4 Foraging

Marcus pried the crate open to uncover his loot. Inside was a packet of water purification tablets, a box of matches, a bar of soap, cloth for sewing or washing up and a rucksack. Marcus was relieved to have a larger bag. He organised them so the rucksack contained the bulk of his kit while the smaller bag held essentials as well as things he needed quick access to. He made sure both bags had their own fire starter, food and anything essential he'd need if he was forced to abandon one or the other.

The first thing Marcus did after organising his new loot, was to run back down to the river with the bar of soap. It was here that he scrubbed himself from head to toe. Not one inch was left uncovered but eventually he remembered it wise to use the soap sparingly in order to have as many washes as possible. While he let his body dry itself in the sun, the cooking pot and other equipment took second priority as he did his best to clean them also.

Now Marcus wanted to stop relying on crates and begin mastering skills. As the day drew closer to evening, his stomach insisted on finding a meal more satiable than a pot of berries. He wasn't sure how the technology worked but he hadn't had meat for possibly hundreds of years. It was time to go hunting.

There was lots of methods on hunting and setting traps in the handbook. First Marcus had to choose what kind of prey to look for. The river he'd discovered here wasn't deep enough for fish. Although, it was home to some amphibian friends. They might not be a juicy rabbit or a succulent, tender monkjack but he had to start somewhere.

Not making a single sound, Marcus turned over a small rock just when something slimy shot right out of it and swam away. This was harder than he first imagined. Trying again, Marcus tried rummaging around in the mud at the river bed. All sorts of shrimps and water fleas scurried into his cooking pot he placed in the water sideways but after a quick look he knew they were way too tiny to provide any energy.

Just by groping around he did catch water snails. He didn't know if they were edible or how to eat them so he would examine them with the system or look them up in the handbook later. It was then that Marcus saw a medium sized frog about the size of his fist sitting on the river bank. Quickly and efficiently he emptied the smaller bag and moved into position. It might be able to slip through his hands but once inside the bag, it would not escape.

In one swift motion he dived forward and came down as fast as a wolf would on it's prey. Marcus was in hunter mode and nothing could beat the tenacity of his stomach's hunger. It was more likely luck that Marcus ended up succeeding because when the frog leapt away, it was in the wrong direction instead jumping right into the bag.

"Ha... hah... Hahahaa..." Marcus laughed in triumph in between breaths. He sure as hell wasn't gonna go hungry tonight. Was expending such effort really worth it though? Maybe he'd ought to learn how to build traps. Marcus tied the bag up securely. The killing would have to wait for later. Now he was on the hunt for something else.

'Skill unlocked - predator.'

Now he stood at the edge of the riverbank once more to dig up his prey that was always so well camouflaged. A sudden movement triggered his reflexes as he plunged his hand into the unknown and missed. By a centimetre but Marcus wasn't finished just yet. Bringing his left arm down in a circle, he trapped the creature and plunged in twice more with his other arm until he secured his prize which he also stuffed in the bag.

His arms were soaked but he hadn't put any clothes back on since his wash so he dressed himself after he was dry again. Marcus relit a fire. This time he used a match because he was losing daylight. While he waited for the fire to die down, he examined his prey using the system.

Great crested newt - Existing in parts of Europe, England and certain parts of Sweden, the great crested newt lives mainly in forests but lays its eggs in water concentrated areas with no fish. Their skin secretes a poisonous toxin. Some species of newt's poison is enough to kill humans.

'Skill unlocked - Zoologist.'

Marcus sighed as he let one of his prey go. He was glad that he'd checked it with the system but was also disappointed that it wasn't edible. He moved onto the frog next.

The common water frog - Also called the 'edible' frog it's legs are a delicacy in France and it exists in parts of the UK. Some have also named it the green frog. The skin is very tough and slippery so shouldn't be eaten.

Marcus breathed a sigh of relief to know all his efforts weren't for nothing. Once the fire had died down to mostly hot, glowing coals, he used the survivor's knife to skin and slice up the frog (after killing it of course). The legs were soon cooking over a spit.

When they had a slight brown sheen and appeared cooked, Marcus blew on them before eating them straight off the spit like a kebab. The meal was hardly filling but the taste was succulent.

'Quest completed - fine dining 2/2 meals cooked. Distributing reward - salt bag x1 and 10 survival coins.'

The bag was a small cloth sack that fit in his hand. It made sense to receive a cooking ingredient after completing a cooking quest. Marcus wasn't anywhere close to the ocean yet either so the salt held some value.

Marcus didn't plan on sleeping in a pile of leaves like last time as he actually wanted to live now. Instead, he followed instructions on constructing a basic shelter in his handbook. The first step was to lay a long branch going up diagonally. He found a tree split at the bottom where it grew up in a fork shape.

A small, felled tree that had only begun to mature was perfect for laying in the gap. Afterwards, Marcus took no time in propping many sticks against the main support. Following the steps one by one, pine branches went on top followed by dead leaves until the sky grew dark. His shelter was cosy and was easy to crawl into. All it took was another bunch of leaves to plug the entrance and Marcus slept soundly.

Not all was well though as howls pierced the night and Marcus began to feel very alone. No one was coming to find him, he had no idea where he'd go tomorrow or if searching would be successful. What if he was the last human on Earth?

He tried his best to ignore the thought but he could only manage that during the day when there was lots to do. At night there was nothing to occupy his time. Only the thoughts that drove him mad and denied him sleep. The idea that his previous life before the collapse - whatever that was exactly - was gone forever.

'No! Get ahold of yourself,' Marcus gave a mental shout throughout his mind to purge the dark thoughts. 'You've been here for two days and you already want to quit? You haven't even gone out searching properly yet! You will live!' He told himself. Sleep came much easier after that. He would NOT give into hopelessness! The howls died down as the wolves finished devouring their prey. Marcus would be safe from them as long as they didn't go hungry. If only he knew who they were eating...