Chapter 7

Zak climbed out of their tent, ready for the new day.

It could barely be called light, but about the same as it usually was. He wasn't sure if the days were getting longer or shorter, but he was waking with the sun on the same point on the horizon. Come winter, he'd probably be very well rested if that continued.

"Oh... !"

The female groan drew a sigh from the boy. He was the first out of bed, but never the first awake. Alice and Tom were usually doing their thing, shadows sometimes seen inside the green tent. Sometimes Zak would pause to watch, fascinated. Usually, he just got on with his chores. It didn't involve him. He wondered why his sister stayed with him at night, given she was often now doing the same things with Tom as Alice was, but he knew better than to ask.

If he asked, she might answer, and he really didn't want to know.

Zak walked down to the stream. The part with the lowest bank had become their bathing area, at least while they were in the tents. There was that lovely pool over by the new house just waiting to be used. Grabbing a wash cloth, he quickly wiped himself down. There was no need for a full dunk, in his opinion. Definitely no need for soap. That done, he went back up to the fire pit. The coals were still glowing slightly. He poked them with a stick, tossing a small log on, before grabbing his basket and pail. Whistling, he walked to the ford and crossed the stream.

The wild chickens had been moved closer to the camp, but still roosted in the trees on the edge of the field. Tom had said he'd probably build some sort of hutch for them come fall, but they seemed fine now. Their nests rested on Tom's first construction project, a series of raised platforms made from lashed and woven branches. Zak liked them. They looked cool, and put the nests up high enough that they were easier to get to. Not that there had been any eggs yet. Over a week, and no eggs. He wondered if they'd ever get any. If not, Tom had said, the chickens would be worthless, even as food. With no baby chicks, the six hens and two roosters became just a couple meals with no long term purpose.

"Come on, let there be eggs..."

Zak checked the first nest. Empty. Naturally. He looked up into the trees. The sleeping poultry looked unconcerned. That would change. He stepped over to the next nest...

Eggs.

Three of them!

"Yes!" He pumped his fist, realizing as he did that he'd better not do that while the basket in his hand had eggs in it. Dropping the pail to the ground, he transferred the basket to his left hand and reached into the nest. There were two brown eggs, and a white one. They were clean, dry, a bit warm. The white one he put against the side of the basket, moving the old shirt lining the bottom so that egg stayed separate. The other two he put in the middle of the basket, resting comfortably on the fabric. Moving down the line, he found four more eggs. It would be a good breakfast!

"Neah."

"I'm coming."

Carefully picking the metal pail back up, Zak carried it and the eggs out toward the middle of the field. The goats were up, waiting. The girls were, at least. Seven were standing around, grazing, while the eighth came up to great him. Zak carefully transferred the egg basket to his left hand before reaching out to pet Betty. The goat licked at his wrist.

"No, the eggs aren't for you. One of them is for The Lady, so you'd better not touch them!"

Zak realized he didn't know if goats ate eggs. Bringing the basket here may have been a mistake. Well, something he would change tomorrow. For now, he'd take his chances.

"Time for milk." Running his hand down Betty's neck, he moved to her side. She stayed still. Wisdom had to be helping here. The books they had bought, the "Raising Goats for Dummies" type, said you had to restrain their heads, or at least keep them busy eating. Zak didn't seem to have that problem. Kneeling down, he placed the bucket under Betty. Wetting his hand a bit with the morning dew on the grass, he wiped her two teats, then began squeezing. There was a rhythm to it, a skill, one he was getting the hang of. Pinch the teat to trap milk near the nipple, squeeze it out, then release to let it refill while you did the other one. It went fast. Which was good, with six goats to do twice a day. Two of the girls weren't giving milk, for reasons they didn't know, and the two males naturally weren't being milked.

Male goat milk ... yuck.

He was just finishing the second goat when movement across the stream caught his eye. Tom was out of the tent. Zak smiled. The day was off to a good start.

Tom took a long whiz against the tree.

