Koale grunted. “So, what’s our plan then?”
Felix hesitated, “No offence meant here, but my setup is a bit more elaborate if we want to move back there tomorrow. Plus Liz is there.”
“Liz? I’m surprised she’s still around.”
“I told you she’s friend, not food.”
“Not what I meant. You have clearly been on the wrong side of some misadventure or another. That or your fashion sense has completely left you. I’m surprised you found her again.”
“I popped back up at my tree house. She had been there when I left. That’s when I realized you were still about.”
“Tree house? That sounds like it was an interesting endeavor. It wasn’t the house though; it was the bed. That’s why I didn’t reappear in the cave. Thankfully.”
The meat finished cooking, and the two swapped stories into the night. Felix regaled Koale with his adventures with the tree eating worm and the morr, and Koale detailing his discoveries and trials.
They awoke early the next day as the sun blared down on them. Felix missed his ramshackle hut for the first time. Most specifically, its roof.
He groaned and pulled himself upright, and checked his dressing. Of the wound that had him unable to walk a half day before was nothing but a small scratch running the length of his leg. It seemed as long as he stayed alive, he’d recover. At least from injury.
He wondered again about the implants; where had they come from, and who made them? Why? He didn’t mull over it long. Koale handed him some of the snuffle lizard steak and they had a long trek ahead of themselves. Best to dwell on such things later.
The trek back to the treehouse was long, hot, but largely uneventful. Felix’s trail marker still stood. Koale upon seeing it promptly began expounding on a plan to make navigational markers throughout the island, often interrupting himself with improvements.
Felix grinned and listened without comment. He hadn’t realized how lonely he had been until he wasn’t any longer.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Koale looked up at the treehouse. “Impressive. I’m surprised you were willing to build up there with the slimes,” he said.
Felix shrugged. “The slimes aren’t too bad. Wait til you meet the squirrel.”
“Squirrel?”
Felix just grinned and climbed the ladder. “Come on, I’ll show you inside.”
Felix held the door open for his friend. Koale stepped inside and looked around. “Serviceable start.”
Felix began to reply but stopped when he realized Koale was already rifling through his research. “Why don’t you add yours on there? I’m sure we have a lot of overlap, but judging by your bombs, you have at least some stuff I don’t. How’d you get those, anyway?”
Koale blinked. “Oh, yes.” He added his own research to the pile on the desk. Felix made a mental note to check through the crafting menu later.
“The explosives were a bit of luck. And by luck, I do mean I was chased into a cave that happened to have some sort of sulfur springs. Combine that with a bit of guano, and you have some real primitive explosives.”
Felix sighed. “Of course you would research poop you found. So that was your first test then? With the tree?”
“Oh, no. Of course not,” Koale said. “The first test was a bit more volatile than I was expecting. The tree was my second test, after I recovered the items from my corpse.”
“I didn’t even think about trying to find my corpse. Man, that would have made things easier.”
“I didn't either the first few times. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon one that it occured to me. Rather unsettling experience, that.”
Felix nodded. “Changing the topic away from that morbid line, do you have anything on you that you haven’t researched? I’m fresh out myself.”
Koale shook his head. “We can try an item again? It works. Or at least the research starts. I tried it once, but it was taking far too long, and I had other necessities I needed sooner.”
“Better than an empty queue. What shall we do first? Sticks?”
“They are versatile. It would not be a bad option.”
Felix grabbed a stick from his stash and put it on the table. There was no visible difference yet compared to previous items. Well, time would tell.
“With that going, how about I show you where the snares are and we can gather materials for another bed.”
Koale raised a brow ridge. “You act like we’re both going to be sleeping at the same time rather than sitting up all night speeding up the research.”
“A man can dream.”
Felix hurried along the path to his snares. Food was good, and an extra bed would be nice, but he was really hoping for some leather so he could replace his lost boot.
He also needed a number of leaves to replace his grass skirt. It was less than dignified after his recent adventures.
It didn’t take long to show Koale the snares. They noted a broken snare to replace on the next trip. Felix did that often, he realized. He made a note to make several spares and bring them out on his trips to minimize downtime. They weren’t hard on materials, it was just the lack of research while out and about that stopped him from fixing it on the spot.
The catch was not good, but they didn’t leave empty handed. They had a single numb squirrel worth of materials to add to their supplies. Hardly even worth the fire to cook it.
It did give them enough time to grab up the materials for Koale’s bed though. They still had the leather and meat from the snuffle lizards, so it wasn’t a huge deal, so long as the hauls picked up.
Back in camp, Felix sat by the fire while their small catch roasted. Before him he had two boots and a question. His new left boot was already on, but the snuffle lizard leather boot and the glider leather boot sat beside him.
Felix knew the right answer to this. Not only was the snuffle lizard leather thicker, but a matching set would be easier on his feet. That was the right choice. But that glider leather felt so soft and comfortable to wear.
With a touch of resignation, Felix pulled on the matching snuffle lizard boot. The dark spotted boots reached mid-calf. They were sturdy, too. Felix promised himself another set of glider boots when he had the opportunity.
