After they had properly noted down the Huldah nest they had found, Owe, Reckon, Reach, had walked down back to the road where they had left the bulk of their gear. There had been no need to lug everything around the sandy beaches, after all, especially when they had wandered into the tidepools, where everything would have gotten wet. Tsidal's Bani had followed, lured in by the promise of shared snacks.

Reach rummaged trough the bags. "Hmmm that's odd- I can't seem to find any of the things I packed..."

Owe peeked into the cart "Oh, are you looking for the little lunch box?"

Reach nodded. "I swear I put it in here- somewhere."

Owe looked at her, eyes wide. "Oh- I took that out, I thought we wouldn't need it."

Reach stopped. "Why would you- you know what, never mind. We can just gather some food around us, and make a little campfire to cook us something."

Reckon let out a deep sigh, surveying the area around them. There were plenty of shrubs and bushes around, and they already knew Huldah could be hunted nearby. "Guess we'll have to make do. We should be able to gather enough. Owe, you're on firewood duty. Bani, think you can find anything edible nearby?"

Bani shrugged. "Sure, but don't expect anything fancy. I'm not exactly a forager."

"Just do your best," Reach said with a smile. "Reckon and I will check around for any wild roots or game."

Owe puffed out his chest, clearly eager to prove himself useful. "Firewood? Easy! I'll find the best sticks in no time!"

---

As they returned to the cart on the side of the road, having successfully gathered what they had been asked to, the sound of chirping birds was replaced by that of growling stomachs. Reach dug through their supplies while Owe stood nearby, watching intently. "Let's see what we've got—dried meat, a few root vegetables, some wild herbs Bani found. Should be enough for a simple stew."

Owe's eyes lit up. "Let me cook! I want to try making something!"

Reckon and Reach exchanged hesitant glances. "Uh… you sure about that?" Reckon asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Absolutely!" Owe said, puffing out his chest confidently. "I've watched you cook plenty of times, Reckon. I can do it!"

Bani smiled, plopping down by the fire they'd just built. "This, I've got to see."

"Alright, kid," Reach said with a chuckle. "But we'll be supervising. Can't have you setting the camp on fire."

Owe wasted no time diving into the task. He grabbed the cooking pot, filled it with water, and threw it onto the fire. Then he started peeling the root vegetables. Or rather, hacking away at them. Bits of peel and chunks of flesh flew everywhere as he worked

"Careful there," Reckon said, wincing. "You want the vegetables in the stew, not scattered around the road."

Owe nodded and threw the uneven chunks into the boiling water. Next, he tore into the dried meat with his hands, ripping it into pieces before tossing it into the pot. "This is easy," he said confidently.

Bani leaned over to Reach. "This is going to be terrible, isn't it?"

"Probably," Reach whispered back. "But let him have his moment."

Owe grabbed a handful of the herbs Bani had gathered and dumped them into the pot, stems and all. Finally, spotting a pouch of spices in the cart, he added what appeared to be an entire handful of something bright red.

"Is that… cayenne pepper?" Reach asked, a hint of alarm in her voice.

"It smells good," Owe said innocently, stirring the pot. A puff of spicy steam rose into the air, making Bani cough.

Reckon leaned in to inspect the bubbling pot, her expression wary. The stew was a murky, reddish-brown, with bits of vegetable and meat floating unevenly. "Uh, maybe let it simmer a bit?" she suggested, hoping the flavors might magically improve with time.

After what felt like an eternity, Owe proudly declared the meal ready. He ladled the stew into bowls with a flourish, handing them out to each member of the group. "Alright, dig in!" he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Reckon took a sniff of her bowl. The aroma was… overwhelming, to say the least. The spice hit her nose like a punch, and she could see tiny bits of unidentifiable herbs floating ominously on the surface. She wondered what Bani had even gathered- it was unrecognizable at this point.

Bani was the first to take a bite. Her face immediately contorted, but she forced a smile. "Mmm. Uh. Wow, Owe. This is… really unique."

Reach wasn't as subtle. She coughed after her first taste, reaching for some water to wash the flavour away. "Strong flavors," she managed, her eyes watering.

Reckon braced herself and took a small sip. The stew was an explosion of poorly balanced flavors- fiery spice, bitterness from the herb stems, and an odd sweetness of which she couldn't place where it had even come from. But when she saw Owe's hopeful expression, she forced a grin. "Not bad for your first try, I suppose."

Owe beamed. "I knew you'd love it!"

"Love is… a strong word," Bani muttered under her breath, earning a nudge from Reach.

They all did their best to eat, though most of the stew ended up "accidentally" spilled or quietly dumped when Owe wasn't looking. Bani even pretended to go for seconds, scooping another small ladleful into her bowl only to secretly pass it to the campfire when Owe turned away.