《Grey [HIATUS]》 Chapter 1 Grey "Prince Grey! Please hurry!" A maid shouted from outside a room. "Alright!" Grey replied. Grey was getting ready for dinner with a special guest and his parents. He looked through his wardrobe. Grey preferred to change by himself, though his father told him it was perfectly normal for princes to have maids and butlers help them change and all that like. Grey was 17, almost 18, the coming of age where he would become old enough to have a higher position in the Idela kingdom and be able to rule. He had out a blue tuxedo jacket with a white shirt and a silver bow tie to complement his striking grey eyes. He laid it all out on his large mattress. His mother named him after seeing a grey plover migrating midwinter. His mother told him the plover was a beautiful black-bellied bird with a white coat on it''s back. It was speckled with black dots reaching all the way to its forehead. She told him that she was on a trip to visit a foreign kingdom when she spotted a bird. It started to lightly sprinkle rain. The clouds were darkening and the blue skies were fading away. The guards told her it was a grey plover supposedly migrating for the winter, but it had to stop for the weather would get worse. They explained it would need to find shelter and food fast. The queen was pregnant at that time and remembered the name of the bird for the next 4 months. When the queen was in labour and gave birth to the prince, she wasn''t sure of what to name him. The king wasn''t present during her labour for diplomatic reasons and couldn''t help. The midwife gave suggestions, but the queen did not think her son would suit those names. She thought back to her journey where she had seen the grey plover. The queen decided to name him Grey. When she saw Grey open his eyes for the first time, she knew the name was a good choice. His eyes were a good fit for his name. The king didn''t mind, but he said he would''ve liked to name the infant something noble like Henry or William. Grey took off his current shirt and looked at himself in his bedroom mirror. He wasn''t muscular or anything, but was fairly fit and athletic when it came to fencing. He was a bit skinny, yet tall and had a slightly pale complexion despite doing outdoor activities often. Grey had slightly dark blonde hair that was growing a bit too long. He thought about having it trimmed soon by a maid. His father decided to have it trimmed often to keep that "princely" look. Grey did think that his hair made him look more cordial. Grey put his arms through the sleeves of his white shirt and buttoned it up hastily. He then put on the light blue tuxedo and wrapped the silver bow around his neck and tied it up. He reached into his bottom right drawer and grabbed a pair of black pants and a brown leather belt lying on top of the dresser. He changed pants and buckled the belt. All that was left were his shoes. Grey laced up his black leather shoes and tied them while singing a nursery rhyme about tying shoes. He chuckled at his immaturity and felt nostalgia. He quickly yet neatly combed his hair in the back and his bangs to his right. Grey burst through the doors of his bedroom and ran past several maids and butlers through the hall. "Thanks, Marian!" Grey bellowed to his ageing maid. Grey reached the west wing of the castle and neared the dining tables. He quickly caught his breath before entering the dining hall, considering not to appear rude to the new guest. He opened the door after passing servants holding platters of food and empty dishes. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "Sorry, I''m late. Mother, father." Grey addressed them. "It''s fine, please have a seat and greet our guest." the queen motioned toward the stranger. Grey looked over at the odd man. He tried to be polite and bowed with his right arm in front and his left arm behind his back. "Excuse me for the delay, sir. Pleased to meet you. My name is Grey Harrington. And your name, sir?" Grey inquired. The man stood up and spoke. Grey thought it was rude of him to not bow back. "You may call me J. I am a beast tamer from a small village. I came here to discuss matters with the king and queen, but I guess we can eat and drink first." Grey thought that a single letter of the alphabet was a weird name to go by, but he supposed everyone had their own reasons. "I suppose," Grey replied. Grey sat down at the far end away from J. The king and queen were spaced a bit far from each other, while J was closest to the king. After Grey settled, the king gave a toast. "Please help yourself to the food presented. Our kingdom welcomes our special guests with hospitality. Cheers." his father said as he raised his red wine glass. The queen, J, and Grey did the same. "Drink up." Grey drank from his glass of apple cider. As old as he was, the prince thought that it would be better to have a clear mind to make rational decisions. Grey thought it was a bit inappropriate for people under a certain age to drink alcohol. The servants carried in the food, which was pheasant with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. After several minutes of eating his portion, Grey sat back sighing satisfyingly after a hearty meal. Grey wondered why J had come to the kingdom. He looked at J. J was scarfing down his food in a rather crude way. He had curly shoulder length hair that was combed, but you could tell he had not bathed for a few