung to the space between the bark pieces of its trunk. Slowly climbing down to her bindle, which was filled with all that useless chunk she couldn’t eat. Yes, she had tried eating coins. And spit out a few copper and silver ones, angrily leaving them right there. As they had hurt her teeth a bit, when she bit down. Now, for Spiko there was hope in that bundle of things.

There, this should do?

Looking at two small knifes. One a bit rounded and curved slightly to one side. While the other was straight, seemingly with a sharper edge. Her low chuckling laughter came up again. Picking them up, she swiftly threw them downwards. Right at one of the roots sticking out of the base of the tree.

Tunk Clunk tshink

Small sounds came as a result. The curved one bounced off and landed a bit to the side. But the straight one stuck, right in the middle of the root. Still chuckling a bit, but now more repressed. As there was no need to bring needless attention to her. The night might not be as dark as before. But for sure, it would still harbor so many dangers she didn't know anything about. Her hands and feet nimbly found holds. Letting her climb down the tree, with as little exertion was possible. And as little noise as she could manage.

Lets see …

Grabbing the straight knife. She wiggled it a bit horizontally. It came lose with a wet suction noise. Touching one of the blunt sides with her index finger. Then sticking the finger into her mouth.

Haa. Sweet, its water which tastes good! HHaaH!AHAhAA!aaaa!

At first, with careful motions, she tried to widen and deepen it. Sticking the straight knife back in, wiggling it some more. But the bad effectiveness of that soon was realized. It just wasn’t doing enough. With impatience, she wiggled with more and more force. Starting to pull it out of the damaged root, then plunge it back in with vengeance. Seeing some liquid pool inside the hole, Spiko pressed her mouth against it. Trying to suck it out.

MORE! GIVE ME MORE! DAMMIT!

Tunk tunk

With anger in her motions. She started to hack vehemently at the root. As if it had killed her parents, her siblings, stole her toys, spilled her drink and even stole all her food. As if it was the sole reason for all the misery in her world. Slowly but surely, it grew wider and deeper. As haphazardly a straight knife struck roughly at the same spot, over and over.

YOU’R NOT GOING TO STOP SPIKO!!

Tunk Spiff spfffssss

Surprising her, a streamer of sweet-root-water under a bit of pressure erupted from the root. Weakening by the moment, the strength of it let up a bit each second. Hastily she drank from the side of it, as it was quite uncomfortable getting sprayed that hard into her dry mouth. Like a dog or a cat on a faucet, snapping onto the streamer or trying to lap some off it.

WATER EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TREES HAVE WATER! AaH!AHAHHAhAA!aaHAHah!

Laughing in her mind she filled herself up on the sickly-sweet water gushing forth. As all good things, it didn’t last long. In the last moments, which seemed to have been an eternity of bliss for her, the thickness increased manifold. Now a thick syrupy substance was coating the wounded root, preventing further spillage. Oh, Spiko tried to get rid of it. With less than satisfactory results.

It ate the knife?

Looking at the knife, which she had plunged into the clogged-up opening. There was only a bit of remorse in her. As she tried to wiggle it free again.

Yeah, it's not letting go. You can keep that. I will just get another.

With a smile on her face and her thirst sate for the first time in days. She started her climb up the tree. But before she could sleep, she really had one last thing to do.

Stupid tree. Everything is wet and sticky now.

The robe she just hung up onto a snagged part of bark. Her leather trousers and gambeson were before her. As she licked herself clean. She swore to herself, that next time she would do this a bit more smartly. With a lot less noise. Also, without going at it that hard. Realizing it quite obviously now.

If I had done that slower … I could have opened a hole, a tiny bit smaller. Without making it go ``sppfffff´´ that hard. Hee. Next time.

Chuckling to herself. After about an hour of clean up, everything was more or less done. Exhausted, but with a pot belly. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.