Beginnings of Tobi and Cookie Ch.4
Story by Amric Docal on SoFurry
Chapter 4. Tobi and Cookie set up traps to try and gain a source of food.
"How will we know where to put them?" Cookie asks.
"We have a map. We place them where the brush is thick." Tobi responds
"The park has not been kept, but there is still little brush," Cookie responds.
"The traps will still work. We just need bait for the box traps,"
"What bait? We have no food! And what will we do while we wait for the traps to catch something," Cookie responds.
"I guess we will have to go into the city," Tobi responds.
Cookie gives a short alarmed sound. He cuts himself off and begins gesturing.
"No choice."
Tobi nods in response. They have no choice but to do so if they want to keep eating. No garuntee that the chimp from earlier will come by to give them more food.
"We should set the traps first," Tobi says. Cookie nods in agreement.
"Where we set them?" Cookie signs.
"We will have to place them where the trees are thickest. The spears will only work in a small time. They need to be sprung quickly. The boxes need to be set in brush, where small creatures go. If we hide them well, we will not need to bait them."
"If we have to set them, we will need to keep together," Cookie responds.
Tobi nods. He picks up sets of rope and sharpened sticks while Cookie picks up two boxes which have been built from salvaged parts. Tobi and cookie make eye contact and head out, each with his own determination.
First, Tobi sets up the spears. On some nearby trees he attaches tripwires to the sticks and half-wraps them around one of the trees. After he sets up the trap, he looks over to Cookie. Cookie moves one of the box traps from his shoulder and cradles it in his arm. Tobi takes the box trap with both hands. They exchange a look of hesitation.
"Where will we go?" Cookie asks.
"We will have to go west, where the forest is thicker," Tobi responds.
"West? But they're there," Cookie reminds Tobi. Tobi merely grunts in repsonse, prompting Cookie to exhale sharply. Despite the danger, it is their best chance of making the traps work. They make their way cautiously to the west part of the park, where the lack of development allowed nature to take its course more easily: There was more underbrush and thickets. With Cookie having already set one trap closer to their location at the abandoned sanctuary, Tobi still carries the second trap. Cookie spots a good location, and directs Tobi to set it up.
"How long, do you think?" Cookie asks.
"We check them tomorrow. I hope these chimps do not discover them and open the traps for themselves," Tobi responds.
The sound of dead leaves shifting nearby distracts their attention. The two set eyes on a small group of chimps. They all stand momentarily paralyzed in surprised. Tobi instantly draws his macuahitl, while Cookie follows suit. Tobi and Cookie recognise three of the five opposing chimps as the chimp from before and her children. The two others are males Tobi and Cookie do not recognise.
The males make alarm calls, promptly becoming physically riled and piloerect. The female chimp decides to not get involved and steps away from the scene, but stays close enought to keep an eye on the situation.
The males screech and display at Tobi and Cookie but do not seem to move in. Instinct compels Tobi to run to a nearby tree and jump at it, pounding the trunk with his free hand. Tobi swings his weapon wildly and returns to a fighting stance. The males continue to make a ruckus while Tobi stares them down. Cookie begins to hoot and call to Tobi.
"Tobi! We need to run!" Cookie screams.
Tobi maitains his calm demeanor and steps toward the males, who back away but do not cease their display. Cookie reluctantly takes a step forward behind Tobi.
Tobi stomps on the ground and screeches at the top of his lungs. The males seem to decide they would rather not go throught the trouble of a fight and run off calling, the female follows in tow with her children.
Tobi takes a deep breath and stows his weapon. Cookie eagerly does the same. Cookie rushes up to Tobi and places a hand on his shoulder to turn him around.
"You could have gotten us killed!" Cookie shouts in Tobi's face.
"Those two were older than us, but they would not be able to fight us while we have our weapons," Tobi reasons, "and that chimp, the one we saw before, would not have gotten involved. I worry we've set back our goal of earning their trust, but if we are to be part of them we must stand our ground."
"Be part? It sounds like you want to command them!" Cookie responds.
Tobi slowly puts on a toothy grin.
"What use is knowing how to craft if I cannot direct them to do similarly? I will teach them someday," Tobi says. Cookie freezes momentarily and merely looks at Tobi.
"How can you be sure they want to learn?"
"Because it will be useful to them."
Cookie pauses. He is not sure Tobi is thinking this through; however, there are other concerns at the moment.
"We need to forage for supplies," Cookie says. Tobi nods in agreement. They head out of the eastways and begin to look for supplies.