Hands of Fate - Survivors of Flight AA214

Chapter 38

Astrid

Day 35

Population of Thornhill - 53

My small animal nursery was beginning to feel like a miniature zoo. The elk, now as large as deer, were thriving under my care. Orion's mount, Rudolph—the largest of the group and the size of a donkey—had formed a strong bond with his rider, Orion. My Animal Keeper skills significantly sped up their development. Curious, I used my Animal Keeper skill on Rudolph, revealing his stats.

Elk Yearling

Domestication - 40%

Riding - D

Meat - D

Fur - F

Leather - D

Other products - Gelatin (F), Adhesive (F), Sinew (F)

Aja, now nearly a month old and the size of a pitbull, accompanied me as we herded the elk to a grazing area near our clay beehives. While the elk grazed, I harvested honeycomb from the hives. Orion frequently visited to check on Rudolph and take him for a ride. They would often disappear for extended periods. James had also taken Comet, the other male elk, out occasionally but he didn't venture far from the animal pens. Equipped with saddles crafted from leather by Roza, our seamstress, the two were becoming skilled riders.

My mount was one of two elk cows out of our five elk, Olive. She was smaller than the two bulls and struggled with my weight; we rode at a soft canter. After my first attempt at riding her, I received a Riding skill card. The newest elk in our herd were not ready to be ridden yet. I had already planned on naming them Dasher and Vixen.

Upon returning to the pens with the other elk, Aja herding them from behind, I found Ruth sweeping them. Ruth was the helper Bianca had assigned to assist me with daily chores. She earned three coppers daily for her work. Like her, many others offered their services throughout the community in exchange for coppers. Ruth was previously washing people's clothes, but the competition for such work was intense.

“Good morning, Ruth. Was just taking Olive and the other elk out to graze,” I said with a cheerful smile.

“Where’s the other one? Didn’t you have five?” Ruth asked, her brow furrowing.

“Orion came by and took Rudolph. He’ll be back.”

At the name Orion, Ruth's face contorted into a frown. It was clear they had bad blood between them.

Despite losing her son, Ruth had improved remarkably in recent week working with me. She had lost weight due to the healthy, natural diet available here in Camp Thornhill along with the medicine Anika had prescribed. Her hair, once dyed a harsh neon red, had returned to its natural shade—a soft brown streaked with gray at the roots.

I must admit that I didn’t think she had anything left in her after the loss of her son, but Ruth found a renewed purpose in raising animals.

While Ruth set about gathering straw, I prepared a pot of tea for us both. When she returned, I handed her a steaming mug and reminded her to take her medicine.

While watching me drizzle honey into my mug, Ruth asked, "Can you pour some of that into mine, dear? It might help the medicine go down easier."

"Ruth, you know Ethan told you to be careful with the sugar," I gently reminded her.

"Just a drop, dear. A tiny drop." Ruth pleaded.

I sighed and poured a light drizzle of honey into her cup. She patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're a peach, Astrid. A real peach. Why can't the other kids be like you? You're so hardworking and kind."

After the break was over, we both worked on cleaning the coop and clearing the debris into a wood cart.

“I found some eggs!” Ruth exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement, reaching between one of the wooden roosting bars to pick up a pale blue egg, a little smaller than a regular chicken egg.

“We can’t eat that yet. We’ll let them hatch it. I think we should have like at least ten eggs incubated before we start harvesting eggs,” I said as Ruth put the egg back into the nestbox.

I drew out my Selective Breeding card and activated it over the egg.

Larger Eggs - D

Eggs will be slightly larger

Brighter Feathers - D

Feathers will be brighter and higher quality

Bigger Breasts - D

Breast meat will be bigger and contain more protein

I didn't want my beautiful birds to be slaughtered into meat, at least not until they had long lives, so I picked Bigger Eggs.

After cleaning the coops and pens, I brushed my animals down with a wood brush made of boar bristles. The blacksmiths had crafted a sturdy pair of shears, which I used to shear the wool off the fluffy boars. I couldn’t afford this on my own, so the government of Thornhill funded it.

I was able to sell some honeycomb to the village, but that wasn’t a steady income. Until my boars and scarlet hens reproduced or produced eggs and wool at a steady rate, my income was nonexistent. So, the council had invested in tools for me and a new building that Slate created. It was a simple small log structure for now that had rows of trays containing silkworms.

