Extra * Sora and the Adandara Are Incredible?
“ADANDARA, SORA…we really should find somewhere to sleep, you guys.”
Two days after leaving Ratome Village, I looked up to see a cloudless blue sky. It was tough camping outdoors when it rained, but tonight looked like another comfortable night’s sleep for me.
“Pu, pu pu! Pu pu pu!” Sora bounced all over the place.
I searched for a place to stay the night, making sure to occasionally check on the slime. I just wanted to lie down and rest, but I had to make sure it was a place we could flee at a moment’s notice.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen any animals or monsters the past couple days. This place wasn’t empty, right? I mean, I could see footprints here and there, and yet…hmm. Weird.
Purrrr.
“Adandara, we’re looking for a place to sleep tonight. By the way, you’ve been with us the last couple of days. Aren’t you hungry? If you get hungry, you should go and hunt.”
I’d noticed a lack of animals and monsters shortly after the adandara joined up with us. Were they staying away because of the adandara? If my book wasn’t wrong, it should be a pretty strong monster.
Purrrr.
It was cute when it rubbed up against me, even if it was
apparently really deadly. I petted it carefully but with a firm hand—if I was too gentle, it wouldn’t be enough for the adandara. It narrowed its eyes adorably. It definitely didn’t look like a monster that even scared other monsters.
“Pu, pu!” Sora rolled around us.
“You’re cute, too, Sora.”
“Pu!”
Oops! We can’t just hang around here! We need a place to sleep. I walked through the trees, checking the branches of the thicker ones, still searching.
“Pu, pu!” Sora’s cries got a little louder.
Finding it strange, I searched for the slime and found it bouncing a short distance away. Ack! I was so focused on looking for a campsite that I forgot to keep an eye on Sora.
“Sora, what’s gotten into you?” When I approached, it bounced away toward a big tree. I frantically followed. “Hey, that’s dangerous!”
What was it doing? Normally, it would stop if I called to it. Was something there? I followed my friend to the big tree and found a cavernous hollow at its base.
“Pu, pu!”
Hm? Was Sora trying to tell me about this spot? “Sora, did you want to show me this?”
“Pu, pu pu!”
But how did it know about this spot? I cocked my head, but I couldn’t think of an answer. What mattered was that Sora had found us a place to sleep.
“Thanks, Sora.”
The slime leapt up at my thanks. I was surprised by the height of its jump. Sora had gotten really…elastic?
Purrrr. The adandara rubbed its cheek against me.
“What’s wrong?”
What did it want? I couldn’t tell, but eventually it seemed satisfied and slipped off into the woods.
“Huh? Umm…” Well, that was sudden…and confusing. Umm, so the adandara is gone? Is this as far as it goes? Or did it just get hungry?
“Let’s…just get ready for bed,” I said. “I’ll make space for you and the adandara, Sora.”
It might’ve gone back to its home forest, but I’ll set aside some space for it just in case. The hollow at the bottom of the tree was pretty big. I searched for clues that other animals or monsters might be using it but found nothing. Next, I felt the forest floor—I couldn’t lie down if it was wet, so this was important.
“Should be safe. Thank goodness.” I folded up my mat and set it in the hollow, creating a makeshift bed. “All done.”
Now, what should I eat tonight? Over the past two days with the adandara, it had shown me plenty of spots with fruit, so I had lots on hand. I was pretty stocked up when it came to provisions.
“Pu!”
“You must be hungry, Sora. Wait just a second.”
While I took out potions, I noticed the adandara’s aura approaching again. Oh good. We can spend more time together, then. I left the hollow, and before long, the adandara was by my side.
“Huh? What are you holding?”
The catlike monster set four unconscious rabbits on the ground in front of me. Is it going to eat them? I wondered, but it pushed them toward me with a paw.
“Did you hunt that for me?”
Purr.
“Thank you. Adandara, what about your food? Have you eaten?”
Purr.
I pet the adandara as it rumbled and snuggled against me. I couldn’t believe it had caught four rabbits that quick. What an incredible monster…
“Well, I’d better get to dressing these rabbits. Hm…I think there was a stream around here.”
It wouldn’t be a problem if I left this spot for the stream, right? I took my bag of butchering tools from the hollow and headed out.
“Sorry, Sora. Wait just a little longer to eat.”
“Pu, pu pu!” Sora didn’t look mad. In fact, it seemed to be in a good mood.
I walked around the stream for a moment and began breaking down the rabbits far away from our camp. Butchering rabbits was second nature to me now. “Okay, all done! This is some nice game.”
Next, I massaged herbs into the meat to remove the odor and make it tastier. Okay, all done! Now what? If I cook them here, the smell might spread and draw monsters. Would soup have less of a scent, maybe? Still, this is a lot of meat. It might be too much for one pot of soup…
Hmm…I’m a little nervous, but I should cook it. If a monster comes, we can run away. If it’s cooked, we’ll take it. If it’s still raw, we’ll leave it. Kind of risky, but we’re way out in the forest, so there isn’t really another option. I really, really hope monsters don’t attack us before it’s done…
Decision made, I gathered twigs for the fire. Phew! That should do it.
I used a flint to light dead leaves and then heaped on some twigs. Once the fire was big enough, it started licking through the gaps between sticks. It was ready.
I really wanted to put all the meat on top of my mesh grill to cook, but four rabbits were just too much to cook at once. Should I get a pot and make soup after all? I glanced around—the scent was pretty strong, so I was sure it was spreading through the woods. Were we safe?
“I’m worried monsters will be drawn by the smell…”
Grr.
Huh? The adandara is making a different sound. “What’s wrong?”
Purrrr.
And it’s back to normal now. What was that before…? Oh! The meat’s burning! I rushed to turn the meat over atop the mesh.
