Mark looked in the direction the sound came from. Looking at the map, he saw there was a point of interest called Dense Grove. Most of the map going east was grayed out like a fog of war was over it. He had placed most of his traps between camp and the stream to the west. He decided he wanted to see what was out there, so he headed directly east.
As he looked around, he realized how much more he now saw. The paths around him were obvious. He followed the tracks on the ground with his eyes. He could see where many animals had passed through. As he followed one of the paths going east, he found one spot that seemed ideal. He had the feeling that a simple snare would be best there. Resource Surveying confirmed what he had already suspected. The grove contained better timber than anywhere he had explored so far.
As he studied the area, Resource Surveying quietly pointed out things he would have ignored before. A patch of straight saplings better suited for tool handles. Stones with fewer cracks that would make stronger tools. Taller hardwoods that would produce better lumber. He forced himself to keep walking. There would be time later to gather materials here, but for now he was exploring.
He continued east until he felt that he was nearing the edge of the zone. Opening the map, he saw that his camp sat east of the zone’s center and that the Dense Grove covered most of the northeast corner, stretching from north of camp to the eastern boundary.
He started heading north, taking a wandering path through the forest. He found another promising trap location, but the larger tracks told him an anchored snare would be needed to hold anything caught there. He was surprised by how much better he could judge which trap belonged in each location. As he continued north, the vegetation changed. The trees grew taller and older, and even the young saplings were stronger than those near his camp.
A fallen tree caught his interest. Resource Surveying recognized the harder wood as better material for sturdier traps and tool handles. He reminded himself that he was exploring today and could return later to gather it. As he passed another tree, something caught his attention. He stopped and examined the area more carefully.
At first, he thought he saw an animal track under the edge of a bush. He bent down to look closer, but as he examined it, he realized it was not a track at all. He saw signs of disturbance then, including a broken limb on the bush. Shaking it off, he continued heading deeper into the area. He identified more places that would be great spots for traps and noticed more signs of animals he had not seen before.
Mark then found a limb lying on the ground. It seemed out of place. He then saw the tree that it must have come from. Something had pulled it off. Looking closely, he saw that the limb had been trimmed. Then he saw another track. Also not from an animal. The limb had been cut in a way similar to how he might have done it. He picked it up and examined the cut in more detail. It was a clean cut, not torn; it had been made using a tool of some type.
He knew he had never visited this area before. As he examined the grove further, he noticed more details. Whatever had come through here had been purposely gathering things. Something or someone like him. Whoever it was knew what they were doing. Farther ahead, he found another broken branch. On its own, it meant little, but when combined with the other signs, a pattern started forming. Near the next broken limb, he found tracks pressed into the soft dirt.
Then he saw a plant to the side of the path, upside down. Something had pulled it out and then discarded it. He continued to follow the trail through the forest. Plants, limbs, prints. The trail went on. Some places looked rushed, and in others, it looked like whoever it was was sneaking along. Then the trail abruptly ended. The signs did not gradually disappear. They simply stopped. He was now really deep into the grove.
He slowly realized he was not tracking prey but something out here that thought like he did. As he continued looking around, he had the feeling he was being watched. But he could not see or hear anything unusual. Whatever was out there, it had chosen not to reveal itself. He had explored enough of the grove to understand its value. He knew this place would be a great resource gathering area. His exploration was over; it was time to get back to his camp.
As he traveled, he thought over all the things he had seen. New places where he could place traps. Vegetation that could be useful. New sources for stronger wood. But he could not shake the feeling that someone was still out there. When he finally reached camp, he started a fire and cooked some of the meat he had. When it was done, he put it in his clay bowl and sat down to eat.
While eating, he had the feeling that something had changed, but he could not put his finger on it. After he put out the fire and washed out his bowl, he started looking around. He really needed to find a place to put his bowl. Lacking a better spot, he put it on the edge of the fire ring. Unable to identify what felt wrong, he decided checking his trap line would give him something concrete to focus on.
Walking to the first trap, he looked at it. It was like he had never seen it before. He could see frays that needed fixing, and the wood on top would break as soon as it trapped the next animal. His improved trapping knowledge had changed how he evaluated every trap. As he checked the line, he made minor repairs and upgrades along the way.
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At the next trap, he realized it was not where he had placed it before. Looking around, he found the correct spot and moved it. Or at least he put it back where he believed he had placed it before. Something was off, but he could not figure it out. He finished checking his traps and gathering his kills, but his mind remained back in the grove and whoever had been moving through the trees there.