They hadn't set up a bathroom, really. They probably should. It was the civilized thing to do, after all. But, for whatever reason, that was getting lower and lower on the list. Partly it was probably due to them working in so many places now. They weren't going to dig latrine pits all over the place. They'd have one by the house, once they were moved into that.

If they got around to it.

The girls were still asleep. Alice always went back to bed for an hour or so after their morning fun. He couldn't blame her, given how energetic she usually got. Alice ... well, she was taking to sex like fish to the frying pan. Sizzling and tasty.

The yellow stream petered out. Tom gave his cock a final shake. He sometimes felt like giving it a medal, given how much, and how well, it had been performing. It was making him proud to be a man. A rare feeling, to be sure. His heroic dick now needed a quick wash, as did the rest of him, so down to the stream.

He eyed the bar of soap in its water tight plastic bag. They couldn't make soap yet, much as they couldn't make most things. There was a way to turn goat's milk into soap, but it required so many additional oils there really was no point. Should he be using the store bought bar, or just rely on the fresh water the Lady was providing to do the needed cleaning?

Well, he'd use some soap today. They really had to find their own source, though.

Zak stood from milking the black goat with the white muzzle, waving. Tom waved back. The kid really liked the animals, which was good. Tom didn't know if he'd have the right temperament for it. He was a dog person, and goats and chickens weren't dogs. Food for dogs, yes, probably one reason the Lady had not provided him with a pet. Also, his two wives served many of the same functions, although he sure as hell wasn't going to tell them that.

Rinsing off, he looked up stream and contemplated. He wasn't sure he was in the mood to fish for breakfast. They had the cheese Krissy had made yesterday, and blueberries from those bushes Alice had found. That might be enough to get them started.

That was another thing they had to work on. Too much gathering, not enough storing. What they found was all eaten by the end of the day. It worked, their bellies were nice and full, but he didn't like that. They had to start getting ahead. The cheese was a good start. Especially if those last two goats started producing. They could store that for a long time, and those four gallons of milk a day would eventually give them a nice stockpile.

Maybe he should get some fishing in. Save the cheese.

Standing, he saw Zak raise his basket. Eggs. They had eggs! Tom raised his arms, clasping his hands above his head. The boy's laugh came rolling over the dewy grass. Well, that was another food source. And they could get more chickens out of it.

Movement caught his eye. Something moving through the grass over behind Krissy's tent...

A rabbit.

They had seen them about, moving here and there, ignoring the humans unless they came too close. Snares had been on Tom's agenda, but like so many things he didn't know how to make them yet. Another book to go into civilization to buy. However, he though, eyes sliding towards the fire, he DID have the slingshot. Zak had picked the skill up quicker than Tom, but he could get near a target at least. Was it worth a try?

Sure, why not.

Moving normally, one eye staying on the bunny, he walked to where they'd tossed them near the chairs. They were store bought, found at the large hunting and camping store over in Glens Falls. Along with tools, pots and pans, and metal grills to place over fire pits, they were the main investment so far. Along with pancake mix, naturally (and, now that he thought about it, they could now get the better, cheaper kind that you added eggs and milk to). They had a rubber grip, metal spokes and a brownish-yellow rubber tube for the actual sling part. They even had a wrist brace. High tech, and much cheaper than a bow and arrow. Tom picked up his, as well as one of the metal pellets they'd bought. Eventually, making their own ammo would probably be on the agenda, but these were cheap and reasonably reusable for now. Slowly, he moved into a better position as he loaded.

The bunny never saw it coming. One moment it was just sitting there, ears up, looking around in the dawn twilight, the next it was squealing in pain as a metal sphere went through it. The creature let out a couple more screeches before going silent. The flap of the nearby tent flew open, a nude Krissy looking out in shock.

"What the fuck was that?!"

"Food. Get up, we have to go see The Lady."

Zak always got goosebumps when the girls sang up here. It just sounded ... well, awesome, and when combined with the awe he felt for the lady, the result was a shiver down his body. His sister had a great voice, too. So unexpected, if you didn't know her well. She had sung to him often, sending him to sleep with her amazing gift. Now she offered the same to Wisdom.