Chapter 60
1084 Words
There were six or seven lazy seals lying on the beach, seemingly basking in the rare warm sunlight after coming ashore from the sea.
The lively scene at the beach was in stark contrast to the silence of the forest we had just left. The girls were so surprised that they almost screamed, covering their mouths in excitement.
As far as I knew, most seals lived in the cold regions near the poles, but there were exceptions. For instance, the Hawaiian monk seal inhabited tropical areas.
If we could identify the type of seal, it might help us determine our location. Unfortunately, none of the girls could identify the species confidently. I had to set aside this clue for now.
There was a more pressing issue to address, but before I could bring it up, Crystal, unable to contain her excitement, asked, "Zack, do you think we can eat the seals?"
At the mention of food, everyone's eyes lit up, fixated on the seals. We were all starving.
The several dozen pounds of wolf meat sounded like a lot, but with six of us and no other food sources in the winter, we had consumed it all within ten days, even with rationing.
Seeing new prey before us, I felt that at this point, there wasn't anything we couldn't eat as long as it could fill our stomachs.
Before I could speak, Stella eagerly said, "Of course, we can eat them! When I was traveling in Alta, Norway, I watched the northern lights while eating locally cured seal meat. The taste was unforgettable! These creatures have very few bones, a lot of fat, and their meat is delicious."
As Stella reminisced about her pleasant memories, she couldn't help but swallow, making a slight gulping sound. She had a somewhat goofy smile, and I felt an urge to reach out and pinch her cheeks.
"Seals are definitely edible. I remember watching a documentary about the Inuit people in Canada who have survived for generations by hunting seals. Seals are practically their staple food," Mandy agreed.
Seeing that the girls were all on board with the idea, I felt a wave of relief. Although I consider myself a kind person, now wasn't the time to be overly sentimental. Without food, I wouldn't survive until tomorrow, let alone worry about these animals.
After reaching a consensus with the girls, I didn't rush over to battle the seals. Despite their cute and docile appearance, seals were carnivorous and could be dangerous.
Probably because they lived around this island without encountering human hunters, these seals were quite large. Even the smallest one was about 4 feet long and estimated to weigh around 300 pounds. 'Catching just one would be enough to feast on for a long time.'
"You all hide nearby and watch me," I instructed Stella and the others.
The girls obeyed quickly, sneaking behind some rocks about 30 feet away, but each of them peeked out curiously to watch.
They had never seen me hunt before, as I usually did it alone. Now, they were eager to witness it.
As usual, I first adjusted my mindset, then cautiously circled the seals from a distance. Soon, I selected two medium-sized seals as my targets. I was confident in my shooting skills. Seals move slowly on land, and I believed I could take down two in one go.
I raised my gun, aimed at the head of one seal, and calmly pulled the trigger.
With a loud bang, the seal collapsed without even a final cry. Without losing focus, I reloaded, aimed at the second seal, and fired again.
In the end, I managed to catch two seals, while the others, frightened, fled back into the sea.
"Zack, you were amazing! That was incredible!" Crystal was the first to rush over, hugging me and showering me with praise.
Interestingly, today Stella didn't roll her eyes at Crystal or refute her. 'Could it be she thought I was impressive too?'
Since we had trekked all morning and it was almost mealtime, we decided to set up a campfire by the beach. Together, we began processing one of the seals.
After skinning the seals, I rubbed the thick, smooth fur and suddenly had an idea.
Seal skin was valuable! The fur was incredibly thick, warm, and most importantly, waterproof. It meant it was a natural wetsuit.
I had planned to send the girls out to sea first, then jump into the spring and follow the underground river to find Eva.
If I could make a waterproof, insulated wetsuit from seal skin, it would be a huge help. Even though the temperature had recently risen, it was still incredibly cold. The underground river hadn't frozen only because it flowed too quickly. If I swam naked in it, I would quickly freeze. Entering the underground river under such conditions would be a death sentence.
Wearing ordinary clothes wouldn't help either, as they would get soaked, causing my body temperature to drop rapidly, and the weight of the wet clothes would be like carrying a rock, leading to certain death.
So, a waterproof, insulated wetsuit made from seal skin would be the perfect tool for me! 'This is coming at just the right time!'
The girls were not aware of my thoughts. They were happily handling the seal meat. As the meat skewers were placed over the campfire, the delicious smell of roasting meat filled the beach quickly, making it hard to resist.
After the meat was cooked, Zoe was the first to hand me a skewer, saying it was to reward me. Stella, who was almost drooling with hunger, nodded in agreement.
Seeing everyone's approval, I smiled and didn't hesitate to take a bite. This was my first time eating seal meat, and it had a unique taste, somewhat similar to beef liver, but more tender and with a distinct fishy flavor.
Of course, it wasn't the most delicious meat, but it was rich in the proteins and fats we desperately needed to survive, so we had no choice but to eat it.
Soon, everyone was enjoying the meat, laughing and talking as we faced the sea breeze and sunlight, as happy as a group of children.
The best news was that I discovered the wind by the sea was exactly the offshore wind we had been dreaming of! The wind was steady and continuous! It seemed our boat could finally set sail! Everything was going so smoothly that it almost felt unreal.
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