Two: Dawn in a New World
Sirius woke rather abruptly; was it the wards? Did something manage to set them off? His hackles rose and a low growl rumbled in his throat for a moment as he craned his ears for any unusual sounds. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and instead he rested his head back in his paws while he waited for his heart to calm down. Perhaps it was a bird, or maybe even a bug that triggered it somehow. He felt tempted to shift back to check, but something told him to hold off a little longer, just in case.
In that moment between sleep and full awareness, it had almost been convincing enough to be a dream. Maybe none of the events happened at all last night, and he'd find himself racing over to his fireplace to floo Remus to verify. His friend likely would have laughed or at least looked at him oddly for about half of their conversation afterward, but Sirius wouldn't care - at least he'd still be home.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case; as soon as the ward had triggered and his eyes opened those thoughts had been revealed to be exactly what they were: remnants of a dream. Although he was thankful for the entity's intervention and reassurance, he couldn't shake the lingering disappointment that his home and loved ones were lost to him - for now, at least. Hopefully reconnecting with them wouldn't take too long, and in the meantime he could gather up enough information to provide Remus and Harry with details of his detour-adventure. For that, he'd definitely need more paper; having access to a pensieve would be better, but those were incredibly hard to obtain. Sirius also had no idea if any spells or devices with similar uses would be available in this world he now found himself in.
He stretched, shuffling on his hind legs to work out the cramps from the night before. It may have been better to sleep as a dog, but that didn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable. The intricate system of roots beneath him dug rather painfully into his side as he rested the night before, even as Padfoot. Merely seated as he was a moment ago certainly became a test of patience, and crouching wasn't as easy as it used to be, considering his recovery and current age. That was another thing he should probably try to rectify - he'd add that to his list later.
Sirius huffed and wandered over to the edge of the ward's boundary line. It was an old, modified family spell that let him read it directly instead of casting extra spells to check on status - great for its utility when going incognito - which served Sirius rather well for the moment.
The ward, thankfully, was still going strong: red edges with a slight shimmer. Whatever had woken him up must have brushed against the line rather casually, which meant that it hadn't been aware of its existence. Sirius gave another huff, this time in obvious relief as the remaining tension in his shoulders eased up. He shuffled back into the root alcove and shifted back, stretching again.
His stomach rumbled, loudly, and Sirius winced at the reminder. Considering his current situation, it was rather difficult to discern what nearby vegetation would be deemed safe enough to consume without a proper guide. He had no real indicator that this world operated the way he was used to back home; it was likely that anything he thought familiar would wind up lethal instead. Which brought up his predicament: where would he find safe, edible food in an alien world? From his initial cursory glances the day before, he couldn't pick out anything that resembled fruit or vegetables growing nearby, and even he knew that eating roots could be a gamble. He was nowhere near water either, which was also a concern. Fishing and drinking water were thus also ruled out as immediate options, which he knew needed to be rectified as soon as possible. While someone could survive a few days without food, it was nearly impossible to last as long without water.
With these priorities set, Sirius began the process of taking down the wards, looking over the area for anything out of place as he did so. The trees around him remained as peaceful as they were when he'd arrived, but Sirius couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was watching him. It wasn't a rational thought, and he cast a few extra detection spells in an attempt to calm his nerves. Part of it he blamed on his hunger; who knew how long he needed to search before he could resolve it?
When the final ward fell away Sirius shifted to Padfoot to scent the air for nearby animals. If nothing else, he could follow them to the nearest lake or stream before considering a new spot to make camp. There were a few smells he couldn't recognize, although that was easily a difference of worlds. Maybe all the wildlife here were unique in this way? It was hard to tell, at least until he managed to spot one close enough to find out for himself.
