After returning to my campsite I get busy with the willow and hazelnut branches I brought. I peel the bark of the latter to twist it into makeshift ropes. Then I bend the branches into shape and tie them together until I have a makeshift grill that will stand above my fire pit, even if it's a little wobbly.

It's no masterpiece, but it certainly is good enough. I may not get any actual level up notifications out of this so far, but I'm pretty sure that both my [Woodworking] and my [Survival] skill improved due to this little construction project. That's good enough for me so far.

Next I gather some more firewood. I pay attention to only grab dry wood this time around and as a result even this simple little task earns me some gains. This time around it's my [Foraging] skill that improves some. These skills will all come in handy if I have to rough it more often out here. That's for sure. And while I may not want to become a bandit making a living along the roads in the woods, it's better to be prepared anyway.

Once the fire burns, nice and low, so the flames don't lick my makeshift grill, I put the crab legs on, to cook in their own juice. I really hope I'm doing this right. According to that book I read it should be done like this, but I really only will know for sure later when I crack the shells to get at the meat. Until then I have to be patient.

Damn, I really don't have anything to busy myself with. I don't even have to heal myself and I don't need to meditate either since I just leveled up. All I can do is to mind the fire. Or is that it? No, actually, as long as I don't leave or get carried away in any other way I can do something else.

I grab a piece of firewood, get my utility knife back out and start to carve. I don't go for any of the shapes I'm familiar with already. Instead I attempt to cut a little crab from the piece of wood. My [Woodworking] skill makes some more progress, but the result is far from satisfactory. In fact it's bad enough to make me grimace and throw it into the fire, together with the next batch of branches I put in to keep the crab legs cooking in their shells.

Giving up is not an option though. Well, at least I don't give up on my woodcarving. I don't try to make another crab though. Too many legs for my current skill level. At least that's as good an excuse as any. I carve a little squirrel next. That is much easier. It earns me another little bit of progress for my [Woodworking] skill too.

By the time I'm done with that one the crab legs smell like they will be ready soon, too. I don't just wait though. Instead I go all out on my campfire cooking. Well, as far as my meager supplies allow anyway.

Two more slices of bread go on the makeshift grill next to the crab legs, over the hot coals which are all that remains of the fire by now. A little of my remaining cheese goes on the bread in turn. And while the cheese melts slowly I get busy cracking the crab legs.

That's what I brought the stones from the creek for, as I don't want to completely ruin the edge of my utility knife. It's another tip from that book. I hope it works. In theory it should. I pour some water over the still hot shell too as suggested by the book. Then I use the bigger stone as an anvil of sorts and the other as my hammer, to crack the now brittle shell of the crab legs.

I have to be careful not to completely smash the crab's shell though. I don't want any of it in my meal after all. Once there is a decent crack in a leg I can pry it open using my knife for leverage to pry the steaming hot meat out of it. I repeat the process with all the crab legs I brought and heap the meat on my toasted bread together with the now molten cheese.

Considering that this is makeshift campfire cooking it looks pretty good. It smells nice too! My stomach agrees with a mighty rumble. I simply can't wait any longer. And why would I anyway? This needs to be eaten while it's hot! I grab the first bread and take a big bite. And I'm rewarded not only with my crab bread's magnificent taste, but with a notification as well.

[*Ding!* Your skill Cooking has leveled up to level 3!]

Oh yes! This one is really deserved! Very much so! What tasty goodness! The bread is slightly crunchy and provides roasting aroma! The cheese is stringy and comes with a little salt. And the crab meat, oh, the crab meat! It's moist and tender! I'm blown away!

If I already can turn these monstrous crabs into something this tasty with my limited means, what can a real cook do with them? I resolve then and there to do my best to get another one for my return to the city, so I can take Sylwia up on her offer.

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I simply have to know! I have to find out what other dishes can be made with their meat! And I have to force myself to slow down a little to properly savor the taste of my own culinary creation. Yes, it's actually a challenge, and not an easy one to overcome either, not to wolf everything down in a few quick bites.

Eventually, despite my best attempts to draw the experience out a little longer, I'm done with the meal though. There is no helping it. The sad truth is, that there is only so much food after all. Well, I probably shouldn't complain. I'm feeling pleasantly full and that's a pretty good thing everything considered.

After finishing my meal and making sure the fire won't flare back up by accident I lie back on my bed of leaves to think for a bit.

