319. Hunting, 5

(Rose)

Venturing on unreliable and uneven grounds during the night is generally reckless.

But the night is really clear and dawn not that distant. I follow the easiest roads toward the bay.

What I expect to hunt are fishes more than anything else. I haven't seen any mammals aside us in the surrounding area.

Ana could catch birds as well. So we'll see what we can find. Anything fresh will be a nice thing for Bleue. Later next day we'll look for vegetables too in the gardens.

R - You can't lay eggs yet Ana, can you?

A - Nah. Not yet. Ana young.

R - I'm still puzzled that you figured out how to talk. It also means you're as smart as humans.

A - Yeah. Maybe.

She has the coarse voice of a crow, giving an animalistic intonation to her every words. But I can understand her. She tried to speak for a long time, and something finally was overcome recently, and now, she can...

She has a voice, ears, and the brain to make speech work. It probably is more her nature as a being-like-her than her bird ancestry and body that made this possible though. It's altogether nice and weird to be able to exchange words with your animal friend.

We reach the bay as the sun begins to rise. We wait for a moment from the top of a partially collapsed tower, above the shallowest waters of the flooded part of the city. There's a park next to us, in between dry land and estuary.

We wait, looking for anything that would move, anywhere.

But nothing does aside the distant waves and even more distant sun.

R - Since when can you understand our speech.

A - Always.

She only speaks in short sentences. She has smaller lungs from us after all.

R - When Bleue kidnapped you from your family... I guess she loved you already. But you could have fled as soon as you were able to fly. Don't you?

A - Don't. Remember not. Bleue kind. Is all.

R - Maybe you were still too young. Though you were already quite big and haven't grown that much since. Or you evolved faster after bonding with us.

A - Yeah.

R - Either way, I'm glad you're with us right now.

A - Me too.

I pet her head. She rubs her head against mine to reciprocate the affection. It's like a weird dream right now.

I remember that face, the radiant face of Bleue holding the huge bird, while still spattered with blood and dirt.

There was a passion burning, on the edge of insanity maybe, but so much overflowing with happiness it was stunning.

Ana suddenly twitches, turning her head toward the park. It woke me from my reveries.

I aimed the dismounted scope from our rifle in that direction. I whisper to Ana, as I'm looking aimlessly at nothing.

R - What have you seen?

A - No name.

I'm not sure of what she means by that.

Ana spreads her wings and jumps off from the edge.

Without a noise, she's diving into the park.

I then hear squeals beneath the trees, and soon after, Ana rising slowly whilst carrying a wounded animal caught between her talons.

She drops a wounded canine animal on the balcony in front of me soon after.

The ears are very large, it's unusual to me. The very fluffy tail tells me it's a kind of fox.

Ana already wounded it badly, but it tries to limp away from us, squealing.

I turn cold. I run to it, catch it and kill it swiftly with my knife. There's no point in letting it suffer any more seconds than necessary.

I acted on automated impulses and recover my free will after the did is done.

I didn't aim for a heart I was likely to miss and pierced the skull instead, slashing the brain.

A - No name! No name!

R - Ah I understand what you mean. It's called a fox. It's a canine animal like dogs and wolves. Unlike them hunting in hounds or packs, foxes are generally alone or in pairs. I think.

A - Fox...

R - Could you try looking for a fish or a bird as well? I'll begin the work on our little friend here meanwhile.

A - Yeah.

Ana spreads her wings open and jumps away again.

I pack the dead fox and go by the water to start working on it.

I bleed it, massaging the muscles strongly like draining a wet rag, until the water remains rather clear.

I then skin it with the idea to tan the fur and the tail later with Bleue.

I didn't think of bringing our saw so I don't cut the head and feet properly yet.

At least I can empty it and clean it. Ana unfortunately ripped a bowel, so it smells bad as soon as I open it. I wash it even more thoroughly once the intestines and stomach are removed but it takes more time than with the blood.

As usual, I keep the heart and liver, they look healthy. I'll also keep the brain for Bleue. I keep the lungs too but for Ana. I would be surprised if she doesn't like tasting that.

Once everything is packed and cleansed in the shallow waters here, I climb up again to that balcony from before.

I whistle for Ana but I can't see her.

I wait a little longer, but not much. I don't want to leave Bleue alone for too long, as morning is already well set.

Ana returns, carrying a sea snake. An eel I think, but not the kind I saw in my youth. Its head and scales are different from what I remember. It's still good regardless!

Soon after, we're travelling back y=toward the building where we left Bleue to sleep.

Ana flies ahead of me to check on her while I carry the game.

~

Bleue is oozing an oil along with her sweat. She's losing the little fat she had, becoming worse than skinny. I scrap what I can into an empty bowl, but given how foul it smells, I don't think we'll keep it.

That disease has an affinity with lipids, and Bleue's body is not taking any chances, evacuating everything.

I wash her with soap and a wet cloth while she's still unconscious.

The skin of her forehead is cadmium red almost, and looks scalded. No wonder she's unconscious.

If she gets worse than that, I will try to use our older wish stone on her.

She's still breathing calmly, her heart rate calm, and her eyes responsive to light. If anything changes, I will do it...

Meanwhile, I begin to cut the meat, venison, from the fox. It doesn't taste good, but it's better than nothing.

The eel is more fat and far tastier. This one is for Bleue, Ana and I will share the fox.

I make Bleue drink a soup of the molten eel, skin and bowels included. She can't swallow much but she drinks a lot.

As I washed her skin, I noticed that rather thick hair had begun to grow all over her back and below her shoulders.

Of course I'm wondering why, but it's not a cause for alarm, yet.

I spend the rest of the day gathering edible vegetable, herbs and fruits from the surrounding fields and woods, to repeat making her soups to drink.

Over the night, I try making a small candlelight burning the fat she sweated all day. It smells awful, like mould, with a hint of rotting olive oil maybe. I put it far away and leave it to burn through the night.

I'll wash her clothes and sheets the next day.

~

Ana and I nibble on what's left of yesterday's hunt as we go looking for more.

We need more food. A lot more.

We go to the bay again, and head a little further.

Ana hunts birds while I begin setting traps and nests for fishes in shallow ruins.

Ana catches and brings me two dead seagulls. She's having a rush. I have found one of their nests and snatched the eggs.

If we want to stay here, I think we need to build a livestock before building a house I come to realise. Food comes first.

Good thing is, there's no way we'll need to build a roof ourselves, and the bay is filled with buildings we can easily build large aquariums for fishes from. We just need to seal a doorway that is open to the sea for some of them and the job is done.

And I wonder if we couldn't try using the seagulls like chicken? Of course they can fly, but if we steal their eggs and domesticate them well enough, maybe there's a chance to do something. And I could picture Ana as a ferocious herd dog for birds. We'll think about it another time.

In either case, first and foremost I should say, we need to grow vegetables and cereals or potatoes. That comes first and is needed if we want livestock too.

Near the forest outside, or the park by the sea here?

Ah but we will need more fresh water either way.

It's going to be tough...

Ana is eating with some delight the innards of the seagulls that I'm washing away. I didn't think about that.

Other seagulls in the sky above us are insulting us with very clear shrieks of anger. Sorry about that...

We have options, and resources. If we're smart enough, we'll play them well and make it.

~