HC: Handyman | Ch. 155 - The Breach’s Forest

For a moment that seemed to stretch endlessly, the bear regarded Jack and Snowy. Its dark eyes, heavy with drowsiness, lingered on them. Then, with a snort, it huffed and resumed its march.

Jack let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Either the bear was too disoriented from being tossed down a mountainside, too dazed from being rudely awakened, or simply following whatever instincts—or programming—guided it. Either way, it had no interest in them.

Had he been a few minutes late leaving the fortress, would he have run straight into the bear on the road? Would it still have ignored him if they’d crossed paths head-on? A chill crawled up his spine.

“I think we dodged a bullet there, Snowy,” he said, patting her.

Aarrr. 

Jack took the sound as agreement. With a pat on her side, he urged her onward.

The road remained stark and lifeless at first. The only sign of a forest ahead was the faint scent of resin and the occasional V-shaped dry needle carried by the breeze. But as he pressed on, small mounds of pine needles began to gather in dips and crevices where the wind had swept them. Among the dull brown, fresh green needles began to appear. He was getting close. Snowy seemed to sense it, too, letting out little chuffs of contentment.

The barren slopes softened, giving way to patches of greenery—stubborn little shrubs clinging to the rock-strewn terrain, their waxy leaves flickering in the sunlight. Young saplings pushed through the earth at gravity-defying angles, their trunks thin but determined.

Then, the first pines appeared. Not the stunted, weather-beaten stragglers clinging to the mountainside, but true forest trees—tall, dark-barked sentinels, their branches heavy with deep green needles and pine cones. The road underfoot grew softer as dry earth gave way to a bed of pine duff, the air now thick with the scent of damp soil. The whisper of wind through the branches replaced the stark silence of the pass, and far in the distance, the faint call of a bird echoed through the woods.

Here, the mountain relented, letting enough soil gather for a forest to take root. It was like an oasis after the desolation of the mountain road. Jack exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing. He had made it.

It reminded him of the small woods behind Gretchen’s cellar, where she kept some of her hives. The scent of pine and damp earth was the same, but this… this was something else. Vast. Breathing.

As he walked into the forest, a warmth spread through his chest, mixed with something… nostalgic. The crisp air carried a faint chill, making him think of another place—Portugal. He had visited once as a child with his parents. The memory was hazy, more feeling than detail, but something about the scent of resin and the cool breeze stirring the trees tugged at half-buried recollections. Were there pines there, too? He couldn’t quite remember.

If this place was safe, maybe he could move the bees here. The thought had merit—more pollen sources, fewer threats. Then again, he still hadn’t tasted mead made from cliff-grown nectar. All the mead he’d brewed in the Breach so far came from honey his bees had gathered before he arrived.

The weather was better, too. The trees broke the wind. Fewer losses, more honey.

If the mead turns out to be nothing special, I'll bring the hive here. 

Snowy wasted no time. She lumbered over to a thick pine, hooked her claws into the bark, and peeled off long, fibrous strips before stuffing them into her mouth. Jack smirked and pulled up her stats:

Snowy, the Megalonyx
Gender: Female
Weight: 3,213 kg
Satiation: 84/108
Affection: 23/100
Speed: +10%(+12%)
Inventory: 5×5(+4)
Skills: [Homing], [Largeness], [Stubborn Slowness]

Equipment: [Bulrush Rope Saddle], 4x[Bulrush Saddlebag]

She was nearly full, yet still eagerly stripping another section of bark.

“Snowy! Are you really that hungry?”

The sloth shot him an annoyed look—practically daring him to judge her.

Jack chuckled and left her to it. He had some exploring to do.

As he walked around, something caught his eye—stumps, their tops marked with straight, clean cuts. He crouched, running his fingers over the rough surface. Definitely an axe mark.

"Esther and Horace," he murmured. “The two must have been through here, chopping wood.” A few stray chips still littered the ground, half-buried under fallen needles. Looking around, he spotted other signs—stripped branches, a crude path where someone had dragged logs through the underbrush. Even out here, in the wilds of the Breach, his people had left their mark.

Brushing pine dust from his hands, his mind shifted to another task—finding something new to pickle. He spotted a cluster of pine cones and stooped to pick one up, turning it over in his hands. Some trees had edible seeds inside their cones, but he had no idea if these were the right kind. He shook it, sighed, and tossed it aside.

Not worth the trouble.

Jack kept searching, his sandals crunching softly on the pine needles. Eventually, he spotted a small patch of herbs sprouting at the base of a boulder. It had delicate, heart-shaped leaves and reddish stems. He knelt and plucked one, rolling it between his fingers before bringing it to his nose.

You’ve collected 1x[Mountain Sorrel] 

+10XP in [Bushcraft]

Mountain Sorrel (Common) 

A hardy, perennial herb found in alpine and arctic regions, known for its tangy, lemon-flavored leaves rich in vitamin C. 

Durability: 9 

Effects: +5 HP

"Nice! Even raw, it’s nutritious enough to give a boost." He popped the leaf into his mouth. A pleasant tartness spread over his tongue—lemony but milder, with a faint earthiness.

"Perfect."

He gathered a few handfuls and tucked them into a vinegar-filled pot, already imagining their flavor after fermenting. They’d pair well with smoked meat or add a tangy kick to a stew. Satisfied, he turned back toward Snowy—just in time to see her finishing off a second tree.

Jack laughed. These pines had survived the mountain’s harsh winds, only to fall victim to Hurricane Snowy. He shook his head as she set her sights on another pine.

"Hey—hold on, Snowy! Stop!"

