Castaway Island

Chapter 16: The River

-DAY 48-

Things between Yanga and Jaune were slowly changing since they started to move away from Friends with Benefits to something a lot closer. Neither of them said the words but they could feel the bond between them was a lot stronger these days.

That didn't stop the routine of training, work outs, foraging, fishing and relaxing when they needed it. Although both were starting to feel a monotony to it all. That's when Yang come up one day that they needed a new project to keep their minds busy. Jaune was all for it so after a few ideas it was decided to see if they could get a smoker going. Jaune's uncle had taught him how to use one when his family visited, and he had a rough idea of how his uncle's worked. They just needed something big and tall enough for it.

Yang was all for this idea if only, so they had smoked food to give their meals a little bit of a different taste and to help with preservation. They weren't sure what they could use as nothing around the area seemed to really be the right size or clean enough. Jaune thought of seeing about using a water heater from one of the more damaged homes. That took about a full day to get it out, take it to the mechanical building and for Yang to start using a power tool to cut into it. They didn't get far because apparently neither of them knew just how dirty those things got inside.

It was quickly abandoned, and it was placed in the little courtyard behind the building next to the storage shed. They didn't find much else for the next two days so at the moment they gave up on it. Yang decided to look through the storage shed a bit more thoroughly at the mechanical shop. She moved aside boxes and crates to see lots of spare parts for the carts, some spare parts for maintenance of various other things too. That's when she found it, an oil drum that was pushed up against the wall. Looking inside she found it hadn't been used yet.

She figured it was stuck back there for a spare and forgotten about.

After getting Jaune and showing him it, they got to work. They pulled it out and into the repair shop where Yang would cut it up to Jaune's specifications. Jaune had gathered up the grills from various BBQs that were scattered all over the place. Most didn't fit well but Yang could still work with that.

It was set up standing with two openings put into it. A larger one in the middle for the food to be placed and a smaller one where the fire would go. She also added in two wheels and something to keep it from falling over so they could move it around more easily.

Jaune got her some spare pipes from the shed as she welded it on top with the welding torch from the garage. Thankfully she had some experience with this while making her weapons back in Signal. Although granted that was with an arc welder so it took a little getting used to the differences. With some spare parts they cobble together something to keep it off the ground. By the end of the day, it wasn't exactly pretty but it was workable.

Jaune tested it out the next day when they placed it out back from their home. Thankfully the hotel had outdoor BBQs, so they found plenty of charcoal and wood chips stashed earlier in their search of the island. They just didn't see the point until now and now gather them up and placed them in the Store House for convenience. Jaune had never operated one by himself, usually his uncle had done most of it and he only helped but the first result was pretty good.

Both of them that night enjoyed the smoked fish with some side of rice. It ended up being one of the better meals they had since arriving.

After that project things went back to the usual day to day things they did. Training, working out, maybe a game of something to relax, some foraging, and anything else useful if it wasn't a rest day.

"So," Yang stated as they were getting ready for that day. "You trying to grow out a beard lately?"

Jaune rubbed the side of his face, it was slowly coming in but honestly it didn't look like much. His baby face features weren't helpful with facial hair. "Well, there's limited razors on this island and I thought to make it last, do you not like it?"

Yang tilted her head. "Not sure, it tickles a bit when you kiss me on the neck, but I'm used to it." She then grinned. "Kind of tickles when you go down on me too."

"Oh, maybe I should shave then," He flushed a bit. Even with all the things they've done he got a bit embarrassed when she just blurts things out like that.

Yang did know this and that's why she did it, he looked cute when he blushed. "Give it a little bit of time, I want to see what you look like with a beard now. I'm curious about it, although that hair could use a cut."

Jaune was keeping his hair tied back as the bangs that weren't were slowly getting in his eyesight. "Yeah maybe, what about you? Your hair is even longer."

"My hair is supposed to be luscious," she ran a hand through it for emphasis but then looked over her shoulder as it was getting longer than she would prefer. "But maybe a little trim wouldn't hurt."

"Well, we can always use that salon, bring some lights and use their stuff," he shrugged.

"You know how to cut hair?" Yang placed her hands on her hips.

"Seven sisters." Jaune replied.

"Ah…I'll think on it, but there's actually something else I've been wondering." She changed the subject. "I've been thinking we see where the river comes from."

"Any particular reason?" Jaune asked curious.

She just shrugged. "Not really, but we really don't know much about the island still. We've stayed in this area, walked around it and when up that hill but other than that? We haven't seen much of it. We should know what else we'll run into in this place."