It took him a few moments to pick out the particulars of a relatively strong scent to follow, which he was lucky enough to catch upwind from his relative position. Sirius shook off any remaining pins and needles, sneezing as some old, disintegrated leaves flew up into his face from the sudden movement. Unfortunately he couldn't pinpoint compass references without his wand, and dogs weren't really known for having any affinity with ley lines or other energy grids. It was a rare moment when Sirius briefly wished he could have the animagus abilities of another animal; a bird would have been incredibly useful. He could fly up closer to the treeline and scout out where the nearest source of water was located. Although being a bird would have its uses, he'd never be able to trade that for Padfoot. He was far too reliable a tracker to replace.
After taking another moment to pick up the scent again Sirius immediately took off, loping around the undergrowth and various root systems that towered high above him in his current form. Apart from the massive trees there wasn't much that littered the forest floor; a few odd colored bushes and saplings clung rather closely to the tree roots, and other flowering plants sat out in small clearings in meagre clusters. With the frequency that these plants kept popping up in his periphery, it was likely that they were relatively common varieties in this world. Were they analogs to flora he was familiar with back home? One plant resembled an overgrown daisy cluster, the petals and stamen matching the relative shapes he remembered seeing in florists back on Earth. Whether they had the same properties was still up for debate.
The scent grew stronger as he approached a rock outcropping further ahead. He scrambled up to the top, as at least it could serve as a better vantage point for the general area. Sirius wasn't surprised to see much of the same, although he did spot a few rabbits scampering along the forest floor. Peering ahead, it looked as though there was some type of big cat - maybe a panther - prowling around one small group of roots off to the side. Its fur was certainly dark enough to qualify for the label; it was rather hard to tell with his canine eyes what the actual color of the animal was. It didn't worry him though; he was far enough away that he doubted the cat even noticed him.
Sirius sat on the rocks for a while longer, taking time to get a good look at his surroundings to the best of his ability. The panthers were easier to spot now that he was aware of them, and there were a couple more of them stalking around in the distance. What really did surprise him was that he couldn't see any other large creatures nearby. Did this mean that these panthers were the apex predators of this region? It was a likely conclusion at the moment, but Sirius couldn't really count that as a certainty just yet; he needed more time before he could justify it as true.
After a short while longer - how long exactly, he wasn't sure - Sirius finally made his way back down to the main forest floor, picking his way around loose stones and twigs, and what looked like some detached roots randomly hanging off the rocks themselves. He paused at this discovery, and crept closer to it for a better look. It was a dark color, and branched off in the way he expected, but it was rather short. Where was it coming from, though? It couldn't be growing off the rocks, could it? Glancing around for a moment to ensure nothing had had a chance to creep up on him, he shifted back from Padfoot and crouched down. The brown root came away from the rock without too much effort and fit in his palm. The bark crumbled a little as he turned it over in his hands to examine it; it didn't give off any notable odor, either.
Now that he held the root Sirius shuffled through his pockets with his free hand to find something to store it in. He wasn't entirely sure why, but something was telling him that this could prove useful later. Maybe it could be traded for much needed supplies whenever he met up with civilization again; that is, if it turned out to be valuable. If anything else, if he brought the root with him he could find a guide or a compendium of some sort to discover what kind of plant it was, perhaps it would also list what it could be used for as well?
His right pocket contained the same items he'd discovered the night before, and none of them would be useful for carrying this root in. The left pocket wasn't any better, with more random junk he'd somehow left in there for several weeks at least. Sirius glanced around as he pulled out his wand, slowly descending the rocks so that he wouldn't slip. There were a few twigs lying close by, and he transfigured them into a makeshift box he would replace later. He set the root down gently, casting a minor stasis charm on the box as he closed it. When that was done he shrank the box and slipped it into his pocket. Hopefully he'd remember this box was there when he finally left the forest.
Should he collect more of these plants in the same way? It was a reasonable question, at least considering the trouble he just went to for this root. The only thing he could worry about now was the possibility that this was all for nothing - what if it was a waste of time? Sirius shook his head at the thought; it wouldn't do him any good at the moment to dwell on such things. It was also possible that they'd prove incredibly useful later, but he wouldn't know that unless he found out, right?