“Whew! You went to the trouble of hunting this for me, so it would’ve been a real shame if I’d burned it.”
Purrrr.
I felt around for auras again. With the smell of cooking spreading, I was worried our situation could change at a moment’s notice. Hm? What’s that I’m sensing? It’s far, but it isn’t getting any closer for some reason.
“Adandara, will you tell me if any monsters or animals come near?”
Purrrrr. It almost seemed like an answer. But even if it had understood me, I couldn’t understand it.
“Sorry.” The adandara rubbed its face against me, as if trying to comfort me. Er…that’s probably what it’s doing, at least?
“Pu, pu pu!”
“Sora?” I turned toward Sora just in time to see the slime spring up. I braced myself to catch it but too late—it hit my arm and bounced off.
“Oh, Sora! Sorry!”
“Pu!” Sora seemed like it was pouting, but what was I supposed to do when it jumped at me out of nowhere? No, I shouldn’t make excuses. I flubbed it.
“Sorry I couldn’t catch you. Give me a little warning before you jump on me, okay?”
“Pu!”
It sure is hard to understand Sora, too. Ah! The meat!
“It’s a little charred…” But it still looked tasty. I glanced around one more time. Some monsters or animals were out there, but they still kept their distance. I wondered why.
Could I make soup, too? Hmm…why not. I filled a pot with water and simmered cut vegetables, meat, and herbs together. Soup was a great match for the richness of the meat.
“There! All done. The meat is cooked, and the soup is ready.”
Purrrr.
“Pu, pu pu!”
This was my first time cooking under so much pressure. Still, no monsters or animals came anywhere near me. I was worried that something might be close by, though. It’d be best to clean things up and go back to where we’d sleep.
“Umm, let’s eat once we’re back at the tree, okay? I wanna get away from here.”
I set to it at once, washing the dishes and putting them in the basket I had brought. As for the cooked meat, I wrapped it in bana leaves and put it in another basket. Finally, I doused the fire and made sure it was out.
“That should do it. Let’s see…got the pot, the baskets, and my bags.”
A quick look around, and all that I had left behind were ashes and burned twigs. Good.
“Let’s go.”
“Pu, pu pu, pu pu!”
Purrrrrr.
I went back to the tree where we’d made camp, feeling for auras the whole way. The smell of cooked meat had spread so far, and yet nothing had tried to come close. Was there a problem in that spot, or was it thanks to the adandara? I’d definitely run into fewer monsters and animals since it started traveling with me, but my book hadn’t said anything about it warding off other creatures.
Once I could see the tree, I stopped and surveyed the area to ensure nothing had come while we were gone. It seemed fine.
“Phew…I’m famished. Sorry for making you wait, Sora.”
It had gotten a little dark out. The hollow in the tree where I was planning to sleep would be too dim inside to see our food. We’d have to have supper outside.
I set the baskets atop a protruding root and went into the hollow to get Sora’s potions. No problems inside, either. When I started lining up Sora’s potions, it got right to devouring them. Its dinner had come later than usual, so it must’ve been hungry.
Now it was my turn! I ladled the soup into a cup and grabbed one of the leaf-wrapped slabs of meat. I lifted the wrapping away and took a bite. The meat was a little firm but very filling. Tasty, too, now that it wasn’t so gamey.
“Yum! Thanks, Adandara.”
The soup was delicious and warming as well. All the stress I’d suffered while cooking seemed worthwhile now that I got to experience this flavor.
Would the adandara eat cooked meat? Or would it refuse since it had herbs on it?
“Adandara, do you wanna share? We have plenty.” It might not be much compared to its usual diet.
Purrrr.
Hm? It will? I pulled another bana leaf from the basket and offered some cooked rabbit meat to the adandara. It slowly leaned in, sniffed the food, and opened its jaws. Ooh! All in one bite!
“Tasty, right?”
Purrrr.
“Pu!”
Having finished its potions, Sora bounced over and sat atop my outstretched legs. The leaf-wrapped meat was balanced on my thighs, so the slime had to sit on my shins. It was a pretty unstable perch.
“Sora, I don’t think that’s a good spot for you.”
“Pu!”
Aw, it’s pouting! “I’m not saying you can’t be there. Just be careful. It’s wobbly.”
“Pu, pu!” it cried happily, quivered…and promptly tumbled off my outstretched legs.
I just told you to be careful… “Are you okay? Um…you’re getting back on?”
Sora clambered unsteadily back onto my shins. This time, it tried desperately to balance.
“Ha ha ha, good luck with that! Adandara, do you want more?”
I’d started with five chunks of meat wrapped in bana leaves. The adandara and I had had one each, so we were down to three.
Purrrrrr. It rubbed its head against my face. Oh, I just know this is gonna mess up my hair.
“Want this?” I took another slab of meat from my bag, but the adandara didn’t react. Guess it was full. I resumed my meal, stuffing my face with more meat and finishing off my soup.
“I ate too much…” My belly was bursting. It was a delicious meal, though, especially because there was no bunny-meat stink. “Adandara, thank you for the food. Sora…I’m surprised you can sleep in a position like that.”
Sora had fallen asleep on my lower legs while I ate. Occasionally, it bobbed and quivered a little bit to keep its balance. Could it sleep restfully like that?
“Sora, wanna go to bed?”
“Pu, pu!” Sora cried helplessly. Fine… I’ll carry you gently.
I let out a yawn. “Now that I’m full, I’m sleepy! Let’s hit the hay.”
I cradled Sora in my arms and lowered it into the bed I’d made for it. From there, I got water from the stream, toweled off, rinsed my mouth, and brushed my teeth with a stick. I was ready for bed! When I ducked back into the tree’s hollow, I found Sora fast asleep.
“Yaaawn… Good night, Sora and Adandara.”
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