Stacking rocks in a crescent shape near the bank could work.
The idea was to create a small enclosure where the fish could swim in but struggle to swim out due to the change in water pressure. If I added some bait, bugs maybe? I could lure them inside.
I smirked. Yeah. That could work.
I immediately got to work, wading through the shallows as I picked out smooth, heavy stones. My small hands struggled with some of the larger ones, but I made do with what I could carry.
Behind me, I could hear faint whispers and giggles from the tree where the other kids had gathered. I resisted the urge to look. They were probably watching me like I was some sort of rare animal at a zoo.
Not that I cared.
This wasn't a game to me. This was survival.
And I was going to eat tonight.
I just knew it
I worked in silence, my fingers aching slightly as I adjusted each stone carefully.
The formation had to be sturdy enough to withstand the current but not so obvious that the fish would immediately recognize it as a trap. My heart pounded in anticipation.
Just a little more.
The sounds of the water sloshing against the rocks filled the air, mixing with the distant chirping of birds and the occasional rustle of leaves.
I was aware of the eyes on my back, the kids still watching me from under their tree, but I ignored them. I had a mission.
Once the rocks were set in a crescent shape, I stepped back, hands on my hips, analyzing my work. It was rudimentary, but if my memory served me well, it should work. Now, for the bait.
Bugs.
I scanned the grassy banks of the stream, crouching down to dig through the damp earth.
Small insects scattered as I lifted chunks of soil, and I quickly began collecting them—fat, wriggling worms, tiny beetles, and anything else that looked remotely edible to a fish.
As I returned to the water, I noticed the whispering behind me had died down.
A quick glance over my shoulder revealed the kids watching with wide eyes, their expressions a mix of curiosity and mild disgust as they saw what I was holding.
I ignored them.
Crouching at the water's edge, I gently sprinkled the bugs into the enclosure, watching as they drifted in the slow-moving current. Now, all I had to do was wait.
Minutes passed. Then more minutes.
A small frown tugged at my lips. Maybe I miscalculated something? Was the current too weak? Were the fish not hungry?
Just as doubt began to creep in, movement.
I stiffened.
A single fish, silver and sleek, darted toward the trap, attracted by the bait.
It hovered at the entrance, its tiny body shifting with the current, and for a moment, I thought it would swim away. But then, as if curiosity got the better of it, it moved inside.
Yes!
I stayed still, barely breathing as another fish followed, then another. The little enclosure was working. Slowly, the school of fish began gathering within the trap, unaware that their way out was about to become significantly harder.
A slow grin spread across my face.
Now came the tricky part, sealing the exit before they figured out they were caught.
I reached for another stone, carefully inching toward the opening. My small hands trembled slightly from the effort, but I steeled myself. One chance.
The moment I moved to block the entrance, the water splashed loudly behind me.
I froze.
The fish inside the trap startled, their sleek bodies twisting and darting frantically.
Shit.
I spun around, only to see—
"Mura-chan, what are you doing?"
Renji.
His feet were halfway submerged in the water, his wide-eyed expression innocent and clueless.
My eye twitched.
"Get out!" I hissed.
Renji blinked. "Huh?"
Before I could react, another splash erupted. One of the other kids had jumped into the water, laughing as they chased after Renji. And just like that, the trap was ruined.
The fish scattered.
Gone.
I stared at the empty water, my chest tightening, my stomach growling in painful protest.
A deep, slow inhale.
I turned toward the group of children, my face blank, my soul weary.
"…Why?" was all I could manage.
Renji scratched his head sheepishly. "You looked so serious, Mura-chan. We thought you were playing too…"
I closed my eyes. Counted to five.
No. No, no, no.
I wasn't about to let a bunch of rowdy kids ruin my one shot at food.
I straightened, my expression unreadable, my brain already working out the next move.
Fine. If patience and planning wouldn't work, then—
"Plan C," I muttered under my breath.
"Plan C?" Renji echoed.
I turned toward the stream, rolling up my sleeves.
"Hand fishing."