Sirius took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders a bit to relieve any cramping. After another moment to center himself, he shifted to Padfoot again to catch another scent to follow. Now that he could definitively pick a few of them out, sorting the smells became much easier. The fact that there were recognizable animals in the area was also a relief. He didn't need to worry too much about strange creatures ambushing him out of nowhere. He snorted and took off again, making sure to give the panthers a wide enough berth so that they wouldn't give chase.
The trees around him never thinned out and the canopy above him remained unchanged. He wasn't sure how large this forest was, but it was evident that he was nowhere near the edge. It was concerning; whether he used compass points or not, there was no real way to know which direction would lead the way out, and if he'd already made a wrong turn and wound up running into the deeper parts of this region.
Sirius couldn't let these trains of thought derail him from his more immediate goals. While finding a way out of here was still a priority, water remained his number one concern - for now. All of this running around would tire him out soon enough, and if he still hadn't found it by that point then he'd have a major problem. He darted over another raised root as a rabbit bounded beside him. It appeared unfazed by his presence, which wasn't something he was used to. Maybe they hadn't seen a dog before. Did that mean dogs didn't exist here? It was rather odd to think about, but also a new possibility to consider.
…..
It was another half hour before Sirius found a change in his immediate surroundings. The trees, already large enough for wide spaces, left much larger gaps up ahead. He took another moment to pause and scent the air again to check. If his nose wasn't tricking him, there was more moisture in the air. Sirius' ears pricked up as he strained them for any sounds of running water. He couldn't pick out anything that sounded similar, but that may have been due to the distance. He huffed in relief and his tail wagged a little in reflex; water nearby also led to food. If this was what he thought it was, then he was set. No more worries about survival - at least, if he discounted predators or wary groups native to the area.
Although he wanted to reach the water as soon as possible, Sirius knew he needed to pace himself. It wouldn't do him any good to tire out now, not when he was so close to his goal. Instead he settled for a somewhat steady jog. Of course, it couldn't be called that for a dog, but the idea still fit either way. It wasn't like he'd be judged for that odd use of the term anyway - he was the only one around so far. A few more panthers passed him by, along with one or two overly large birds. If he hazarded a guess, he'd call them giant owls; the way they carried themselves was a bit different, but the arrangement of their feathers fit the impression rather well if anyone asked him. Perhaps they were the ones competing with the panthers - how, he didn't know. Was everything here supersized, or was it something special about this forest?
As he drew closer to his target, the sound of running water became more prominent and he picked up his pace. The giant owls and panthers seemed to ignore his presence, which was perfectly fine with him, and he skidded to a stop right in front of a large stream. He didn't think it was wide enough to be called a river, but it did have a constant flow of water carrying down to his left. Sirius leaned over the bank to peer down below the surface; a school of freshwater fish swam by. He sighed and shifted back, sitting cross legged at the edge of the bank. The water was cool - not too cold - and he sighed as he rinsed off some of the dirt from the past twenty four hours. It would be far easier to take care of if he had any soap, but for now the water would have to suffice.
Sirius found himself sitting next to a collection of loose stones which he promptly transfigured into a jug. It wasn't anything too fancy, and simplistic usually relied on less effort in terms of spell power and concentration. Considering how long he'd been running without any hydration, this was a good thing. He didn't take too long quenching his thirst, and tried not to drink too much, either. The last thing he needed was to make himself sick in the middle of nowhere, with no one available to help him. He refilled the jug once he was done and set it aside, taking a moment to think about his next moves.
