I had woken up with the sun about a hour ago and decided to watch the dawns early light cover the clearing and shine apon the cabin, taking a break to prepare myself for the upcoming foray into the forest.
I need priorities, the berries are as good as I can tell safe, that leaves me with a source of food, now I just need water. Get that, and the steps needed to sustain myself are progressed significantly.
The sleep having long left my mind I start to stroll through the dome heading straight for the berries, taking only two and putting them in my mouth I decide to play it safe. I was pretty confident on the effects of the barries but you never know.
Once I get done with looking for water enough time for the barries to show any side effects would have passed, then my increasingly hungry belly will be filled with as much of these berries as I can stuff in my mouth.
Starting from the barry bush I start search again, looking for any other berry bushes and water sources, trying to keep my profile down and not cause alot of noise. Luck seems to be on my side, other berry bushes being found scattered along my search.
I have gotten pretty far from the dome and my bad experinces usually happen the farther I get away from it. With this in mind I also start looking for a branch, if any goblins were to get close to me the my best option would to be hide, but that's best case scenario, something I rarely have the pleasure of entertaining.
Finding a branch that fits closely to the last staff I had doesn't take that long. Seeing it in a clearing, something I had been avoiding, I pay close attention to my surroundings. Sneaking into the clearing I try to stay as quiet as I can while walking quickly to where it is. Picking it up I walk back to underbrush I just walked out of. I never really expected anything to happen, which made the shake of the bushes at the over end of the glade suprising.
Before my mind can go to goblins, the thing that was rustling the bushes stepped onto the clearing. It's some sort of dear that has straight antlers almost wrapping over its head,seeing this makes me drop my staff in disbelief making a noise,and causing the creature to spook and run away.
I never even thought of the possibility of other creatures that were huntable. The fact that their was birds everywhere, and now that I think about it, bugs like the centapeed that woke me up, would suggest that I should have fiquered out this along time ago. Shaking my head at my own stupidity I go to recover my dropped staff, the fact that I missed something this important luckily didn't interfere with my plans.
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Hunting some creature for meat isn't availible for me to consider, maybe once I get a better handle on magic it will be a possiblity, or learn to make some projectile. As it stands though, that's a long way out.
Thinking about this brings me back to the goblins and the morality of me eating them to survive. If I get to a point where that looks like an appealing option I may have no other choice, and if that happens, I'd prefer to have come to terms with it already.
Shaking away these distracting thoughts and comiting to thinking over them later, I continue my search, sneaking in the same circle pattern.
The sound of running water is heaven to my ears, this was the last thing I needed to assure myself that living in this forest was possible. My hopes high, I sneak towards the water. Though my emotions are running on overdrive I have the state of mind to realize that I'm likely not the only thing in this forest that needs water to survive.
Using all of my experience in sneaking I walk slowly toward the sound of the rushing water. Inching my way towards it I bring my staff in a ready position. If there is going to be a fight anywhere in the current vicinity, it's going to be here.
Getting within eyesight of the water I take the time to make a game plan. Observing the water I'm surprised because of my luck. I can see the start of a creak about a goblins lengths in width, the best part, its flowing away from the start of it. I'm not going to have to worry about the water being contaminated water from upstream.
Not having anything to carry any water in will force me to drink at the creak whenever I'm thirsty, maybe I should think about making something to hold it in, concept for another day. Patience is my best friend in the scenario, taking my time I wait to see if there is any trafic at the creak, I have time.
While waiting I try to focus and feel for any side effects from the berries, nothing yet, I think their safe. I can already feel my mouth salvaite at the chance of a decent meal for the first time since I landed in this situation.
Having felt that enough time has passed for me to be confident I won't be interupted while getting a drink, I slowly sneak towards it, staying low to the ground. The closer I get, the clearer the trickle of water sounds.
Coming within touching distance and quickly taking one last glance around, I crouch down to cup the water within my hands, staff forgotten on the ground. Who knew water could taste so good, I keeping drinking it until I can't no more.
Getting up from my crouch while picking up my staff I slowly start to sneak back towards the dome. Stopping by the berry bush to get as much food my hands can carry, I walk back towards the dome, spirits higher than they've ever been before.
Stepping through the dome for my second time feels different, very different. I can barely explain it, the magic that had been at the edge of my awareness since the trace began to change. Twisting and bending in a physical sense had been disorienting, but comprehendable, with magic however, the complexity of it made me feel as if I was looking at an infinite ocean, spanning planets and reaching a depth so deep it's extraordinary. Last time I walked through the dome it felt like seconds, this time, an eternity. Luckily this eternity was a small one, only about a second, then I was in the dome.