Finding Food Sources (Survival Camp)

Survival Camp - Campfire Square

During the day this area is a small clearing that sits just big enough to land four dragons in it, though by night it becomes an inferno where a fire is built up that licks its stray bits of lights to the ground just before the barracks nearby. The two barracks sit across from each other in strong contrast, the leader barracks being a comfortable modern barracks that looks clean and kept in good eminence while the follower barracks has a sharp destitute about it, looking that the ivy and decay is a day away from making the whole thing collapse.


The rain has slowed, but not stopped completely. Hard tack rations have been handed out, but some candidates have begun to complain. Mostly those that are higher born, or simply prima donnas. Satoris, however, has also tired of the hard tack, but has not begun to complain. Instead he found himself a fairly long, slim branch, and has been working on paring it down and sharpening it. Sure, he's not positive this will work, but at least he's going to try. Right now, he's hunched under the tarp over the firepit, enjoying the warmth while he works on his makeshift hunting spear.

Rio isn't a big whiner. About all he's done is jokingly question if they were supposed to eat the hardtack or use it to bludgeon small animals to death for real food. But yeah. Hardtack is nasty. Though soaking it in a little water softens it enough to eat. His big complaint? No milk to go with the hardtack. But…oh well. He sits near the firepit as well, stirring it to keep it burning, a duty he's sort of claimed as his own since he's been here.

Phylicia had spent until the last light exploring their surroundings. Today she's currently sitting with the others under that tarp. The hard tack rations don't get a happy look, but like Satoris, she doesn't complain. But the healer-candidate doesn't seem to be minding this set up of survival camp at all, her posture completly at ease for the moment. "You might be better off using that as a club." She muses to Satoris.

Satoris glances up briefly at Rio, blinking a few times as his eyes readjust. "You ever hunted before?" he asks, pausing briefly in sharpening the stick. It's not a bad try at a spear, but who knows if it'll be sturdy enough, or sharp enough, or… It's all a gamble right now.

Rio blinks as Satoris suddenly asks him if he'd ever hunted before. "Uh…not really, no," he comments. Not just not really — not at all. But then, it was such a sudden question that he didn't know what to say to it until he'd already spoken. "Why do you ask?" he inquires. Then he sees what Satoris is doing. "Oh…why don't you find a couple rocks and knock a sharp piece of one and tie it to the end?" he suggests. "That might make for a sharper spear point." Ah, the benefits of reading boring books from old Terra….

"Is that how it's done?" Satoris asks, frowning a little. "I tried finding sharp, pointy rocks, but didn't have any luck." He exhales at length and leans back. "I just figured maybe someone had. Shame we have no hunter in this group…" He sets down the stick and puts his knife back in its sheath at his belt. "Rocks. Do you know what type of rocks?"

Is it something about Phylicia, which makes Satoris ignore her? Who knows. But Phylicia puts forther her own answer anyways. "Hunt? No. Forage? Yes." She stands up, pulling out a new log from the tarped wood pile, and puts it on the fire carefully, letting the flames lick at a new log. "I let my mentor do the hunting, if we had fresh meat at all." She sits back down, carefully tucking the long coat about her. "But I saw directions for snares somewhere."

Rio shakes his head. "Ones that will break when you hit 'em enough?" he suggests. "Maybe ones that when the pieces break off they're flat and sharp on the edges? Might also want to split the end of the stick so it'll fit more securely." He can make string, though…he IS a Weaver. Phylicia's comment brings a nod as he looks to her. "Oh, that'd be a good idea," he notes. "Do you remember what they looked like?" he inquires.

"It's not big enough for a club," Satoris points out to Phylicia. He knows /that/ much at least. "Well. I want meat. This rain is drowning out probably all the fruits and stuff, nevermind the stories you hear about poisonous berries." Evil berries. "Meat is safer." He is a man and all. Vegetables can be terrifying. He wrinkles his nose at Rio. "I see, so you don't know which ones work best? I know rocks that will break apart easily, but they'd never work for stabbing something." He frowns. Mystery rock, maybe? Not that he ever delved into that side of mining much. He just finds the rocks.

Phylicia lifts a hand, pointing down that forested path. "They're still up, actually." She supplies with an easy smile. She lifts a finger to point down the forested path, where amazingly enough… an ampitheater awaits. Satoris also gets a friendly smile. "I guess the topic really never came up, but I studied herb-lore and botany as a healer." There's a chuckle to her tone. "I wouldn't let anyone-" Well, there might be an execption for the bullies. "-eat anything poisonous." Unless they stuck it in their mouth without consulting her first. She's possibly the closest thing to a forester they have. … Scary.