Jaune remembered being attacked by the small pack of Grimm on the hill, if there were more on the island they needed to know. If they showed up here, they would need to be ready. Also, she had a point, exploring allowed them to find more resources so this should help. "Well, we finished with the smoker a few days ago and we're stocked up…I don't see why not."

"Great, let's gear up then." Yang was eager for some exploring it was something new to do and something new while being stuck on an island was good for their mental health.

Gathering up their gear, supplies and making last minute checks for everything needed they headed towards the river. Once they got there, they followed it up stream. It ran parallel with most of the hotel area before it ran through the fencing that ran around the hotel perimeter. The water ran just under the fence which had a grate under it, most likely to prevent people or animals from getting in that way. Thankfully there was a locked door next to it with signs that said 'hotel staff only' next to it. Trying out the various keys they had found they found one key that actually worked with it.

Normally they could have just broken it, but they didn't want anything dangerous to slip inside, granted any Grimm could easily get through the fence but not without making a lot of noise, at least they hoped it would make a lot of noise. They followed the river as Jaune had to take lead to use his sword to start cutting a path for them. The jungle was getting thicker now as they continued to follow it.

He did make a mental note to resharpen his sword after this, it wasn't meant to be used like this and he really didn't want to damage it from improper use and care.

"I wonder if I should try and make a couple of machetes or something," Yang wondered out loud as they made their way through the dense foliage.

"Got any idea?" he asked cutting a path.

"A few. Might not look pretty and I wouldn't want to use them again a Grimm, but they'd get the job done," Yang hopped over a root from a tree.

"You're starting to become a weapons smith with all the weapon you've been making on this island." He joked.

Yang rolled her eyes. "God, please don't tell Ruby that, I swear she'll start trying to get me into weapons again and last time she overloaded me with all kinds of details. I love my little sis but damn she can get crazy about weapons."

"I've noticed," he smiled remembering his friend. "I hope they're doing okay."

"Yeah, but we'll get off this island and see them one day," she mentally added 'we have to' in her head.

They continued on making their way upriver, they were walking for a couple of hours before they head it, a rumbling sound.

"Does that sound like a waterfall to you?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, I hope so," Yang grinned as they picked up the pace. Not long later they came to a clearing with a small waterfall, it was about fifty feet high coming from a small cliff that created a small pool of water before being drained down river.

"Oh nice!" Yang raced to the edge and looked in the pond. "Looks pretty clear to me."

Jaune looked in too, "Wow that is clear, most of the ponds on our trip from Patch weren't as good as this."

"Might be from the water constantly coming down." She stabbed her spear into the ground and put her backpack next to it as well as her hat as she carefully went to the waterfall and stuck out her arm. The water was coming down in a constant stream, but it wasn't coming down hard enough to hurt and it was a little cool too.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I could use something to cool off with," She got under it allowing the water to flow over her as she ran her long hair through her hands. The cool water felt so good on her after going through the hot and muggy jungle to reach here.

Jaune stood transfixed as she got all wet from it, her hair plastering against her body and the white t-shirt she had on soaked through showing off the bikini she had on. Her short shorts got damp as he swallowed hard. Even after all the things they had done together, still a sight like this left him yearning for more of her.

She caught him looking at grinned. "Come on and join me, although you might want to take the armor off first."

"Right, armor, good idea," he slipped it off leaving him in only shorts and a light black t-shirt. He went towards her being very careful not to slip on the wet rocks. When the water hit him, he felt a bit more refreshed with the cool water helping to beat the heat. Wearing all that armor might be helpful if they met up with a Grimm but it got damn hot in it on the island.

Yang's eyes went to his own shirt as it clung to his body, a body she knew so very well by this point. Jaune had trimmed down a bit, but his muscles got more defined slightly from all the work they had been doing. She remembered running her tongue over those nice abs of his a few nights ago before going even further down his body for a bit of foreplay that night.

Suddenly she was getting a bit hotter, and it wasn't from the heat of the island. She walked over as he was enjoying the water as she encircled her arms around his neck pulling him in for a kiss. He was surprised by eagerly kissed her back his own arms taking her waist and pulling her closer to him. The two stood there hungrily kissing the other under the running water.

Eventually they needed air as Yang smirked at him and suddenly pushed him as he yelped and went into the pond.

"Yang!" he shouted indignantly.

