NOBLEMAN ADVENTURER

Alone

A moment of panic set in when I found myself alone. However, this was only momentarily as I realized I was now free. The freedom of aroused a sense of being reborn. This feeling renewed my excitement for life.

The sun was high overhead, and I knew I needed to find shelter and perhaps find food and water. Wandering further into the woods, birdsong drowned the air with their excitement. It had been a long time since I felt this relaxed. I walked for a long time, but I didn't feel tired. Only my shoes were quite uncomfortable for walking and blisters had formed on the soles of my feet.

I soon heard the sound of running water. I hurried over and indeed, I found a brook before me. I squatted down and rinsed my face with water and then proceeded to remove my shoes and stockings to soak my feet. The cool water refreshed me. I didn't notice any animal tracks nearby, which meant this place was not a popular watering hole. This meant this area might be a safe place to spend the night. On the banks of the brooks, watercress and cattails were in abundance. The watercress was vibrant green with no flowers. The cattail heads were still green, and when roasted could be eaten.

I decided to spend the night near the brook. Now, I only had to find shelter. Walking along, brook's edge, I eventually found a tree house. It was small and hardly noticeable. I have heard before of hunters building these tree houses to hunt game. Perhaps, it was the hunters who made this brook an unpopular watering hole for the animals.

I climbed the ladder rungs, which were nailed to the tree trunk. The inside of the tree house was small and a bit cramped. I had to hunch down in order to enter the entrance. The inside was rather clean and I thought that perhaps the hunter or hunters had been here recently. A small, thick blanket was neatly folded in the corner.

After picking up the blanket, I found a small earthenware pot, enough to cook two cups of water. I went back out to river with the pot. I filled the pot with water and then collected small twigs. Using dry grass for tinder, I began to start a fire by striking a flint stone against my shoe buckle. A spark lit the dry grass and I quickly added twigs to make a fire. I collected three flat stones to place the pot over the fire. The pot boiled and then I used my sleeves to help me take the fire off the pot. Once the liquid cooled, I drank the water. I gathered three green cattail heads and roasted them over the fire. While waiting for the cattail heads to roast, I washed and ate raw watercress.

Although not full, I felt reenergized. I rinsed the pot in the river. Then I poured a pot of water over the remaining embers of the fire. I climbed the ladder. After putting away the pot, I went to bed.

The night was spent peacefully.