Lessons in Backcountry Survival

[Jaspenellar]

The half-elf finally found her discarded pack, not far from the offal she had left earlier. The few flies who had thus far managed to survive the chillier nights drew her attention to the pile of skin, hair, and bones, and from there she was able to retrieve her bearings to her travel pack. Shouldering it happily, she also retrieved the other two knives she had left there earlier. She listened idly at the girl's rambling about finding food in the earlier seasons while she started to dig a deep hole in the dirt, intending to bury the discarded remains. As such, with her attention turned from the girl, she missed the challenging expression but heard it conveyed in her tone. Finding it difficult to make much headway with one hand holding her torch, she decided to snuff the flame and use the same stick to aid her efforts. Her eyes were slow to adjust to the night, and she worked for the first minute or two by memory and touch, digging the hole a few more inches deeper and fastidiously pushing the remains of the pig into it. Lo'en knew no scavengers would be fooled by the shallow layer of dirt she piled on top of it, but she generously covered the top with the brittle, dead leaves. At least if something started to dig there, the unavoidable rustling would catch her attention. And if she were truly close to Marn and Shim, the more dangerous predators tended to give large human settlements wide berth.

Realising she hadn't heard from the girl while she buried the offal, her grey eyes snapped back to the impromptu camp site. The glow of the firelight highligted her against the encompassing dark of the night. She was hunched over, greedily stuffing her mouth with the barely cooked meat.

"Wait a minute there!" Lo'en called out almost angrily as she leapt toward her. It took a minute or so for the half-elf to scramble back. She dropped her pack as she crossed to the other side of the fire, and laid a firm hand on her shoulder. The half-elf hardly ever touched others, after having the unfortunate early experience of her magic null adversely affecting a false shifter who had relied on magic to keep himself together. Her worry, both for the girl's health and her own empty stomach, overcame her usual reservations.

"Slow down there, first off, you're 'clined to burn yourself, second-" The frailty of the starved girl's shoulder beneath her hand shocked her almost more than the appearance of the monstrosity earlier. "Second, you can't eat s'much in such short order, y'll make y'self sick!"