Chapter 3: Chapter 3. Camping
It is two days before the mate selection. And Silver is on her journey to make the most of her two day vacation.
With a basket made of bamboo and hide containing her clothing, some food and tools packaged for the trip. She bears its weight like a backpack.
Silver can be seen strolling around the path bypassing the forest and into the plains. Striking the grasses along the way with a long stick to scare hidden insect and animals.
Her destination is on the back mountain plain. There is the location she choose from her memory to set up the camp. Just barely out of the forest coverage and by the hill before the canyon.
The place was a flat land with a blackened stump that was left after the tree was struck by lightning years ago, as she was told.
Anyway the place is good enough with enough land to set the camp and safe enough with little patches of grass that won't be able to hide poisonous insects and snakes.
A few minutes later right before the leaving the forest trail. Silver can already see her destination just a little off track to the right side of the path they usually used during gathering resources at this grassland.
Albeit some taller grasses and dried leaves different from memory nothing much have change. Just right for her two day camping trip.
"Its great here. I love the breeze with little mix of grassy and damp scent." As Silver breathe the morning breeze still damp since it's only dawn. And the sun have not much risen yet.
Having arrive by the blackened stump. Silver put down her baggage and stretched her limbs. She look around the place to find the spot to build her tent.
Not much is present, just patches of grass and rotting leaves. "Easy to clean." Silver said to herself while already squatting to pull some grasses and pushed some of that rotten leaves out the way of her selected place.
After having enough space. Silver then picks up the branches of equal length and quite sturdy that she brought along the way out of the forest. Her tent doesn't need to much effort to build since it just needs to be enough shelter for two days.
After taking atleast 20 minutes setting up her conical tent draped with large enough hide. Silver took a long breath while wiping her forehead sweat by the back of her arm. Careful of the mud on her fingers up to the wrist.
"That's it. This tent should be enough as shelter." Said Silver as she visualy inspect her hard work while shaking off the dirt in her hands. She then proceeded to pick up the hide, from her baggage, she will use as the bed and spread over the soil within the tent. Then casually placed her fur blanket above inside.
"Done. Now that I set the tent. Let's grab some dried branches and hay. Let's prepare more for as fuel for my campfire." As she stands up and glancing at the surrounding. While walking and occasionally bending to pick up dried branches and hay. Silver reviewed her mental list of activities planned.
Although there is no new terrain to explore. She plans to have adventure closer to the Demon's Maw. Since that place is the only location not interfered with by the tribe and less visited.
The place is only about 20 meters at all sides around the entrance. Still it offers new sighting to her to explore and maybe peering a little inside the Demon's Maw for some excitement. But going inside the place isn't on her list. Not at the moment anyway.
Back at camp. Silver threw down all the things she carried. "This is enough for cooking and will last enough for a night's fuel." She thought while mentally counting the required amount. Camp fires are for cooking, heating and protection from insect and animals.
At the same time it also signals other tribesmen that someone is camping there. It is an unwritten rule to avoid the camp of participant slaves before the ceremony.
She all thought of all this, as she excavate a little fire pit near her tent and piling the branches to make her campfire for the night. She still has lot of time before sundown but it's better to have it made early.
After organizing the camp. Silver plans to stroll around the place and to the nearby hill since it is still morning. Whe won't be back until sundown so she plan to bring her lunch and a handy basket she may use.
Standing up and looking at the sun, she atleast have enough time to climb the hill before noon. So she proceeded to walk on the direction of the hill while observing the plants.
She will not abandon anything edible. An extra food for lunch and dinner is very welcome. The grasses and bushes on her way is more vibrant than other places. Maybe because it is less visited.
Along the way she collected some vegetables a few small berry like fruits. There are also some wound healing herbs, she pick a few just in case of having cuts caused by branches and thorns.
