Second Chances - Resurrection

Chapter 6

We each had a pack made out of insulation and seatbelt straps. I wanted to get medicinal herbs and other eatable things while we walked. "Monty be on the lookout for things we can use as medicine. We are probably going to need them and I don't want to need them and not have them." I said and kept walking. Octavia was walking beside me. "When we get back, we should get the smoke house going." She said. I nodded. "You and Finn can start working on that. I need Jasper and Monty to help with the herbs and I need Monty to get to work on communications. Have Wells help you too." She agreed.

I took them to where the sea weed is. It has calm water and is an easy distance from camp so the others can return every day for fresh water. "Octavia lets go see if we can find an animal to kill. Monty, Jasper keep looking for the herbs but also look for berries, nuts, wild onions and things like that. Finn stay with Charlotte, fill your packs with sea weed. It's a good antibacterial. We will meet back here in a few hours." We leave them too it. About a half mile away I notice how quiet Octavia is. It's strange, I would think she grew up walking in the forest. "You ever get the sense of déjà vu?" She asked me. "What do you mean?" "Well, I feel like I have been here before. I shouldn't feel that way. I've never even seen pictures of the ground yet I feel like I've seen all this before. I don't know, now I just feel stupid." She smirks and shakes her head.

We walk a bit farther before noticing the tracks of a boar. I tap her shoulder and point at the tracks. She nods and starts following them. We find the boar a bit farther down the trail. She pulls the knife out of her boot and I bring up the spear. We wait a few for the animal to turn broadside to us. I threw the spear hitting it right behind the shoulder and it died not long after. Octavia started rigging a game pull when we heard something. We both looked at each other and started moving slowly toward the sound, weapons ready. There not far in front of us was a deer in perfect position. I smiled and threw my spear. The shot was a little off but Octavia was there and slits its throat. "Thanks". I said. I didn't want to have the animal suffer nor did I want to chase it. It would still die but it would take a while. We put both the animals on the game pull and started back toward the river where we left the others.

They did really good as well. All their packs were full and water bins ready to go. "Charlotte, when we get back will you please help Monty with the herbs. I want to turn the bottom level of the dropship into a med bay. I want the food storage to be in the top level since it can be shut. I also want you to start learning first aid. I'm the only one in camp with medical training, if anything were to happen to me, you all we be left with no one and no knowledge of what to do. I want you to be my shadow, learn everything you can." She seemed shocked by the attention and pleased to be singled out which I was excited about. Hopefully I would be able to give her the comfort she needed so she wouldn't feel like she needed to kill Wells to get the peace she was looking for.

"So, how do you know Raven?" Finn asked me. "My dad is the head engineer and he talked about her. Apparently, she is the youngest Zero-G Mechanic in 50 years." "52 actually." I smiled. He was flirting with me but not like it was before. I'm glad. I hated being the other woman which was made worse because Raven and I became good friends. We were loud walking through the woods. That had to change.

Charlotte wasn't as bad as the others but only because she was mirroring me. Good. She would learn faster. I didn't get the chance to tell anyone to quiet down. "Will you guys pay attention to how you are walking. You sound like an army walking through the woods." Octavia said in disgust. The boys stopped and stared. Turning she said "look around you. What do you see?" They looked but shook their heads. Finn started looking for tracks but she stopped him and shook her head. Pointing she said "there was a deer right over there which would have been great since we have 101 people to feed but your too loud and scared it off. Walk softly and pay attention to your surroundings. Also listen. Pay attention to the noise in the forest, it will tell you about changes in the environment. You just have to learn to listen." She turned and kept walking with the dead animals behind her. "So, which one of you killed the animals?" Finn asked. "I killed the boar and we killed the deer." I said. "She threw the spear but the deer turned just a bit and spoiled the throw so I slit it's throat."