We Are Our Avatars X (Closed, Ended)

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:04

Anik was glad that she got the hare that fast, as her stumbling would be inevitable, if she had to chase. Anik already had started to press the bag against the ground, but, as Timea said it, used her knees to hold the bag on the ground, and pressed her hands on the hare, to keep it from struggling.

In difference to the last time they caught something, Anik had a serious face, as she said: "Now what? How do I get it out of the bag without it running away?"

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:04​

"First, hold him with one hand, and feel around for the hind legs with the other, press down on these once you found them. Then reach in to the bag, take hold of the legs. After this, you can pull him out. Holding him upside-down like that will ensure he can neither bite, nor kick at you", Timea instructed, stopping a few paces away from Anik. "Do you remember the killing technique?"

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:04

"Alright." Anik said, and moved one hand in a position to hold the hare with it. She carefully felt the shape , to put her hand other hand not in the front of its face, when moving it under the bag.

With a quick move, she caught the hares hindlegs, pulled him out, and stood up, feeling the hare struggling. Her strength proved useful, as it was not as easy to hold it. She then felt for the neck of the hare with the other hand, and tried to take hold of it. As she could not see where she grabbed it, it took a few tries before she got hold of the right place. Letting go of the hindlegs, she grabbed the shoulders with her other hand - and hesitated, just a second, before killing it by twisting both sides in different directions.

"I'm sorry." she said, in contrast to the other times she had killed. A bloody teardrop ran down her cheek, but she swiped it away quickly.

"It's not as easy if you actually think about what you are doing." she said, after it was done.

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:05​

Timea noted Anik's hesitation, and the tear of blood she cried. Although seeing the blood worried Timea again, but, at the same time, was happy thinking about how Anik felt. "That's not a bad thing. It's important to keep in mind the effects taking a life has. I'm glad you understand it better, now."

After saying this, Timea was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well! Let's start preparing the meat, shall we?

Now, you won't be able to eat everything in one go. In these cases, you'll have to consider what to eat first, as some parts will spoil quicker than others. With that in mind, which parts do you think should take priority?"

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:05

Anik did not answer to the first part, still in thought. Hearing Timea talk again, she answered:
"I don't really know ... do I need to prepare the parts that feel more bloody first, so it does not spoil the meat? Or ... no, I do not know. Or I forgot." Holding the dead hare close to her chest, she pulled out the dagger, to start preparing whatever Timea told her to prepare.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

"Hopefully so." Robin remarked.

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:06​

"Close. You'll want to take the parts that are the most... how do I say... ", Timea began, but trailed off as she searched for the right word to describe what she meant. Not finding a fitting one that could be matched to previous words in her sentence, she instead said, "... Uhh. The organs, you'll want to take the organs first. These are always the first to start to decay. Exposing the body cavity now will also prevent the build-up of gasses in there, which will save you a very nasty smell, later." Explaining this, Timea figured the hare not being fully eaten within two days was unlikely, and that thus it wouldn't matter much what would go, first, but decided it was as good as time as any to pass the lesson on.

After, Timea would explain how to make the incision for gutting a prey, where to cut to remove the organs, how to clear the bowels and stomach of possibly waste, and how long to roast each organ for. She didn't explain how to remove the brain, keeping this for another time.

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:08

"Alright." Anik said, with a little doubt in her voice, not because of doubting the information was correct, but because she did not know if she could eat the organs.

As Timea explained, Anik began to follow her instructions in gutting the hare. It was not something she particularly enjoyed, but she prepared it anyways, without a word. She had trouble remembering each of the timeframes she would have to roast the different organs for, but did not comment on it, thinking she might learn it in time, by doing.

"Shall I prepare a fire here?" she asked, after she was done.

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:09​

"Yes", Timea confirmed. "Normally, I would suggest taking your kill to where ever it is you're sleeping, but in this case, that wouldn't change much."

While Anik started roasting the meat, Timea looked the process over, telling Anik when a piece was still undercooked, or started being burned. In a time where all was going well, Timea asked, "hmm. Do you know how to start a fire without using magic, actually?"

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:09

The rune magic proving itself useful, Anik could not burn herself. She finished roasting some pieces, and tried to remember the smells of the pieces in relation to what Timea said it looked like.

"Flint and steel. I know how it is done, but I have not practiced it. I did burn myself too often.
Actually, that is why I like what Robin has taught me - no danger of burning myself." Anik said, wondering if Timea would disapprove of this as well.

