One More Step

Why they didn't go back the same way? Because teh village itself was near the forest.

Their house was just last in the village. But most cheaper houses were made near the forest itself.

Maybe because teh fear or maybe because the forest looked dark and threatening, people didn't like to live near it. But for Kyra, this type of nature felt quite comfortable.

She looked at Anna that looked curiously at the towering trees and smiled. ''Don't worry. There is still me. We will be back home by tonight. First, we need to learn closer paths in the forest and later we will just start traveling further away. Do you know how young fern looks like?''

''Yes. but I never knew they are edible before.'' She was truly interested in that food.

Kyra nodded and started walking. ''When you see the fern plant, let me know I will show you what we need to gather. ''

They started following the line of the forest so they could see the outline of houses from outside. They were stunned by all bustling in the forest. Birds flew past them and some smaller birds chirped around their heads. They saw even a few rabbits hopping away in a hurry as tehy saw them in teh forest.

They were so much into looking at the wildlife in the forest that they almost forgot their original intention, finding food.

Light grumbling suddenly was heard and the two girls stopped chatting.

''Anna, is it me or you?'' Kyra asked while staring at Anna's tummy.

''I think both of us. We got used to having three meals a day in that place and forgot that we have to now gather our own food. Let's search for the food you told me about.'' Anna held her grumbling belly as she spoke.

Kyra chuckled and poked her own and then Anna's stomach. ''We are in mid of woods and food is almost under our face, teh problems are we cant eat these raw. Maybe we could, but better not try. What do you think? I can hear the water. Let's go there. I think I have an idea.''

At first, Anna couldn't hear anything, but as they passed some large bushes small stream could be seen between trees. ''Kyra, you are amazing. I am actually more thirsty than hungry.''

''I am as well thirsty, but that is not the reason I came here. Near water grow often plants that are edible. I was very little when grandma showed me a few. One of these is this tiny little plant. Look. It looks like nothing, just green right?''

Kyra was showing Anna tiny green plants near the stream. It really looked simple.

''Uhm, this is edible?'' Anna took a piece of leaf and started shewing on it.

''It tastes like water. Right? Actually this plant is amazing with some sort of vinegar. It can be cooked in the soup as well. We can gather some and bring it home. We can dry it to have some for later. But for now, I think I need to do something else.'' She went to the stream and looked closely inside.

''Look there are some fishes inside. But it seems they are to fast so we won't be able to catch it. We will put many traps today in the hope we catch some animals tomorrow. In the early morning, we will come here and check the traps. Now we will go a bit further inside the woods and look for wild flowers. We can dry the wild flowers for a couple of days and sell them in the city for pouches. Tonight we will go home and use something I think I saw in our home. ''

Anna looked at Kyra completely perplexed. ''Kyra, we won't be able to get full from these things.''

''I know. But eat some of these and a bit of bread that I put in your bag. Don't eat all. We need to save some, just in case we don't hunt anything for a few days.''

Anna nodded. She opened a bag and saw one piece of bread inside. She remembered that each of them had two pieces of bread, some cheese, some vegetables, dry meat, and some fruits. But Kyra took only dry bread.

She shrugged. Better eat at least a little bit. She took small bites of bread while Kyra just used her dagger to cut the bread into three portions. She put two portions back in the bag, while she nibbled on one piece as well. She would take some of the green stuff in her mouth and then a bit of bread.

Anna saw her doing that and followed her motion. It seems it was a good idea. Not long after she felt her belly to be filled up and looked at Kyra in astonishment.

''The green plants near water have a lot of water inside. As our body always is carving for water, these plants give us some of it back. Not only that, they are very healthy. Put the leftover bread inside the side pocket for now. We will go now bit inside and check for fern and flowers. We can follow the stream up and see what is going on. On our way back home we can gather these. It makes no sense to do it now.'' Kyra packed the bread as well in the side pocket.

''I think we can dry it up and sell it. Or sell it fresh?'' Anna was thinking about earning money for some flour or rice.

