UnReal World > Stories

[Brygun] Journal of Novrus

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Brygun:
Norvus awakes with snow fluttering down. A single fist full of clayweed leaves being the only goods left at the hunting lean to. He had hoped there would be more but what was left was always said to be for those that had needed. Someone else must have needed it in the winter.

Moving in the thick carpet of slow was tiring. He didn’t have skis, not yet. The snow drifts bloomed in eruptions as his thighs pushed forward.

Two felled trees and a stack of firewood attested that at least the other visitor had done some labor in exchange. At least that is what Norvus hoped. His other thought was some brigand had taken all they could and left the leaves more by neglect.

At least he was fairly equipped. His belt held a broad knife, good for skinning, a wrap for a quiver holding ten arrows and another wrap with his shortbow. It was lighter to carry though it was more he couldn’t have afforded a larger one. Not yet anyway. There was also his woodsman’s axe which surely would see much work in the year ahead. A spear was always useful. He didn’t have a shield as he was heading to live not war.

He rubs his cooling hands together. A blow of breath to give them warmth. Mittens or gloves would needed before the next winter. For now his family’s gift of a fur overcoat hung over him nicely. That on top of his fur shirt, nettle cloth trousers and a pair of fine boots. The latter a trade from a merchant who wanted the furs he and his brothers had collected over the winter. There had been enough fur left for his sister to make a fur cap that now warmed his ears.

His food pouch held just a few days of food. A loaf of bread, two cuts of meat and now the clayweed leaves. Clayweed was edible at least. It lacked other medical properties. He frowns then chuckles. There was another use for the leaves.

Kneeling in the snow he arranged the leaves before him.

His soft voice spoke, “Forest here is yours returned in the cycle of life. Together let us journey through life.”

His heart felt at ease. If the spirits were in harmony with him then indeed those few leaves were the greatest gift that could have been left at the shelter.

Rising he spun around again. His eyes seeking for what else there was.

“See the trees amid the forest.”

Grandfather’s words had slipped from his lips. There was a boulder, a stone, a rock, spruce and birch. Each spurred uses in his mind. The stone was laying near the shelter. Likely it was a cooking stone to be warmed by a fire next to it. The large boulder would reflect heat back to the shelter. The shelter a simple lean to of the spruce branches layered to shed water. Now with a settling of snow on top that added to its insulation.

“Always carry a rock.”

Norvus walked over to the rock. They had many uses. From a toy to occupy your hands, a thrower to untree a squirrel, a better digger than your nails, arranged for ceremonies, trail markers and so much more.

Circling the trees to get to the rock he spied an Adler tree. Near it was another. They had their own uses too. Adler and Rowan trees could be used in tanning instead of the animal’s own fats. A few sheets on hand meant saving that edible fat for one’s own nutrition. Birch bark sheets could be made into things.

In a few minutes the snow turned to rain. Moving a fallen tree trunk toward the camp a few more rocks and a straight thin pine were gathered.

“The forest will provide.”

Another of the grandfather’s wisdoms. If you think the forest can provide your senses will be open. If you think the forest is against you your heart will close up. The wilds were neutral but how your heart flows with spirits comes to be the many things the unskilled call luck.

While the rain pattered on the spruce needles of the shelter Norvus took out his knife. Birch bark can be shaped for an extra outer layer. Crude yes but it would protect the clothing underneath while trapping just a bit more heat. Though he would need cordage.

In a pouch was a finely made cord suitable for a bow string. He didn’t want to use that unless absolutely necessary. So it was time to dug up roots and peel apart thin branches. Split them. Then using a stone for a weight to braid them together. It took most of the day to do this chore.

Norvus slept in the camp. In the morning he ate half the bread then started east. Exhausted at a small lake he made a new lean to sleep in. A small fire getting the heating started. A nibble of meats that night was followed by the end of his foods the next day’s travel.

It was on this day he found a pair of villages.