Silver stops just at the foot of the hill observing the terrain that can be use as a trail for hiking. But as she can see it is easy to hike this hill because there no sharp rock edges, quite leveled slope without much large vegetation that hinder climbing.
After selecting a path to take. Silver proceed to hike while occasionally using a stick to strike at the patches of grass and heap of dried leaves. This is to prevent poisonous insects and snakes from hiding. While also use to removing some branches that's in the way.
The hike is uneventful but the scenery Silver sees as she climb higher makes up for the effort. Seeing the clouds and blue sky getting closer while the flat land get further give silver the illusion of being free, like a bird flying away from her cage.
After taking a while in appreciation. She took a deep breath of the fresh air with mixed with the scent of fresh and rotting vegetation.
Manifested by the cycle of life and death in this untraveled wilderness. Of growth and old age by the samplings and trees alternating in competition, all for survival.
Evidently, survival of life is centered in competition. The strong flourish and the weak perish. It's a cycle of taking, gathering, plundering and accumulation. This is life living off nature, the environment and the world.
Ofcourse looking at short life of humans. It looks like we only take anything and not give back something.
But that's not the case. On smaller perspective we give back something when we exhaled air and when we defecate. This can be considered giving back, since things useless for us may be useful to other living beings.
And looking at a wider perspective, after we die and rot, either buried or burned, we return everything back to nature.
These are the thoughts Silver had. As she witness the most representative of the lifes cycle. She's now reaching the top elevation that can be visited.
Not much is different only with fewer vegetation more rocks. And ofcourse having higher perspective overlooking the grassland were they often gathers food, the forest and the path to the tribe, and further are some tribal shelter that can be vaguely seen.
At this time, there is an illusion she can do most things and everything is at hand reach. And when Silver put her arms straight with hands open, seemingly giving the illusion that her hands can grasp most things.
Silver Hope's this will be the case for her life. She's been uneasy for what's to come. This can be expected with her teenage mentality, just barely an adult. Regardless of the time period she belongs to, tribal society and human relations.
Psychology of life remains the same. Being uneasy of unkown future and having anxiety over imagined possibilities, simply overthinking.
Anyway, Silver is quite a sturdy individual. She welcomes the changes and will do her best to thrive in survival.
She spent several minutes just sitting by a boulder and accompanied by strong cold breezes waking up her senses.
While soaking and enjoying the bliss of nature's wordless singing and silent music.
The frequency of Her breathing forming accompaniment with the waving grass and the clapping leaves as they rustled as wind blows.
And acapella with the pulsing of the clouds complemented by the scattered light as sunlight shines through the gaps between leaves and branches.
What eternal masterpiece.
A picturesque blending of light and shadow, one if nature's wonder.
There is beauty within brutal prosperity.
Or brutality in beauty?
The sound of her belly protesting in hunger awaken her out of he thinking. She fell into mindless reverence for nature without her knowing.
Looking at the time and the suns position. It's time for her to have lunch.
It's a good thing she brought preserved food so there is not need to cook. Some seasoned dried meat and fruits both dried and fresh will be her meal.
Taking her meal from her package. She ate with the company of insect chirping and rustling sounds from all over the place. Having no other thoughts, affected by the tranquility in place.
As she finished her meal and wrapping up her things. Silver thought while standing up if she still have time to visit the other side of the hill. Then she flexes her limbs and carried her baggage preparing for the hike down the hills.
She didn't feel much fatigue hiking up and down. Although she's skinny for her age, but relatively speaking she have fat at right places.
And with her height of about 5 feet and 7 inches, although not the tallest of her age group it makes her body better looking proportionally.
That is unless someone scrutinize very closely which malnourishment will be very evident.
So yes, she just lack fat and plumpness. But muscles and strength is definitely there. How else can she work her chores?
Halfway down the hill at the same she stop for a awhile during her climb. It's a different scenery presented looking at the foothill and grassland coming closer.
She felt like coming back to reality after an adventure in some fantasy. Ofcourse it also seems like coming back to her old life. Nothing changed.
