Temporary Shelter in the Forest and a Small Ray of Hope
The light of dawn filtered patchily through the gaps in the trees as Akio slowly opened his eyes. The remnants of last night’s campfire showed faint red embers hidden among the white ashes. Beside it, the five children slept huddled together, as if to confirm each other’s presence. The eldest, Ayane, had unconsciously wrapped an arm around little Yume to protect her. Alto and Kenta lay close to Ayane, and Miko was nestled between them, letting out small, peaceful breaths as she slept.
Seeing that scene, Akio felt a lump rise in his throat and a strong resolve well up from the depths of his gut.
I’ve got to find them a safe place to sleep, no matter what...
As the children began to wake one by one, Akio evenly divided the remaining calorie bars from last night and let them each sip water from his canteen. After that, he decided to ask Ayane and the relatively composed Alto about what had happened and the situation around them in as much detail as possible.
“Our village… it’s called Tilier Village, but… about three days ago, suddenly… armed people…”
Ayane lowered her gaze, her voice trailing off as she struggled to speak.
Alto picked up where she left off.
“They wore armor with crests I’ve never seen before. While the adults in the village fought back, the priest led some of us kids out through the back of the church… But we quickly lost our way and got separated from everyone…”
Apparently, they had been wandering the forest aimlessly for several days, barely eating anything. They didn’t know the fate of their parents or the other villagers.
Akio could only silently nod at that painful truth, but the most important thing now was to ease their fears, even a little.
“I see… You’ve been through a lot. Alright, first, let’s find some food and a place to shelter from the wind and rain for today.”
When Akio said that in as cheerful a voice as he could manage, the children’s faces seemed to regain a small trace of vitality.
Kenta immediately exclaimed, “I’ll go look for nuts and berries!” and tried to dash off, but Akio gently stopped him.
“Hold on, hold on. Some of them might be poisonous. If you find anything, show me first, alright?”
In his younger days, Akio had often gone foraging for wild vegetables and mushrooms as a hobby, so he had a decent amount of knowledge.
The plants in this world might not be identical to Earth’s, but it was better to be cautious.
Fortunately, they managed to find some red berries resembling edible ones Akio knew, and a few plants with thick roots that looked edible if properly prepared.
Kenta proudly brought back several types of mushrooms, but one of them looked suspiciously like the highly poisonous death cap mushroom Akio recognized.
“This one’s dangerous. Let’s put it back where you found it,” Akio advised gently, carefully sorting through the rest as well.
With a small supply of food secured, next was finding a place to sleep.
Akio surveyed the area and spotted a large rock overhang on a slightly elevated spot.
Behind it was a steep rock wall, and on the windward side, a large oak tree stood like a natural shield.
This should provide some shelter from the wind and rain and make them less visible to beasts.
“Alright, today we’re building a simple shelter here!”
Akio declared, then began gathering the branches from yesterday’s encounter with the beast, along with relatively straight and sturdy fallen branches and some flexible vines from around the area.
In his mind, memories of building secret hideouts as a child and the simple shelter-making skills he’d learned on construction sites came flooding back.
“Ayane and Alto, gather the thicker branches. Kenta, bring sturdy vines. Miko and Yume, could you gather dry leaves or grass we can use for bedding?”
At first, the children hesitated, but watching Akio swiftly select branches and trim the ends with a flat stone he used as a makeshift stone axe, they gradually began to move.
As he swung the stone, Akio unconsciously poured his strength into it as if speaking to the tool.
“Do your job properly, will ya…”
And strangely, it felt like the edge of the stone lasted longer, and the wood fibers cut more smoothly than usual.
“… I’m feeling unusually good today,” Akio muttered to himself with a puzzled tilt of his head.
The children, still hesitant at first, were encouraged by Akio’s serious expression and occasional gentle smile and worked hard to help.
Ayane and Alto carried the branches of the specified thickness, while Kenta, amused, wrapped vines around himself as he brought them over.
Miko and Yume competed to gather colorful leaves and soft-looking moss.
“Akio-san, look at this moss! It’s so fluffy!”
Miko held out a vivid green moss with a velvety texture.
“Oh, that’s great. It’ll feel nice spread on the floor.”
When Akio praised her, Miko and Yume exchanged shy smiles and dashed off to find more moss.
By the time evening approached, they had finally completed a simple shelter, layering tree bark and large leaves over the framework and tying it all together with vines.
It wasn’t sturdy enough to be called a proper wall, but it would at least keep off the night dew and some rain and wind.
The moss and dried leaves Miko and Yume had gathered made a surprisingly comfortable bedding when laid thickly on the ground.
“Wow… It’s like a house…”
Yume whispered softly, and Miko nodded with satisfaction.
For the first time since entering the forest, their faces showed genuine relief.
That night, they gathered around a small campfire inside the shelter, sharing roasted berries and roots.
The food wasn’t plentiful by any means, but the warm meal they prepared themselves in a space they built together seemed to ease the children’s hearts.
As the children gradually drifted off to sleep, one by one, Akio quietly watched over their peaceful sleeping faces and gazed into the fire.
For now, we’ve secured temporary safety and a place to sleep. But this won’t be enough for winter, or even heavy rains. We’ll need a proper house. And for that, proper tools… materials… Yeah, there’s a mountain of things to do.
Even so, the children’s gentle breathing and the quiet nighttime sounds of the forest beyond the shelter walls filled Akio’s heart with an inexplicable warmth and a renewed strength for tomorrow.
What do you think about this chapter?
