10th of Searing, 120
The day was approaching its hottest part, or so the giant suspected. She'd been trudging for hours with her sopping wet backpack to both weigh her down and marginally cool her back. Her animal fur clothing had long since dried, along with the rest of her body. But the occasional drip of lukewarm water had been pleasant in contrast to the burning heat outside of the shade. Pleasant enough that she hadn't considered drying out her tent and other equipment at the time. But, with her hunger growing worse and her limbs as tired as they were, it felt like a good time to take a break.
So, under the shadiest tree she could find, she stopped, and let the weight of her backpack fall to her hand from her shoulders. Its contents sloshed some, as though there was still river water trapped inside. A deep sigh escaped her before she knelt and placed the bag before her. Opening the lid revealed her suspicions to be true. It was waterlogged, filled about halfway among her belongings with water. A roll of her eyes relayed her frustration, and she began to unpack its contents, laying them out in the shade. When she unstrapped her bedroll, she rolled it out in the sunlight and placed all her gear atop it, where they would dry. The tent was another story. For that, she stuck the supporting poles in the ground and hung the tarp among the tent itself over the higher branches of a more barren tree.
The only things she'd yet to lay out to dry were her waterskin and bag. The waterskin because she was thirsty, and the bag because, well... It was free water, likely at the price of an upset stomach, but free water all the same. A dextrous flick of her thumb popped the cap of the waterskin, and both hands lifted it to her mouth, where she poured its contents into her dry maw. Surprisingly, she didn't spill a drop. She stopped when the bag was about half full, then recapped the skin. A glance at her dripping bag began to turn the worn gears in her head. What if she could drip some of the water into her waterskin? Use the bag as a filter for the sickness in the water? It was worth a try, surely.
She looked to her belongings in search of something that would make the job easier. The lantern was useless in this situation, but the torches, even though they were likely destroyed from the water damage, could be helpful. With her plan in mind, she stood and hefted the bag in the same motion. Using the left shoulder strap, she hung the sack of woven hemp from one of the branches, in a way that left the stitched seam to point downward. Gravity saw that the water gathered there, and a slow drip began to follow from the outside crease. There, she let it drip for a moment or two before she snatched five torches and her waterskin, the began to position them beneath the bag. The torches acted as a sort of support that kept the waterskin up while the waterskin's lip stayed still beneath the dripping water. It was positioned in a way that allowed it to collect about three-fourths of the filtered water as it dripped.
A satisfied exhale dilated her nostrils as she nodded, then stood with a wipe of her brow. With everything set up to dry, she'd hopefully have enough time to find something filling to eat. That was exactly what she set out to do, too. One foot after the other, the half-giant strolled through the woodland of Atinaw in search of much-needed food. Occasionally, she stopped at a nearby tree and fully pressed her hands into its trunk to stretch out her worn, weary body. The release of tension throughout her form felt heavenly, though the growl of her gut overshadowed it. While she walked, she let her mind wander some, but not enough that she wound up lost and separated from all her gear.
All in all, it had been an eventful day; she'd lost her best friend, broken down a tree with a rock, nearly drowned in a river she could stand in, and now she was foraging in an unfamiliar land while searching for that same best friend. Originally, she'd traced his tracks to the water's edge, along with a steady drip of blood. Part of her thought that he might have been swept away without crossing, but when she'd finally managed to cross, she found that Pacheco had indeed made it to the other side. The trail of blood had stopped for a while, but it appeared to have returned, but with a far slower bleed. She'd initially believed that Pacheco had been attacked by some wild animal in the night, and had fled through the river. But his tracks were too close together to imply that he was running. The depth of the prints was right, which didn't add up to her. At this point, she was almost certainly missing a crucial detail in Pacheco's fate but hadn't a clue of what it might be. She only hoped that her dear companion was alive and well.
A disturbance in the brush ahead snapped her from her thoughts. Silver eyes focused squarely on the foliage, which was now still before her. There she stayed, frozen with a mixture of caution, fear, and uncertainty. Was there a large animal hiding in the brush? A small one? Could she eat it? Did it want to eat her? Had it even noticed she was there? Just a second later, she snapped from her haze of shock and quickly dashed behind the trunk of a large tree. Silence followed, and the giantess began to wonder if she'd perhaps imagined the rustle, or if it had been an animal leaving its burrow in the opposite direction? Unsure, she leaned a little to the left to peer behind the tree but saw only the bush and the other trees. A moment's hesitation held her in place before she shook her head and emerged from her hiding place. A deep sigh betrayed her frustration. Had she really gotten so worked up over nothing? It didn't hurt to be careful, at least.