Rio thinks a moment. "Well, on old Terra they used a rock called flint," he pointed out. "I don't think they have that here on Pern…but I think we should have something similar. Rock that's flat, and reasonably strong, that breaks on a straight edge." He nods to Phylicia. "Oh, that's right. You're apprenticing to somebody who's teaching you about this stuff, too, right?" Phylicia will likely know of what he speaks….

"There's traps out there?" Satoris asks, slowing up slightly to look over at Phylicia. He's out from under the tarp now and a stray drop splats on his nose. He glances to Rio and considers. "I know of some that might serve that purpose… but I'm not certain this landscape would have them." He scratches at his cheek a little. "I'll have to look around a bit." Another glance to Phylicia. "Well, uhm. Are there any out there? I just avoid the things just in case. I never know if they're rotten or poisonous or… gross." Ahem. Yes.

"Was apprenticed." Phylicia corrects Rio softly. "After the forest fire about a turn ago, there were some injuries which pulled us both from duty." She lapses into a momentary silence, dregging up the memories of last night. "All the snare was, was a noose of wire. Or rope. One end was attached to something stable that wouldn't break under pressure, and the other dangling where something would put its head." Needless to say, when tension increases, the noose tightens. The thought is only mildly disturbing. She enjoys her meat too, after all. The older candidate gets another nod from her. "There're edible things out there. I can take some of the others who follow directions well to go collecting." Because there are poisonous plants out there too. Or at least ones that would give a person a good rash.

Rio nods. "Well, I don't know much about rocks myself, I'll admit," he points out. "You probably know rocks better than me, seeing as how you're a miner and all." He smiles. Phylicia speaks, and Rio looks to her, offering another nod. "Ah, I see…." To her offer of going to look for plants, Rio replies, "I don't think anybody should go out beyond the camp alone. You, Satoris, or anyone else. Buddy system at least. I can go with one of you, whichever one of you prefers, if one of you does." Someone else will have to keep the fire going, though.

"I've been out here before," Satoris points out to Rio briefly. As a leader and as a candidate. So strange, all that role reversal. "Mind, never went too far." Mostly stayed in camp to tend to those that weren't smart about wandering off. He glances to his beginnings-of-a-spear and picks it up to jam it in the dirt where he can find it easily. "I'm not going far. Just to see what rocks I can find and survey a little."

Phylicia watches at Satoris wanders off, though she doesn't make any protests. The man is old enough where he doesn't need someone constantly watching over him, if he stays close. "That is a good idea." She says to Rio. "People could get lost, or hurt on their own." Well, people could still get hurt in the buddy system, but then there's someone there to help. He gets a smile from her, and she rolls her shoulders, looking at the afternoon sky. "I wouldn't mind having you along." She notes. "You listen."

Rio nods as Satoris mentions his having been here before. "All right. You be careful anyway, eh?" he says. Phylicia's comment has him grinning. "Well, I do try," he replies. He stands, though, dusting off his rear. "Maybe I can find some plants I can make some flax out of, too. Satoris will need something to tie the rock onto the end of the stick if he wants to make a spear, so…."

Phylicia shifts by the fire, looking up at Rio as he decides to stand. "I suppose going now would be okay." Though who will watch the fire? One of the many others milling about randomly, of course. Phylicia stands up, under that tarp. Brushing off her bottom is more of an idle gesture than anything else. "Or for snares. I'm not sure if anyone brought wire."

When it happens, it's a sudden thing. One moment, the woods off to the far side of the campsite are silent, and then next, there's a rustling of leaves and a nearly white fire lizard blows out of the foliage, her hide the color of the sun on new snow. A quick tuck of wings brings her twisting into another direction before she finally curls around to a conviniently placed treebranch, and there she lands, absently settling her wings about her. Slowly whirling green eyes survey the area with a cool, lady-like grace, forked tail whipping back and forth with yet unspent energy.

"I have thread, and I can braid it if it's not strong enough," Rio offers. "I'm afraid I don't use wire very much." He looks sheepish, but moves over to Phylicia's side. "Will that work?" He hopes so; he doesn't have anything else. They weren't given a lot of time to pack things before they were hustled out here….