''If we find fern we can leave some for us and rest we can sell. Look for mushrooms as well. Didn't you say you know how to recognize it well?'' Kyra pinched her cheek and started walking up teh stream.

Anna had to hold her cheek and started laughing. ''You, I hope you have some good ideas for our next meal. I want dinner.''

Kyra turned around and winked at her. ''Why should I worry. Don't we still have that rabbit meat at home?''

''Yes we can use some of it to make soup and eat a lot.'' Anna was a bit worried. But remembered that they still have enough meat at home, she felt it was fine. At least they won't grow hungry.

As they followed the small stream up the mountain. They just had light lunch so they choose to walk just until the sun starts going westwards. The spring sun stroked the leaves with its golden fingers. As they walked they could see the reflection of fishes in the water.

The slight wind rustled through the leaves making the sound quite nice. they could hear birds chirping in trees, water gurgling in teh stream and the wind passing them like some naughty child.

Kyra finally felt free.

Small animals peeked out corners at two girls that supported each other. As they walked and their laughter melodious laughter echoed through the forest the sun slowly started moving downwards.

Kyra and Anna sat down on one big stone as their feets dangled down.

''Shall we go back now?'' Anna was a bit tired. Luckily they are going home downwards.

''Mhmm...'' could be heard from Kyra's mouth as she scanned the surroundings. Suddenly a flash of light passed her eyes, turning them into glistening crystals.

Anna saw the change and looked at the direction her eyes went.

Suddenly her eyes became large. ''Wow. This...''

They stood up and started walking towards the small meadow. Under glistening sunlight, the cacophony of flowers could be seen.

Kyra carefully walked towards it and poked her nose in one of them. She turned her glistening eyes filled with tears.

''Anna, these flowers are so rich in the smell. If we gather them carefully every morning soo we will have enough of them for sale. There are so many different kinds of. Some of these maybe have healing abilities. For now let's take from each of plant five stalks, together with roots. Sometimes even roots have healing abilities. Be careful when you are taking them out.''

She took her dagger out and slowly loosened up the earth around the plants. Then she carefully stacked them and put them in her bag.

When she turned around she saw Anna doing the same. Luckily Anna is quite fast in learning stuff.

They carefully put the plants upright in the backpacks.

Kyra was about to go the same way when she saw a small quail nest hiding in the corner. She had no way seeing if they were already old so she just slowly put them carefully into a cone made out big leaves.

Suddenly she heard Anna exclaiming. When she arrived there she saw happy Anna staring at an amazing amount of fern.

''It seems we are truly lucky. It is indeed true four eyes see more than two.''

Kyra really felt quite lucky as she searched the ground for curled fond heads. Under big leaves, at first she didn't find anything but when she went bit inside, she could see hundreds of them under the big leaves.

''Anna. What do you think if we put wild flowers altogether in one bag? The other bag we will fill with these ferns and will little bit space for the greens we found by the river. ''

Anna nodded. ''On our way down we can check the traps we set before and set new traps and hope that something will be inside here. I believe that near the flower field must be more animals we can catch.''

Kyra agreed on that while using the dagger to put the fern heads inside. Soon the backpack was almost full, but she felt that they could gather more and stuff on the side in the other bag near the flowers.

They worked fast considering how tiered they already started feeling. Soon the bags were filled, the traps set and they walked fast back home as tehy could see the sun dangerously leaning towards the sunset.

On their way, they put a few more traps and stuffed some of the greens inside their bags.

They walked faster as they had no wish to stay overnight in the forest. Soon they walked out of the forest not far from their home. Now they realized that tehy coudlnt see the stream because of high grass and cattail.

Kyra looked ta cattail and almost laughed leaving Anna almost speechless.

She cut some of the leaves and just took light parts and few stalks with corn like cobs and walked with filled hands towards home with a satisfied expression.

Anna just shook her head as she gave up. Let's see what they will eat for dinner. She can't wait. After all, all they ate is some clear soup in the morning, a small piece of bread with greens for lunch. It should be possible to eat more for dinner, right?