Koale squatted down near Felix at the fire. “Two beds made, and the research is about 5% completed.”
Felix looked over at Koale and quickly looked away. “I didn’t want to say anything earlier because you were mad at me. And rightfully so! But, my friend, can we please get you a skirt or a loin cloth or something?”
Koale looked down at himself and then back at Felix. “We don’t exactly have a whole overabundance of materials. Your own skirt didn’t seem to fare too well.”
“Granted, but we do have an extra hide just now, and I would feel better without your junk hanging out.”
Koale snorted and stood. “Lisnoir have cloaca. We do not have junk hanging out.”
Felix put a hand out to obstruct his view. “All right, all right! I’ll take it back if you make yourself a loincloth.”
Koale rolled his eyes. A moment later a brown spotted loincloth was in his hand and he tied it on. “Better?”
“Immensely.”
“I still think this was a waste of resources.”
“Noted. I don’t care but noted. Squirrel’s done.” Felix handed Koale a stick of freshly roasted rodent.
Koale took the sad kabab and took a bite. “I think I’m going to sit up with the research a bit after this, and then go to bed. I expect you to be properly attired when you come up,” he said with a parting jab towards Felix’s ruined grass skirt.
Felix waved him off and set about gathering leaves for his new skirt. Making the skirt was easy, but tedious. It left him time for his mind to wander.
Felix wanted to do something for Koale- part apology and part welcome gift. The problem is, he didn’t have anything to give. Not that Koale seemed interested in much other than research and what he could make with the results.
But there was at least one thing Felix had seen that neither of them had studied.
Felix tied his new skirt around his waist. He grabbed a flaming stick from the fire as a makeshift torch. He wasn’t going far, but it was too dark to see without it.
Felix knelt down in front of the burrow under his tree. He held the torch carefully so as to not set anything on fire. This world was hard enough without adding to it.
Inside the burrow was much as he has left it. Several mushrooms ringed the edge of the burrow. Presumably, his nemesis, the numb squirrel, slept somewhere deep within. But that wasn’t his goal this night.
Felix reached in and grabbed one of the larger mushrooms. A light tug and it came free.
As he pulled his hand out of the burrow, the mushroom dropped. Felix’s hand was limp to the wrist and drug on the ground. He couldn’t even feel with.
Felix groaned as he realized what must have happened. The squirrel running back and forth all the time must have rubbed the paralytic all over the mushroom.
He put his numb hand over the mushroom and tried to put it in his inventory. It didn’t work. Of course.
His hand was already numb, so he might as well continue. Felix ran his wrist along the top of the burrow, trying to maneuver his hand behind the mushroom. There wasn’t enough room and he was accidently bumping the mushroom further inside.
He pulled his hand back and twisted his wrist until his fingers arched towards the side of the tunnel. He followed the burrow curve around behind the mushroom. Finally in position, Felix carefully bat the mushroom towards him.
Two eyes glowing in the torchlight was all the warning Felix had. The numb squirrel charged out of the burrow, pausing briefly at his hand.
Felix jumped backwards, nearly dropping his torch. The squirrel chittered and scampered into the night.
Felix sat there, working to regain his composure. Only then did he realize what the squirrel had stopped for. It had bitten him! That little bastard.
Fuming, Felix resumed working the mushroom out of the burrow. Once out, Felix scooped it up in a leaf and inventoried it. Koale had better appreciate this.
Felix hadn’t realized it had taken as long as it had, but the fire had all but died while he was gone. He took that as a sign, put his makeshift torch back in the fire and clambered off towards bed.
He paused by the research desk, shoving the door closed with his still numbed hand. It looked like Koale had sat up for a while. The progress was sitting at 40%. If they could spare to time to sit with it the next day as well, it’d be done before noon.
Felix sat on his bed and pulled off his new boots. He rubbed his heels. The snuffle leather was much stiffer than the glider leather, and breaking in the boots was going to give him sores. He decided to sleep barefoot and give his feet a rest.
He lay back and listen to Koale snore and Liz scurrying through the hut. He smiled and fell asleep.
Felix awoke to Koale’s calling from the ground. “Felix! Come grab some grub!”
Thoughts of the horrid tree eating worm came to mind, and Felix hoped his friend was not being literal. He sat up with a yawn and put his boots on his feet.
One of his boots was furry. And squeaked angrily. It was then Felix realized that Liz had been asleep when he went to bed the previous night. She was not the one scampering in the house.
Felix yanked his foot out as an irate numb squirrel leapt out of his boot and towards the door.
Fortunately for everyone involved, the door was cracked. The squirrel escaped Felix’s righteous wrath once more.
Felix put his boot on once again before he realized his mistake. His foot quickly numbed and went dead. On the bright side, at least his blisters wouldn’t hurt.
“That was a cute little critter running out of there. A new friend for Liz?” asked Koale, as Felix struggled down the ladder.
Felix glowered at him. “Food.”
