The lush grasslands of the lightning country were magnificent. Plains of grass as far as the eye could see, with sparse patches of small forested sections scattered around as if to add a dash of flavour to the land that straight plains wouldn't give. Winding rivers flowed through sections which only added to the atmosphere and overall appeal of a beautifully untouched segment of land where one could take in the glorious feeling of getting back to nature. The expansion of civilization had lead to the removal of many places like this, and gave way to populated cities and villages where people congregated and live peacefully together for the most part. Along with the gathering of civilization came the same such gathering of shinobi villages, where citizens were bred and trained to be protectors, assassins, warriors and anything else one would associate with such beings. Raku was one of those people, and although not born in this country, it was now his current home, and because of this he felt the need once in a while to explore. To get out from these villages full of people and shinobi alike so that he could enjoy the liveliness of the outdoors, of nature and all the animals that roamed the lands not held back by the constraints of a human life, of the rules and regulations, free to survive and thrive on their own.
It was something he had been planning for a few days, having spent a lot of time around others lately, going on missions, teaching younger shinobi and just living life within Kumogakure. This was much needed alone time for him, and not the kind of alone time one could just spend in their home by themselves. One in which he was able to go out and breathe in some truly fresh air, forage and live on his own without the help of other people, without the need for the same everyday items and foods he relied on time after time within civilization. Having set out early in the morning, he had traveled a large portion of the day away to head out to these wonderful lands in order to find a place for him to spend the day and night out here on his own.
Arriving at what seemed like a good spot to stop, the land was calm at that moment, as Raku looked around; a nice empty spot surrounded by a few large rocks in order to offer protection from the elements showed itself to his open eye as a spot to set up. The boulders would help to provide cover for the campfire that would be started later that night and area beside it where his sleeping bag would lay. The area was also perfectly placed so that it wasn't too close to the small forest nearby insomuch that he wouldn't have to worry about causing a forest fire. His eye still wandering around the area, noticing a river lay only about fifty feet away giving him quick access to clean running water which he would use for drinking. He was certain this was the spot. All that was left was to set up and gather what he needed to survive the night. All he had brought with him was a small backpack of pretty standard essential stuff such as his canteen, knives, flint and other useful survival tools which he could use to increase the ease of his time out here. It's not as if he wasn't able to scavenge and create his own tools if he needed to, but bringing things just made the process that much more quick and easy.
Placing his hands on the straps of the backpack, he pushed them away such that his arms were able slip out from them, and slowly drop the bag to the ground beside one of the large rocks surrounding his general area. Walking towards the forested area close by, Raku began looking around the forest to see if he could find any fresh prints of animal droppings that would give him a hint that he would be able to catch something edible this evening. It didn't take long before he found what appeared to be tracks that led to a hole in the ground where he assumed a bunny had made a home. Usually he didn't like killing innocent animals, but as long as it was going to be used for nourishment and he was trying to live off the ground, it was a necessary deed that he would have to go through with. He had brought a spool of wire with him, and set up a quick wire trap using the surrounding trees near the opening of the creatures den so that when it would come out, or return home if it was already out, it would go through the wire loop and catch itself, making it unable to run off so that he could come catch it and kill it later on.
While the trap was set, Raku realized it would take bit of time before the creature would be caught, as such, it was best he began searching for some sticks and twigs, as well as leaves and dry moss to use in order to start and fuel his campfire in order to utilize it for the meal he would be hopefully catching relatively soon, as well a provide heat for him into the cool night soon to be upon him. He would also need wood logs to feed the fire on top of the smaller items he meant to collect, putting him on the lookout for a dead or fallen tree to cut up himself. The sticks, twigs, moss and leaves were easy finds as they were quite common in forests, but searching for a good tree that provided him decent firewood took some extra scouring, as he preferred not to have to cut down a living tree. He had managed to find a fallen tree that wasn't too large, but large enough to provide wood for him to burn in a campfire. Realizing he'd need to come back for it with his hands and pockets full, he brought the fire starting pieces back to his campsite and came back immediately with his sword using it to cut up the fallen tree into smaller pieces of wood into quarter chunks of the log so that they could be easily transported and used to fuel the fire, keeping it alive through the night. On his way back with the last logs, he heard a sharp noise in the distance, coming from the direction he had set up the trap earlier. A loud squealing echoed through the open forest. Rushing towards it, he spotted a rabbit trapped within the wire trap he had previously set up. Raku quickly set down the logs he was carrying and headed over to the rabbit. Pulling a knife out of his belt, he grabbed the animal and quickly ended it's life, so as to not let it suffer as it would be his meal tonight.
Having brought back the rabbit and the rest of his wood, he decided it was time to set up camp properly, setting up the campfire by catching the dry moss on fire and slowly feeding it leaves and twigs to get a good flame going, then sticks until it was a good enough size that he set up a few logs above in a sort of pyramid style above the flame so they could catch on fire from the flame below them. It didn't take long before he had a proper campfire going, and decided it was good enough for him to cook over. He skinned the rabbit, and cut off all the unneeded parts before placing it on a makeshift spit; essentially a stick through the animal that he placed into the ground close enough to the fire so that it could slowly roast the meat in hopes that it would be edible around the time it would begin to get dark. All that was left was the finishing touches. Gathering a bunch of rocks to place around the campfire to contain it as the night went on, laying out a sleeping bag he brought along, and filling up his canteen with fresh water while the animal cooked over the warm fire, turning it to cook it through fully until it was done and ready to be eaten. Taking it off the flames, he cut it up and enjoyed eating what he had managed to catch and kill on his own, although not the most tasty thing, it was satisfying in a sort of primal way which warmed Raku inside as he felt much closer to nature than he had before this little trip. He would spend the next little while gazing into the flames which danced on the soft wind which managed to blow through his campsite, weaving between the rocks to circulate the fresh air and remove the stale air which was exhaled from Raku's lungs with each breathe he took. The flames mesmerizing as he watched them, the warmth from them keeping him comfortable as he sat on the softness of his sleeping bag so as to avoid the hard cold surface of the ground beneath it. It didn't take long for him to get a little sleepy with how much he had done this day, deciding it best to get some shut eye, he curled up inside the sleeping bag and nodded off to sleep, the fire still burning low throughout the night becoming embers that still kept him warm.
[1,606 WC]
<i></i>