Prospecting

This time I was lucky. Just a few steps further, I found a small stream running through the dirt road. If I follow your course, I'll probably find something I can use. Then I cross a wet bush into the forest that bordered the road and follow the stream.

Despite the hot day the forest was quite humid. It didn't take long for my body to start sweating, I was putting a lot of effort through the branches and bushes. I'm lucky the terrain isn't too rough, otherwise I'd be fucked. Difficult at best, but not impossible.

Even with this malnourished child's body, something was different inside me. The rustle of leaves in the treetops. The smell of damp earth mixed with dry leaves and moss. The song of distant birds. It was bringing me a strange sense of freedom, a freedom I didn't feel when I was surrounded by buildings on earth.

After taking a good appreciative look around, I continue following the stream. Avoiding any trees that were on the edge and being careful not to slip on the stones camouflaged by the moss. At one point I even managed to see some fish swimming in the stream. But nothing I could use to make money other than the trees. On the second day I had heard someone say that the only thing you can use without prior authorization is mud, so it's better not to try to cut down any trees at that moment.

As I rambled, I saw a small rise in the level of the creek and some ravines on the side. At this point I think I've walked around a kilometer following the stream. This is a good spot to find clay, as it is easy to find in ravines near streams. I think I'll bet on that. Finding clay at this point will be like finding a pot of gold.

I look for a spot with few rocks on the other side of the stream and jump over it. My left foot slipped the moment I landed and my eyes naturally widened at the sudden loss of balance. I started using my arms to regain my balance. In the end it was just a scare, but when I jump on the way back I'll pay more attention. This stream won't defeat me.

After taking a sharp look at the stream I continue my search. There are no trails or paths here and the bush is tall, the speed of the search will be severely reduced as I cannot cover much ground with my view obstructed by the high bush. Let out a light sigh for the great work that lies ahead and begin.

I walk around the embankment using my foot to clear the path so I can see the ground. After spending a few minutes doing the same thing, I sigh once again as drops of sweat run down my body. A defeated expression on my face.

I close my eyes and compose myself as I talk to MIA "Any suggestions on how I can do this faster?" The MIA was somehow still working here, but in my original world it was very limited, despite having useful functions such as reaching every little part of your body. I don't think she's going to offer me really valid suggestions. Most of the time it's like an automatic text corrector on your smartphone that swaps your correct messages for suspicious messages, only a little more intelligent.

**M.I.A:** analyzing the environment from the host's perspective..... analysis completed: Host can use a branch from the nearby tree in place of the host's fragile foot.

'-' ok, sometimes it can be useful.

I approach the tree in question, a stupidly large oak. Its branches are thicker than me, I won't even talk about its stem. The branches are long enough that their tips are touching the ground, so it won't be difficult to get a piece of the smaller branches at the tip for me.

A few minutes later I got a branch half my size and the same diameter as my arm. I think that by my heavy breathing and my slight smile of victory you can calculate the effort I put into acquiring this branch. I confess that I underestimated Mr. Oak's resistance.

Now armed with a twig, I continued my search for clay. The work unfolded more efficiently, with each hit I made on the bush to get it out of the way I felt the advantage of having Mr. Oak's help. After walking a certain distance into the bush, the bush became sparse and eventually dispersed.

In front of me was a kind of clearing in the woods. There were no trees here, just tall grass. In the center the ground was cracked, but still damp. I bent down to see and test it with my own hands, as a teenager I made a lot of sculptures with clay so I know what the texture of clay is, it will be easy to identify. Without fear, I stick my finger in the dirt and grab a handful the size of my thumb. I rub it on my fingers and feel the texture, my conclusion is what I expected. Clay.

That's good, that's great. Now I just need to go back to the village and see if my brother found something better, if not we can just work with this clay. I still need to gather some information about the pottery of this world but that's not a problem for now. I'm thinking about leaving my newly acquired branch here because of the weight, but I have another idea for it.

I return along the path I opened through the tall grass and then go down the ravine, which is not steep but I still go down slowly so as not to slip. After a few steps I am next to the stream where I almost fell, my newly acquired branch will come in handy now. I align my branch in the direction I came from and throw it into the water, because of the weight it won't float away, and because the stream is shallow it won't be completely submerged. Once a path opener, now a bridge.

"Thank you, Mr. Oak," I thank him out loud, looking at the giant oak in the ravine and using the branch to cross the stream without risk. Now just follow the stream back and I arrive at the village. If my luck continues, I won't encounter any problems on the way.