A hushed silence fell over the group. Then…
"Ehhh?!"
I waded into the water, my movements slow and deliberate. The kids behind me whispered among themselves, but I blocked them out.
This was personal now. I was not about to let a bunch of slippery, beady-eyed fish outsmart me twice in one day.
Hand fishing wasn't the most efficient method, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
The trick was to move slowly, let your hands blend into the water, and wait for the fish to come to you. Then, with lightning-fast reflexes, grab them before they could dart away.
Simple in theory. A nightmare in practice.
I crouched lower, submerging my arms up to the elbows.
The cool water sent a shiver up my spine, but I gritted my teeth and focused. Tiny fish flickered in and out of sight, their scales catching the sunlight as they glided through the shallows.
One came close.
I held my breath.
Wait for it…
I lunged.
Water exploded around me as my hands clamped down—only to grasp at nothing.
The fish was gone.
Behind me, a few snickers rang out.
I slowly turned my head. Renji and the others were watching with varying degrees of amusement, their faces half-hidden behind their small hands.
I exhaled through my nose. Ignore them.
Focusing back on the water, I tried again. This time, I kept my hands still, fingers barely brushing against the riverbed. I could feel the soft squish of mud, the occasional tickle of a passing fish.
One of them brushed against my wrist.
Now!
I snapped my hands forward—and this time, I felt it. The smooth, slippery scales of a fish wriggling against my palm.
My heart leaped.
"I got—"
It twisted violently, slipping right out of my grasp before I could finish my sentence.
A loud splash. Empty hands.
Silence.
Then—
"Pfft—HAHAHA!"
I clenched my jaw as the kids erupted into laughter.
"You almost had it, Mura-chan!" Renji called out, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Almost doesn't fill my stomach," I muttered under my breath, shaking off the water. I wiped my face, gritting my teeth as frustration burned in my chest. "Tch." I dragged myself back onto the bank, water dripping from my clothes as I pushed my hair out of my face. "You think this is funny?"
Renji, wiping away tears of laughter, nodded vigorously. "Very!"
The other kids hesitated, sensing something in my tone, but it was too late.
I smirked. "Alright then."
"Eh?"
Without another word, I lunged.
Renji shrieked, scrambling backward, but he was too slow. My wet arms wrapped around him, soaking his clothes instantly.
"Mura-chan, nooooo!"
The other kids screamed in laughter as Renji flailed, now just as drenched as I was.
"You wanted to play, didn't you?" I taunted, tightening my grip.
"Not like this!" he wailed.
Too bad.
With one last shove, I sent us both tumbling back into the stream.
Another SPLASH!
This time, I surfaced laughing. Not because I had caught a fish, but because if I was going to suffer, I was taking someone down with me.
The kids hollered in excitement.
…Still, I wasn't giving up on my dinner.
I'd get those fish.
One way or another.
I have to admit, this was much harder than I expected. It didn't help that my arms were small, my hands weak, and my patience wearing dangerously thin.
I needed an edge.
I needed… a distraction.
Slowly, I turned to face the group of kids, my expression blank as an idea came in.
"Renji," I said and turned to the dripping kid.
The boy, mid-laugh, paused. "Huh?"
"Help me."
He blinked. "Eh? Me?"
"Yes. You. You owe me," I said flatly, glancing at the ruined rock trap.
Renji grinned apologetically, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah… yeah, sorry about that."
"Good. You'll make it up to me by chasing the fish toward me instead of scaring them away."
Renji hesitated, then nodded. "Alright! That sounds fun!"
The other kids immediately perked up.
"Can we help too?" one of the girls asked, don't know her name but I guess I can be bothered to know later.
I raised an eyebrow. "You want to help me catch fish?"
They nodded enthusiastically.
…Alright. I could work with this.
"Fine," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Here's the plan…"
As I quickly explained what I needed them to do, I felt something shift. The frustration, the hunger, the earlier embarrassment, it was still there, but now it was mixed with something else.
Excitement.
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
This was war.
And I was going to win.