A Welcomed Visitor

JP with Redsword, Lorem, Bandorchu and Cindy

Wolf was glad to be free once more. His name is cleared from murder now and most of his research is completed. Wolf spent most of his time helping others. In his research of the Cult, he had talked to Islana, Alexis, and Gonyaul about what they saw and did. It has been a week now Wolf has stopped by Alexis's land and helped with the house they were building. Wolf this time had a small deer across his shoulders that Wolf had hunted earlier. There was enough meat to feed more than just Wolf.

He walked up to the house seeing Islana first Wolf called out "Good day Islana!" Wolf yelled he then saw Alexis as well. "And Good day to you Alexis! I bring Meat to share with you." declared Blackwolf.

“Greetings, Boyce.”

Alexis greeted candidly while still working another plank of wood into the ever growing house construction.

The man had been a frequent and increasingly welcome visitor to their plot, at this point clearly more personally invested with them than just learning about the cult.

A very learned man, conversation with him was never dull.

“Quite the catch you brought there! Thank you.”

Still walking closer,"There is enough to go around and with the building of the house I thought you could use it," Wolf replied.

“We sure can. Gonyaul’s going to be very happy about it, too. He should return shortly.”

Finally satisfied enough with her current progress to take a break, she put her tools down and joined Islana and Blackwolf.

Islana looked up, from the job she was currently working on, upon hearing the man's voice. He was an interesting man and his visits were always good.

Islana had been nervous upon first meeting Boyce, that feeling had quickly faded.

"Greetings," she called back and went over to meet with him.

Alexis joined them and Islana said, "It's definitely appreciated. If you bring it over there I can get it butchered."

The young woman pointed out an area she had set aside for such tasks. Slightly away from the main area so it wouldn't be in the way.

Alexis knew building, Gonyaul was an expert at farming, wells and things like that. Islana had been learning these things as the progress of the land continued, a quick learner, but certainly not to their levels but she was excellent at butchering animals. Fast and very accurate.

Wolf walked over to a nearby tree by the house. Quickly tieing the rear hoof and hosting it up and tieing off the rope to start the butchering process. "It's good to see all of you," Wolf said. He reached into a small bag Wolf had with him. Pulled out a small bag and showed Alexis, "You could probably use these." presenting a bag of nails.

“Never too much of them around, true that. Thanks again.”

Alexis chuckled.

“Anything good we can do you in return?”

Islana began butchering the animal. The process was almost ingrained in her by now. She was fast but careful in her method.

This was different than the basic butchering that took place after downing an animal. She was much more precise with this, turning each useable part into varying cuts so the most meat could be yielded.

Suddenly, coming into view was an abomination that looked like it was a golem made of mud, dirt, fecal matter and other small debris. It was just Gonyaul, he had been working on adding a new feature to the outhouse. A bunker like entrance, cutting into the earth using proposed retaining walls he still would have to make using stone and lumber, to access the deposits for use as fertilizer with more ease. Almost like a ground level angled cellar doors.

Basically he was burrowing into the ground underneath using the same technique used for basic hand-dug wells. He had dug down 4 feet beneath the outhouse’s structural foundation. It was dangerous doing a hand dug well because getting out and cave ins could become an issue. He had a strong rope though that led out from the hole and was anchored to the base of a tree’s trunk just in case.

Eventually he would horizontally dig an upward slope from his current project but for now it was just the hole. It was also taking longer because he was trying to reinforce it as he went.

He smelled worse than he looked. That unpleasant aroma greeting them before he was able to. He bowed and signed to them all and addressed their guest.

“Greetings”.

Wolf smiled "Good day, Gonyaul. How are you?" asked Blackwolf. Wolf picks up the deerskin and started to attach the deerskin to the frame for stretching.

Islana looked up from her work briefly to give a friendly wave to Gonyaul. Then put the deerskin to the side, then returning to her work.

With the deer butchered, the young woman noticed the skin had been hung and stretched. It should be tanned but Islana didn't think she had what she needed to tan it.

She packed the meat away from the sun, in the smoke hut, so they had time to cook and eat it before it went bad. Cleaned off her hands and went back to the group.

"I don't have everything I need to tan the skin. I'll get it in town tomorrow." Said the redhead not thinking much of it.

Gonyaul smiled, his pearly white teeth really standing out in contrast to his muck covered face. He paused to think about it looking up in the clouds wistfully. He knew he was looking in the cardinal point direction of Kru’ll and by association, the Forsaken Lands. To them it looked as if he was daydreaming again.

“Tis great day to be life.”

He bowed to them and excused himself.

“I go get wash clean.” He just needed to grab the change of clothes that he had staged prior to getting messy just outside of the house. He was careful to pick it up using two big tree leaves so as not to soil them.

He then proceeded to the well where he would have to haul up bucket after bucket of cold fresh water to fill a nearby wooden tub so that he could bathe.

Wolf gives Gonyaul a small bow as he leaves. Hearing Islana comment, Wolf looked over at the dear parts. Islana was almost too efficient cutting that deer up, thought Wolf. Then made a mental note not to get in a knife fight with Islana. "May I suggest something, Islana?" asked Wolf.

Her green eyes looked at their guest and responded, "Certainly."

"You can use the brains of the deer and water. You can use an animal’s brain in tanning, you have to cook the brain first. There are a few ways of tanning with the brain, and each calls for a different brain-water mix. For paste consistency, you need to prepare. You just add a quarter of the water of the brain size to the mix. Then cook until it becomes a paste then apply. I can scrape the skin while you get that ready if you like." Wolf suggested.

Wolf paused thinking. "I have seen it done, have not really done it myself," Wolf confessed.

Islana listened, taking the details in. She had heard something about brains being used for tanning but didn't know much about it.

"That does sound like something I would like to try." The young woman left the man to the job of scraping the skin while she made sure the fire was hot enough.

Then the huntress went about gathering the brain and putting it in a pot that was used for cooking things that were not for eating. She had tried to get the best idea she could of the size of the brain, then eyeing the amount of water. It was by no means an exact science.

It will be sheer luck if I get this right on the first try. Islana thought as she placed the pot over the hot fire.

Meanwhile, Gonyaul finally finished filling the outdoor wooden tub with enough water. He quickly undressed and got in. It was freezing, knocking the wind slightly out of his lungs as he dunked under the surface.

He scrubbed vigorously, it felt like a race between cleanliness and hypothermia. Finished he sprung from the bath and grabbed the towel beneath his change of clothes. All exhaustion was expelled and he felt wide away as he dried off. He decided to just leave his hair down instead of braiding it.

Gonyaul jumped into his clothes once dry and proceeded to dump out the dirty bath water. He next began the process of hauling up more fresh water so he could wash the work clothes. He didn’t need nearly that much for that task, two buckets later and he was able to begin.

Once he had done all he could to clean the work outfit, Gonyaul hung it out to dry. He made sure the tub was cleaned up for the next use. Then he drained it.

Gonyaul, still experience goosebumps from the cold bath, decided to jog back to where everyone was socializing and working.

Coming back into view, Gonyaul looked like a new man. He neared, curious to observe what the others were up to.