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:09​

Indeed, Timea did disapprove of it. She didn't object to it, however, thinking she had made her views on both magic and tool usage clear. "I think you should start practising using that, at some point. If only to have something to fall back on, should what you're using now ever fail you. After all, versatility is the key to survival, wouldn't you say?"

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:09

"... yes." Anik answered. "But I don't know if burning my hands is worth that. If I had a stove, sure ... but I doubt you mean that.

Let's change subjects, please. You are hungry as well, did you not want to catch a goat?" she added, after bad memories came to the surface, again.

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:10​

Timea wanted to elaborate on the first topic, but noting Anik's expression changing, dropped it. "I'm not entirely sure what the best course of action is, there. I'm not taking you mountain climbing as you are. And while you could go purchase meat at a butcher's store while I hunt, you couldn't carry it all at once. And leaving pieces unattended isn't a good idea, I think."

After explaining her thought processes, Timea was quiet for a moment, then concluded, "So, I think it would be best if we were to buy the meat together, and rest, after that."

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:10

"Alright, we can do that. I thought I would just wait here, but it does not matter." Anik said. She bit in a piece of meat, and chewed, then asked: "How should I store the rest of this meat? Or should I eat most of it, right now?"

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:10​

"Eat however much you like. While I am against wasting anything, if you just stuff yourself, you're just likely to vomit. Which is hardly an improvement on things, is it?" Timea answered, speaking humorously from the midpoint of the sentence onwards. After, she added, "To answer your question, though: You take the rest of the meat with you, and bury it where we'll be setting up camp. This may sound unappealing, but the meat will be perfectly edible after just washing the dirt off, when digging it up."

After explaining this, Timea paused. "As a side note; burying meat to store it also keeps the sun away from it, making it last longer, and makes it harder for scavengers to find. The first issue doesn't apply, now, obviously, but it's something to keep in mind for the future."

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:10

"Alright." Anik said, and kept on eating, to get to the point of satisfaction, but not much further. While she would not have eaten the parts she ate now, it tasted better for her than the meat she had bought before. So she did not complain, only spit out two parts whose texture she did not like at all.

As Timea explained she should bury the meat, Anik grimaced, as it did indeed sound unappealing, and something no human would do. She did not object, however, understanding the reasoning behind it.

"I'll keep it in mind. But I think I would use a wooden box, or something, to store it in, in other cases." she said.

Finishing what she wanted to eat, Anik felt for her bag and put it over her shoulder, then got up, with the rest of the meal in her hands. "Should we search for a resting place, then?

... could you bring me my cane? I have lost orientation to where I placed it."

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:24​

When Anik spat out pieces she didn't want to eat, Timea picked them up, and them them, herself, not being bothered by eating something that's been in someone else's mouth. Although she did find the texture the "pre-chewing" left the meat with, not being used to this.

"Of course." Moving to the place where Anik had dropped the cane, Timea, said, "You could do that. Although, bear in mind that it would add to the weight you'll be carrying around. Plus, depending on the soil, the box might not last all that long; the wood might rot, and the hinges might rust, if present. I don't think it's a wise investment."

Picking up the cane, Timea moved back to Anik, holding out the cane to her. "Here it is."

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:24

"Well, I don't plan on using one right now, while traveling. It's just ... weird for me to think of burying the meat like this. I doubt I want other people seeing me doing this. ... but it doesn't matter right now."

As Timea announced she had brought the cane, Anik felt around for it with one hand, the other still holding the meat, then picked it up. "Thank you." she said, as she made the cane ready for use, "Now, should we use a different route into the city, to find a place to sleep while we approach it?"

 

[Chungus]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:25​

"If you feel it'll make things easier for you. But I do think it's unnecessary", was all she commented on the topic of the box, mostly because a second one had been raised.

She thought on Anik's question for a moment. "No, we'll continue on heading north, tomorrow. So there isn't much reason to approach Veekhutta from an other direction, now, she soon answered, beginning to walk back to Veketta. "Let's stick to this side."

 

[Silence]

Veketta Area - Day 5 - 20:25

"Alright." Anik answered, and followed Timea, using the cane until the land became farmland again. "But it might not be the best idea to bring some fresh steaks into the city, just like that. And I don't want to put it into my bag."