Daily Life

Day 23, year 2

             I woke up this morning to find rain had puddled up inside of my cave. Despite my best efforts to fortify the outside of my dwelling, the storm from last night was too much for the branches and leaves which I had placed on top of the dirt mound’s roof. Thinking of digging deeper or just finding a new location. 

             The morning is redeeming itself a little, I was able to catch a fish in the nearby stream. The water level is close to overflowing so I was able to stand closer to shore and still find fish. Tamao will be very pleased with this catch, he loves fish. 

             After inspecting the leak again, it seems that the dirt I had dug up to form walls and a roof is just wearing away. I did not fortify it at all with the branches and leaves, they just added unnecessary weight to the structure. I will attempt to fix my mistake by lining the inner walls with branches as well. 

             Tamao and I grilled the largest fish after tracking down some dry wood. I gave my friend a larger portion than usual, he worked extra hard today to find that wood. He deserves it. 

  

Day 24, year 2

             I am feeling triumphant this morning. I woke up and I was not sprawled in a puddle of liquid. The work done yesterday proved successful. I will look for larger Palm fronds to make the roof smoother. 

             Tamao says he heard some humans making a ruckus last night. They didn’t bother my base camp, but the idea is worrying. Maybe I could create a deadfall to hinder them? 

             Another victory, the wild berries have finally appeared. They’re so much easier to collect than a fish is to catch. However, Tamao is pouting, he insists fish is worth it. 

             I’ve been curing some meats in the driest part of home, soon they’ll be ready to take out for the day’s journey. I am determined to find the place in this forest where I really belong. The fresh berries will come too. 

  

Day 31, year 2

             This morning I packed up all my prized possessions and stuffed them into my sack. The only thing that wouldn’t fit is my club. Why did I think that something so large and heavy could even be carried in the same bag as my precious fragile foods and trinkets? 

             Sometimes I take for granted how beautiful it is here. The trees are large and healthy, their leaves are green nearly all year. The ground is generally unobtrusive, beds of moss are friendly to the feet. I rarely ever have to walk through fallen twigs and leaves. The bamboo groves make funny noises when the wind blows through them. I thoroughly enjoy the patterns that the sun casts on the ground after its sunlight has filtered through the trees. These things are all so therapeutic. 

             After hiking for half the day Tamao and I indulged in some of our meat jerky. Rudimentary lunches like this are not very satisfying but they get the job done. 

             I think we walked over 10 miles today. My feet are aching from the trek, but I’m pushed forward by the desire to find that special place. Poor Tamao has been riding on my shoulder for half the day. I don’t blame him. 

             The moon is out, and the day has been long done but I have found a place where we can rest for the night. There is a hollowed pit beneath a large tree that is just large enough for the both of us. Here’s to hoping it does not rain tonight. 

             Something about this feels so familiar and comfortable. 

  

Day 32, year 2

             This morning I was woken up gently by the rays of the morning sun. For a moment, I was so relaxed that I couldn’t remember where we ended up last night. Seeing Tamao asleep on my hip somehow reminded me how much my feet were hurting the day before. 

             What luck, the tree we took shelter beneath last night is part of a larger densely forested grove. I’m fairly certain we discovered it by accident. The trees are so closely nit together it would be difficult for most to navigate around them. The majority of open ground space has been claimed by shrubs and other resilient plants. 

             I explored the area more thoroughly after placing Tamao on my tiger skin to sleep. The pit beneath is larger than I initially thought, then again, so is the tree. This grove is home to a family of gigantic conifer trees, possibly hundreds of years old. They would make many large Paralogos feel dwarfed in size. The trees have grown in such a way that they form a loosely shaped circle, leaving room in the center for a large boulder. Is the boulder magical? It’s strangely alluring. 

             I have decided to sit on the boulder. 

             Sitting on the boulder felt like sitting on any other rock, however, its height let me see more of the surrounding area. Between some of the trees on the East side of the grove there is a small opening between two of the large trees. There is something just beyond their opening. 

             I was able to find my way between the trees. Beyond their stubborn bark was another pathway which led to a small stone shrine and the largest conifer tree I’ve ever seen in my life. This is it. This is home. This will be my new home. 

   

Day 52, year 2

             The sun set faster than normal today, is it the Winter Solstice? Maybe the shortest day of the year? Man, I have no idea how that works. There were a few hiccups, but I’ve made it back to the Library. I haven’t been here in ages, I have missed my caretaker. 

             I had to wait anxiously outside after knocking on the door. Sure, I could have opened it myself, but it’s late. I could scare someone. The door lock clicked, and I was greeted to the soft smiling face of my dear caretaker. She embraced me without hesitation, I forgot how warm humans are. She’s upset that I didn’t come to visit her sooner, I can’t wait to tell her about my adventure and the beautiful nature I found. 

     I promise to visit more often.