Earth silkworms typically ate mulberry leaves, but these preferred the banana leaves abundant around the camp. They weren't particular about leaves, though, and also enjoyed flat palm leaves. One tray was beginning to cocoon, so instead of harvesting the cocoons immediately, I planned to farm the moths to produce more silkworms. Ruth and I collected more leaves for the worms to eat before heading to lunch.

After lunch, I let Ruth ride Olive as we ventured deeper into the forest north. Our scouting mission was to find potential animals to capture and identify additional food sources for the boars. My goal was to eventually allow the boars and elk to roam freely and forage on wild plants, with Aja herding them.

As we walked, the forest enveloped us in a symphony of nature. Birdsong filled the air, and the gentle breeze whispered through the leaves, creating a sense of peace and tranquility. It was as if we had stepped into a fairytale.

On Olive, Ruth’s shoulder was relaxed. She closed her eyes and inhaled the forest air, the scents of pine and sage creating a sense of zen. Beyond the forest, we reached a clearing and spotted a valley leading to a mountainous path. On the rocky cliffs, a pack of straw-colored wolves with distinctive black patches roamed, each wolf uniquely marked like a Rorschach blot. Aja stood guard in front of us, growling softly.

The wolves howled before vanishing, wary of human contact. A wolf pup remained on the cliff's edge, its head tilted with curiosity. An elder wolf emerged from behind, carried the pup away by the scruff of its neck, and rejoined the retreating pack. I heard sniffling and glanced at Ruth, who was wiping away tears as she watched the wolves disappear.

After which we turned and headed back to camp, we stumbled upon bushes bearing dark purple and red berries near the edge of the village. Tasting one, I found the flavor a delightful blend of grape and blueberry, the darker purple ones tasting extra sweet. Ruth and I gathered a bunch and placed them in Olive's saddlebags. We hoped to sell them to the farmers or at a stall for some coppers.

As we prepared to leave, we heard rustling in nearby bushes. A loud sniff emerged from the shadows, followed by heavy thudding. My heart pounded as a massive bear emerged. It was as large as a grizzly but with blackened crimson fur and white rings around its legs. Aja stood protectively between us, growling a warning at the bear, who roared back in response.

Ruth and I saddled up Olive and urged the elk forward, but its pace was slow due to the added weight. The animal struggled with the two of us on its back. As if baited by our fear, the bear pursued us relentlessly, despite Aja nipping at its heels and barking fiercely.

I’m so sorry, Aja. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry!

“HELP! Somebody help!” I screamed.

We should be close to the outskirts of Thornhill. Somebody, please.

The bear, growing increasingly frustrated with Aja's relentless harassment, slashed at my familiar. Aja was knocked into a tree, bleeding heavily, unresponsive. A strangled cry escaped me as Aja’s body dissolved into wisps of blue light. My heart was pounding, as the weight of her loss hit me. The bear continued its relentless pursuit, although at a slight limp, thanks to Aja.

"We won't make it back,” Ruth gasped, her voice trembling

“We have to sacrifice Olive,” I winced in pain, still grieving Aja. I couldn’t lose another animal under my care, but... it was that, or we’d both be bear food.

“No. It can have me. I have nothing to live for anymore,” Ruth whispered as she squeezed my back tightly as if it were her final farewell.

“RUTH, DON’T!” My voice cracked as I screamed, watching her hurl herself off Olive.

Ruth stumbled off Olive but quickly regained her footing. She held up her hands, waving them at the bear before running in the opposite direction, to divert its attention from me. I pulled on Olive to turn back, but the elk hesitated, reluctant to move back toward the bear.

The bear quickly caught up with Ruth, who was out of breath. Ruth was on her knees, her eyes closed in resigned acceptance of her fate. A sad smile was on her face. I couldn’t watch, so I closed my eyes too. A moment later, I heard the bear roar, and I assumed it was over.

But then two new voices joined the fray. When I opened my eyes, I saw a bolt sticking out of the growling bear's chest. It rose on two legs, roaring. Alex emerged from the woods, quickly positioning himself in front of Ruth. Sasha followed, reloading her crossbow. The fight was more like an execution as the bear was no match for Alex. The Hero swung his sword in a wide sweep and cleaved the head right off the bear.

“Are you alright, Ruth?” Alex asked. His voice seemed to be more delicate than usual as if he was talking with someone he respected. He came over to help the poor woman up but was rebuked.

