Hunting Thingamajigs

Brian and Khaat found their room was amaziingly lovely for roughing it. It was what not what she expected for roughing it in the rain forest. But wizarding temts were wonderful. It had a large teak full sized bed with graceful but very necessary mosquito netting hanging from it. Brian left her to get settled and checked the other rooms and sent mosquito netting in over the beds. It wasn't just a decorative item here. It was necessary.

He saw that Michael was working on fixing dinner, and Angus was still starting camp. He was making sure everyone had everything they needed and was setting up an additional room to the tent for a rather primative bathroom with a primative shower, a toilet, and a basin with a pitcher of water for washing hands.

Angus could soon smell food cooking. That was good and potentially bad. He went out and began drawing a circle of bluebell flames around camp to try to ward off unwanted wildlife and provide more safety to them all.

Once that was done he stepped in to help Michael fix the rest of dinner. It was a very simple but delicious beef stew with a loaf of Angus's crusty bread he'd brought from home, and a peach cobbler that he'd made over the fire. It was going to be comforting and delicious. He called everyone out to dinner.

Jim smiled at Cassidy who walked out of her room and headed to the table and watched the others she was glad of the spells that were in place as she didn't want to wake with a jaguar or snake in her bed with her . Jack just walked out and sat down smelling the food that permeated through the encampment. " smells wonderful Angus " he said and Cassidy agreed .

" smells not like the food I was expecting, I was expecting some sort of jungle rations or something. " she said and chucked " that smells divine" she said and smiled at Michael as he helped with the dinner.

"This is not at all what Brian and I ate the first time we were here," Angus laughed. "We ate lots of beef jerky, dried fruit, and nuts. We didn't do much cooking."

"We've gotten a bit smarter," Brian said.

"Indeed," Angus said, dishing up bowls of stew for starters, "You should all find plenty of bottles of water in your packs." He passed everyone a bowl of stew and a piece of fresh crusty bread. "I figured you might want the main course before dessert."

Sergio eagerly at the first bite of his stew. "Oh, is muy bueno! Gracias!" he beamed.

"I'm glad you like it,," Michael said.

"Will you be cooking like this every night?" Sergio asked.

"I hope," Michael said.

"It is good," Khaat said, dipping her bread into the savory stew broth.

Jack , Jess and Cassidy ate the stew and loved every drop and chuckled at Sergio asking if they would cook like this every night " ow I do hope so or we'll starve " Cassidy said eating the last piece of her bread and stew. Jim nodded.

" Angus is a wonderful cook I'm surprised I haven't put on pounds since returning" he said and chuckled as Jack held up his bowl.

" Please Angus, can I have some more?" he asked and that sent Cassidy and Jim laughing out loud

"Why didn't we eat this way the first time?" Brian asked Angus.

"Because we didn't know what the hell we were doing," Angus laughed. "We were lucky to come out alive."

"You do plan on doing better this time, right?" Michael asked.

"Definitely," Brian said. They laughed when Jack asked for more. Angus served him.

"You might as well have more," Michael said. "I want no leftovers. I don't exactly have a fridge to keep it cold in. But we do have dessert too."

"Even in the jungle you can do dessert," Khaat said, surprised.

"Why not? we have to eat, either way. It might as well be pleasant. There will be parts of our trip that will be harder than this."

Jim chuckled at jack but felt Cassidy lean on him as she yawned but returned to eat her dinner he shook his head. Finishing his own he smiled and sat back in his chair. "That was Delicious I couldn't eat another bite Angus and Michael " he said and placed his plate in the bowl washing and drying it he placed it back where it had come from as cassidy joined him along with Jack who had finished his second bowl all three moved back to the table to finish their drinks. Jack downed his first then pored a second knowing he would be come dehydrated if he didn't drink plenty of fluids.

"We will need to be moving again by daylight," Angus told them. "We will have some sort of light breakfast ready before daylight. If we use spells to break up camp, we should be able to be repacked and back on the barge by sunrise."

"If we start that early and make steady progress, we might make our landing spot by this time tomorrow," Brian said.

"We should, if we dont' run into trouble," Sergio said. "I know it feels very early to everyone, but you might want to get some sleep before long. It will be a very very full day tomorrow. And the following day we will be walking for miles--all day. get your strength built up while you have a chance."

"I think I might do some exercises in the tent before I turn in," Brian said. "That goes for the rest of you. You'll be safe to sleep tonight."

Jim looked at Jack who nodded and walked back to his room to climb on his bed and fall asleep Jim walked quietly in and saw threw a slightly open door that cassidy was sleeping already. Jim moved to his room and lay on his bed slowly he too fell asleep hearing Brian exercising in the room next door. Waking the net morning he dressed and walked out into the fresh morning air stretching and bending to wake up his body. He saw cassidy walk out and stretch as well, " morning " he said and she nodded.

" Morning Jim " she said and walked over to him " sleep well?"

" as well as you can out in the jungle " he said and they both chuckled.

Brian had had every intention of getting up amongst the first to help them pack things to break up camp. But he lingered awhile in the bed beside Khaat. They had found something exotically romantic about the mosquito netting that gracefully draped the bed. The weather had been hot all night, and Khaat had resorted to a pair of little white cotton tap shorts and a white cotton lose fitting camisole. He was wearing just a pair of boxers, and they'd kicked off the covers somewhere during the night. He was laying awake, on his back, and she was on her side, her head on his shoulder with her hair draped across his chest and a long, slender tanned leg curved over his own muscular leg. She was comfortable. Not moving. Peaceful. He enjoyed a few minutes like this one in the morning. He loved watching her sleep when it was sleep without nightmares for her.

Angus sent in a large pitcher of water for them to use to wash. There was no shower here. He followed that with two mugs of fresh, hot coffee.

She woke a few minutes later, immediately greeted with the sound of his heartbeat and his breathing in her ear. Sleepily, she kissed his chest. He stroked her hair and told her lovingly, in a whisper, that they werent' at home. And it was time to get up. She groaned sleepily. He promised to make it up to her.

When they did come out, Brian had chosen green pants and a tan shirt. Khaat had chosen dove gray pants and a very light gray blouse tied at the waist over a fresh white tube top. She'd pinned up her hair off her neck today. Brian had repacked for them.

"Good morning, Everyone. Sorry we're a bit off our time today," Brian apologized to them. "We were just entirely too comfortable."

"You're in plenty of time," Angus said. "Breakfast is simple. I did some cheese and bacon sandwiches on toast, and we have fresh fruit and coffee. I hope no one minds that its not five star."

"Simple fare is often the best," Brian said. "Its fine."

"If we make camp before dark, Michael and I will put a better dinner together."

"Where is Michael, anyway?" Brian frowned.

"He and Sergio are taking some of our gear to the barge and checking the barge for critters," Angus said, bringing out a large net bag of assorted fresh fruit for people to choose from, and a platter of hot toasted bacon and cheese sandwiches. The coffee was already on the fire.

Jack and Jim sat and ate the simple breakfast but it was just as good as any other they had eaten. Once done Jack dove back in and packed his back pack he even helped Cassidy do the same then head back out Jim already had packed and sat with his back pack by his feet as he drank some coffee. Cassidy took some breakfast and ate sitting next to him a she listened to Brian and Angus talking she smiled seeing the fresh fruit Angus had.

"Any papayas I love those " she asked and found one cutting it she ate it smiling.