As Mark approached camp, something still felt off. Stopping at the edge of camp, he could not see anything out of place. Finally, he decided he was just being jumpy and started moving forward. He grabbed his chair and went to sit down; halfway through, he got distracted and fell over the chair onto the ground. Then, looking back at the crafting table, he saw his bowl. He was sure he remembered leaving it on the fire ring.
Mark stopped and looked around. Looking at the sky, he knew the sun was going to set soon. He then looked into the forest and then back toward the bowl. Picking up his chair, he sat down in it. As the last light of sunset dimmed, he started the fire. He added a little extra wood to make it bigger tonight. He did not feel as safe as he had when the day began. Someone had been here, and it had been recently.
* * *
Mark woke from a restless night’s sleep. He looked around to make sure that he was still alone. He looked at his bowl, still sitting on the crafting bench. Looking around, he could not see anything out of place, but he felt off. He felt like something was watching him. He needed to relax; if it wanted to hurt him, it would have already done that. He decided he could not just sit in camp and stress. He needed to check the trap lines. That way he could get his mind off this feeling he was having.
He moved through the trap line quickly. Two traps had a few misfires. Some of the placements needed adjusting; nothing unusual. But then he found the first one that had been reset wrong. He could tell that it had been successful and caught something. As he got closer, he could see blood and some feathers on the ground. The trap wasn’t even set up correctly. Someone was out here playing with his traps.
This was no animal; he looked around the area and also listened for anything out of the ordinary. But he could not sense anything wrong other than that feeling of being watched. Someone had tried to use his trap. They were not just passing through or scavenging. They were trying to use what he had built, learning from it. Mark cleaned up the area and prepared the trap in the correct manner. Then he continued setting and fixing traps as he moved through the forest.
Trap placement was almost second nature to him now. When he was done with his traps, he returned to camp. Again, something felt off, and then he heard a sound; it was not natural. Not a forest sound; he started to look around but found nothing. As he walked into camp, he stopped cold. At first glance he found nothing missing, and then he saw them. There were items on the crafting table. He looked around the camp again.
Nothing moved, and as far as he could tell, nothing was missing, but something felt off. Looking back at the crafting table, he really looked at it, and he could see four small piles of items. Some were berries similar to the ones he found but a little bigger. There was something that looked like an herb. He picked it up and smelled it. That might help the flavor and taste of his food. The last two items were vegetables but nothing like the ones he had previously found.
“Well, that’s new.” This was not just something random. Someone had put them here with purpose. This was definitely not an animal. Just then he heard a stick snap in the forest, and he turned his head toward the sound but saw nothing. But then something moved. He caught only a small glimpse of it as it went behind a tree. Mark put down all the tools he was holding and slowly walked in that direction.
When he got to the spot, he found nothing. But then he saw a broken stick. Someone must have caused that sound that he had heard. He stopped and listened but heard nothing. Even the forest had now gone quiet. He continued to follow whoever it was. From time to time he could hear a sound, and he stopped to listen. His skills were kicking in, making it easier to follow the trail. It changed directions a few times, but he just followed it deeper into the forest until he lost it.
He could sense changes in the woods. He saw the telltale tracks that were left behind. They were moving slowly, making sure they were not easy to see or follow. This continued past many more trees, and then he rounded another tree and froze. Something shifted between the trees. He stepped forward and stopped; there was a person there looking at him. Neither of them spoke, just watching each other.
Standing between two trees was a woman; she put her hands out, showing that she had nothing in them. This is not what he had expected. She stood there just watching. Mark stared back at her. She was not afraid; who was she? How did she get here? Then he heard her voice. “The items I left are in exchange for the meat I took.” Then before he could think to say anything, she turned on her heels and vanished into the forest.
He looked at the space where she had been. She was gone. Still utterly confused, he responded. “Okay.” He felt relief that it was not some type of beast. Thinking back to what she said, he realized she had taken the meat and left food in exchange.
Mark looked back in the direction of his camp and then in the direction she had left. That was interesting. He stood there trying to decide if he should follow her. In the end, he watched the direction she had left before returning to camp. He said, “Well, she knows where I live. If she wants to talk, she knows where to find me.”
He shrugged and headed back to camp. When he reached it, he examined the items again. She had taken some of his meat from his traps and left some vegetables in exchange. It was not a desperate move but a deliberate move. Mark looked over the items again. Picking up one of the berries, he popped it into his mouth. Wow, they tasted amazing.
The sun was setting, and Mark was again alone in his camp. Not safe, but he was not worried anymore. He slowly made dinner and then ate it as he thought over his day. So much had changed today. What would tomorrow bring for him? Then as the last of the daylight ended, he climbed into his lean-to.
Lying in bed, he mumbled. “I’m not alone out here.” Thinking back to the girl in the forest, he remembered the food she left on the table. “And she’s not helpless.”