At Hyhky’s Passage there was work to be had gathering large stones. They planned to refit their sauna. Working in the rain making snow into slush was slippering. Stones coated in slushy rain were cold in his bare hands. Holding the overcoat front up made a bowl to carry the stones. Back and forth from the fields three times made the pile high enough to be accepted.

With his axe he split boards from a trunk. They only accepted a few bare boards. Still it added to the value of work done enough to barter for one and half dozen cuts of prepared meat, a wooden shovel, a wooden bowl and a leather water skin. Roast meat flavored by the cooks was made even more wondrous by having not eaten since the morning. The shovel would push snow around at camps plus do digging in the warming spring. It was a nicety to have a bowl as it made eating feel much more civilized. Other than the immediate food it was the skin that was the most useful. It would let him carry water away from where he had pounded through the ice. 

Norvus rested in one of the houses. As is the custom he spoke of his own village and his travels. It was how news of life moved across the land. The youngsters asked about the braided roots. He held them up for them to see. Hemp or leather made better ropes yet many things could be made with these. After the tales he slept.

He awoke in the night cool as no one had made a fire. Fetching a section of the split tree trunk plus knocked off branches he brought them inside. He made a fire. The glow spread warmth over his new friends. A woman turned  to face the heat onto her face.

The next day Norvus scouted the near village but they had no chores to be done. A half dozen of the boards made already were useful to them. The trade being for more food. He made sure to balance between meat cuts and turnips. The latter weren’t as tasty but wouldn’t spoil. Before leaving Norvus figures on having a week of food. That wasn’t bad for the stop over.

To find the large river system to the inland lake he would have to make east or south or south east. Having only heard of it in stories he couldn’t  be sure. Better then to make to the coast to find the river mouth. East was also closing to where the Nerjpez made camp. That could be very dangerous.

Brygun:
At noon the thigh deep snow had wearied him. Norvus used his spear butt to bang a hole in a lake. He drank the cold water beneath then tried fishing with his spear. No fish swam past his random hole. At least he was rested. The water skin hung inside his clothing was warmed by his body.

Come the evening a cliff jutted out of the forest. So there he built a shelter. A large boulder would reflect the heat while the cliff cut off much of the wind. Would it have been better to take to a hidden spot in the forest where even less wind got through the spruce? Perhaps. Then it might be challenge to ever find it again. A goshawk seemed to confirm this was a good choice for today.

Norvus places a ring of rocks then one large stone. The taller stone would heat more drawing the smoke to rise up it. This guides the smoke away from the shelter. A gift of a turnip was placed for the spirits. Perhaps a meat cut for the goshawk would have been better. His unpracticed hand struggled to get a fire going. After man tries he moved in some of the extra spruce bedding that was now a little drier. That at last caught a spark. Careful blowing brought the spruce twigs to a heat that got the fallen branch to overcome its dampness. So warmed in the cliffside shelter he slumbered to wake feeling warm.

This day the trek was mostly south. A river, snow layered on ice, gave a path to follow. At one point rapids babbled where the water flow raced faster than ice could form. By noon hills and jagged mounds hinted that the coast was near. From on top of one he could see an elk moving.

 Downing a moose would be a great find. Norvus was unsure his skills were up to it. His lack of skiis would make it impossible to do a chase hunt. A heaviness came to his heart as he had no preparations done to preserve so much meat. Today the forest was showing a possibility for the future. He gave thanks for that. He would not hunt the elk on this day.

There was more to be seen. To the southeast the ice gave way to blue. The sea!

Reaching in coast in the afternoon he set up a new shelter. This one a few steps in from the ice in a hollow made by a cluster of spruce. A ring of rocks and stone for the fire. Various woods gathered. He finally gave in to use the spare cord. He did his best to work it into a loop snare. There was a wisdom to setting snares when sleeping. You might wake up with fresh game. If not there were simple enough gather up to take to the next camp.

