Chapter 5 Part 2: Expanding Bonds

Morning Responsibilities

Bell woke up early, the first hints of dawn barely cresting over the horizon. He stretched, groaning as soreness settled into his muscles from the previous day's training. Today, he had a mission—gather firewood and cook breakfast before Naaza woke up.

He quietly slipped out of his bedroll, careful not to disturb Naaza, and grabbed his knife before heading into the trees. The morning chill sent a shiver down his spine, but he pressed forward, scanning the ground for dry branches. He recalled Naaza's lesson about picking firewood: dry, brittle sticks, not damp ones. He gathered an armful, making sure not to disturb any wildlife, before heading back to camp.

Starting the fire, however, proved to be more difficult.

"Come on, come on," he muttered, striking the flint over and over. Sparks finally caught onto the dried leaves he had carefully arranged. He blew gently, coaxing the tiny flame into a steady burn. He grinned triumphantly.

Next came breakfast. He retrieved some of the herbs from yesterday's hunt, some meat, and set about preparing it as best as he could. It wasn't much, but he was determined to have something ready before Naaza woke up.

Bell sat watching the food cook, their tents just beyond the fire. The crackling flames were the only sound in the early morning silence. Just as he was finishing up, he suddenly felt a hand land firmly on his shoulder.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Bell yelped, nearly knocking over their breakfast as he flailed forward, his heart practically leaping out of his chest. Bell spun around to find Naaza standing there, arms crossed, tail flicking behind her.

A soft chuckle followed. "Howdy, Bell. It's just me."

The warm morning light softened her usual aloof demeanor, but the smug smirk she wore told him she was enjoying his reaction far too much.

"Naaza! You can't just sneak up on people like that!" he gasped, clutching his chest. "I almost had a heart attack!"

Naaza raised an eyebrow, then tilted her head, her smirk widening. "Oh? So a fearless adventurer like yourself, who braved the dungeon this far, is afraid of little ol' me?"

Bell huffed, trying to shake off his embarrassment. "That's not the same thing!"

She let out a small chuckle before settling down beside him. "Well, someone's certainly a bit of a go-getter this morning."

"Yeah, I thought you were still asleep and figured I should get started to try and... well, impress you." Bell admitted, rubbing the back of his head, his face quickly turning red as he avoided eye contact. "You always seem so good at everything, and I'd like to prove to you that you're a great teacher."

Naaza blinked, clearly not expecting that. Her ears twitched slightly, a telltale sign of her emotions getting the better of her. She quickly turned away, pretending to adjust her glove as she cleared her throat.

"Well... that's quite sweet of you," she murmured, suddenly very interested in getting a stick and poking at the fire. "Watching you work, you seemed very determined this morning."

Bell blinked at her, surprised by the rare compliment.

Naaza and Bell sat down and ate the breakfast Bell had worked so hard to prepare.

He grinned. "Well, if I don't burn the next meal, maybe I'll get a full pass next time."

Naaza scoffed but didn't argue, simply continuing to eat. The warmth of the fire mixed with a sense of quiet satisfaction—Bell was making progress, and Naaza had noticed.

Archery and Hunting Tests

After breakfast was done, the real training began. Naaza got up and went to set up a target for Bell. She came back and handed him a bow, raising an eyebrow at his confused expression.

"Why a bow?" Bell asked as he stood up and moved to where he could see the target.

"Because Bell, running into a fight headfirst isn't always the best idea," she replied, positioning his arms properly. "You need to learn how to attack from a distance and control a fight before it starts."

Bell took a deep breath, aiming at the makeshift target Naaza had set up. His first shot? It missed entirely, hitting the dirt several feet away from the target.

Naaza exhaled, rubbing her temples. "We've got a long way to go."

Over the next several hours, Naaza drilled Bell on precision, movement, and keeping calm under pressure. She guided his arms with careful adjustments, correcting his stance with sharp, but instructive remarks. "You're gripping too tight, loosen up," she instructed, watching as he attempted another shot.

