The morning light filtered through the doorway, casting a soft glow on the stone walls of their new home. A sense of warmth permeated the air, a comfort they had never quite experienced before in their previous, drafty dwellings. As they prepared breakfast together, hushed tones of contentment filled the space, a shared appreciation for the quiet solidity of their new rooms.
The simple breakfast was filled with a gentle family love. Everyone offered bits of their meager portions to one another, a silent testament to their bond. Lyra, however, watched with a playful pout as extra morsels landed on his brother' neil plate, a touch of sibling jealousy coloring her expression. It was a fulfilling start to the day, despite the lingering scarcity of food.
After breakfast, her mother placed a gentle hand on Neil's shoulder. "You worked so hard these past few days, little one. Perhaps today you should take a rest." Aunt Seraphina chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Yes, Neil," she chimed in, "you rest those weary arms of yours today. Otherwise," she paused dramatically, a playful smile spreading across her face, "you'll be the one hunting for our dinner tonight as punishment!"
A mix of joy and distress settled within Neil. Joy for the warmth of his family's affection and the security of their new home, but distress gnawed at him as he considered their resources. The rapid construction had completely depleted his stores of both stone and wood planks. He was left with nothing in his primary building materials. Helpless to build further for the moment, he resigned himself to staying close to home.
Later, he mentally reviewed his inventory:
* Page 1: 86 sticks (Slot 1)
* Page 2: 2 dark oak saplings (Slot 1), 7 sweet berries (Slot 2)
* Page 3: Empty
His shortcut bar held his most frequently used tools: the efficient iron pickaxe, his trusty stone pickaxe, a stone axe, and a stone shovel. At the forefront of his thoughts, he also recalled the now less useful wooden pickaxe, wooden axe, and wooden shovel relegated to the back of his mental toolbelt.
With little else he could immediately construct, Neil spent some time helping his mother with small tasks around their new home. Lyra, ever resourceful, announced she was going out to collect herbs and fruits from the nearby areas. though her intentions went beyond just gathering food; she was also keeping an eye out for small animals, like rabbits, that could potentially be caught and kept near the house as a future emergency food source.
Seen this neil begen to plead Lyra to let him tag along as he was getting bored from resting at home . She considered his earnest face for a moment, a smug smile playing on her lips before she finally agreed.
With that they venturing out towards the edge of the nearby forest, Neil was once again impressed by Lyra's keen eye. She was an expert gatherer, spotting valuable herbs and ripe wild fruits long before he even noticed them. Together, they collected a modest amount of food and useful herbs before returning home.
Back in the central open area, Aunt Astrid was diligently washing the gathered bounty. Lyra couldn't resist boasting about her superior foraging skills, recounting how she had spotted the best finds before Neil. Their mother chuckled, praising Lyra's sharp senses.
Meanwhile Neil's thoughts drifted to the future and the work that lay ahead. The flimsy wooden fence that once marked their boundary was now gone, a casualty of the storm. With no reliable way to preserve food and no established animal rearing or crop farming, their daily survival depended on venturing out. Seen there were so many things that needed to be done.
Lost in his thoughts, he felt a gentle tap on his head. His mother smiled softly. "Focus on what you can do now, dear one." Neil looked up at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, as if she had somehow glimpsed the turmoil of his thoughts. He gave her a small nod,telling that he was fine , but deep inside he decided to bring up the issues of the boundary and the lack of food during dinner, when the whole family was together.
As everyone returned from their day's tasks, they gathered in the central open area for their evening meal. The conversation turned to the idea of a boundary for their settlement, a replacement for the lost wooden fence.
Neil suggested building a more permanent fence made of stone, declaring his intention to start mining for the necessary materials the following day. His father and grandfather readily agreed. " Just don't push yourself too hard, lad," his father advised kindly. "You can take it slowly." Neil nodded, resolving to begin the work tomorrow.
As they ate their dinner, the dim light cast by the single lantern – a precious item they had traded for long ago – highlighted another pressing issue. The new stone rooms, while secure, were shrouded in darkness once night fell, as they lacked any windows. Neil decided that finding a source of coal or making charcoal would be another priority for the following day, to bring light into their home.
As the evening drew to a close, everyone prepared for sleep. Once again, Lyra began to weave her tales of ghostly figures and eerie sounds. Neil, despite pretending to be unfazed, couldn't help the small shiver that ran down his spine as he subtly whispered his own ghostly noises, eliciting a giggle from his sister before they all finally drifted off to sleep.