Food and water were already solved as they were readily available in front of him. Although it could potentially become rather tiring eating the same thing daily, at least he'd found sustenance of some form rather quickly. He could have been wandering far longer, so he was lucky. The only other immediate concern for him right then was to find another location to set up camp for the night. Sirius had already been running around long enough - would it really be worth it to go wandering off again? The predators were within easy sight, and the smaller animals left him well alone, so there wasn't any danger close enough to worry him at the moment. Perhaps if he moved back a ways, closer to the trees behind him for better cover - he'd be well protected, especially with his wards and protection charms.
Sirius glanced at the canopy overhead to try and get an idea of the relative time. It was difficult to tell; all he could really discern was that there was still enough light streaming in for it to be somewhere between early and mid afternoon. He couldn't be completely certain, though, but that was his best guess. He brought his new jug along with him to the trees nearest to him, the roots on this one just as impressive as the ones he rested by the previous night. The spaces between were littered with piles of fallen leaves and purple wildflowers which dotted the grasses everywhere here. Hopefully it would be enough of a cushion for him, and there'd be less bruising to discover in the morning.
Just as before, Sirius began the task of resetting his protection wards for the new makeshift camp. This time he added a few that would alert him to the movements of nearby fauna, in case any of surprise. It was a likely scenario, but hopefully one that would never come to pass. Almost as a second thought he transfigured a simple chair out of the side of one of the nearby roots, using some of the leaves as a makeshift pillow to rest against. It wasn't much, but at least he wouldn't need to crouch as much while he waited here.
Sirius returned to the stream and observed the fish idly. How should he go about catching one? He didn't have any of the traditional gear that came to mind, like a pole, or a line and hook - and there were no nets in sight either. He could take the time to construct one, which may take extra effort to make sure it worked right, or he could just stun the fish in the water and retrieve them instead. That thought gave him pause. Sure, he could stun them, and perhaps summon them from the water instead? He'd need something to keep them in while he prepared a fire - so a bucket would be needed, too. He nodded to himself. Yes, that would work rather nicely.
….
It didn't take too long to set up a rhythm with his unusual fishing strategy. As a result, the bucket filled quickly and he had enough food for the rest of the day sooner than he'd anticipated. Not that he was complaining - so far things were going well. He had enough twigs and branches nearby that he had a campfire and extra kindling if it started burning too low. With the freshly caught fish resting on a makeshift grill of a precariously balanced tripod, Sirius sat back in his chair and watched the flames dance in front of him. The fire took hold of his attention as the daylight waned, and he pulled out his notes to go through once again.
The top most points he immediately crossed out; the day's wanderings had already solved those issues for him. He'd also likely rest as himself rather than Padfoot, and the campfire would likely help drive away predators if the wards missed any. Adding his observations about the panthers and owls, and the brown root, took no time whatsoever, and he was left staring at the page as he gathered his thoughts. Should he use this as a journal, too? Although there wasn't much paper here, a couple short entries here and there wouldn't hurt, and he'd have more to refer to when he finally spoke to Harry - which also reminded him of one other thing he needed to do.
He rifled through his right robe pocket again and pulled the mirror out, placing it gently in his lap as he thought over what he wanted to say. There was a chance that what happened yesterday would occur again, and he'd get no response, but he wanted to be prepared, just in case. Harry would want to know everything, and Sirius couldn't disappoint him on this. He took a breath and held the mirror out, calling out their names again just like before. He waited for any results of his efforts and after a few minutes of repeated calling and waiting, he had to concede that neither were able to answer again tonight. Sirius heaved a disappointed sigh and returned the old mirror to his pocket, patting it gently. Hopefully he'd reach them soon; he didn't want to lose the chance to speak with either Harry or Remus again, not after he'd waited so long before. Sirius made another note of this and the paper was also returned to his pocket.
The smell of the fish he'd left resting above the fire had him scrambling back to flip them over. He didn't want them to burn and waste what he'd managed to collect. Unfortunately there was nothing else he could do with them, either; he had no seasonings on hand and nothing even resembled the spices he was familiar with using. Sirius sighed again. It looked like he'd be having bland fish for his meal and, although he'd already anticipated this, it was still a bit of a letdown.
