The reason that Ashwin had chosen a large rib bone was so that he could take advantage of its natural curve, all he would need to do now would be to simplify and refine it further.
Using a piece of charcoal, he sketched a rough outline of the primitive recurve bow that he had in mind, he started with the grip, which would be ergonomical, meaning that he intended to make the grip perfectly fit his hand, the way mud molds to your palm and fingers when you squeeze it.
To do this Ashwin held the rib bone in his right hand and sketched around his fingers and thumb position, he would refine this gradually until the grip fit his hand like a glove.
This style of grip would reduce localized pressure on sensitive areas of the hand.
Working upward, he marked the arrow shelf, the point where the arrow would rest before the shot, before sketching the bone nocks at each tip.
Since it was a recurve design the bow limbs would have a stretched or elongated capital ”B” like curve to them, the only difference being that the tips would curve away.
Having the basic outline finished Ashwin got to work with the coarse blue stone sanding away excess material, this was tough work, so he let a thin trickle of Animus flow into his arms and back to help accomplish the task faster.
Ashwin’s Animus interacted with the lightening battle essence within and caused sparks to arc from the bone, sweat began to bead on his face as pale bone dust filled the air and coated his fingers, and the air filled with the heated smell of friction.
After getting the hand grip and arrow shelf carved in Ashwin tillered the limbs.
Carving a little he would stop and attempt to bend the limb, gauging its resistance, it was far too stiff for him to bend at first so he would need to sand more.
Carve a little, pause, bend it gently, remove a little more material, bend again.
This continued for two hours until Ashwin was satisfied with the level of stiffness in the bow’s limbs.
The sun was just coming up over the lake as Ashwin was putting the finishing touches on his new lightening bone recurve bow, setting it aside and picking up the obsidian spear Ashwin spent the early dawn fishing for breakfast.
Swimming casually near the bank a large predatory alligator bone scale gar darted towards his flank!
But Ashwin already sensed the fish coming, turning at the last second Ashwin slammed his spear down the mouth and throat of the armored plated gar, the fish thrashed violently in its death whipping Ashwin around underwater.
Giving the spear a wrenching twist, the fish jerked a few more times post-mortem and Ashwin swam back to the bank with it.
“I’m not going to take strip this fish for resources, that would take too much time and I’m already eager to get out of here.”
Using the obsidian clever Ashwin quickly filleted the fish and threw the carcass back into the water, he made his way back to the campfire and prepared breakfast. The source of this chapter is NovelPing.
It was already getting hot and by midnight the cordage would be dried and ready.
Checking on the pink sword pike skins Ashwin was delighted to see that they were already dry and now ready for crafting.
In his mind he pictured a small triangular canteen made from a single piece of pink sword pike skin, he would fold the tips over one another and glue them in place with isinglass.
The benefit of this design was that no stitching would be required, but he would need a mouth for the canteen.
Selecting a piece of elderberry wood Ashwin used the beaver cut technique with his clever to cut a proper mouthpiece, then with one of his bone tools cored out the soft wood.
Next, he cut a large triangle sheet of sword pike skin from one of the rack’s, he scraped the dried fat away from the skin and rubbed it with more purple baobab astringent, removing built up oils and dirt.
The pink sword pike skin was stiff and springy, that was good, the canteen would require no internal structure.
With a little bit of elbow grease Ashwin folded the tips of the triangle toward one another and glued them, laying a weighty stone on top of the stiff skin Ashwin would let it rest there for a little while to help the stiff springy skin conform to its new shape and for the isinglass to dry.
Afterward he would bore a small socket for the water drop crystal, and seal it in with more isinglass.
His thoughts were interrupted by another intrusive craving for the baobab fruit.
“Meditation” Ashwin thought quickly to himself; “I need to meditate on this.”
Finding a secluded area of the sandy bone bank Ashwin sat down Indian style, he breathed calmy and slowly as he used ”inner sight” once again.
Soon the Azure lake of mental energy with a fiery pond of Animus at its center formed before Ashwins spiritual vision, sitting on the lake of mental energy Ashwin meditated, he needed answers.
Just than even in his meditative state Ashwin felt the call for a baobab fruit beckon him, he focused his lake of mental energy and with all of his intent said; “No”
The urge came again; ”NO”
The urge came again, stronger, more insistent.
The Azure Lake of mental energy surged and with all of his intent Ashwin screamed; ”I said No.”
Minutes passed on the outside world while hours seemed to grind by in Ashwin’s Dantian, or soul sea.
Every time the urge for a baobab fruit came Ashwin mental energy would surge and he would focus his intent, rejecting it.
And every time he did the mysterious small pond of the new energy within the Animus pool would grow and expand.
An hour of real time passed, and Ashwin sat soaked in sweat.
In his meditative state Ashwin achieved a new level of comprehension and the words he spoke when he first tasted the baobab fruit came into his remembrance; “”They added to my cultivation because they possess spiritual power or Animus.
And they can only have that if the baobab tree possesses spiritual knowledge.”
With his higher level of comprehension, the final piece of the puzzle fit into place.
Ashwin’s eyes snapped open and fell directly on the baobab tree; “You’re cultivating me.”
It all made sense now, the fresh piles of bones around the tree, the honey like resin from its flowers, the addictive nature of its fruit.
The baobab tree was great and old and full of spiritual knowledge, and it would distil some of that knowledge in its fruits which would fall from the tree.
Both humans and beasts would consume the fruit that fell from it, becoming addicted and unable to ever leave the baobab tree or the brightened state that it’s cultivation fruit could grant.
Eventually the addicted humans and beasts would die at the trees, and the roots of the baobab tree would absorb all of the wisdom it had granted back to it.
Ashwin sat stunned at the revelation.
His hands slapped together, than again and again, Ashwin gave the baobab tree a slow applause; “Clever, very clever.
But the knowledge I’ve gained won’t be returning to you anytime soon.”
Standing up triumphantly Ashwin walked over to the tree, smiling he picked up a baobab fruit and cracked it up, “I would take a celebratory drink,” he paused, slowly Ashwin poured the addictive water of knowledge from the baobab tree onto the ground.
“But I don’t need your borrowed knowledge, I found my own voice.”