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Authors: Andrew Lashway
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his back and walked into the trees’ embrace before stopping again. Who knew, there might be something exciting out there.
“Don’t do it Merek,” he said, staring at the wide open expanse of land, “there’s no cover, nowhere to run. We’ll be exposed.”
But eventually, his curiosity won out.
Merek had lost track of how long he had been in the forest. He knew it had been months, long enough for summer to pass and fall to set in. But what month it was, what day it was… Merek didn’t have a clue anymore. Nor did he really care. All he knew was that there was something new to explore.
So Merek packed his trusty staff and his collection of sharp stones and started to walk. He’d maybe adventure for half a day before returning to his home. He was just going to see if there was anything interesting out in the plains.
Though Merek didn’t know it, he was about to find far more than he bargained for.
The first thing Merek noticed as he left the comfort of his forest was the change in temperature. It felt warmer outside of the trees, not so much in temperature but… just a bit less inviting. Less welcoming.
It was not a feeling Merek much enjoyed. Still, he pushed himself on. There was a lot of grass out here, as well as a good deal of soil. Merek began to wonder why he couldn’t see a single farm on the horizon, no matter how far he looked. The ground seemed soft and fertile, perfect for planting.
He walked for several hours, noting each stream and creek as he passed them. He walked in a straight line, never deviating from his chosen course so he wouldn’t get lost. There were trees on their sides, uprooted from the ground. Merek wondered why, but noted that they would make excellent firewood if he ever managed to find something more useful than a number of stones.
Pressing on, he finally came to rest at an abandoned cottage. The windows were shattered and the door lay half off of its hinges. The wood that made the walls was cracked and breaking apart, as if they hadn’t seen any care in a very long time. Merek had to wonder how the cottage was even still standing.
Not that he wasn’t thankful it was. Inside he found an ax, as well as a hunting knife and even a metal flask. He almost burst out laughing, momentarily wondering why someone would leave such useful tools behind.
Then his worry, something he relished every few days, offered a suggestion.
Maybe they left it because they didn’t have time to take it with them.
Merek nodded before leaving the cottage. He looked up to the sky, seeing storm clouds gathering on the horizon. He started walking more quickly in the opposite direction, back towards his forest with his new tools. He would have to get there before the storm hit or night fell, whichever one came first.
He made it back to the safety of the trees just as night fell, and it was good that he did. He didn’t find it very comforting to be sitting under a sky that seemed to be blurring green.
Chapter Six: The First Friend
Merek suffered through the worst storm so far that night. Lightning seemed to strike constantly, and Merek felt thunder boom across his cave almost continuously. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get to sleep, pushed by both the noise and no small amount of fear.
This storm was just different. Every storm he’d pushed through had been bad, but this storm… it got under his skin in a way weather shouldn’t have. It felt like it was going to barge through the mouth of the cave and attack him.
It really wasn’t a welcome feeling.
He settled himself amongst the furs, trying to block out the noise, but it was no use. The storm would not be denied.
Forgoing sleep, Merek took up his new ax and started chopping at the wood in his cave. It was certainly faster than breaking the branches by hand, and the cuts were obviously far neater. He smiled at the tool, nodding his approval.
“I think you’ll work out nicely,” he said, but his words were swallowed up by
“Don’t do it Merek,” he said, staring at the wide open expanse of land, “there’s no cover, nowhere to run. We’ll be exposed.”
But eventually, his curiosity won out.
Merek had lost track of how long he had been in the forest. He knew it had been months, long enough for summer to pass and fall to set in. But what month it was, what day it was… Merek didn’t have a clue anymore. Nor did he really care. All he knew was that there was something new to explore.
So Merek packed his trusty staff and his collection of sharp stones and started to walk. He’d maybe adventure for half a day before returning to his home. He was just going to see if there was anything interesting out in the plains.
Though Merek didn’t know it, he was about to find far more than he bargained for.
The first thing Merek noticed as he left the comfort of his forest was the change in temperature. It felt warmer outside of the trees, not so much in temperature but… just a bit less inviting. Less welcoming.
It was not a feeling Merek much enjoyed. Still, he pushed himself on. There was a lot of grass out here, as well as a good deal of soil. Merek began to wonder why he couldn’t see a single farm on the horizon, no matter how far he looked. The ground seemed soft and fertile, perfect for planting.
He walked for several hours, noting each stream and creek as he passed them. He walked in a straight line, never deviating from his chosen course so he wouldn’t get lost. There were trees on their sides, uprooted from the ground. Merek wondered why, but noted that they would make excellent firewood if he ever managed to find something more useful than a number of stones.
Pressing on, he finally came to rest at an abandoned cottage. The windows were shattered and the door lay half off of its hinges. The wood that made the walls was cracked and breaking apart, as if they hadn’t seen any care in a very long time. Merek had to wonder how the cottage was even still standing.
Not that he wasn’t thankful it was. Inside he found an ax, as well as a hunting knife and even a metal flask. He almost burst out laughing, momentarily wondering why someone would leave such useful tools behind.
Then his worry, something he relished every few days, offered a suggestion.
Maybe they left it because they didn’t have time to take it with them.
Merek nodded before leaving the cottage. He looked up to the sky, seeing storm clouds gathering on the horizon. He started walking more quickly in the opposite direction, back towards his forest with his new tools. He would have to get there before the storm hit or night fell, whichever one came first.
He made it back to the safety of the trees just as night fell, and it was good that he did. He didn’t find it very comforting to be sitting under a sky that seemed to be blurring green.
Chapter Six: The First Friend
Merek suffered through the worst storm so far that night. Lightning seemed to strike constantly, and Merek felt thunder boom across his cave almost continuously. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get to sleep, pushed by both the noise and no small amount of fear.
This storm was just different. Every storm he’d pushed through had been bad, but this storm… it got under his skin in a way weather shouldn’t have. It felt like it was going to barge through the mouth of the cave and attack him.
It really wasn’t a welcome feeling.
He settled himself amongst the furs, trying to block out the noise, but it was no use. The storm would not be denied.
Forgoing sleep, Merek took up his new ax and started chopping at the wood in his cave. It was certainly faster than breaking the branches by hand, and the cuts were obviously far neater. He smiled at the tool, nodding his approval.
“I think you’ll work out nicely,” he said, but his words were swallowed up by
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