The rustling of leaves is a noise enough out-of-place where Phylicia turns to look, barely catching a glimpse of that pale gold hide. "Cila?" Phylicia calls as the small queen perches on a branch. It could be a very similar gold after all. Rio gets another thoughtful glance however, her lips pursing. "If we use thread it'd have to be braided. It shouldn't snap when it suddenly goes taut." And again she's thinking. "I.. might have seen some flax out there, if you're looking for it."

There's more than one nearly white queeling roaming the forest? Perish the thought. Perish it now. (Sniff) When her name is called, the gold's neck cranes around, and she offers Phylicia a cool trill of recognition. Wings are spread as the next gust of wind blows by and she takes off into a glide without effort, simply riding the weak current of air over to the young woman and crooning softly as she lands on her shoulder.

Rio nods. "Oh, good," he observes, with a smile. He looks up as Phylicia does, however, and blinks. "You know that one?" he inquires. He looks up at the flash of white gold and smiles as she lands on Phylicia's shoulder. "She's a pretty one," he offers honestly.

If Phylicia were one for squealing, she'd be doing it. And she sort of half-does it anyways. "Cila!" The girl exclaims happily as the little queen drifts to her shoulder. Phy offers up a hand in a plain offer for admiration while a bright grin is beamed at Rio. "She looks to Tenebrous." She supplies, assuming he'll be able to place the name. This does seem to have paused their expedition into the forest, it seems. "How are you?" Is asked of the firelizard. Ah yes. Great attention span, Phy.

It's a fine thing that this particular fire-lizard doesn't drool, else she'd be doing just that when Phy sticks her hand up. Cila's head bobs over almost magnetically, absorbing the contact with a deep-bellied rumble of appreciation. She even manages to lick one of Phy's fingers before carefully waddling back over and curling around her neck with a fat, happy sigh. One side of the girl's neck is nuzzled, her tail absently flicking around her shoulder.

Rio chuckles. "Ah, I see," he offers. "Been wanting to get a gold for a while. They're so beautiful." A smile that he offers to the little gold. But he doesn't make to pet her, because he hasn't been given permission. And he doesn't want to get bitten, if she's the possessive type. Also why he doesn't touch Phylicia, he doesn't want the firelizard on her shoulder to bite him.

Phylicia is happily engrossed in the act of petting Cila before the 'lizard is curling around her neck and completely over her shoulders, which has her giggling as once again her hand rises to pet her after she settles. "I take it that means everything is as well as can be." She chortles, her next comment being directed towards Rio. "Hinae is my little queen," Who has occasionally been seen around, though her trio are absent for the moment. "- and this lady here is Cila. Or rather, Reconciliation."

Rio nods, smirking a little as the little gold curls around Phylicia so. Speaking to the firelizard, he offers, "Pleased to meet you, Reconciliation." He even offers a little bow to the pale queen. Phylicia speaks of her firelizards, and his eyebrows rise. "Oh, you have a gold? Lucky." He chuckles. "Though I bet they're more work to take care of."

Cila rather smugly peeks out from around Phylicia's neck, chuffing happily at Rio. 'That's right. This is my ride. Step.' One of Phy's ears gets another nuzzle before she rather promptly begins trying to work her head under the collar of the healer's shirt, where it's just a bit warmer. Cold flit nose. Warm girl skin. Eeeexcellent. When Rio calls her name, the little bulge under Phy's collar bobs once, a happy chirup offered, and she even lifts her tail up in a coy little wave.

Are humans supposed to squawk? Because Phylicia does as Cila's nose works under her shirt. "Cold!" Wasn't her hair or maybe the coat enough? "Cila, that's cold!" And the girl squirms, not trying to dislodge the gold, but.. just squirming, before there's a small fit of giggles. "Silly thing." She chides before nodding to Rio. "Hinae is still young. But I've also a blue and a brown." The former of which has been taking permanent residence at her hammock, watching over her satchel whenever she's not around. "I-eek!" She squeaks as another bit of cold 'lizard hide encounters her skin. "I thought you had a 'lizard?" She half-asks. To her, just about everyone seems to have at least one.

"I do. Three of them," Rio notes. "They're not here right now, though. I have another friend at Fort taking care of them while I'm here. I bet by the time we get back, he'll be scrambling to get them back to me. Riot is…well, a troublemaker." He grins as Cila's warmth-seeking makes Phylicia giggle and squirm.