"Couldn't help it," she laughed before jumping in to join him. The water was a bit deep as the two swam in the water. They weren't going to drink it anytime soon anyway so they figured they could have a little fun. Jaune slashed water at her that made her make a face at him before grinning and splashed him back. The two having a bit of a water fight for a moment, not a care in the world until they moved closer to the edge as they felt their feet hit the bottom of the water.

They slowly moved closer locking eyes with each other as Jaune this time pulled her close kissing her again. She moaned into it as she gripped his strong back.

He soon moved down to her neck as she was about to close her eyes when she saw movement of some kind. She quickly tapped his shoulder to get his attention not taking her eyes off the area.

"What?" He asked seeing her focused look in confusion.

"We're not alone," she stated in a low tone.

Jaune looked to see their weapons close but still out of reach. "Damn, okay slowly move to the edge, maybe we can get close enough to grab them."

She nodded as they slowly moved to the edge of the pond, both of them keeping their eyes for anything out there. They slowly got to the edge and were pulling themselves out of the water when they heard it. A large growling sound coming from somewhere in the tree line.

"What was-" Jaune didn't get to finish as something large slammed into him so fast he could barely react. He felt something furry, heavy and that was trying to claw him, his aura flared up taking most of it as he brought his arm up, as powerful jaws bit into his forearm making him cry out in pain.

"Jaune!" Yang felt her heart leaping to her chest as she quickly ran forward her metal arm cocked. She slammed it into the giant furry creature as it let out a painful yelp and flew across the open space.

"Jaune are you okay?" She asked worried for him.

"I think so," He slowly got up the pain in his arm was slowly fading thankfully it hadn't gotten through his aura. Looking at the creature slowly get up he could see it was a large feline predator animal with black spots all over it. "Is that a jaguar or a leopard?"

"I honestly could never tell the difference," Yang admitted as the animal limped up hissing at them. "Oh, you do not get to hiss at me mister, we were enjoying ourselves."

Her eyes went red as she couldn't believe she just got cock blocked by a stupid animal. The animal however didn't seem to care, it was injured and was now boxed in as the shoulder was too injured to put the front paw down, meaning it couldn't get away. Jaune slowly got his sword and shield.

"What do you think?" He asked her.

Yang was thoughtful before taking her spear. "I think we finally get to try some meat with that smoker."

Jaune wasn't sure even if it would taste good but honestly, they hadn't had fresh meat and only canned stuff ever singe they got here. His stomach was eager for something fresh by this point. "Left or Right?"

"I got left."

"Then I go right." He nodded as the two quickly ran in different directions confusing the animal. It kept switching between the two until it took a swipe at Jaune. This time he was ready as the claws harmlessly scratched against his metal shield that was designed to take blows from Grimm.

"Haaa!" Yang cried out as she thrusts forward burring the spear into its side. The animal cat cried out, but Jaune followed up with his sword taking the head off the large cat.

It fell dead to the jungle floor, blood flowing out of the wound.

"Hell of a lot easier to deal with than a Grimm," Yang pulled out the spear. "So now what?"

"I guess we should let it drain out for a bit," he stated. "It's going to bleed all over us carrying it back otherwise."

"Okay…did you bring any rope?" She asked him.

"Actually, I did," he went to the backpack and pulled out some rope.

"Really?"

"Well doesn't jungle exploration usually have someone with rope?" He asked her given all the movies he saw usually you see the heroes needed to climb up or down something or to attach an item to it to move it around.

Yang shrugged, she wasn't going to say anything against it, then she noticed something odd about the rope. It was way too smooth for normal rope. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh uh, remember that room with all the...adult stuff?" He asked as she slowly nodded. "Well, I found this and decided to keep it."

"You kept bondage rope?" She grinned at him as he blushed.

"It's rope! It's still good for other things," he protested.

She walked over to him as she pressed herself up against him looking at him with a very lustful look. "Oh? You sure that you didn't bring it with you to tie me up and have your way with me?"

"Y-Yang!"

She burst out laughing, teasing him was too much fun. "Sorry I couldn't help it. Let's get this big hairball up and we can have some lunch while we wait."

"Yeah, sounds good," he sighed untying the rope.

"Although if you wanted to try something kinky you only need to ask," she said over her shoulder.

It took them some time to get it tied off and hung it from a low enough branch that could support its weight. They washed off some of the blood on them and sat down for a meal with their legs in the cool pond. After that they went about finding a long and sturdy branch, Jaune used the broadsword mode of his weapon to cut it off a tree since they hadn't thought to bring the axe with them.

