Spiders aren't supposed to make noise, and apparently, that held true in this other world as well. However, it seemed the spiders here had learned how to use tools to communicate.
Clack, clack.
At the sound of wood striking wood, I turned toward the source of the noise. Almost immediately, three more sharp raps rang out in a quick, rhythmic succession.
South, then.
Zabuton lived in the massive tree that had served as my original shelter. Since I had plowed all the land surrounding it, the tree now stood on the highest point in the area. It was more than twice the size of the fruit trees I was growing in the fields.
From up there, Zabuton likely had an excellent view of the entire perimeter. Whenever something unusual happened, the spider would alert me by tapping on the tree. Better yet, the signals included the direction.
I had once explained the code—one tap for north, two for east, three for south, and four for west—and Zabuton had memorized it perfectly. Truly impressive. For intermediate directions like southwest, Zabuton would strike three times, followed by four.
Following the signal, I headed south and found Kuroni driving a beast toward me. It was a large creature, one I had never seen before. What was it exactly? Some kind of thick-bodied weasel? It looked different from the ones I had encountered previously. A raccoon dog, maybe? Did raccoon dogs usually have such vicious-looking claws?
Regardless, Kuroni had it cornered, and the beast was bristling with hostility. It lunged, swinging its heavy front claws at me.
I couldn't afford to let it land a hit, so I quickly readied my Universal Farming Tool in its hoe form. Whenever I held the tool, a wave of calm washed over me, and I felt my physical abilities sharpen. I dodged the claws with ease, then drove the hoe into the creature’s neck and "plowed" it.
Kuroni let out a bark of approval, then trotted over and lowered his head, demanding praise for his part in the hunt. I gave him a good scratch. The kill wasn't quite as large as a boar, but it was still a decent amount of meat. I hooked the carcass with my tool and dragged it back to my base, where Zabuton descended to help with the butchering.
Zabuton used silk to hoist the carcass up into the tree, making the process of bleeding, gutting, and skinning much easier. The spider was actually far more skilled at skinning than I was. Once finished, Zabuton scurried back up into the canopy with the hide. By now, there must have been quite a stockpile of fur up there.
It was getting seriously cold. If Zabuton hadn't made me those new clothes, I might have been in real trouble. I had also asked for some large bags, which I stuffed with dry grass to make a mattress. With another one to serve as a comforter, I was finally able to stay nice and toasty through the night.
Just as I was preparing to harvest the hardier crops—the potatoes, sweet potatoes, daikon, and carrots—the first flakes of snow began to flutter down. Was this region colder than I had anticipated?
I hurried to finish the harvest. After moving everything into the cellar, I wondered if I should do something to protect the fruit trees from the frost, but I didn't really know how to proceed. I would have to leave them be this time. Sorry, guys.
Kuro and the others seemed to realize winter had arrived as well. They stopped venturing into the forest and instead hunkered down in the original storehouse, which now served as their doghouse. I had done what I could to winterize the place; while fire was out of the question, I used the cloth Zabuton had woven to block out the drafts. Watching them all huddle together for warmth was honestly adorable.
With that, I felt reasonably well-prepared for the season. For now, I planned to spend the winter months indoors, carving small wooden and stone items.
Currently, I still haven't managed to make a measuring box that doesn't leak. Is wood alone not enough? Maybe I need some kind of adhesive? I’ll have to give it some more thought. I also plan to craft a mortar and a stone mill so I can finally grind the harvested wheat and corn into flour.
With plenty of projects to keep me busy, I don't think I'll be bored this winter.