It's not really late enough to just turn in for the night. Not by far. I'd be wasting hours of daylight and I'd probably be wide awake hours before sunrise as a result too. That is not something I'm looking forward to. It really would be better if I find something else to busy myself for a little while longer.

I could do a little more wood carving. I probably should stock up on firewood some more for the night anyway and if I do that, I might as well keep my eyes open for some pieces of wood suitable for carving little figures too. And while I'm at it, I might as well do some more foraging as well. A few mushrooms might go well with the last of my bread and cheese tomorrow. And maybe, just maybe, I can work on some other essential scouting skills too. Yes, that doesn't sound half bad.

With a nod to myself I get back up, make sure the fire is properly extinguished and after a quick gear check, to make sure everything is where it is supposed to be I'm off again.

I move all quiet and stealthy while keeping my eyes peeled in turn. There is something else I decide to do as I go. I want to give my [Identify] skill a good workout. With Beldragor's words about training and skill evolution in mind, this is long overdue anyway. Just how much will I have to use the skill to earn an upgrade beyond the usual level up though? I guess I'll have to find out. In all likelihood I won't see results today. I probably will still have to sink plenty of time and Mana into this endeavor.

As I make my way through the woods, I ponder what to identify, even as I stay on the lookout for mushrooms I already know. At first I consider using my skill on some birds. They are easiest to spot after all. In the end I decide against this approach though. Instead I strain my senses further to spot some of the harder to find, small forest animals and, although it takes some time, my efforts are rewarded in the end.

Both my [Stealth] and my [Perception] improve a little again, as my gaze settles on something that looks a little like a squirrel. It's slow progress, but it's steady progress as well. Both skills should be about halfway to the next level up by now.

It's time for the next step. I focus my attention on the little critter that is climbing up a tree just a little ahead of me and trigger my [Identify] skill. A little of my Mana drains away and a moment later, even as I feel the skill improve some, the results come back in.

[Saber toothed Egg Bandit (Earth, Common, Level 5)]

Of course my use of the skill does not go unnoticed. The small creature freezes at first. Then it peeks over its shoulder in my direction. Curiously enough it doesn't use an identification skill in turn. In fact, it actually relaxes again, as it beholds me. Maybe because I'm not like the usual predators of the woods at all? The little critter resumes its climb up the tree anyway and soon disappears out of sight.

At the same time, back on the ground, I grin as I think on the name of the creature a little more. I guess it makes sense. It looks mostly like a squirrel, but teeth like that might just really be very well suited to cracking eggs. It probably eats other things too, but eggs might just be an important part of its diet. With a grin I resume my slow and careful trek through the woods in the general direction of the creek where I found the Rock Crabs.

Among all the mushrooms, the dotted red caps are the easiest to spot. They really are impossible to miss. I ignore the poisonous mushrooms though. They are not what I'm after. Common trunk huggers are much harder to find by comparison, as they often match the bark of the trees they are growing on pretty well. It's entirely too easy to confuse them with tinder fungi too. Those are not inedible by definition as far as I know, but they probably aren't exactly tasty. I mean there has to be a reason why they are used to light fires instead for eating.

Finally, closer to the creek, I come across some promising fungal growths on a tree trunk. I focus on the fungi and activate my [Identify] skill once more.

As usual the skill improves a little, as some of my Mana, an almost negligible amount by now, drains away. A moment later the result comes in.

[Common Trunk Hugger (Fungus, Common) – A common mushroom that can be found growing on the trunks of fallen trees just about anywhere in temperate forests. It's a favorite of foresters, foragers, hermits and bandits alike, as it can be easily rendered safe for consumption, by simply roasting it on a skewer over an open fire. A handful make for a decent meal. Category: Alchemical Ingredient, Properties: ???, ???, ???, ???]

I still have no clue about its alchemical properties. I probably will need to learn some alchemy to change that. Should I? It probably won't hurt. It might help unlock a class with proper spellcasting abilities too. I'll have to look into it some more.

For now though, I'm just glad, that the result provided by [Identify] matches my expectations. With great care I cut a few more of the fungi from the tree trunk and as I do my [Foraging] skill improves another little bit. I take care not to get too many though. I don't want to over harvest and I can only eat so many anyway. Harvesting any more would be a waste.

Once I'm done I start to backtrack in the direction of my camp. I don't follow my exact steps, but I do try to find any traces of my previous passing, as I make my way through the undergrowth of the woods. It's good exercise after all. Especially for my [Perception] skill, which edges a little closer to the next level up in response.

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