The morning after Mark and Ava headed west, Dale started the morning fire to cook breakfast for those in camp. It would be a small meal today, as there were three of the normal eaters gone. Mark would be sad to know that he was going to try cooking the eggs he brought back from the marsh with some of the bacon they got from one of the pigs that was recently killed.
The eggs turned out pretty good; he had added some of the various spices they had in their stores along with some wild onions. The bacon turned out great too. Tom was the first one in line for food, followed by Lena. He then made himself a plate and sat down to eat with the others.
After breakfast, he and Tom planned to build their rope-twisting machine. They needed stronger material for tying and binding, Mark wanted better bowstrings, and Tom needed it for leatherworking.
They had just finished building the machine and were about to test it when Cora walked into camp. Dale said, “Hello, Cora. Did you get lost while surveying the marsh? You were gone a couple days.”
Cora replied, “I was busy collecting things.” She moved between the workbenches, unloading reeds, strange roots, marsh plants, grain stalks, cloth, fibers, seeds, eggs, vegetables, a bottle of unfamiliar liquid, and various tools. Dale repeatedly reached toward an item only for Cora to move to another table and reveal something else. Finally, she stepped back. “I found this stuff and a few more things, but we are out of table space.”
Dale finally came forward and started looking through items. Just a few moments later, Tom and Lena joined him in this scavenger hunt of items.
Dale picked up a root and asked, “Where did you find this?”
“Oh, I think on the west side of the marsh, or maybe on the south side.”
Tom picked up the cloth. “Where did this come from?”
“Oh, far east. I also found people there.”
All three of the others turned and stared at her. Tom said, “You could have led with the people.”
Cora replied, “They aren’t the first people I’ve met while exploring. Is that important?”
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The other three just stared at her.
Dale was still looking over the items on the table and picked up the grain stalks. “Wait, forget the people. Where did you get this? I have to have more.”
Cora came over and looked at the grain. “Oh, that. There was a huge field of it down south; as far as you could see, this stuff was growing. Is it important?”
Dale thought about all the little projects he had been working on. One of the vegetables they had found was similar to a sugar beet, and he had been working to make sugar. He had also been cultivating yeast from the fungus they got from the cave. Now he had wheat. He could make bread sometime in the near future.
“Well, only if you like bread, maybe cakes, cookies, pasta, cereals, and pancakes.”
“Okay, so it’s good, I guess.”
Lena and Tom both said together, “Yes, we need more of that wheat.”
Cora then looked around. “Where is Mark? I think he will want to know about the people.”
The group explained to her about Ava and her desire to go on adventures like her. They explained how Mark did not want her to go alone and how they went to see what was west past the stream.
Finally, Cora told them about the people she had found. Multiple groups lived in the rocky eastern area, where little vegetation and few trees made building with wood difficult. She had met two traveling groups. One was trying to live off the land, while the other wanted more adventure.
She had told them about the cave and the changes that had happened each day. They wanted to come and try it. “Some of them sounded half crazy when I mentioned it,” she told them. One guy kept asking her about it changing between runs. They were really excited.
And she came back to camp to see if Mark would be okay with them coming and running the cave to see what else could be found there. Tom and Dale were sure that Mark would be okay with it and told her to bring them back.
Both groups wanted to trade. Specifically, they wanted salt. But they would like to trade for other items also; some of the items she brought back were from them as trade offerings.
The four of them talked about the items she had seen and where she found them. They wanted stuff from the marsh; they wanted more wheat. The material she brought was very useful. Also, whoever made it could teach them about making clothing to go with the leatherworking Tom was doing.
In the end, they decided to send trade goods back with Cora and have her bring anyone who wanted to try the cave. Tom and Dale also asked her to learn what people were making, who made it, and whether any tradespeople would exchange skills.
Dale and Tom also decided that they wanted to travel south and see the wheat fields and look at that area. Lena let them know she could go with them to make sure they stayed safe.
Once the plans were made, Cora got a few days’ worth of rations from Dale and headed back east. Tom and Dale prepared for the trip south.
Lastly, Dale said, “I wonder if anyone will be here when Mark gets back.”