He’d gotten good at throwing the spear and had brought down a small deer and several rabbits. Sarah was good as well, she had built up power in her upper body and could launch the spears with deadly accuracy.
“I think I can do better.” She would say and she’d keep practicing. She was always on the look out for saplings that were straight. He’d laughed at her, “You’re just becoming a vicious killer.”
She’d poked him in the gut with one of her spears, playfully. “Don’t you forget it buddy. You’ll be able to call me Quick Draw McGraw soon, I want to perfect launching the spear and seating another and ready to launch in seconds. If I can do that, I can take down an animal, if I miss the first time.”
“You rarely miss, you’re a damn good shot.”
“Thanks babe, glad you noticed.” She’d sniggered.
He’d then carried her back to the cave. They were always frisky and it didn’t take much for them to peel off their clothes.
Their pelt stack was growing, and Sarah was using the brains and ash to work into the skin side of the pelts. She’d read something about it, though she didn’t know if she had to use urine, but figured she’d use the brains and wood ash first. So far it was working, he helped her scrape the skins, by first stretching them out on the ground and pegging them down.
They’d taken sharp rocks and the shoulder blades of the small deer as scrapers and scraped the membranes and other grizzly bits off the skin. It was a long process and then they took the brains of the animal, this Aiden had to do, because Sarah started gagging. Once he boiled the brains down a bit, he added ash to it. By then, it was a gray mess and oily, but she was able to handle it without gagging. They rubbed the brain solution into the skins and took them back to the cave to dry.
“I think we have to do it a couple of times, and then I think we have to smoke it. I think that sets it. It should be waterproof by then. Then I think we have to work the skins with our hands or with something like a round rock. Something to rub into it and make it soft and pliable. We can do it each way and see which is better. When we go to visit, I want to trade for something we can uses as a needle or an awl. I want to try my hand at making a cloak or something. I don’t know if it gets cold here, but the nights are getting cooler and maybe I can also make us a blanket.”
Aiden shook his head, “you are freaking amazing. How do you know all this stuff?” he laughed, and kissed her head.
Sarah glowed pink with pleasure, “When I first started trying to get into survival, I read a whole lot of books and articles on living self-sufficiently. Most of it I honestly don’t remember and some of it I half remember like this. I also read that the native Americans did something similar to this. I just know it has something to do with brains. I’m now thinking urine has something to do with dyeing fabric and setting the color. But again, I’m not really sure.” She shrugged.
“If it does get really cold here, it will be nice to have something warm.”
“I was also thinking about using some of the berries, maybe make a stain with it and color the leather. Then I can use the urine.”
“You just want to use pee, that’s all, you’re a very sick woman, you know that.” He laughed as she began to beat him around his head and shoulders. He held her off and away from him, sniggering and saying, “you’re gonna make me pee, stop it, stop it.”
She gave him a final shove, “I just wish I didn’t get gaggy with the brains. But sorry, Ewwwwww.” Sarah laughed.
“Brains get you but pee pee doesn’t?” he said innocently, his eyes large and he blinked several times.
“You’re going the right way for a smacked bottom buster, unless that is what you want, you sick puppy.” She grinned.
“You’re just lewd.” He said primly his lips pressed together and she laughed and launched herself at him.
Much later, “I think Marla will be glad to learn how to make hides that will be useable, as well as the rest of them. I’m really excited about the plates, those are works of art. We can also share that with them as well. Maybe we trade your knowledge for the needle or awl, maybe a few more items.”
“Let’s hope so, I hate to say it, but I really like being self-sufficient. Are we going to eventually join their group?”
Aiden had been waiting for that question and he hoped she would agree with him. He chose his words carefully. “I’ll be honest Sarah, I’m happy where we are. I’m happy that we are here by ourselves, without the others. I’ve grown to care about you deeply and I don’t know if I want to share it with anyone. It’s so nice here and peaceful. I don’t mind going there to visit and trade, but honestly, I’d rather stay here, alone with you.” He waited to hear what she had to say to that, he hoped desperately that she felt the same.
He watched her face bloom into a wide grin. His heart lifted with joy.
“I agree, I’m happy here with just the two of us. We’ve spent so much time here alone and I don’t miss them, I don’t really miss any of them. I think that I like our privacy, doing what we want and answering to no one.