Before settling he took a young spruce trunk. Holding his axe with both hands near the blade the bark and uneven places were smoothed down. A point was cut then hardened in his camp fire. A woodsman’s javelin. He was lighter and faster than his spear. It might be better for fishing.


The next day he went east along the coast. Before mid day the coast was running north. He must be at or close to the great north running river. He made another camp with shelter, rock ring and fire against a reflecting boulder.

The day after that, Day 1 of the last week before summer, Norvus enters the Reemi village of Whirlbottom. There Olesa the woodsman agreed that one of Norvus’s root ropes would make a stronger lashing for a project Olesa was preparing for.

Olesa said, “You will be going to the great lake? I’ll trade you this old fishing pole. It was paid to me for fixing a roof this winter. My skills are in woodworking so I don’t have the time for fishing. Your rope though will let me finish work that pays in furs and meat. I hope you will catch the fish you need for your journey.”

Norvus was glad of the trade. He felt a little odd that it wasn’t a leather rope but if a rope holds a weight is it not a rope? Olesa also gave him an short cord. Norvus put in the sliding loop for another snare.

Looking to the sun in the clear sky showed it was already past its highest. Where had the time gone? Looking at his food pouch it wasn’t as full as before. Olessa had said there was work going on. Perhaps if their woodworker was busy there was a need for boards. Norvus decided to make boards to trade.

It was easy to fine a tipped tree. Clearing off the branches Norvus brought it inside the village perimeter. It was far easier to move a single solid log then a wiggle mass of boards. Besides the work would be noisy and might attract a customer. With his woodaxe Norvus took to splitting the log. Work that would see the run come close to the horizon.

Toumas the sage came by. Indeed he had heard the whacking sound of the axe blows. There was use for the boards. Toumas would carve decorations into the best of the lot. The others would be used here and there. The worse would be used for firewood.

Toumas said, “You need more than food for today. To make a new home you will need seeds as well. A seed’s power lay in what it becomes.”

After discussing back and forth Toumas gave Norvus two small baskets of turnip seeds, a crop he could eat, and a larger basket of hemp, which in time would become clothes. There was also a few dried fish added to his food pouch. There was a wisdom in what the sage had suggested. Food for now, food for later and clothing.

A diet of turnips and meat would be nourishing yet boring. There were bags of peas, beans and barley available. If he wanted those Norvus would need to do more work yet. The town would surely not need many more boards.

With where the sun was in the sky it wasn’t time to travel either. Norvus wanders the village and woods. He spoke with each of the villagers he met. He could stay a night here as a traveler telling of news. They would even ask of the nearby villages Norvus had been at recently. Settling upon a sleeping bunk he slept.

Waking before sunrise he asked for directions to the next village. Striking out there was more signs this was the great northern river. The next village is Bruin Passage. The had little to trade with no signs of bags of peas or beans. Norvus decides to continue on a ways.

The sun was rising. Eastward wide waters cut northward. Only the edges of the river where still icy. There was wide swaths of blue icy cold water which he dare not swim. Following this west bank northward Norvus found the village of Pitchwood. They did have bags of grains for sale. A tree felled then split into boards traded for a heavy bag of grains plus a few roasted meat cuts. The grain was heavy and he had far to journey. Norvus chose rye over barley.

<save Norvus got rye>

Brygun:
Moving on northward game could be seen. A reindeer would be a suitable catch. There was a badger and a pig as well. None of these could he pick up the tracks of. Pressing on he found a rapids with water access. This seemed a decent place to make a short term camp. Later he could use it while boating back to the Reemi.

