One More Step

Few chickens appeared out of nowhere as they clucked around. The place they came from was the other part of the cave so they went there and saw two horses slowly walking around and rabbits, peasants, chickens and many birds running around trying to escape from sudden movements.

The meadow in the cave was huge and filled with all kinds of grasses, trees and bushes so they didn't see any of those animals inside.

''Are we really this lucky?'' Kyra stared at the animals running around as the horses started freely running around. Kyra and Anna took all the gear of them and they felt free now so their playful nature hit in.

On the end, after a while, the animals realize that horses are no danger for them so they went back inside while Anna got two chickens that tried to pass them.

''We could roast a chicken tonight?'' She said while she looked at the clapping animals. But Kyra's face showed her that she had a better idea.

''We can make some dry grass nests here on the side. I am sure after a while the chickens will start laying their eggs inside and we can use them to eat. I could see that there are not many chickens inside and the season of small chicks is coming. We can't be sure if one of these are not hens that will sit on eggs. For now, let them live and let's go hunt some wild animals in the forest.''

''It would be great if we could catch a pig...'' Ana's face showed hungry expression as she forgot the bags filled with all kinds of delicacies they took with them.

''Please... Isn't this place just enough for us to survive. After all, we took enough food as well. We can make some drying racks and start gathering wild herbs in surroundings. We can circle the place and see what we could find and write in our notes. Let's go outside and plant some traps. If we catch something by tonight we might have some fried meat and wild herbs. Let's go, let's go...'' Kyra was satisfied even with what they had.

Why making life more complicated as it is? Just enjoy the time.

Anna could see that Kyra had no wish to go hunting for anything bigger and choose to traverse the forest alone while Kyra chooses to go and find new herbs. Actually it's strange, they always switch their personalities in some cases.

The days after that passed quite fast. the realized that this hill had a strange shape. Three sides were filled with an abundance of trees, bushes, herbs, plants and animals. One side was literally just steep slope ending far down. There are just a few bushes on the side of the hill, trying to survive the winds and harsh sun.

How lucky are they actually to find this place?

Ten days later they made a clear picture of the whole mountain as they started using their horses as well. In those ten days they choose only to pick up and dry just rare herbs they found, and other herbs they will pick up another time. The map of herbs made them happier.

Kyra even made a clear map about animal movements. They realized that not only while chicken lived here and rabbits. There are as well wild pigs, deers, wild goats, mountain cats and foxes.

Among all of them, mountain cats were the most dangerous so they were careful not to cross its roads. They had the luck to hunt a few wild pigs and they dried their meat Using ch.i.p.s of clean firewood and mountain air. Not only that, they found couple deers that they left at the meadow, more rabbits and wild chickens and when they were about to leave they closed the opening with stones and bushes so no one would find it.

They walked back home as the back of their horses were filled with all kinds of things. Herbs, meat and even many rabbits furs.

On the evening of the eleventh day, they came out of the forest to see finally their home.

''I missed ur home, Anna...'' Kyra hurried towards the home and in astonishment stopped when she saw their garden.

''This... Kyra... How is this possible?'' Anna gasped by the sight.

In only this, almost a dozen days the garden turned into lush amazing sight. All kinds of vegetables grew fully making their mouths to water.

''Anna, we won't be able to go to the forest for a while. This garden...'' Kyra could see the amount of work they will have soon.

''I know. We can go to the forest once every ten days and gather enough. Like that nature will have time to recover and our garden won't die out because of that.''

The girls rushed back home, unpacked their stuff and transported it to the storage room. And then rushed back to the garden as they had many things to take care of. Weed the plants, water them, tend to some. The first fresh salads and chives could be already eaten.

So many other vegetables already were in a blooming state. It seems some of them will be accessible in a few weeks.

''Kyra. Look... Tomatoes... There are so many flowers on the. How long will it take until we have the first ones.?'' Anna gently touched tomato flowers and with shiny eyes stared at rets of the plants.

''If we can use powers of nature in fully then maybe two-three weeks. If we get lucky and have a lot of sun and some rain. Without rain, this will be a hard year.'' Kyra was worried.

After she spoke with people in the city and with Jafar brothers, the last few years summers started being hotter and winters longer. That kind of weather was deadly for most of the vegetables. She looked at her own winter garden and was happy. This winter they can survive as they have this room.

Maybe they should go and try to plant the space in cave? How should they then water it? Drop system?

Maybe using bamboos and making holes inside letting the water slowly drop... She sighed.

''What is it?'' Anna saw her worried expression as she grabbed a handful of earth and started smelling it and tasting it.

''We will have some food, but... I think we should prepare something else in case of big rains or extreme sun. Last couple of years have been deadly. Anna the greens from the forest we could sell because people had no other food. If this summer is hot as well and then a long winter... What do you think will happen to everyone?'' Kyra was worried. Really worried this time.

Her gut never missed and this time it tells her that this summer will be even worse than the last one. She needs to prepare.

''Anna, we can handle the garden in the evenings. Every morning we can go to the city and buy a bit of food. I plan to hide as much food as possible in the cave. Somehow I have feeling that we should.''

Seeing her worried expression Anna knew something will go wrong, really wrong.

''But this time lets visit different traders all over the city,'' Anna suggested.

Her idea was not wrong. If they buy bit by bit every day and bing it back home, no one will suspect much.

''Tell me your plan.'' As they sat down by the table Anna put tea on the table and the two girls just silently sat until Kyra started explaining...