With that they checked on what they were going to call the jaguar (if it was or not, they didn't care, it wouldn't be around long enough to matter) and used to rope to then secure it to the poll. Yang insisted on taking the head to see if they could make a trophy out of it. With that each of them took one end of the wooden branch and lifted it onto their shoulder as they started the march back home.

"So, you think there are other animals like this on the island?" Yang asked as they made their way back home.

"I guess so, I mean this thing had to hunt something right?" He said to her as she was leading the way. Thankfully with the freshly cut path it was easier going to get back.

"Well now we know they this place had a perimeter fence and there were those signs on the beach warning not to go too far from the resort." She replied.

"Yeah, I was hoping it was just for Grimm but now it looks like this island has some predators too."

"Nothing we can't handle," Yang beamed. "We take on literal monsters, a wild animal is nothing compared to that."

"That's for sure."

They made it back in record time following the path, then they got to preparing. Jaune went to get the tools for cutting up the fish as Yang got the beast ready. Jaune quickly came back as they went to work. After all this time gutting and cleaning fish both of them were used to the sight of blood and gore. Although there was a lot more of it this time around.

Jaune laid out extra sheets be brought so she could the meat on it. First, she carefully skinned the creature.

"Are you trying to save the hide?" He asked.

Yang nodded as she was focused on cutting. "Yeah, who knows maybe we can make something out of it or maybe a throw rug in front of the fireplace, always wanted to make love on a furry rug while a roaring fire is going off like you see in some movies."

Jaune didn't want to admit it, but he knew what she was talking about, and it might be fun, if they could figure out how to tan the hide. He had a vague idea on it, but he had no idea if his idea was right or not. It was from some half-remembered thing he heard once while camping as his dad once explained how people used to hunt and make their own clothing from animal hide during one of the family camping trips.

After the skinning, she started cutting off pieces of meat.

"Try and save the liver," Jaune asked her his hands bloody from handling the meat onto the blankets. "I might be able to cook us up something with it."

"At this point I'd kill for liver," Yang commented. "Heh, actually I did technically kill for it. Now if I only knew where it was."

They both were no experts in where organs were in animals, so it took a lot of guess work. Eventually she found it. By the end of it all there was just a bloody mess all around. The remains that they couldn't or wouldn't eat were all wrapped up as those would be put into a garbage bag and later taken to the dump.

"God we both look like we came from a murder," Yang looked down at herself.

A quick dip in the river solved most of it but the clothing would still need to be washed. Jaune got started with smoking some of the meat and then salting and preserving the rest. Yang went to wrap up the head and place it somewhere outside and out of the way for later, the fur she put on the clothesline to dry off for a bit before she salted it and would later do more work on it.

After that they cleaned up again, changed clothing and relaxed for the rest of the day while the smoker did its thing. Yang put on some music as she was on the couch just relaxing while Jaune was reading a book on the bed, going out to check the meat every now and then. By the time dinner was around both of them were salivating at the smell of fresh cooked meat.

Jaune made a nice dish of two large pieces of cooked meat for them, a side of some canned veggies and rice. Yang figured now was a perfect time for some of the surviving wine on the island to be broken out.

They sat down and that first taste of real meat was like nothing they had experienced.

"Oh my god, I don't care if it's a little gamey, this is real meat," Yang moaned taking another bite.

"I can't believe how much I miss this," He eagerly took another bite himself.

"At least we'll be getting some decent protein for a few weeks." Yang smiled cutting her next piece off.

"Yeah, maybe after we're done with it all we should think about hunting deeper in the forest now and then." He took a drink as the wine burned down his throat.

"Definitely put a pin in that for later," she nodded. "You know, things are finally starting to feel like actual civilization here now."

"Jaune Arc and Yang Xiao Long, adventurers and civilization builders," he joked.

She snorted. "Dork, but hey when we get off this island, we're going to have one hell of a story, think they'll make a book or a movie about it?"

"Would be interesting." He thought. "I hope they get someone decent to play me."

Yang thought about it. "I'd say…Nick Green, you know the guy from Grimm Hunter?"

"Is that the movie about guy that hunts rare Grimm no one has ever heard about?"

"That's the one," she nodded, it was a silly movie, and the effects were kind of cheap, but it was a fun dumb movie, and the main actor played a character that while good at his job was a bit of a klutz. "So, what about me? Who do you think they'll get to play me?"