He laid a trail marking set of small rocks to a large stone. That stone acting like an arrow head to point the direction of his camp amid the pines. Scouting he found a sheltered spot of spruce. Their boughs would so much better block wind and sight. He moved the markers to the shore near there.
His lean-to shelter was soon up. A ring of rocks and a large stone was laid for the campfire. Both snares were set. A starting stock of firewood was prepared with more wood to work on nearby. At the bank of the rapids he took out the fishing pole. Its flicking was unfamiliar. He got no fish so ate from his stores. Starting the fire Norvus settled in to sleep in the shelter. The basket and bags of seed were placed in a corner to keep dry. That and he didn’t need to be burdened by their weight until moving out of the camp. There was a risk of animals nibbling on them. Perhaps though this might bait game into one of the snares. Norvus was happy in knowing this rapid was a river in sight of the great river he had dreamed of finding.

Come the new morning it seemed prudent to explore around the improved camp. Hare tracks were on the snow. Perhaps a day old or perhaps from during the night. Prosperity seemed to be offered here. More fallen trees to. More than enough to make a raft to float out from the shore for fishing. Hours into the evening saw roots and bark thinned then braided until making the rope like cordage for the raft. More trail markers were placed along the shore. This time pointing to the landing point that then led to his camp.

Waking in the shelter sounds of rained filled the air. The rain thinning the snow ever so slightly. So to would the river unfreeze. The raft could then take him deep into the heartland. Skis and a pole would take an animal kill or two for the fur and leather. A raft was within his woodworking means. Then a sesta pushing stick or a paddle from boards. The heavy logs were lifted to be bound fast together. A cold drink from the rapids soothed his throat. With the rain gone Norvus felt like sitting inside his shelter to dry.

Joy!

A hare was caught in one of the loop snares!

Quickly he thumped on it with the butt of his spear. In the snare it was but the hare dashed the short distances it could. Several blows were needed to knock it out. Soon it was skinned and processed. A work place had already been setup for working hides. That is a tree trunk as work bench plus stones and rocks for stretching a hide. A fresh ring of stones was laid near here to cook the meat. It was only a small amount but it was his first self caught meat since his journey began.

Before the day was out Norvus split out boards from a gathered tree trunk. It had become his first paddle. Far from wondrous it proved effective when he launched the raft. He only went out a little way. As a caution he let the raft bump up against a tall rock to keep it from being drawn downstream. Fishing out there was relaxing. Alas still no catch. Well he had freshly roasted hare to eat.

The hare’s skin was washed, tanned in its fats, rinsed and stretched. It was rather ragged looking. Far to crude for sell. Norvus was proud though. This was a start. Besides it would make a nice traveling pillow.

Morning fishing was again without success. Was this why the Olessa had traded it away? Was it an unlucky pole? Norvus laughed. No that wasn’t it. He wasn’t fishing for fun but for survival. He didn’t know the right spots. To appease the spirit he laid out an offering on one of the rising rocks he paddled out to.

Taking up a board he carved the two paw catching notches for a fox board. Setting it up Norvus wished he had planned ahead and not cooked all the hare. Uncooked meat was familiar to the foxes so that is what would attract them. Still it was decently made. Perhaps he would trade it at the next village.

For the afternoon Norvus wandered in a wide arc around this improved camp. The smaller river was to the west with the camp on the and between it and the great river to the east. When the ice melted he might well need that raft to cross back and forth. On the west side of the river there was hills and cliffs. From there he saw an elk. Once again declining to hunt what he couldn’t properly treat. The thought did come to him that a great portion of meat could be traded to the villages he already went. For now he returned to the camp to see if he could make a better paddle.

His second paddle came out with a few defects like his first. Now he had done two. The third paddle he remembered the mistakes and carved with more care in those places. This time the paddle was well shaped. It seemed like the ones that might be put up for trade. Well then he had done it.

The next day saw another failure to fish. Scouting around he tried to get close to the distant elk but didn’t find it. The rain was washing away tracks in the snow. Back at the camp he carved a few bowls, one came out rough the other was smooth. His food supplies were slim now. He’d have to trade the carved goods in one of the villages.

The next day Norvus mutters the rapids don’t cover the whole width of the river. He’d have to leave the raft on this side. Otherwise it would be on ice or he’d have to drag its heavy weight risking a sudden break of ice. If the ice melted while he was on the side with the villages he’d be cut off from his camp.

