The adrenaline from the hunt faded, leaving Kael with aching muscles, a collection of scrapes, and a profound sense of accomplishment. He retrieved his Crude Stone Hand Axe from the fallen deer, the flint stained dark. The coppery smell of blood was strong in the air, and he knew he couldn't leave the carcass here for long; it would attract scavengers, and potentially larger predators.
The task of butchering the deer was daunting. It was significantly larger than the rabbits he'd handled, and his Simple Flint Knives, while sharp, felt inadequate for the tougher parts of the job. His 'Basic Crafting' skill didn't offer specific recipes for butchering, but his INT and WIS, coupled with the 'Keen Mind' skill, helped him approach the problem logically. He remembered diagrams from his past life, focusing on separating the limbs at the joints and harvesting the large muscle groups.
It was a slow, bloody, and exhausting process. His low STR made every cut a struggle. He worked methodically, his small hands soon covered in gore. He managed to separate the haunches, the backstraps, and other prime cuts of venison. He also carefully removed the hide, trying his best not to puncture it, and salvaged some of the longer sinews, which the System identified as 'Deer Sinew - Strong, flexible crafting material.'
[System Notification: You have successfully butchered 1x Forest Deer (Juvenile). Obtained: Venison (Large Quantity), Deer Hide (Medium Quality, 1x), Deer Sinew (6x).]
[Due to practical application of anatomical knowledge and tool use under difficult conditions, 'Basic Survival (Rank F)' proficiency increased. 'Axe Proficiency (Rank F)' proficiency increased. 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' proficiency increased.]
[XP Gained: 10 / 150 for Level 3.]
[Current XP: 125 / 150 for Level 3.]
Only 25 XP away from Level 3 now. The butchering itself had yielded a surprising amount of experience.
Transporting the meat and hide back to his camp was another challenge. He couldn't carry it all in one trip. He decided to take the best cuts of venison first, along with the hide and sinew, leaving the rest of the carcass covered with branches, hoping it would deter immediate scavengers. He would have to make a second trip.
Back at his A-frame hut, Kael set about preserving the meat. He cut a good portion of the venison into thin strips, which he planned to smoke and dry over his fire. This would make it last much longer. He cooked a generous portion of fresh venison for his evening meal, the rich, gamey flavor a welcome change. The Well-Fed buff renewed, making him feel stronger and more capable.
The Deer Hide was his next project. A good quality hide could be turned into much-needed clothing, bedding, or even a better waterskin. But it needed to be tanned, or it would rot. He had no knowledge of traditional tanning methods.
"System," he inquired, "are there any 'Basic Crafting' recipes or 'Basic Survival' techniques for preserving or tanning this Deer Hide?"
[System Query: Accessing skill-based information for 'Deer Hide Preservation'.]
[Result ('Basic Survival' Rank F): Simple Hide Scraping and Sun Drying. Result: Stiff, usable leather (Low Quality). High chance of incomplete preservation or brittleness.]
[Result ('Basic Crafting' Rank E): Brain Tanning (Simplified). Requires: Animal Brains (from deer carcass), Water, Smoke. Result: Soft, durable leather (Medium Quality). Moderate difficulty. Time-consuming.]
Brain tanning. He vaguely recalled hearing about this primitive method. It sounded messy, but the promise of "soft, durable leather (Medium Quality)" was far more appealing than "stiff, usable leather (Low Quality)." He had the deer's brain (he'd made sure to salvage the head on his second trip to the kill site, along with more meat).
The process, even the simplified System version, took the better part of the next two days. It involved mashing the brain, working it into the scraped hide, letting it soak, then stretching and softening the hide as it dried slowly by the smoky fire. It was laborious, often unpleasant work, testing his patience and his still-low STR. But his 'Basic Crafting' skill seemed to guide him, helping him avoid the worst mistakes.
While the hide was slowly curing, Kael focused on other tasks. He smoked the strips of venison, creating a good supply of jerky. He practiced with his axe, the 'Axe Proficiency' skill making his swings slightly more accurate, his chops a little deeper. He also practiced moving silently through the undergrowth, his new 'Stealth' skill making him more aware of the noise he made.
Finally, the hide was ready. It wasn't perfect – a little uneven in places – but it was definitely soft and surprisingly strong.
[System Notification: You have successfully tanned 1x Deer Hide (Medium Quality) using Brain Tanning (Simplified) method.]
[Due to successful application of a complex, multi-stage crafting process, 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' proficiency significantly increased. You are approaching the requirements for Rank D.]
[XP Gained: 20 / 150 for Level 3.]
[Current XP: 145 / 150 for Level 3.]
Twenty XP! He was now only 5 XP away from Level 3. The satisfaction was immense. He had taken a raw resource from this world and transformed it into something valuable, something that could significantly improve his chances of long-term survival.
He held up the tanned hide. It was large enough to make a simple tunic or perhaps a warm cloak. The thought of replacing his current rags with something he had made himself, from an animal he had hunted, filled him with a quiet pride.
The forest was still a dangerous place, and the Whisperwood quest loomed as a distant, formidable challenge. But Kael was no longer just a lost boy. He was a hunter, a crafter, a survivor. And he was on the verge of reaching another milestone in his new, extraordinary life.