NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Choices and Consequences
Nyanko Sakura sat by the river, her stomach growling with hunger. Her food supply had run out, and now she was faced with a difficult decision. She clutched the metal object—what the humans called a gun her fingers tracing its cold surface. She had three choices: take a chance on the fruits she had seen, use the human magic to hunt, or endure the gnawing hunger a bit longer.
The thought of eating the fruits filled her with dread. "What if they're poisoned?" she wondered. Her mind raced with memories of her own world, where many seemingly harmless plants could be deadly. She had no idea what was safe to eat in this strange place. "I can't risk it," she thought, shaking her head.
She turned her gaze to the gun. The idea of using it to hunt was tempting, but she knew the bullets were limited. "What if I miss? What if I waste them?" she pondered. The loud noise it made would also attract unwanted attention, something she couldn't afford. "No, I can't use it unless absolutely necessary."
Her stomach growled again, louder this time, reminding her of her dire situation. She sighed and glanced at the river, watching the fish swim by. "Can I eat those creatures?" she thought, her red eyes following their movements. She had eaten fish before in her own world, but she had no idea if the fish here were safe. "They look similar, but are they really the same?"
Sakura's mind was a whirlwind of uncertainty and fear. "I'm so hungry... I need to eat something," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. She weighed her options once more, her thoughts spiraling.
"If I eat the fruit and it's poisonous, I might die," she mused, her eyes narrowing at the trees lining the riverbank. "But if I don't eat anything, I'll starve. I need to survive, no matter what." She clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up inside her. "Why is everything so difficult in this world?"
Her gaze returned to the fish. They seemed like the safest option, but she had no way of catching them without causing a disturbance. "If only I had a net or something to catch them with," she thought, biting her lip. Her mind drifted back to the gun. "Maybe... maybe I could try to catch one with my claws?" She looked at her hands, flexing her sharp nails. It was a risky idea, but it was better than doing nothing.
Sakura stood up, her body feeling weak from hunger. "I have to try," she told herself, determination flaring in her chest. She approached the edge of the river cautiously, her eyes locked on the fish. "Just one... I just need to catch one."
She crouched down, her muscles tensing as she prepared to strike. Her reflection stared back at her from the water, looking more determined than ever. "I won't give up," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can't give up."
With a swift motion, she plunged her hand into the water, her claws snapping at the fish. The cold water sent a shock through her system, but she ignored it, focusing solely on her target. She felt a fish slip through her fingers, its scales slick and slippery. "No!" she cried, trying again.
After several attempts, her claws finally closed around a fish. She pulled it out of the water, its body wriggling in her grasp. "I did it," she breathed, relief washing over her. "I actually did it."
She quickly moved away from the river, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and exhaustion. "Now, how do I prepare it?" she wondered, looking at the fish. She had seen humans cooking food, but she had never done it herself. "Maybe I can find a way to start a fire," she thought, glancing around for dry wood.
Sakura gathered some twigs and leaves, arranging them in a small pile. She found a couple of stones and tried to strike them together, hoping to create a spark. "Come on... please work," she muttered, her hands shaking.
After several frustrating attempts, a small spark finally caught, and a tiny flame flickered to life. "Yes!" she exclaimed, carefully feeding the fire until it grew. She skewered the fish with a stick and held it over the flame, watching as the skin began to crisp and the smell of cooked fish filled the air.
As she sat by the fire, turning the fish to cook it evenly, her mind wandered back to her journey. "I've come so far," she thought, her eyes reflecting the flames. "I can't believe I survived this long." She felt a sense of pride, mingled with the ever-present fear of the unknown. "I need to stay strong. I need to survive."
When the fish was finally cooked, Sakura took a tentative bite. The taste was different from what she remembered, but it was food, and it filled her stomach. She ate slowly, savoring each bite, her body finally starting to regain some of its strength.
As the fire died down and the night grew colder, Sakura curled up near the embers, her thoughts drifting. "I need to keep moving," she reminded herself. "I can't stay in one place for too long." She glanced at the gun, now lying beside her. "This world is dangerous, but I have to keep going. I have to find a way to survive."
With her stomach no longer empty and her determination renewed, Sakura closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief moment of rest. The journey ahead was still fraught with peril, but she was ready to face whatever challenges came her way. She was Nyanko Sakura, and she would not give up.