It took until the afternoon trudging south west to get back to the first village, Hyhk’s passage. For all his travels since he had done a wide U, going south to find the coast, then east to find the great river mouth and north along its banks.

“It is so much easier to get places when you know where you are going.”

The trading didn’t go well. All he managed was a few pounds of dried fish. Still he did need to eat. Bringing things here, including two unwanted boards, had taken most of the day. He would sleep here then make back to the camp on the next day. Fishing at the camp was again without reward.

In the morning Norvus took in the situation. The snow was now only ankle deep. Much easier to walk in. He had over a hundred pounds to carry when you figured in his clothing, weapons, tools and collection of three different types of seed. Leaving the raft behind was annoying as it meant a few days work, mostly in making the rope thick cords from roots and bark. If he left now he couldn’t take it with him. Staying here was proving awkward. He wasn’t catching fish and the villages were well stocked on the woodwork and carvings he could do.

Norvus decided to carry on northward on foot. This camp would be around for trade journeys. Decently stocked in wood in different shapes. A traveler could easily shelter here a night.

The day was a strange trek. It seemed he had found the north coast of the great inner lake. Yet there would be rivers running farther north. He met a wanderer going southbound who was glad to get directions from Norvus. They traded Norvus’s last two turnips for a cord Norvus made into a third loop snare. It took two days to find the likely one. The second of these camps was made at rapids. Ones that were the full river wide. Had he made his raft here he could cross to either side.

An interesting rock formation made a hook into the rapids. He could walk out a ways now without a raft. In the morning he tried fishing.

Success!

He brought in seven perches that morning. Another humor as the rain was finally thinning the ice. It wasn’t clear for rafting yet. Soon though.

The morning found a raven in a loop snare. He processed it including treating the skin for another small strip of leather. Two bream fish were caught as well. The mouth of this river, “Sun Stream”, seemed to over good success. Yet it wasn’t quite ideal for settling yet. After that extra day at the Sun Stream Norvus made north ward along it.

It was still early morning when he spied a Nerjpez.

<save Norvus first Nerj>

Brygun:
The Nerjpez was hundreds of yards off into the forest. To follow this river bank north was to pass nearby. Norvus’s knees where shaking. He wanted to be brave. His heart was telling him that if wasn’t ready to fight an elk he wasn’t ready to fight a Nerjpez warrior. Was it warrior? It could be a scout, a hunter, a lost wanderer. Worse it could be not just a warrior but one of their cheif’s on a personal quest. Would the Nerjpez have metal armor? Norvus had at best two layers of furs.

No shield.

Norvus had practiced fighting with a shield but he had none. He was looking to set up a stead. A close fight could go very bad.

Norvus hadn’t any herbs nor prepared bandages for wounds. The herbs hadn’t come into season yet. The bandages he could rip apart cloth for. If he defeated the Nerjpez he could tear up the opponent’s clothes. That is if he survived himself.

If it wasn’t a warrior the Nerjpez might be just as nervous as Norvus. It is said they liked to sneak upon camps. Norvus had made a few nearby to distract him. So maybe they might just pass be each other.

“I have to go on,” said Norvus.

Its not like he was going to turn back. He would be cautious with the Nerjpez and happy enough to just to slip past.

Within an hour Norvus was past the area. A few hours more saw him following the river northward. With all his concerns it past like a wind. Yet it had been a warning too. The Nerjpez camps were to the east. They would have men coming out this far.

In the early afternoon Norvus was following the west bank of a branch of the river. There was another rivers feeding in. Something made him feel he should get to the east bank. Up ahead on the east bank was a rocky rise. One above the trees with a good move. It might be a could place to make a camp. To get there would mean crossing the weakening ice.

Norvus stepped out slowly. It seemed safe. Several steps more made it seem possible.

A whip of cold lashed his body everywhere as the ice cracked away.