While he ate, Koale chattered away about plans and projects. He mentioned some ink he had found nearby. Felix didn’t pay much attention, he was busy planning traps for his small, annoying neighbor.
By the time Felix finished eating, he had recovered his mood. “So, I got you a thing last night. It’s a bit late, I know, but here’s a rebirthday gift for you.” Felix pulled the still leaf wrapped mushroom out of his inventory and presented it to Koale.
“Rebirthday? That’s,” Koale paused, “Morbid is the word I am looking for. Morbid.”
“So you don’t want it? I can toss it.”
“Hand it here.” Koale grabbed the leaf present and opened it with careful claws.
“Be careful! It is covered in the squirrel’s numbing chemical.”
Koale froze, but the mushroom was already on his palm. He put it back on top of the leaf. “How quickly does it work?”
Felix walked closer. “Almost instantly. You don’t feel anything?” Felix poked the mushroom and felt the numbing tingles on his fingertip.
“Not a thing. Scales are likely preventing any absorption”
Felix felt a tinge of jealousy. “I suppose you can handle those from now on then.”
After they broke, Felix took another lap around the snares. He replaced the broken one and set out several more. He didn’t bring anything new back.
That was worrying. He wasn’t doing great on food supply with just him and Liz. Adding another person was going to run their meager stocks down even faster.
He returned to the tree house to be greeted by an ecstatic Koale.
“Felix!,” said Koale, “Check out the sticks in the research menu!”
Felix opened the menu as commanded.
Branch, Waterfruit
Researched Tiers: II
Properties: Wood, small; Haft;
Traits: Flexible
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
A week passed with its share of successes and failures.
Research chugged along at a steady pace. After the waterfruit branch finished, both the mushroom and the numb squirrel hide went onto the desk. The latter was uninteresting; it was simply tagged at small leather. The former was more interesting.
The mushroom had a property tag of “anaesthetic”. Koale was ecstatic with the possibilities and ran another mushroom to get it up to tier 2. The additional information revealed it was both fast acting and worked through skin contact.
After Felix’s many skirmishes with the numb squirrel, he felt no surprise at this. Koale on the other hand spent half a day planning out elaborate concoctions which would be made, from medical to more sinister.
They also got a number of basic materials up to tier 2. Everything from the vines, to logs to two different sorts of rocks were covered.
Out of curiosity, they also put in a spear. It seemed the previous problem was that it wasn’t system made, as the offering was accepted by the desk. The research took a full day, but at the end was only marked tier 1. Felix was intrigued by the idea of tier 2, but daunted the the time it would take.
As it was, the spear research had unusual results. It allowed the creation of an atlatl, and also opened up customization options for the spear. When he tried to look look at said options, he was presented with a red message which said the work would need to be done at a workbench.
Overall, the atlatl was far more useful a tool than their experiments with bows. When they researched offal, because of course Koale just had to research animal guts, it yielded the last component needed for bows, they decided to try.
In a day of practice, not only did only one shot hit the target, but even the accelerated healing couldn’t keep up with the bruises from the bowstring.
Knives were also researched without exciting results. It also allowed customization options with the same workbench caveat, and opened a recipe for sheaths.
Aside from research, Felix and Koale made great progress on their little home as well.
Once tier 2 had been researched on the log and vines, a workbench was made available to build. It didn’t look lik
e much; it was thicker and sturdier than the research desk and had some small amount of storage.
For as unassuming as it looked, the workbench was where the real progress stemmed from.
Following in the footsteps of unimpressive, yet useful additions, there was now a small wooden bucket and sieve near the fireplace. This contraption allowed the two to pulp leaves over the fire. Thankfully the system did most of the work. After leaves and water were put in the slots and the whole thing suspended over the fire, a timer appeared.
The pulp, once done could be turned into paper at the workbench. And, of course, once they had paper and new levels researched, Koale promptly demanded an updated research desk.
Felix did have to admit the update was worthwhile. The rough, bark covered edges of the planks were gone. The planks were sanded smooth. The ropes were thin and tightly braided. Clever notches were cut into the plants to secure the rope and keep it out of the way. And on top of the desk, a sheaf of rather green paper.
New spears and knives were made. The two rocks had turned out to be basalt and gabbro with traits of porous and sturdy, respectively. They used gabbro for both spears and knives. Waterfruit branch for the haft of the spear.
The differences in quality weren’t as profound as that of the research desk, but they were there. Once finished, Felix tried the customization options. There was everything from serrated blades to a cross brace for the spear. Some of the options required more materials, such as the cross brace, but not most.
Once he had examined the options, Felix took a look at the atlatl. It was cheap to make, so he made a pair for Koale and himself. It looked like a stick with a hook to hold the butt of the spear. It took a while for Felix to get a hang of it. By the end of his practice, however, Felix was confident he was more of a danger to something else when throwing than to himself.
Remembering his last encounter with the snuffle lizards, Felix picked a cross brace on one spear. He left the other one plain, figuring it would be easier to throw.
Koale, however, opted for something a bit different.
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