The flora on her side of the river was largely the same as the other, and she recognized a few plants here and there. Most were harmless save for a few brambles and thorns. The ones with thorns, however, she knew harbored berries. With her larger hands, she had to be exceptionally careful not to prick herself while foraging but ultimately caught herself a few scratches. Soon, she'd managed to gather a handful of berries, all beneath the shade of the canopy. She'd not overheated at all in her search, which was something she passively appreciated. The walk back to her gear was mostly uneventful. All she had to do was follow the landmarks she'd noted, and she soon arrived at the shady tree. Everything was as she left it. A relieved exhale saw her worry and concern momentarily melt.
Her waterskin was overflowing, however. So, with her free hand, she flicked the lid closed and put the skin away. Then, she emptied the rest of the river water from her bag and laid it out to dry in the hot sun. All in all, it was a successful moment of rest. The giant cupped her berries carefully as she slid against the trunk of the tree to rest her aching legs in an awkward seat, then began to eat her gathered food. Of course, she'd hoped for something more than berries with all the physical activity she'd been doing, but with no other options available, the sugary treats would provide a modest energy boost, hopefully enough to catch up to Pacheco, wherever he might have been.
Once she'd eaten her fill of the berries, and whatever insects that might have hidden in them, she knelt before her bedroll and began to gather up her belongings. The hemp sack was still a little damp, but it would dry on the way, she was sure. While the giant packed away her things, movement caught her eye in the forest ahead. Reflexively, she lifted her gaze to the treeline and squinted while she stared. Amidst the bushes, she spied some sort of deer, which stared back at her. A sudden sharp pop to her left snatched her attention, and she looked to the glaring sunshine with a squint before lifting her hand to blot it out. With a grumble of frustration, she looked back to the treeline, but there was no deer present. It had left, likely startled by whatever noise she'd heard. A shake of her head brought about feelings of nausea. Perhaps it was the berries? To be safe, Magna popped the cap of her waterskin and took a quick drink to dilute the contents of her stomach, then continued to pack away her belongings.
She was dry, rested, meagerly fed and hydrated, and ready to proceed on Pacheco's trail. After a final glance to the treeline, the half-giant adjusted her straps, then proceeded on the trail.
The day was approaching its hottest part, or so the giant suspected. She'd been trudging for hours with her sopping wet backpack to both weigh her down and marginally cool her back. Her animal fur clothing had long since dried, along with the rest of her body. But the occasional drip of lukewarm water had been pleasant in contrast to the burning heat outside of the shade. Pleasant enough that she hadn't considered drying out her tent and other equipment at the time. But, with her hunger growing worse and her limbs as tired as they were, it felt like a good time to take a break.
So, under the shadiest tree she could find, she stopped, and let the weight of her backpack fall to her hand from her shoulders. Its contents sloshed some, as though there was still river water trapped inside. A deep sigh escaped her before she knelt and placed the bag before her. Opening the lid revealed her suspicions to be true. It was waterlogged, filled about halfway among her belongings with water. A roll of her eyes relayed her frustration, and she began to unpack its contents, laying them out in the shade. When she unstrapped her bedroll, she rolled it out in the sunlight and placed all her gear atop it, where they would dry. The tent was another story. For that, she stuck the supporting poles in the ground and hung the tarp among the tent itself over the higher branches of a more barren tree.
The only things she'd yet to lay out to dry were her waterskin and bag. The waterskin because she was thirsty, and the bag because, well... It was free water, likely at the price of an upset stomach, but free water all the same. A dextrous flick of her thumb popped the cap of the waterskin, and both hands lifted it to her mouth, where she poured its contents into her dry maw. Surprisingly, she didn't spill a drop. She stopped when the bag was about half full, then recapped the skin. A glance at her dripping bag began to turn the worn gears in her head. What if she could drip some of the water into her waterskin? Use the bag as a filter for the sickness in the water? It was worth a try, surely.
She looked to her belongings in search of something that would make the job easier. The lantern was useless in this situation, but the torches, even though they were likely destroyed from the water damage, could be helpful. With her plan in mind, she stood and hefted the bag in the same motion. Using the left shoulder strap, she hung the sack of woven hemp from one of the branches, in a way that left the stitched seam to point downward. Gravity saw that the water gathered there, and a slow drip began to follow from the outside crease. There, she let it drip for a moment or two before she snatched five torches and her waterskin, the began to position them beneath the bag. The torches acted as a sort of support that kept the waterskin up while the waterskin's lip stayed still beneath the dripping water. It was positioned in a way that allowed it to collect about three-fourths of the filtered water as it dripped.