He flailed to get on the ice, up… down into the water as it gave way too.

Again and again with the weight of wet furs his strength was draining. Cold numbing hands and feet was numbing now forearms and calves.

He got onto the ice. Belly down waddling like a walrus he made to the shore.

The air today was warmer than usual but he was coated in ice. No shelter nearby. He needed a fire fast.

His eyes darted left and right. This was pine heathland. Wood for a fire sure. Covering for a shelter would be tricky. He staggers looking for a smaller tree to make an rapid fire. Moving closer he can see farther past it is a young spruce. That means spruce branches. After the fire he would gather the spruce twigs while leaving that beloved spruce tree alive to grow strong to rescue others.

“The forest will provide.”

Lengths of the young pine came down. One pushed to the side for the fire. Norvus leaned against an older pine. His hands so poorly working he could hardly grip. He leans his torso over the branches letting his own weight snap dry dead branches free. This would be the kindling.

Drowsy frigid numbness was soaking into him. He pushed the kindling into a crude triangle stand next to the chosen fire log. He took out his fire maker.

“Please, quickly.”

He spun it fast and faster. Adrenaline wasn’t the only thing pushing his hands and arms to somehow work. A spark. A puff of wind got it to linger on the kindling. The kindling caught. Soon the log was starting. Norvus huddles close to it.

Holding his hands close to the fire they started to become merely numb. He had the strength now. He went to the spruce grabbing the branches. Turn over, push, pull, cut and they came loose. His legs were wobbly as he went the few yards to the fire. The rest of the young pine was combined with these spruce twigs to a heat catching fire. The work kept his mind away from death. The work took effort which warmed his body. By the time it was done he was feeling warm again.

Still he went inside to dry. He hung his clothes to dry by the fire.

“That was dangerous. That was stupid. That was fun.”

Now he laughed. Nerjpez be damned. He had almost drowned in a frozen river.

He set out a dried bream in thanks.

Anxiety still circles round and round his being. Grandfather’s teachings came to him again.

“Travel with a calm mind. The hurried foot slips off a cliff.”

Norvus dresses then walks a near patrol of the emergency shelter. He soon moved in three fallen trees that could, with rope, make a raft. A rock and stone trail marker he placed at the coast. Norvus took time to look for a better spot for the shelter. That first building was done in the rush of near death. He decided to move it next to the young spruce that gave its limbs to save his life. There were several pines close to it with gaps the snares could block.

It was while rebuilding the shelter he slumped unconscious.

He came to with a spring rain falling on him. He finished this shelter in a few minutes. A short walk gathered rocks and a stone for a proper fire ring. More trail markers were placed. There was also an interesting spot to stand to fish at ice free rapids. Another young pine tree was felled and split into log lengths. He placed these near the shelter for whomever next needed a fire, possibly himself. Trying the fishing spot didn’t catch any fish but did settle him part way. Taking a drink and filling his water skin Norvus carries on northward. Northward on this side of the river.

It was two days traveling in which he found the source of the river he had followed. So now he circled behind to the shore of yet another river. He new it was two days as he had built two shelters. Now roughly spaced a day’s journey apart.

It was on the third he found a Kaumolais village at “Hitto Rapids.” There Nyri needed branches gathered for kindling their fires. He wanted a large bundle to do them for the next few weeks. Simple enough for Norvus.

<save Norvus Kaumo 1>

Brygun:
As well as the chore Norvus stayed overnight preparing boards and carving a few for villager’s needs. He was able to be paid with some roasted meat plus bags each half full of barley grains, broad beans and peas. Good additions to his future farm. The half bags were better he felt as he still needed to carry thing a far distance. A selection of turnips, as a ready to eat food, completed his trade in Hitto’s Rapids.

Everything he was carrying was nearly two hundred pounds. The river were still covered with thin ice so rafting wasn’t yet an option. Trudging northward under his burden he came across a family stead. However, it was on the other side of the river. Norvus knew far to well the risk of trying to cross the thinned ice.

