A simple sorry might have saved us both.

[AlternateMew]

I picked up Don't Starve again after a bit of a hiatus. Played some SW, then remembered skins were a thing now and decided to start playing Together. I play Webber, and have decided I'm going to try learning to live in caves as early as possible. So I've been making little cave bases.

One game, I have my little base started as usual. Alchemy Engine, Crockpot, the basics. Set up near a few spider dens, whose sacrifices were keeping me alive while I found a better food source. Winter was upon us, but we were going to be fine.

Then I came back to my base in flames.

I was underground, see? And I hadn't told anyone I was living there. No need for a lightningrod because no lightning. No needing to prep for basemates, either, because who lives underground?

... No, it wasn't Willow. It was a Woodie. He had set the forest ablaze for heat, and my base was in the forest. So naturally, it burned.

I was willing to pass it off as an honest mistake, and it was. Guy needed gold and the server had been mined fresh out of gold. Caves were an obvious option. And he couldn't have known I was there. The problem? The condescending jerk said "your fault. shouldn't have built your base in a forest". That was it. No hint of a sorry, no hint of remorse. Just blame me and run off. Sure. Oh yeah? Guess what, buddy? There's no gold down here because it falls with earthquakes. And guess who's been here for the earthquakes? That's right, I had the gold. Didn't tell the guy though. Not with that attitude. Had he simply said "Sorry", we could have pooled remaining resources and survived.

A day or two later, the guy complained about how "newcomer unfriendly this server is". In a rare moment of perfectly executed passive-aggression, I told him "Welcome to Don't Starve!"

He left. Didn't even die - just left.

I died shortly after, but not before he left. Told people where my stuff was for looting, and logged off. I died with my pride. No regrets!