I killed two small deer today. They didn’t provide much meat, but it was enough to satisfy us for tonight. Hunger seems to be our greatest foe in this lifeless land. Little grows here, and what does grow here is small. The deer, however, bring us hope that more food will be readily available as we travel east. Until now, most of our freshest food consisted of birds we snare along the shore. They aren’t the best or worst tasting meal, but they’re edible and filling.
Krista’Mil, not content with eating birds, has taken to her own devices to obtain additional food. She used reeds in the construction of a sieve, and uses it to scoop up small fish from the water. These she dries overnight and carries them with her. Throughout the day, everyone can hear the frequent crunching as she snacks. I did try one, but it was very salty and unpalatable for me. This isn’t as bad as eating frogs like on Perduva Era, but it still isn’t something I would expect from a woman with her level of experience and sophistication.
Pelmarco continues to teach me how to use a sword. I am rather sore this evening after he beat me badly in a practice bout. Still, I am getting better. I now know the basic zones of defense and several standard methods of attack. Now I need to perfect the techniques, and learn to maintain my defense while attacking. Tora’Sor tends to watch us practice with amusement, probably expecting I’ll never amount to a decent swordsman. That’s fine with me. I will never have her arcane powers at my disposal, but I am a good shot with my bow, and learning to use a sword also improves my warrior skills. Pelmarco expects that one day I will be able to fight as fine as any soldier. I hope to prove him right.