Page 43 of Stolen By The Beast
Ihummed,slicingtheleafy greens and mushrooms using the large hunting knife Karvik had scavenged from the woods.
My mate had been disgusted by the idea of eating plants, but when I’d explained humans needed a variety of foods in their diet, he’d made it his mission to find plants that were safe for me to eat.
With cool weather settling into the area, I doubted there would be much to eat other than meat before long. At some point, I might have to consider traveling into a town. But even if I could convince Karvik it was necessary, how was I supposed to pay for what I needed without money?
Stop it, Juniper. You’re borrowing trouble. Focus on today, and enjoy the yummy gifts our bonded brought us this morning.
Deciding to let my worries go and enjoy my day, I finished cutting the mushrooms and dropped them on top of the greens inside one of the wooden bowls Karvik had carved for me.
I planned to combine the meat from the rabbit Karvik caught the night before, with the mushrooms and greens to create a soup.
Cooking with limited equipment was a challenge, especially when I couldn’t remember a single recipe. But trial and error was a good teacher, and it was getting a little easier each day.
Karvik preferred his meat raw and dripping with warm blood. I’d assured him it didn’t bother me… much… and he shouldn’t change what he enjoyed for me. But he was stubborn and tried to eat what I was having.
Tonight would be our first time eating soup, and I wondered how it would turn out. There was only one way to find out!
I dragged the large black pot that should have been sitting in a Revolutionary War museum across the room to the hearth. With a few curses and groans, I managed to lift it onto the hook that dangled over the fire.
With the hardest part finished, I made my way to the water bucket by the open door. Leaning against the doorway, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the brisk breeze against my sweaty skin.
I would have loved to spend the beautiful day swinging in the bear-skin hammock Karvik had hung for me, but the soup wasn’t going to cook itself.
Sighing, I turned from the door and carried water to fill the pot halfway, and then tossed in the waiting ingredients.
The next couple of hours were spent making sure the soup didn’t burn or boil over. I was counting the wooden beams in an effort to stay awake when my day took a turn… and not in a good direction.
CRASH!
I jerked from my stool near the fire as my roughly crafted broom fell to the floor.
“Who’s there?” I called out.
I was such an idiot. Our home was small enough that I’d definitely notice if someone was inside with me.
Unless they were a ghost.
Did ghosts exist? I didn’t think so, but then again, I didn’t think people believed in monsters like Karvik either.
Something small and furry darted across the floor, dragging a pale deerskin behind it.
“No!” I shrieked, rushing after the intruder.
The deerskin had been a gift from Karvik. It was unusually light in color, and I was trying my best to create a dress from it.
The dark ball of fur scampered outside, leaving me to chase after it. Out in the bright sun, I got a better look at the thief.
It was a ferret. No, that wasn’t right. It was a weasel.
The mischievous creature ran toward the woods, with me following hot on his tail.
“Come back here!” I shouted, not caring that he couldn’t understand a single word I was saying.
It took five minutes to rescue my future dress from the varmint, and then an additional five minutes to make my way back to the cabin…
A cabin that had smoke pouring from the open doorway.
“No!” I screamed for the second time that hour and rushed into the smoke-filled room.