She proceeded down the hill after seconds of thought. As she came closer down. Her attention is attracted by the only special place in the vicinity as she continued walking down.
The Demon's Maw. Looking at it from this angle it really live up to its name. Even in this time where the sun is the brightest and hottest it still retains it's dark ambience making the mood gloomy for those who look closely.
"Still as fascinating as ever." Silver said to herself while both feeling thrill and satisfaction with the conflicting emotions brought forth by the place. Being scared and intrigue, and curious and other emotions.
She didn't know why she had interest at the place. It's almost instinctive, like there's something that whispers in her ears, enticing her. Fascinates and captivates her senses to go into its depth.
Like a monster that charm its prey to willingly enter its stomach.
To accomodate It. Nourish It.
Becomes It.
Shaking her, Silver tried to disregard this unrealistic fantasy. Forcing herself to only focus at the trail until she reach the bottom. While hurrying her footsteps.
Several minutes later. Silver reached the grassland. Deciding to go back to her camp and just have a stroll around it until sundown.
Since there is not much time to explore further places. She will have to make do with grass and bushes by the camp.
The edible plants and berries to be collected are also a plus. Silver thought jovially. Brushing off the earlier fright she believe to be caused by her excessive imagination.
Strutting while humming a little, Silver enliven the place along her way. Like a symphony of voices. With small animals and insect that becomes active at sundown and night starting to step out of their burrows.
Upon reaching her camp. Silver reexamine the place, noting possible disturbance by passing animals. With none seen she proceed to stock up hay and firewood. At the same time picking up additional food when available.
Circling twice the surrounding and having collected enough fuel, some berries and vegetable for soup. Silver returned to her camp.
It's already sundown and the surrounding is getting darker. The place showing the blending of light and shadow before the darkness of the night fall.
By the camp Silver placed her collection at their places. Arranging the firewood on the pit and setting it on fire. She then proceed to put the pottery for soup on the 3 rocks above the firepit that were arrange in triangular formation.
With water and vegetables she just have to wait until it boils. While occasionally adding pieces of salted meat to add flavor. This will be her dinner along with the grilled dry meat. A simple but fulfilling meal that warms the stomach and replenishes strength.
As she waits for her soul to cook while occasionally flipping and grilling her meat. She taught of what to do tomorrow morning.
Will she still visit the other side of the hill or just go to the vicinity of Demon's Maw.
She can't do both with limited time and both may require her camping at the destination since it is further than today's visited location.
Picking up her soup using twigs and blowing it and putting it aside to cool a little. While placing the meat slightly off the fire to remain hot. She mentally count the distance and decided to just go to Demon's Maw.
Several minutes later. Silver started her meal alternating between eating the grilled meat and drinking warm soup. She thinks of tomorrow's adventure.
This trip may be her only outing in foreseeable future. So she must make the most of it. Who knows when she can have another chance of excursion.
After the meal and cleaning her mess. Silver proceeded to lay within her tent. With the shadows dancing at the tent and by firelight. Silver is excited of tomorrows journey.
Mentally taking note and imagining her next days adventure. Silver
Drift off to sleep, tired of this day's travel.
In Silvers dream, she started an adventure with the most imaginative fantasy.
Of an adventure that is contrary to nature, extraordinary and unreal.
She willingly entered the mouth of Him, a slithering behemoth.
With the rustle of His scales accompanying her pace.
Swallowed. Digested. Melted.
Gasping. She breathes heavily.
Drowning in His acidic glory.
Of darkness then light.
A sight of His platinum scale.
Enshrined atop a mound of bones.
With colors of red, of fresh warm blood.
Adorned with entrails and flesh.
With symphony of growling and hissing.
He slithers closer. She comes near.
Swallowed. He becomes Her.
Swallowed. She has become Him.
Since then, they is no distinction.
As it has always been.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone