>A deafening roar fills your ears
>The beast is bearing down on you
>Fangs bared, gums drooling, preparing for a pounce
>Your life depends on whether or not your plan works
>It's now or never
>Do or die, literally
>The snare springs and,
>It misses
>The creature steps its paw out of the way just in time
>For it, at least
>Your life flashes before your eyes, plagued by visions of you being eaten by a cat thrice your size
>But then, you smile
>Because the backup plan worked
>As the beast brings its fangs down to you, a whittled tree branch swings down over your head and impales the creature's upper jaw
>Sticking up through its brain, the branch subdues the behemoth nearly instantaneously
>The creature falls to the ground with a thud nearly as loud as its roar
>You fall to your hand and knees, one hand still gripping the large hunting knife you use as a weapon
>You survey the jungle around you and find that it seems all clear now
>Things used to be simpler
>Before Gaia Everfree took over
>Now, humanity's enclaves within her vine and thorn grip are dwindling
>But you'll survive
>Just like you did today
>Hearing some rustling from behind a nearby bush, you aren't disturbed
>You know exactly who it is
>It's the same person who helped you set up your trap, and the backup
>It's the same person who would have fought the cat demon had your initial plan worked
>And it's the same person who would be mourning you had the backup plan failed as well
>It's your beloved sister, Zecora
>As she steps forward into the clearing, the sun reflecting off of her matte gray skin gives it an almost metallic look
>Her handmade skirt and chest wrap are tattered and worn
>But she looks no worse for wear as she surveys the fallen animal and smiles at you
>"I'm glad to see you were not eaten by this giant howling cretin."
"Indeed, it's the one whose flesh WE will be carving. Predator or not, it's better than starving."
>Zecora nods and starts the process of cutting off what parts of the creature you can use or eat
>"Its meat will be tough, but we can make do. And I'm sure our stomachs will thank us too."
>After scanning the area for more predators, you set to work helping Zecora butcher the beast
"We can process it with salt to make jerky as well. It's already tough so we probably can't tell."
>Zecora nods and continues her knifework as you do the same
>Before long, you have all the meat and hide you can carry back to your camp
>It helps that you were able to make bindle sticks work sections of the hide to carry meat
>"Such a shame that we could not use the whole thing. But alas, there is simply too much for us to bring."
>You shrug as you hike back to the camp ahead of Zecora
"If it didn't want us to leave so much of it decomposing, perhaps it shouldn't have grown so large and imposing."
>Fortunately for the two of you, you make it back to camp safely and with your haul intact
"Not only will we feast in the days ahead, but the fauna should return with the Titan dead."
>You open the clay box near the center of your camp and being preparing charcoal and soaked wood chips in the side chamber
>Zecora, meanwhile, is preparing her own fire in the center of the camp
>You move to where the meat is laid out on a small table you constructed and begin grinding salt crystals that Zecora prepared in a pestle
"When you are done setting the flame and the fire is stoked, can you salt this so I can prepare to get it smoked?" you call to Zecora
>She simply nods, as the two of you have little energy to continue rhyming
~'At least we're safe in our internal thoughts'~ you think to yourself silently for the upteenth time, a reminder to yourself to keep your spirits up
>Before long, you have a small fire going in your smoker, and the hooks are ready for the meat
>Zecora approaches you with the meat in hand, and you silently move to the spit to begin roasting meat for tonight's dinner while she hangs it
>You grab some herbs from the bag hung nearby and season the meat to take off some of its gaminess
>Skewering it on the spit's stake, you swivel it back over the fire to begin the complex caramelization of the meat's protein, fat, and trace sugars
>Or, in other words, cooking it
>Once the meat is set, you move back to the smoker to get the right smoke balance going, moving past your sister on her way back to the spit where she can roast the meat evenly
>The way the two of you move together in harmony to get things done quickly is integral to your survival out here
>It helps that your sibling bond helps the two of you understand each other in an intimate way that no one else could
>Even the six years Zecora spent out here living in the forest permanently wasn't enough to undo the thirteen years before it
>Once the smoke is at the right level, you go to check the alarms and wards around the camp
>You pass the shared treehouse the two of you spent months constructing, the memories of your hard work, sweat, and petty bickering bringing a smile to your face
>You pass the layered potato garden, wondering when the next batch will be ready to harvest
>And finally, you pass by the memorial to your parents, saying a silent prayer for them
>Along the way, you dampen, mash, and replace as needed the aromatic herbs set around the area, their scent masking that of your little village
>Fast forward to that evening, whereupon the two of you sit on a log bench tearing away at the tough game to fill your hungry stomachs
>"A thousand thanks to the divines, who endowed me with such sharp canines" prays your sister as she swallows the last of her portion
~'That's not the only thing you're endowed with'~ you think to yourself
>You shake your head of the thought and continue chewing
>She is your own sibling, after all
>You don't think of her that way, you simply recognize nature's gift to her
>After your meal, Zecora stand and stretches
>"We still have some time before we feel night's wrath. I think I'll head to the river for a bath."
>You check the sun's position and worry a little
"Do you think it wise to go alone, just you? Perhaps we should go together, us two."
>Zecora laughs and shakes her head
>"Dear brother, you must me off your rocker, if you think you're getting a peek at these knockers." she says as she jiggles her breasts for emphasis
>You blush and turn away, scoffing at the notion
"Zecora, surely you say this in jest. You're my own flesh and blood; for you, I want what's best."
>She gives a look which you know means "are you sure about that?"
>This kind of nonverbal communication is already important along siblings, and especially so for the yep of you in your situation
"And besides," you continue, "it's nothing new for me to see. Remember when your wrapping got caught on a tree?"
>She laughs again at your indignation and shrugs
>"Very well, Anoniem, you win this round. Join me at the river, and keep me safe and sound." she says sarcastically as she turns to leave
>You roll your eyes and gather your spare skirt from the trunk at the base of the tree atop which you live
>You grab Zecora a change of clothing as well, and head off to meet up with her on the way to the river
>She keeps giving you this smug look
>You simply roll your eyes again and keep walking
>Eventually, you reach the site of your most impressive creation yet
>A four foot deep, 10 foot wide pit with the bottom mud packed tightly with clay
>But what's more impressive than that is the channels leading into and out of the pit that connect it to the main river
>But what's even more impressive than that are the miniature dams constructed on the input and output channels
>You and Zecora place levers against blocks on the sides of the upstream dam near the bottom and press down on the levers lifting up the dam
>Water from the river flows into the pit, filling it up and creating a large bathtub
>You lower the dam back down and ensure that no crocodiles, water snakes, or biting fish entered the pool
>"Okay, brother, turn yourself around. You can look once again when I've lowered myself down."
>You comply, waiting for Zecora to step down into the pool, and when she snaps her fingers, you turn back and see her
>The water is clear enough that where she stands, you can still clearly make out her chest, and the outline of everything below
>You hastily remove your own skirt and step down into the water as Zecora turns to begin scrubbing herself with a bar of soap
>Real, handmade soap that only someone with Zecora's knowledge can make
>You also start washing yourself off with another bar, and try not to stare too much at your nude sister
>You busy yourself with scanning the area for dangerous creatures
>Fortunately, with the exception of Gaia's beasts, the Everfree is mostly inhabited by peaceful creatures
>You feel Zecora press herself into your back, and you nearly jump in surprise
>You feel her soft melons squish into your tense back, her hard nipples (definitely from the cool water) poking into you
>"How unbecoming of you, brother of mine, to let a hungry predator sneak up behind."
"You're neither hungry, nor a predator, you know this is true. And your teasing won't gain any favors for you."
>She giggles at your response and wraps her arms around you in a surprisingly sweet embrace.
>You stand in the pool, savoring the feeling of your sister's touch
>"Why do you give off such a wary aura? Are you really so scared of little Zecora?"
~'Not so little any more, dear sister'~ you think to yourself
>You turn around and return her gesture, hugging her tightly
>You feel your erection pressing into Zecora, but at this point you don't mind
>And, judging by her pleased hum, neither does Zecora
>"Come, let us return to our abode, while it's still bright enough to see the road."
>You nod and exit the water, ready to drain it into the river with Zecora's help
>Once it's empty, you lower the output dam and set back toward the camp
>The two of you don't bother putting your clothes on on the way back, content to carry them instead
>You walk in sweet silence, hearing only the sounds of nature and each others' breath
>When you return, you see your little slice of paradise unscathed and breathe a sigh of relief in unison
"I'm heading inside as I am quite tired, and a lack of sleep is most undesired."
>As you walk away, Zecora steps up and grasps you wrist
>You turn to meet her seductive gaze as she brings her nude self closer to you again
>Putting one hand on your hip, she reaches up with the other and places it gingerly on the back of your head
>"Believe me, kaka, I understand your plight, but with me, you won't be getting sleep tonight."
>A bead of sweat rolls down your brow as she silently leads you up the ladder to your hut
***