The next morning Noctis stood once again on the front entrance ready to embark once again.
Elle stood alongside him, also ready to go on her way to work. She still had a very worried expression on her face as if his son was not going to the woods practically in their backyard; but on a war.
After his blunder of a statement last night, where he had to soothe her breaking into a crying fit over the guilt he knew better than to say whatever came to his mind.
No amount of logical explanation of a harvest gone wrong which caused the village to struggle as well as the market to slow down could calm her constant depreciation.
He had to engage in well over a couple hours of convincing to let him go back to this alone.
It couldn't be helped. She couldn't accompany him all the time. Not only would it slow him down, it would mean her going to cut very important hours of work.
Last time it happened she had to cover it by going even earlier and coming back much later at night. It wasn't feasible whatsoever.
Besides, the outskirts weren't really dangerous. Animals like boars and coyotes didn't come out of the deep region to it, something villagers attributed to a curse on them. And a boon to them in hindsight.
Whatever the reason, it was a fact that they hadn't encountered any such beats even though they were so close to the woods.
Even with all this her fears weren't allayed. Her husband's death must have taken a toll on her…
"Remember you mustn't lose your way. Always stick to the outskirts. No going deep in search of more fruits and roots like yesterday."
"Yes mother." Noctis sighed and replied.
She watched him leave with a still frown on her face. She was conflicted, but couldn't help it. She brooded some more before also leaving.
***
Noctis left even earlier today as he intended to try and get some meat. He didn't have much hunting skills but he knew simple traps. Even small rabbits and rats would help him immensely.
Immediately after the wilderness the feeling came rushing back.
'Nope. It isn't a general instinct at this point. This definitely correlates to the forest.'
Much like yesterday, he felt as if his situational awareness increased considerably.
He didn't remember ever having such a good sense of direction in urban environments, saying nothing of woods, but the moment he entered he felt as if he could remember every nook and cranny he went to yesterday and where he should go next.
He wondered if it had something to do with himself or the forest was actually enchanted like the villagers thought. Who knew what was possible in this world…
Since he didn't have any lead on it, he stopped thinking about it and just relied on it to focus and find a rabbit trail or something.
After finding a narrow, well-worn path hidden in thickets he started collecting tools for a simple snare trap.
He collected a twine near the thicket and cut a thin sapling. He gathered dry twine from an old tree bark, shaped a noose, and tied it to the sapling.
Using two forked sticks, he built a trigger. He set the loop above the trail and tested the tension before backing away.
He had collected some berries along the way in his pouch. After finding a suitable tree nearby which he climbed through much effort, he started watching, munching on it.
He sat there and started thinking about everything that had happened till now.
He had been sent into another world by an unfathomable identity to complete a task. After all that he had to go through at the facility it made him very conflicted at it.
He had some form of freedom now sure, but the circumstances surrounding his future path were still covered in darkness.
He had too little information regarding this world. He didn't have books or teachers that would teach him and he was too young and weak to venture out too far from home.
He also now had… a caretaker… in his life that cared for not missions but his well-being. He didn't know how he felt about it. It was far too foreign.
Even after two full days of experiencing it he didn't want to dwell too much on it. He knew he had to confront it some day. Afterall he would be leaving this place inevitably.
If not for the task then for himself. He was imprisoned most of the time in one facility for most of what he remembered.
He wanted to see more things. Experience the beauty and complexity of life without being buried under constant pressure of completing some mission. Some sort of violence.
'Just one task.'
He firmed his resolve and looked towards a little deeper in the forest.
If he wanted to give himself the best chances for completing the task. He better start his training.
He couldn't remain passive like this no matter how good it felt relaxing in the forest like this. Far too comfortable he realised.
He needed something to actively hunt down larger beasts. It was imperative to start practicing an art that would allow such.
And he had just the art in his mind.
Bow and arrow that his father used primarily and also gave some beginner skills in. He had stopped practicing after his father's death, but it was time he picked it up once again.
He noticed a rabbit had finally been shared into his trap and went down to collect it. He collected it and prepared another one.
After collecting two rabbits and some foraging, he went back home since the rabbit would spoil easily in heat if it wasn't skinned and gutted quickly.
***
After having some roasted meat he went towards the back of the house. After inspecting the area for some time and recalling his memories he started digging at a certain location.
Not too deep inside he found a long box buried there. Opening the box he found bows of different sizes and builds.
After his father's death, his mother had collected all his equipment and buried it not too far from where he was buried.
It had mostly his bows which were a bit bigger for him and required much more power for him. Fortunately it also had the smaller bow his father made for his 5 year old self.
It was inevitably smaller, but it was good enough for him to start.
Luckily it had a few of the arrows and since he was only going to practice in his backyard he wouldn't have to make more himself for now.
Thus taking it all out and picking a tree at some distance, relying a bit on his instinct honed through practicing on shooting as well as his memories he started practicing.