“Get your hands off me!” Ruth gritted her teeth at Alex and Sasha. Neither got upset, but they looked down guiltily.

It struck me as strange—her hostility towards those who had just saved her. But there was a history between them.

“Thanks, Alex and Sasha,” I offered, speaking for both of us. Olive cantered towards the scene, calmer now that the bear lay lifeless.

“Hey, no problemo. We get fresh bear meat,” Sasha said with a crooked smile.

“You should be careful with that. Bears have lots of parasites,” I cautioned.

Alex glanced at me, his smile slight but warm, his rough blonde hair clinging to his face, still slick with sweat. "At least it'll make a good trophy." He winked, and I felt my face flush, warmth creeping up my neck.

That smile. That damn smile. Oh my gosh.

Sasha and Alex both carried the bear’s carcass between them back to camp to be processed, leaving us behind.

The river was in sight, nearing Thornhill's farms. I wanted to address the question of why Ruth felt that way about Alex and Sasha. Generally, Ruth was a pleasant person, but around some of the younger folks, especially the dungeon divers, she could be quite abrasive.

“They are the reason my boy is…” Ruth sighed and shook her head, not wanting to complete her words as if it would summon up past grief. “I don’t have to like them, okay? You should stay away from them, Astrid. They are dangerous.”

“I’m sure they didn’t mean to. This place is dangerous. You just saw it for yourself,” I reassured her, though I could tell my words had little effect.

I saw the carnage on the beach, like everyone else. I knew Alex and Sasha had helped save us from the pirates. If it weren’t for them, we’d probably be dead. I wanted to be strong like them. If I was strong, I wouldn’t have lost Aja.

Oh, Aja…

I teared up thinking about her. Reaching into my palms, I felt for my Familiar: Husbandry Dog to see her fate. The card was blacked out. It had a timer on it: 11:49

What’s this?

I kept staring at the card as we returned, and when it reached 11:48, I realized it indicated something would happen in eleven hours and forty-eight minutes.

Sleep was elusive that night as I kept glancing at the card's countdown. Eventually, at 6:34, my eyes grew heavy. When I woke up, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to discover what awaited me.

I pulled out my Familiar: Husbandry Dog to see the timer had faded, but the card was lit up. I tapped it, and blue strands of light coalesced into a familiar shape. Aja emerged from the light with a joyful bark, her eyes blissfully closed and her tongue hanging out in a contented blep. I rushed over and enveloped her in a tight hug, my hands running over her body as I checked for wounds. She was unblemished, and her scent was pure and fresh, like that of a newborn.

Thank God, she is just as beautiful as when she left me.

“Oh, Aja, I’m so sorry. I won’t let it happen again.” I planted kisses on her, which annoyed her.

After my morning chores were done, I went to Bianca, who was in the middle of glazing teaware in wood ash. There were stacks of tea sets already made.

“Hey, Astrid! Hello, Aja!” Bianca waved, putting down her tongs and coming over to pet Aja.

“Bianca, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure. Need another pen?” Bianca was cupping her hands around Aja’s ears.

“No, I think we’ll be okay for now. I… want to go into the dungeon.”

Bianca paused for a moment, her face creased with worry. Then she asked, "Huh? Are you sure? It's dangerous."

“I want to be stronger, you know? I don’t want other people to defend me.” I said resolutely.

“Hmm…” Bianca pondered, then nodded. “Okay. I won’t stop you, but Orion is the leader of the dungeon raids. Make sure he shows you the ropes and keeps you safe until you can defend yourself.”

Aja barked in understanding and sat at attention as if she understood Bianca.

Now I needed to decide on a weapon. I returned to the stockpile to see what resources were available. While there was a warehouse, the stockpile outside was filled with various free materials to encourage the villagers to craft their own items. It contained logs, planks, clay bricks, stones, leaves, fibers, and vines from the trees that Slate had cleared, along with other assorted debris.

Should I just grab a sword from the warehouse? Ugh, no way—swords are so cliché. I’m an Animal Keeper! A tamer of beasts. I need something way cooler.

I chose a sturdy rock and braided some fiber into a rope. I secured one end of the rope to the rock and the other end to a stick shaped like a handle. Finally, I wrapped cordage around the handle for a better grip.

Cord Whip - F

Whip is 10% more durable

Now that I had a weapon, it was time to practice and get ready for the dungeon.