A kick on the duffel woke a groggy Kyu in the morning. 

Sampson “pay attention today there is a lot to see then you're just about free to do as you please.” 

Kyu nodded and fallowed. Fist the outhouse rules what was okay and what wasn’t. then a long run of forest and field around it took most the day but lots of wild food all around. some natural some propagated over time by Sampson. there was three sources of water a good fall for a shower and a long run after, hot pools with “water not for drinking it is just good for a winter soak.” Sampson also pointed out witch plants to not harvest and were it was okay to harvest. he kept his bow a large knife on him and would take shots at some animals and completely ignore others.

Kyu was so out of breath that only puffs of air not questions made it out by the time they made it back to the cabin Kyu laid out on the floor gasping for breath

“ puff puff… puff puff… tools.. puff puff…”

“you have to make most of your own but we do have some of the basics, try and make as much as you can your self.”

“I’ll need a knife and and a saw and a shovel I can’t make steal on my own…”

Sampson dug under the kitchen cabinets and pulled out a long knife he set it on the counter top with a sharpening stone and started keen the edge.

Kyu struggled up and to their knees and peered over the counter watching carefully “may I try?”

Sampson noticing Kyu odd position got slightly uncomfortable then flicked the knife grabbing it by the  spine and holding it out to Kyu looming in an almost dare to take it. 

Kyu stood and bowed formally in respect “thank for this opportunity” and took the blade 

Sampson was so taken aback by the formal show of respect. a move reserved for older family of the vampires.  that he just let Kyu take the knife then watch as Kyu perfect mimicked how Sampson had been sharpening it 

then with out concern Kyu held out the knife for Sampson’s inspection “ how do you know when its done?” Sampson leaned close holding Kyus hand down to the counter and drew the knife along the pitiful peach fuzz on the back of Kyus arm the fuzz easily came away. Kyu was frozen in shock by just how big Sampson really was!  he could so easy move Kyus body like a doll with no effort at all.  Kyu gaped up at Sampson with big eyes made bigger by large glasses, to an almost cartoon effect of a begging puppy.   

Sampson thoroughly uncomfortable grabbed his bow and went to hunt. now convinced that Kyus father had to be a hairless human. shuddering and pushing away the other thoughts that shadowed his mind… some things just weren’t done! not even Lady Yuki would be brave enough to let a yokai grown in her home!so the thought faded away.

Kyu spent the next day working on a book shelf first reading the best ways to fashion it together without nails then scraping out in the dirt a flatpack-esk diagram of all the peaces and parts needed. then set about  getting the materials. Talking under their breath to remember “4 long sticks just taller than me, just smaller around then my arm. 6 left shoulder to right finger tip, half size of my wrist. 6 elbow to wrist length, a good length of vine to reenforce the corners.” Kyu set to it with determination. determination being the only natural skill Kyu knew of themselves. 

The sight Sampson came back to was one of organized chaos! Kyu had all of the sought after thing but hands cloths and part of their face was covered in black sap and dirt. Any lingering thought Sampson had of a Yokai  in his house blew away on the gentle breeze.

Kyu looked up from trying to skin the bark off the thin vine and seeing Sampsons almost laughing at the state of em. Kyu looked at there hands “oh yah the book didn’t tell me the fussy dark trees bleed wax! I can’t get it off and it’s like glue for dirt. it doesn’t  smell bad though.” 

Sampson barked a laugh at fussy dark tree, relaxing a bit by just how clueless this kid was “Cedar tree and sap or pitch” he held up both rabbits he caught and kicked Kyu boot “time to learn”. he handed Kyu one of the rabbits, walked the way down to the creek and business like set about step at a time skinning one of the rabbits. Kyu turned a bit green but knew this was the only way to get a real dinner so fallowed along with the second rabbit. 

first cut the fur around the wist and ankles. brake  and twist and the cut the tendon. Kyu realized this was easer with wrists than ankles. 

on the stomach pull up and very carefully cut the skin toward the rib cage. work hands under skin. cut skin to chest, work hands under skin all the way around torso get it as lose as possible so you can grab it behind the animal then grab the skin and pull down. pop legs out. cut tendon on tail pull tail out. flip rabbit around cut skin just under chin all they way around neck pull skin all the way off.  At first Kyu was fascinated how easy it was to just pull the skin off but couldn’t help but think of pulling a sweater off when puling it over the head of the animal.

gently puncture just under sternum work skin a little loose with shallow careful cut to the anus. reach hand in as far up the ribs as passable and scoop out innards. cut the skin still holding hart and lungs scoop them out. This was the hardest part but some how with the animal still warm it wasn’t as gross as Kyu had expected. Kyu shivered a little at the though of doing this to a cold body then tried hard to focus on the job at hand.

remove the head scoop out the brain and mash it into the skinned side of the hide working it in to all the nooks and crannies.

Sampson tossed the entrails across the creek. some landing in trees were crows were waiting for them. he wash the rabbit in the creek, put it on a stick to roast by the fire and collected the skin. 

Kyu knew they had taken far longer then Sampson with each step but Sampson had only spoken two words the whole time, both being “carefully” to not puncture the gut. so Kyu knew how important that must really be in washing his rabbit Kyu tried desperately to get the pitch and now blood off but they were now working together to make Kyu feel horrible! realizing Sampson had left Kyu ran to catch up, staked rabbit and slimy rabbit skin in hand.