In the early evening he found the village of Pot Stream. The name made him remember he needed to buy, or make, an iron pot. It would make the cooking in his stead so much better. One could make a hollow block of wood, fill it with hot rocks from a fire and eventually get a boil. Iron pots were expensive. Several pounds of iron shaped into the large bowl shape. Norvus would needed to figure out how to pay for one.

For now he spent a few days wandering the ends of the rivers. Finding Kaumois settlements here and there. He was getting closer to choosing where to live. Yet now he was finding the river starts it wouldn’t quite be so certain they led to the great river mouth.

The first Owl tribe village was at Flower Wild. They had a herd of reindeer. Norvus enjoyed looking at them even petting their noses. Among the available trade goods was a might northern bow. One day Norvus hoped to get one. For now he boarded, carved and traded for a stack of dried squirrel meat and a half dozen arrows. Arrows were a light trade item with decent worth. Each arrow could in a skilled hand become a new game animal with meat and hide. One day Norvus might be that good. His mind drifted to his youthful archery practice where he did an adequate job at competing with the adults.

Now came a retracing of steps. Expanding his search for a place to homestead. This would be near the Owl and Kaumo. Hopefully on a lake or river leading to the great river opening to the southern sea.

Of the land he searched there was one hill. It stood back from a lake which in turn was back from a greater lake. This hill would be a good spot in hunting or patrolling to see far away. Around was spruce and pine. Mire and lichens. Dense and sparse trees. The sparse trees would be easier to convert to fields. He could not see a grove near here. There was narrows between the waters that one could make a trap fence across. Another good plan for hunting. There was no rapids near though meaning winter would take chopping into ice.

Checking and rechecking he found a spot hard to be seen. That could hide one from Nerjpez searchers, should they come the farther way to here. He would make a good camp here. His mind was still debating to do all the other work to make this his homestead. It was a good spot yet once begun it would harsh to learn of a better spot nearby.

<save Norvus chosen camp>

He made an offering to the local spirits. Setting about preparing a shelter birds flew by this way and that. A sign of prosperity.

A great burden was lifted from his shoulders. That being all the seeds and the few tools he had brought with him. One was the paddle he made for his fishing raft perhaps two weeks ago. The raft was two heavy to bring but not the paddle. Others brought back other memories. There was the hare fur from his first trapped animal and raven feathers. For seeds he had turnip, hemp, barley, rye, broad beans and peas.

What he really needed to do was to get the fields started. With spring well on the lean to and a fire would be warm enough. For that shelter he found a spot amid a cluster of spruce trees just big enough for the shelter and a fire. One easily blocked off by a single trap to safe guard from Nerjpez or catch game trying to get at the seeds. One birch tree was an oddity in the spruce tree ring. Yet in such differences there was a strength. Norvus thought it being like his fire rings with one large stone joined by rocks. That fire ring and trail markers were his next task. After all what good is your shelter if it is so hidden even you can’t find it.

This was also a time to set the three loop snares and the two fox boards with him. He hadn’t even finished when he had his first catch! A hare in a loop snare on the south side of the shelter’s spruce ring. Prosperous indeed! After removing the skin and carving away the meat he offered a portion to the spirits. He felt a bit uneasy. Perhaps the spirits had already accepted him and this was like shouting at them like a newborn. While scraping clean the hare’s hide a grouse was caught!

While gathering kindling he found an Adler tree next to a Birch. Two more good resources right at hand. On the way back there was a fluttering and thrashing as another grouse had gone into the same reset snare. Before he went to sleep the count for the first day was one hare and three grouse.

His near patrol for the day gathered stones and a fallen tree. He hoped to find a larger tree circle. One that would be large enough to store goods and move around to work on them. It would need new traps to secure the ways between the trees. He also found a medium sized clearing with higher ground in the center. This might be a place to make a house, maybe. That would be much later in the year.

<save Norvus expanding 001>

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