Cila's scrounging for BTUs beneath Phylicia's top come to a momentary halt then, the queenling's head lifting out of her shirt with a quick motion. Her little tongue samples the air once, twice, and she almost quivers there, on Phylicia's neck. Wings rustle against her hide, and her mouth opens very slowly, revealing a maw of needle-sharp teeth…and then she sneezes explosively, thankfully pointing her mouth away from Phy in the process.

"Most are troublemakers in their own way." Phylicia says, not pegging the gold on her shoulder with a look. And even as those needle-sharp teeth come into view, she doesn't seem at all worried that the pale gold will bite. "Is that a comment on something, Cila?" She askes, amused at the explosive sneeze from such a small creature. Rio gets another look. "Are they that young, where they'd be a hassle to take care of out here?" There's honest confusion to her voice, since her three are (more or less) doing what she asks of them.

Rio nods slightly. "Riot and Jetta are, I think," he replies. "I got them not too long ago. Pizazz would probably be all right out here, but I didn't want to separate them. Besides, I'm a little more worried about /me/ not dying out here." He snickers slightly. He also seems to find the huge sneeze humorous.

Cila's little head shakes vigorously at the sneeze, grumbling with little chuffs and murbles. One dainty little foot bats at her nose for a moment before she straightens again, regal in her bearing. Sneeze? I see no sneeze here. But then she's straightening that neck again and slowly rubbing her head against the woman's face. And if that wasn't proof enough of her pleasure, her eyes have begun to change as well, fading from that vivid green to a deep, striking blue, flecks of gray floating within. She's remarkably calm now…almost focused.

Phylicia ponders that for a moment, vaguely remembering seeing Rio in the hot springs for that wonderful little surprise. "True. Hinae is still being trained, which is why she spends most of her time back at the Weyr. She knows how to hunt though." For crawlies and the sort. Some people might start mistaking Cila for hers, because of the attention she gives the little queen, almost nuzzling the 'lizard back, though she keeps it mostly to petting. "Would you like to come with us, out foraging for some food, Cila?" After all, standing here and admiring the little queen isn't collecting food so they can stop eating the hard rations.

"I'm still trying to learn how to train mine," Rio notes. "Pizazz, like I say, is pretty well-behaved. But she kinda has to be an angel. Because she's so scary-looking." He snickers. However, he nods as Phylicia mentions going for food. "Yes…these hard rations are nasty. Maybe we should carve up one for a spearpoint for Satoris?" he suggests.

Cila's expression is almost grave when Phylicia asks her that question, and for a momemnt, the little gold stares into the healer's eyes with great intensity, the gray flecks within blue slowly swirling. Her little chin leans in, almost like a fingertip, and brushes against Phylicia's lower lip a few times. Then she's offering a soft, almost mournful little sound at something and licking the woman's face. The eye contact is held for a moment longer before she uncoild herself from Phylicia's shoulder, giving herself a little shake to free her wings. Eyes slowly drift back to that vivid green as she looks around, apparantly done with her worship.

Phylicia almost misses what Rio says, being caught up with the actions of the gold perched on her shoulder, her fingers still stroking. At the same time Cila shakes, Phy shakes her head, letting her gaze refocus on Rio. "I think he could possibly carve a good spearhead with one of the bars." Comes her dry response, accompanied by a grin. "I don't know who ever thought they'd be good for eating."

"Someone with very strong teeth," Rio supplies in response to Phylicia's wondering. He grins, and then nods. "So…shall we? And could you lead? You're probably the more knowledgeable about things out here, so…." He smirks. "Lots of things I don't want to happen to me that could happen to me otherwise."

A quick hop brings Cila to the air then, apparantly done with whatever strange errand she was on. Rio gets a silverly little trill as she begins to spiral around the area. As she wings back around towards Phylicia, the gold offers up a strident bugle, a promise of sorts. Then she promptly hiccups, and vanishes *between*.

Phylicia's smile only wavers a little bit as Cila pops back *between*. But the bugle is probably what keeps her smile there. Shortly after, a red-capped brown appears and alights where the gold just vacated. "Well, make sure you have some gloves on you, and…" she ponders, thinking she saw some empty bags around. There's a little bit of scrounging to be had, by the scant supplies left to them, and indeed there's a small handful of bags in need of repairs, but workable. "I'll show you what we're after, and some plants to avoid." With that, her hood goes up, protecting her face from the onslaught of the drizzle.

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