Day 10 - Deserts And Rivers

I stepped out of the house, swinging my sword at the spider before it had even realised I'd moved. A couple of slashes and it was reduced to a single piece of string. I turned around, ready to head back down to the coast, only to be confronted by a creeper almost on top of me already. I swung at it, but it was too late - it was charging up to detonate. I leapt back as it exploded, blowing a huge hole in the middle of the village.

 I gathered up the sand, which might be useful as my glass supplies were down to the last block, and left the village. Back at the edge of the water where I had ended yesterday's walk, I set off again. I seemed to be following the bank of a long, winding river with desert on my side and some thick woods on the other side.

It wasn't long before I passed right by the settlement where I had spent last night.

I took the opportunity to pop in to make myself a replacement axe which I had forgotten to do when my last one wore out and to gather some wheat with which to make bread. Perhaps I should have done these things earlier before leaving, but sometimes I'm just impatient to get on with the day's travels.

Back on the banks of the river, I followed its twists and turns through yet more desert.

The opposite bank always seemed to have the more interesting things on it. I spotted a herd of pigs frolicking about on the grass over there as if to say "yes it is greener over here", but I refused to cross. Perhaps I will return along that side later today?

But no, the river wound on and on. I was getting confused as to which way I was going and how this all fitted together. It didn't quite feel as if I was going in circles, but maybe spirals. At one point I spotted some buildings around the next corner and it looked as if I was going to be returning to the same village as yesterday, but the river curved away before getting too close so I don't know if it was the same place or not.

Night was approaching rapidly, and I was still in the desert area, so I hurried along in the hope that I would find somewhere easier to dig in for the night. But no, it started to get dark, so I dug myself a small shelter in the sandy banks beside the water and roofed it over with dirt.

 

Once safely inside, I made myself a shiny new iron pickaxe and went digging down for coal.

I hadn't gone too deep before I broke into a deep, dark underground space.

I explored it thoroughly, and it did yield some coal but nothing else unfortunately. By the time I got back upstairs, it was morning.