Bell's shots gradually improved, though his arms ached from the effort. By mid-afternoon, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his fingers trembled from drawing the bow so many times. "One more shot," he muttered, taking aim. The arrow sailed through the air and hit the target—not dead center, but far closer than before.

Naaza gave him a small nod of approval. "Better. But if you miss a shot by that much in a real fight, it won't be so forgiving."

She suddenly grabbed her own bow, nocked an arrow in one fluid motion, and let it fly. The arrow embedded itself in Bell's arrow, splitting it down the middle.

Bell gawked. "How did you—?"

Naaza smirked. "Experience. Lots of it. You'll get there someday, maybe."

Just as he thought the lesson was over, Naaza smirked and motioned toward the dense foliage ahead. "Time for the real test."

"Wait, what?" Bell asked, confused.

"Dinner... You're going to hunt for it."

Bell stared at her, then at the bow in his hands, and gulped. Hunting small game was a far cry from shooting at a stationary target. Still, he squared his shoulders and followed her into the trees, determined to prove himself.

"Real enemies don't just stand still, Bell," Naaza said as she perched on a fallen log, watching him track a rabbit. "You need to read their movement—anticipate where they'll be, not where they are; as well as finding the right time to strike."

Bell, bow drawn, steadied his breathing. His fingers trembled slightly as he loosed the arrow. It struck just shy of its target, and the rabbit darted away.

Naaza let out a long sigh. "We're definitely eating dried rations tonight."

Bell groaned. "Come on, I've got this!"

Thankfully, after several failed attempts and a great deal of frustration, Bell was able to get one rabbit. He nearly cheered but caught himself at the last moment, remembering an earlier lesson from Naaza about patience and silence while hunting.

He turned to her, a proud grin on his face. "I did it!"

Naaza smirked, crossing her arms as she leaned casually against a tree. "Barely. That poor rabbit was practically waiting for you to hit it."

Bell frowned. "Hey, give me some credit! I'm learning."

Naaza let out a small chuckle, pushing off the tree and walking over to inspect his catch. "You are. Just don't expect the monsters in the dungeon to stand still like that."

Bell nodded, still grinning as he hoisted the rabbit over his shoulder. "Well, at least we're not eating dried rations tonight."

Naaza sighed dramatically. "I suppose that's true. Let's get back to camp before you find a way to lose our dinner on the way."

Bell rolled his eyes but followed after her, still feeling the pride of a successful hunt.

Evening Campfire - Survival and Medicine Tests

Naaza stretched her legs out beside the fire, watching Bell relax after a long day. "Alright, since you managed to survive today's training, let's see how well you remember what I taught you about healing."

Bell sat up straighter. "Okay, go ahead."

Naaza grabbed a spare piece of cloth from her satchel and wrapped it around her own forearm, simulating an injury. "If we don't have a pre-made potion, how do you stop the bleeding?"

Bell furrowed his brows, trying to recall everything she'd drilled into him. He grabbed his satchel, quickly searching through the gathered herbs. "You press the wound, stop the bleeding first, and then apply these—right?" He held up a few leaves, waiting for her judgment.

Naaza examined them, then nodded approvingly. "Good. A little hesitation, but not bad."

She leaned back, resting against the log. "You're getting better, you know. If this were a real emergency, you might have kept me from bleeding out."

Bell grinned, feeling a surge of pride. "So, does that mean I passed today's lesson?"

Naaza smirked. "Barely. But you're improving."

Each day, Bell's survival instincts sharpened. He got better at hunting, identifying safe plants, and managing injuries—though Naaza's sharp tongue never let him forget his failures. But beneath her usual sarcasm, there was a quiet pride in her gaze, a subtle acknowledgment that he was truly learning. For the first time in a long while, she was starting to look at him with something other than just skepticism—perhaps even a glimmer of belief.