SURVIVORS
Chapters 14. Decision (revision)
This morning the search team was changed to Alan, Sunil, Leon and Liam. The hunting team becomes Toni, Alex and Gilang who remain led by Robert.
The goal, so that everyone can learn and master some of the skills needed to survive.
While the women have to prepare gloves and socks for everything.
Dean, Chandra and Indra's doctors are back around noon. The women who were sewing were surprised to see Indra covered in blood. Laras left his job and approached Indra.
"What's going on?" Worries were clearly visible on Laras' face as he brought Indra to sit down. The Goddess and Angel stepped aside to give them a place near the fire so they could warm themselves.
"We met the wolf when we returned." Dean handed the clean fish to Baras.
"Did you guys find the river?" The barrel receives the fish Dean proposes. Widuri prepared a teapot of warm water and glasses for them to drink.
"Actually Dr. Chandra found him. He's mired in a frozen river." Dean gulped down his drink and turned to Dr. Chandra.
"This is the only result we got this morning" Dean said.
"It's okay. We'll wait for Robert to come back with his game." Said Marianne who was seen checking some of the stitches. He hands over the gloves to Dean, Indra and Dr. Chandra.
Silvia was replacing the pads on Indra's arm with smaller pieces of cloth.
Marianne teaches women to sew gloves and socks. Others were tasked with cutting bandages from cloth bandages that were considered unable to be used as warm clothes and socks. They already had quite a lot of neatly rolled wound bandages.
"Do we have knives? Dean asked Laras.
"There is only a table knife for cutting butter and smearing jam. What do you need a knife for?" Baras asked back.
"To skin the wolf that attacked us." Dean pointed towards the wolf that was placed in front of the entrance. Everyone was surprised in that direction.
"Is that dead?" ask the Goddess fear.
"Yes, it's dead" replied Dr. Chandra who was sitting next to him.
"Can it be eaten?" Nastiti wants to know.
"Of course it can be eaten. That's why we brought it home. The fur is also good for hats and others." replied Dean.
"That's great for waterproof, anti-cold shoes. We don't have decent shoes for this kind of weather." Marianne said.
The women nodded. But it was definitely not an easy job to make wolf leather shoes. All this time they only know to buy shoes if needed.
"Marianne, how do you make shoes? Can you?" Michael, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"Yes, can. We just need to stitch it on the sole of the shoe with a needle and thread. I'll teach you guys how to make comfortable shoes here." Marianne was full of confidence.
"Why do only women make shoes? Men should also make their own shoes." Lena's voice was so loud.
"Yeah, I personally prefer to make shoes rather than be required to hunt and meet wolves." Angelina answered dexterously.
Another woman smiled meaningfully. They knew Lena was upset that no one was paying attention and serving her here. Nobody cares about it but Alex.
Before long Sunil, Alan, Leon and Liam returned while dragging 3 tree trunks for firewood stock. After that they rested and warmed themselves near the fire.
"Have you found your way to the foot of Dean's mountain?"
Alan clasped his cup in his hand to warm his extremely cold palm.
"This "finished glove for the men first. So please take it if you don't have it yet. For women, we need to get this job done faster."
Marianne pointed at the pile of pieces of cloth that had not been sewn and answered with a nod of the women's heads.
"We have not found our way to the foot of the mountain. We haven't come down far enough. But have prepared 2 shelters for us to rest on the way. We'd better discuss it tonight when everyone's together" Dean replied.
Alan was satisfied. If the shelter has been prepared, it is more soothing and safe for everyone.
Around 3 o'clock, Robert, Toni, Alex and Gilang returned from the hunt. This time they brought 3 rabbits and 2 bundles of asparagus.
"This is the root tuber of asparagus you asked for this morning."
Gilang handed over his luggage to Widuri. Widuri smiled happily
"Thank you. Hopefully this can be planted later."
Widuri set aside the roots of the plant. Then help Laras, Angel and Niken prepare foodstuffs.
Dean borrowed a knife on Robert to clean up the wolf they got last afternoon. The three with Alan they lifted the wolf away into the forest to clean it up.
The cut wood was stacked in the room. The cooking fireplace is ready. This time there was enough food. They can eat more. Widuri and Laras use soy sauce and chili sauce as food flavorings. No salt or pepper. Looks like the spices are flying with the pantry rack somewhere.
The sky begins to twilight as Dean, Robert and Alan return. Food and drink are almost cooked. Dean dismembered the wolf meat and stored it in a large plastic container that Niken had given him. That's their meal supplies for tomorrow.
"Well, we can have a meal before discussing the outcome of Dean's trip" Robert said.
They began to enjoy dinner with small talk. Until it does not feel all finished when Widuri, Laras and Niken clean the cutlery.
Robert is asking everyone for attention.
"Let's start, so we can rest faster. Please Dean."
"We've walked down quite a distance. In half the trip we have prepared a shelter. At the end of the afternoon trip we made a shelter near the water source. It is not clear if it is a lake or river. Because the surface is covered with snow. First shelter, the food source of the hunt. Second shelter, the food source is fish other than hunting." Dean's description is wide.
"Is it close to the foot of the mountain or outside the forest?" ask Toni.
"Looks not yet. From the hill in front of the shelter, we can still see the tops of trees in the distance. So, it seems that the location of the water source is still quite high from the foot of the mountain. So we still have to pave the way again to get to the bottom" replied Dean honestly.
"That means this mountain is very high...?" silvia gumam. Others were silent and thinking.
"How's the shelter?" Lena open the sound.
"Shelter was quite adequate as a stopover and temporary protection. It can still be made safer. But the room is not so wide. So we can split 3 or 4 teams to take turns" Dean replied.
"Or, could it be possible to create another shelter in that place in order to depart together? It would be better not to part with a small group. That's dangerous." Marianne made sure.
"Very can. Sure do. The next team can create an additional shelter if it wants to stay together. But I think it'll slow our movement down." Dean gave a new understanding.
"I think it's like that too. If we want to make the shelter big enough to fit everyone, then the front-most team should be made up of more men. That means the security of the back team is weak. Isn't that more dangerous?" Robert chimed.
The discussion that night grew lively as Laras took out a snack found the day before. They did not rush to sleep, as the air was quite warm in the room. The howls of the wolves were no longer too frightening because their place was strong.
The decision tonight, the team is divided by 3. The first team departs after some work is done and Robert returns from checking the rabbit trap for the last team's food stock.
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