Something up there had caught his eye. A rough, charcoal-black mass clung to the bark high up on the trunk. He stepped closer, narrowing his eyes.

"I knew I saw something."

Without hesitation, he hopped onto Snowy’s back. "Help me up, girl," he said, patting her flank.

As always, the great sloth took her time, slowly shifting onto her hind legs. Jack climbed onto her back and stretched, fingertips grazing the rough bark. Carefully, he plucked the fungus from the trunk.

You’ve collected 1x[Chaga Mushroom]

+50XP in [Bushcraft]

Chaga Mushroom (Uncommon) 

A slow-growing fungus that thrives in cold climates, prized for its medicinal properties and high antioxidant content. 

Durability: 10 

Effects: +10 stamina.

"Nice! No wonder it’s uncommon—most people probably wouldn’t climb for it."

Making sure to grab all the pieces, he signaled Snowy to let him down.

"Thanks! Good girl." After a moment of thought, he broke off a chunk and handed it to her.

She munched on it while rumbling in response—pleased, indifferent, or just too busy to care—then went right back to stripping bark.

Jack walked through the forest and quickly got used to spotting the different ingredients that Piri had allocated here—two types of herbs and two types of mushrooms. Whatever he found, he placed it into a pot with vinegar. It wasn’t long before all of the vinegar-filled pots were packed with mushrooms and herbs.

I can’t wait to cook with these. Finally! Something other than meat!

He glanced at the clock. Even after all this work, he still had about forty minutes to spare.

“Let me think. Ten minutes to get back. Ten minutes for cooking and five minutes to join the others at the battlefront. It’s an elite, after all. They might need help. Hmmm… I still have fifteen minutes to spare. I might as well check this place out a little more.”

Horace and Marie had found two hidden packages here. Maybe there were more. Jack pressed deeper into the woods, searching for anything the others might have missed. 

A sheer cliff came into view as the trees thinned, breaking the illusion of endlessness. What seemed like a boundless forest turned out to have an end in sight. Near the forest’s edge, he began spotting mounds of fresh dirt scattered across the forest floor.

Moles.

Jack knelt, brushing his fingers over the soft soil. This was probably the same area where Horace had found the hidden package, which had earned them a few ditches. As for where they had found the Lazarus herb, that was beyond him. He scanned the surroundings, but there was no obvious sign of anything remarkable.

Looking at the clock, his fifteen minutes were nearly up.

Maybe there are other packages hidden here, but if there are, I don’t have enough time to look under every rock. I might as well get going.

Just as he was about to turn back, a cascade of pine needles and pine cones rained down on him.

"Ow! What the—?!"

Jack threw his arms over his head and stumbled backward as pine cones pelted his shoulders and bounced off his skull.

-5 

-5 

-5

He darted for cover near the trunk of the nearest tree, brushing needles out of his hair before looking up to find the culprit.

"Snowy?! What are you doing?!"

The massive sloth was climbing one of the larger pines, her claws digging deep into the bark as she hoisted herself higher. The tree groaned under the strain, its trunk flexing slightly under the weight of several tons of prehistoric muscle. But it held.

Jack didn’t know what he should be more impressed by—the way the massive animal climbed so effortlessly or how the tree managed to take so much weight. As the sloth climbed higher, the tree trembled even more, sending yet another rain of pine cones down.

-5 

-5

"Ouch! What are you doing, Snowy?!" Jack called out.

Snowy didn’t answer, of course. She just kept climbing, her movements slow but deliberate, her massive head tilted upward. Jack followed her gaze and spotted a pine cone high in the branches.

"Do you want to eat pine cones? Then why all that effort? There are plenty on the ground. See? Come back down. We have to start heading back."

But the sloth wasn’t obeying. She kept going higher.

"Snowy, get down here!"

The sloth ignored him, inching higher, her mouth slightly open, drool slipping past her lips. She was hungry—not just the absentminded, bark-munching kind of hunger. This was different. She wanted that pine cone.

Just then, a glint caught his eye. Jack squinted. Was that just the sun playing tricks on him, or had one of the pine cones just reflected some of the sunlight? His heart skipped a beat! Could there actually be something special about the pine cone?! From the way Snowy was going after it, maybe it really was something meaningful. Could it be another hidden package?

Snowy finally reached the branch with the special pine cone and, stretching her long limb, managed to scoop it up into her claws.

Jack's heart pounded. This was no ordinary pinecone. He could see the way it shimmered in the light—something hidden beneath the scales. Had Snowy not taken an interest in it, there was no way he would have noticed it.

I can’t wait to rub it in Horace’s face that I found a hidden package here. He’s going to be so mad!

"Good girl! Good girl! Bring it down here! Be careful with it!"

Snowy paused for a long moment, staring at him. Then, she scooped up the pine cone—and shoved it into her mouth.

"No, no, NO—SPIT IT OUT! What are you doing?!"

Jack ran forward toward the tree trunk, but it was too late.

With a crunch, Snowy chomped down, the sound of a shattering shell filling the air. She chewed, the pine cone splintering between her powerful teeth. Jack could only watch in horror as she swallowed the whole thing in one slow, deliberate gulp.

He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You have got to be kidding me… I didn’t even get to find out what that hidden package did."

Then, before he could even start yelling at her, a notification flashed before his eyes.

You’ve found a hidden package: [Gene-Rewriting Pinecone].

Jack froze. His frustration instantly gave way to shock.

"…Wait. What?"

Snowy, now looking very pleased with herself, licked her lips and let out a slow, contented huff.

Snowy is about to mutate.

Jack could only stare as his mount began to change.

Ch. 154 - Needs Salt

INDEX

Ch. 156 - The Change