The Survivor Becomes a Dungeon

Basti POV

It was almost foolish to worry as much as she had. Her cubs are taking to the people well and seem to be finding their niches already.

Her runt was the only one, in particular, worrying her since he wouldn't socialize much with the others. What he did, however, was pretty impressive. As Basti strolled around the Haven, she occasionally spotted movement out of the corner of her eyes. If she couldn't sense where he was and if she wasn't familiar with shadow magics, Basti probably wouldn't have spotted him.

The runt was putting his newly developed body through the paces, zipping from shadow to shadow. He was swiping down flies and mosquitoes, recognizing them to be annoyances and threats. Occasionally he even found a spider starting its little web and struck down a mouse he discovered with furious prejudice. Basti couldn't help but chuff with amusement as she watched from out of sight. Her runt may be a natural in stealth, but he had a long way to go.

Checking in on her blue-furred cub, she seemed to be intently pacing after the anxious lizard woman herbalist. Basti could agree that the woman had an alluring scent, not tasty, but the smell of herbs and nature was pleasing compared to everyone else.

Virtisa POV

Virtisa was certainly anxious right now, especially since the blue prowler had been following her for a little while now as she went around checking on the few folks with open wounds and other sorts of scrapes and injuries. The prowler would come close and frequently sniff her herb pouch, even gently pawing at it, which consistently startled Virtisa while she was grinding up poultice.

The look in the blue prowler's eyes is what confused her. It almost looked to her like true intelligence, how she would sniff each herb, swath of moss, and mushroom. How the prowler's eyes would follow her hands as she plucked each ingredient to make a specific treatment for a different type of wound. It unnerved her, but she wasn't sure why. However, she will admit it was pleasant spending time with someone, even if it was a young beast who could quickly kill her.

Basti POV

Leaving her blue-furred cub to her new friend, she strolls back around to the longhouse and spots the red-furred cub hanging around the cooking area now. This was the most still she's ever seen her largest cub be. He was almost transfixed, watching the work of Remi and Luna as they got into prep.

Remi POV

"Heh, look at that, Remi. Kitty is keeping an eye on us." Luna mused as she carried over a skinned deer that Cinco bagged this morning. She took up a freshly sharpened cleaver and began the butchering.

Remi chuckled softly in response as he worked off a stone cutting board they fashioned a couple of days ago and glanced over to the red prowler. Remi's ear twitched with realization as he noticed the red prowler was now watching him mince some mushrooms and roots. What was more interesting was that red's right paw had been moving up and down in the same rhythm as Remi's knife-hand. "Hey, what do you think you're doing there?" He mused to the prowler with a smile as he went back to chopping.

He did other prep work, not noticing the red prowler scooting closer to cutting board and sniffing the ingredients inquisitively. The teen snatched up tiny pieces of the mushroom and tuber, doing more little sniffs and tasting them. The red prowler quickly scoots away as Remi returns with some cuts of venison, a mixed herb paste, and a pouch of black salt, which was technically an alchemical ingredient but that served no purpose here outside of cooking.

Remi was soon struggling a bit as he got to work on starting the fire. Since the other camp members accidentally snuffed out the old fire pit before either he or Luna could save the coals and embers for this fire. Though as he worked on getting some friction sparks, he was suddenly surprised by the red prowler as they suddenly blew a little bolt of flame into the fire pit, the wood catching a lot faster than Remi was ready for as he jumped back.

The red prowler's ears suddenly reared back with surprise at Remi's sudden reaction, but Remi offered a smile as he held his hands up placatingly. "Whoa, hey there, it's fine, I'm fine… I appreciate your help, little buddy." The red prowler was hesitantly relaxed as he focused back on what Remi was doing.

Basti POV

Basti couldn't help but smile as she stepped away, looking around for her final cub as she strolled around the Haven, watching as most people and families started disassembling their camping areas. They were turning most of the tent materials over to Sylvia and Miriam to do with what they saw fit and bringing the bedding, pillows, and blankets into the longhouse to start picking spaces to sleep in tonight.

After a while, she came across a group of children sitting in a half circle under the shade of the tree. A dogkin mother tells the kids some stories and even sings songs they get to sing along with.

Among the kids, she noticed her white-furred daughter sitting with the children as she meows and yowls along with the songs. Basti was rather impressed by the second sing-along. The cub was almost making the sounds of words and emphasizing the cadence of the notes of the music.

Watching her daughter for a little longer, she turned away and found a place for herself in the shade of another tree and finally took that nap she had been putting off.

Vitmori POV

I think I can stop worrying about the people in the Haven for a bit. I've finally gotten them out of the elements. With a roof and walls between them and the outside, they should be able to sleep more cozily at night.

I probably shouldn't have to worry about too many defenses so early on. While this world is perhaps dangerous, even I can tell that this is not a ruined wasteland like my home world. But that also doesn't mean I can relax, but at the same time, I also don't need to be over-vigilant.

If the memories I've absorbed are correct, I've also got to start planning for the winter since we've just entered this world's equivalent of the fall season. While I don't have a world map anywhere, I know that the Empire's territory is supposed to be warmer than the rest of the continent in the wintertime. This probably means that we're on the southern hemisphere of this planet, and if I'm right, we're looking forward to a brutal winter.

Hmm… 'Jack, come to me.' I called out to him, needing his help with some of my plans. It isn't long before he flits in before my pedestal. It's only now that I noticed Oururu sitting there, just staring into the middle distance with his tail in his mouth. Poor thing, I should show him some more attention. Look how out of it he is.

"Yes, Vitmori, what do you have for me?" Jack asked as he settled down on the stone across from Oururu and looked up at me.

'Ah, there you are, yeah, I needed… What are you wearing?' I just noticed the bandana around his neck, curious as to where he got it.

"Oh, this thing? I-it's nothing special, Vitmori. Just something that a dwarf lady made because I saved her kid. I don't mind it." He expressed dismissively with a flustered flutter of his wings.

I could feel the thoughts racing in a flustered frenzy in his feathery head, and chuckled to myself.

I couldn't help but smile to myself in response. 'It looks good; make sure to take care of it.' I enthused to him warmly, Jack merely averting his gaze as his feathers puffed up a little. 'Anyways, I need you to go and take 5 of your birds to head east of us and see if you all can find a village or settlement. If you do, try to find a field for crops and steal as many plants and seeds as you can and bring them to me to see what this world has to offer in fall goods.'

Jack looks confused, but I can feel the gears whirring in his mind as he lets out a slow nod. "I see, alright, Vitmori; we'll be back as soon as possible." Jack said resolutely as he bowed with one wing extended and the other to his chest before taking off.

Alright, now to hear back from Zasutir tonight.