A satisfied exhale dilated her nostrils as she nodded, then stood with a wipe of her brow. With everything set up to dry, she'd hopefully have enough time to find something filling to eat. That was exactly what she set out to do, too. One foot after the other, the half-giant strolled through the woodland of Atinaw in search of much-needed food. Occasionally, she stopped at a nearby tree and fully pressed her hands into its trunk to stretch out her worn, weary body. The release of tension throughout her form felt heavenly, though the growl of her gut overshadowed it. While she walked, she let her mind wander some, but not enough that she wound up lost and separated from all her gear.
All in all, it had been an eventful day; she'd lost her best friend, broken down a tree with a rock, nearly drowned in a river she could stand in, and now she was foraging in an unfamiliar land while searching for that same best friend. Originally, she'd traced his tracks to the water's edge, along with a steady drip of blood. Part of her thought that he might have been swept away without crossing, but when she'd finally managed to cross, she found that Pacheco had indeed made it to the other side. The trail of blood had stopped for a while, but it appeared to have returned, but with a far slower bleed. She'd initially believed that Pacheco had been attacked by some wild animal in the night, and had fled through the river. But his tracks were too close together to imply that he was running. The depth of the prints was right, which didn't add up to her. At this point, she was almost certainly missing a crucial detail in Pacheco's fate but hadn't a clue of what it might be. She only hoped that her dear companion was alive and well.
A disturbance in the brush ahead snapped her from her thoughts. Silver eyes focused squarely on the foliage, which was now still before her. There she stayed, frozen with a mixture of caution, fear, and uncertainty. Was there a large animal hiding in the brush? A small one? Could she eat it? Did it want to eat her? Had it even noticed she was there? Just a second later, she snapped from her haze of shock and quickly dashed behind the trunk of a large tree. Silence followed, and the giantess began to wonder if she'd perhaps imagined the rustle, or if it had been an animal leaving its burrow in the opposite direction? Unsure, she leaned a little to the left to peer behind the tree but saw only the bush and the other trees. A moment's hesitation held her in place before she shook her head and emerged from her hiding place. A deep sigh betrayed her frustration. Had she really gotten so worked up over nothing? It didn't hurt to be careful, at least.
The flora on her side of the river was largely the same as the other, and she recognized a few plants here and there. Most were harmless save for a few brambles and thorns. The ones with thorns, however, she knew harbored berries. With her larger hands, she had to be exceptionally careful not to prick herself while foraging but ultimately caught herself a few scratches. Soon, she'd managed to gather a handful of berries, all beneath the shade of the canopy. She'd not overheated at all in her search, which was something she passively appreciated. The walk back to her gear was mostly uneventful. All she had to do was follow the landmarks she'd noted, and she soon arrived at the shady tree. Everything was as she left it. A relieved exhale saw her worry and concern momentarily melt.
Her waterskin was overflowing, however. So, with her free hand, she flicked the lid closed and put the skin away. Then, she emptied the rest of the river water from her bag and laid it out to dry in the hot sun. All in all, it was a successful moment of rest. The giant cupped her berries carefully as she slid against the trunk of the tree to rest her aching legs in an awkward seat, then began to eat her gathered food. Of course, she'd hoped for something more than berries with all the physical activity she'd been doing, but with no other options available, the sugary treats would provide a modest energy boost, hopefully enough to catch up to Pacheco, wherever he might have been.
Once she'd eaten her fill of the berries, and whatever insects that might have hidden in them, she knelt before her bedroll and began to gather up her belongings. The hemp sack was still a little damp, but it would dry on the way, she was sure. While the giant packed away her things, movement caught her eye in the forest ahead. Reflexively, she lifted her gaze to the treeline and squinted while she stared. Amidst the bushes, she spied some sort of deer, which stared back at her. A sudden sharp pop to her left snatched her attention, and she looked to the glaring sunshine with a squint before lifting her hand to blot it out. With a grumble of frustration, she looked back to the treeline, but there was no deer present. It had left, likely startled by whatever noise she'd heard. A shake of her head brought about feelings of nausea. Perhaps it was the berries? To be safe, Magna popped the cap of her waterskin and took a quick drink to dilute the contents of her stomach, then continued to pack away her belongings.
She was dry, rested, meagerly fed and hydrated, and ready to proceed on Pacheco's trail. After a final glance to the treeline, the half-giant adjusted her straps, then proceeded on the trail.