Sirius took a moment to glance at his surroundings again, in case any of the predators had decided to stalk closer while he was preoccupied. There was a giant owl perched on a nearby rock staring at him rather intently. He wasn't sure he would ever reconcile with its size; the thought of training one of these to carry his mail would not only be a struggle initially, but likely a nightmare for anyone on the receiving end. Although, if he'd run into one when he was still a student, there was no limit to the amount of trouble he and his friends would have stirred up. He chuckled to himself, the image of a frazzled and irate Professor McGonagall tackling the owl interrupting his thoughts. Gryffindor would have been in complete mayhem by the time they were done.
The owl squawked at him from its place on the rock, as if inquiring, and Sirius glanced over at it again. Would it be possible to train one? Considering how large it was, he'd certainly need far more food on hand to use as a reward, and that didn't even breach the question of whether it had the right kind of attitude for the job. Would this owl turn out to be too temperamental for him to handle? He eyed it critically and it appeared to mirror him, ruffling its feathers in an almost nonchalant fashion. Perhaps if his new friend was still around in the morning he'd make an attempt; depending on how successful he was, maybe he'd have a scouting partner.
Sirius turned back to the campfire to check on the fish. After a few critical flips over the tripod he concluded that they were likely as good as he could get; the fillets were the right color and the skin seared a rather encouraging light brown. He had to scramble for a makeshift plate to transfer them to so they wouldn't actually burn, and transfigured a few twigs into cutlery. As he tucked into his evening meal he again had that prickling feeling of being watched. A quick glance over at the rocks confirmed that the owl was still there, although - did it creep closer? He eyed the bird warily as he scarfed the fish down and it did inch forward again, feathers ruffling softly in the relative quiet.
"I guess you're rather hungry, too, aren't you?" He asked the bird, reaching over for the bucket by his chair. He took down the stasis charm he'd put over it and reached inside, the owl's eyes following the movements closely. He held the fish up in offering and he watched the owl straighten, focus zeroed in on his hands. "Would you like one?" The bird's antsy movements gave him all the answer he needed and Sirius tossed the fish over, the owl stretching forward to catch it with an audible snap of its beak. The bird's head tossed back as it almost swallowed the fish whole.
It wasn't long before the owl resumed its staring and Sirius snorted. He doubted he'd have a chance to be alone again after that, especially as the bird now knew where the food was kept. He wouldn't be surprised at an attempt to reach it while he tried to sleep, which meant he'd need to hide it. The last thing he needed was to wake up with a face full of feathers and everything turned inside out, fish missing. He wouldn't put it past the owl either; if it was anything like the ones back home it would definitely find a way around. This bird looked clever enough to try to pull off something similar.
With this in mind, Sirius began the drawn out process of tightening his ward and detection charms, adding a few security spells and placing a disillusionment charm over the fish bucket. He noted the owl's rather comical reaction to that revelation out of the corner of his eye; it screeched, flapping its feathers as its head swiveled around, eyes darting back to where the bucket was last visible. Then it immediately stared him down in challenge, as if commanding him to return the bucket. Yeah, this bird was clever. The extra wards would definitely come in handy later that night.
It was already beginning to grow dark when he'd finished setting up for the night. The remaining daylight cast long shadows through the canopy overhead, and also along the ground from the campfire, which was burning rather low. Sirius spelled some fire into a transfigured bottle and placed it beside him and the now-invisible bucket. If he was going to sleep as himself tonight, especially with an owl hovering nearby, then by Merlin he was going to have a light ready. Hopefully it would deter any efforts his new friend would try to pull while he was sleeping.
As Sirius lay down to rest there were only two things dominating his thoughts: where would this stream lead him, and, was this owl going to follow him the whole way? He drifted off imagining various strange scenarios involving the bird, which grew more outrageous as sleep finally claimed him. There was only one way to find out and he had no problem waiting for the morning.