He gave it al little thought, "Suzy Summers."

He raised an amused eyebrow, "is that because we both 'stack' up?" She lifted her breasts a little since that actress also has larger than normal breasts like she did.

He coughed a bit, "Well that and she's like super hot? I mean did you see her in Beach Valley High?"

Yang had seen that film it was one of those college frat comedy films where the actress had dyed her hair blonde and looked like a stereotypical dumb blonde bimbo but had like three doctorate and was a professor. She had a few action roles under her belt too so all in all she felt that was a good pick.

"Well, I hope they pay well for our life story," Yang now took some of the nice. "I want us both to get something nice out of this entire experience, well other than…" She paused as they fell silent and locked eyes with each other.

There was this moment of both understanding what she meant, there was something else they were getting out of this experience, this bond between them had been growing and turning into something a lot more than what it originally was. They were long past friends by this point although neither had come out and said it, at least not yet.

"Yeah, at least there is one good thing that came out of this?" He offered.

She smiled back and nodded her head. "So, I'm thinking of testing the current around the island."

He looked up from his meal. "Testing?"

"Yeah, remember how the island pulled us in on the raft?" She asked as he nodded. "Well, I figured I could try and make a little wooden boats, maybe make little sails to see if the current around the island is weak enough to build a boat. I figured to try when the tide starts to go out."

"Building a boat," He had been thinking the same thing ever since the antenna plan didn't work out. "It wouldn't be a very good boat."

Yang made a face, neither of them knew much about boat building. She knew that there were actual calculations you had to make in order for it to even float but what those were they had no idea what they were. "Yeah, maybe raft would be more accurate, but we need to see if we're going to have to fight against the pull of the island the entire time before we get out to open sea."

Jaune leaned back and looked at the map they found in the manager's office, it had shown there the mainland was so they had a direction and honestly at long as they kept going in that direction, they would eventually hit land. Given where the island was it would be hard to miss unless a storm blew them well off course.

It would still take them days maybe over a week to sail to land.

"It would have to be large enough to carry us and supplies, maybe even a sail as I don't think we can row all the way there." Jaune thought out loud.

Yang nodded her head, "Yeah and we'd have to try making test ones to make sure they don't fall apart on us or sink."

She sighed as thought about having to cut down trees and al the wood they would need. Even if they used logs, they would need to make it watertight so it didn't sink under them.

"There are a bunch of floaties and life preservers for the indoor pool and around the hotel,"
Jaune realized. "Maybe we can use them to help keep it afloat?"

Yang shrugged, "It wouldn't keep it perfectly above the water but if we line the bottom, it might help a bit. Maybe also use what's left of the raft we came here on we can cut it up and line the floor with it to keep the water from getting in."

"We might be able to find other material around here too to help," Jaune was starting to like where this was going. "It's too bad there are no jet skies or something we can use to make a motor."

"Yeah, that would help even if it's for a bit it would cut down on travel time even if it only worked for a bit." Yang paused and then thought of something. "Hey…you remember that abandoned jeep when we went up the hill? I wonder if I can get the engine working, no wait the thing's too big and heavy it might sink it."

"We could try, maybe you can cut down on the parts?"

Yang chewed her lip, maybe she could. She was more into bike engines, but she knew enough about how an engine worked maybe she could also cannibalize it to make a small one? Even with only two working cylinders it might have enough power to get things moving, provided it wasn't too heavy. The electric motors of the carts wouldn't have the power to push something as large as they were making, it was already taxed just pulling the home-made cart she hooked up to the one they used.

"This is going to take us months," she said.

"Not like we don't got the time," he shrugged. "We can start chopping down trees and look for other things we can rip apart or use to make it, while testing out the currents. Maye we can even throw in messages in a bottle and see if they make it off the island.

Yang shrugged herself this time. "I don't see why not it would be funny if on the day we leave in our little do it yourself boat that a rescue party comes for us."

"At that point I think we'll take it," Jaune smiled at her as the two of them now had a plan.

After the antenna plan failed, both didn't want to admit it, but they were lost on how to get off the island, they really had no plan and in a way no hope. Both were trying to keep up a good front in front of the other but now, now they had something to work towards. A clear plan to get off, it would take a lot of time and work but in the end it would be worth it.

They spent the rest of the evening and night talking and planning, drawing up items they would need to start working and for the first time in days they started to feel the slight gloom over them starting to dissipate. There was a level of excitement as they felt that this could be it, this could be their way home.

TBC…

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