days. He was neither handsome nor ugly, just average like a face you would see on the streets. Aside from his face, he was very bulky and large. Perhaps a bit well fed but also strong. He was also a bit shorter than the average person. Normally you wouldn''t be able to suspect that J was a beast tamer under most circumstances, but he wore a something like a lion''s hide jacket that was very thick with light brown pants. He also wore brown leather gloves. Grey saw earlier that J had a whip and a dagger at his waist when he was standing. Grey speculated he most likely had more weapons in his arsenal for hunting and taming animals. A few moments later the queen and king had also finished eating. It was a matter of time before J decided he was full. Grey wondered how J ate so much. He could hardly eat that much without getting sick. The servants came in and carried the dishes and leftover portions away. The room was empty again. Everyone sat there sipping their wine. A conversation was started. "So J, I would like to question on what you''re keen on discussing with us. After all, it''s not every day that a famous beast tamer comes to Idela''s kingdom."the king asked. "Well, I guess it''s now or never," J spoke in a rather dramatic manner. "I want this kingdom as my own." Chapter 2 Blood Grey was baffled. He looked at his family. The queen had wide eyes, while the king had a slight smile thinking that it was a joke. "Let me say this again. I wish to claim Idela as my own. If you do not cooperate, I will call my pets upon you." J repeated. Grey felt a shiver come up his spine. The way beast tamers work around here is that they gain the power to command and control any animal they desire by gaining power over it. But they require a special skill and talent. Beast taming was a rare trade. Grey wondered what J was famous for. Tamers first use special herbs to weaken an animal. The more potent the herb, the stronger the control would be. But the more fierce and powerful animals contained more willpower, so those that were more talented had better control and power over stronger beasts. The beast tamer would then chant something incomprehensible to an average person. Soon the animal would react to the tamer as if they were the tamer''s slave. The least skilled beast tamers could tame rodents and insects. "This is a bit rude, isn''t it. I think I must ask you to leave now J..." The king said in a cold voice. The queen sat there quietly and glanced at Grey. The king realised that J wasn''t joking. "I''m sorry, but I think I''m going to stay here for a quite a while. After all, I think the point of this was to ask you to leave." J spoke with a wry smirk. "I guess we''ll have to escort you out then. Guards!" The king roared. The king stood up abruptly. Two guards burst in dressed in leather. Both were armed with sword and shield. They both looked nervous. "Please take this man outside and make sure he doesn''t come back." The king commanded. "Yes, sir." Both guards said in unison. The two wary guards started to move forward towards the man with weapons drawn. "I think not," J said with a smirk. "Pets!" He snapped his fingers. Two scaly snakes suddenly dropped from the ceiling. How they could fall from that height and not be injured was something Grey was amazed at. They all looked up and saw several snakes on coiled up on the chandelier. They all seemed to be venomous cobras. No one knew how J got them up there before hand. Grey thought about the possibility of a spy within the castle. The snakes slithered almost too slowly toward the guards. They were both brown and black cobras. The guards had trembling eyes that looked quite scared and shaken. These two were obviously new to the job. They were frozen in place. The kingdom was a bit weak when it came to defences because of the last war they had with foreigners. The guards glanced back and forth between the snakes that were now coiling up near their feet. The men were trained to be careful near snakes, but they didn''t have any real experience with cobras. "I thought you wouldn''t have complied. So I prepared some extra countermeasures." J stated while standing up with his wine glass. J walked slowly over to the king. He swirled his wine a bit, and then sipped it. He stopped a few feet away from the king. "These snakes are a bit exotic, from Asia. Took me a little trouble to get them from India back to here. I also have a few other pets up my sleeve." J chuckled at his own joke while pulling down his right sleeve to reveal a small blue frog on his glove. "This fellow is from Brazil. He has enough poison to kill 10 people. Would you like to try it out?" J said as he brought the frog closer to my father. My father swallowed and backed up a bit, but J just stepped closer. "Let me remind you to look up at the ceiling. Surrender yet?" The king looked up at the ceiling again. "I can''t let a scoundrel like you take the kingdom all for yourself!" Grey stood up shouted. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Well aren''t you a righteous one? I suppose you are the heir to the throne after all. We''re just a bit alike, wanting this kingdom all for ourselves... as you said." J drawled. "At least I''d be a better ruler than you, you mangy scum!" Grey stumbled to find a sufficient insult. "Oh really? Well, I think we won''t be finding out either way." J declared. One of the guards finally manned up and slashed at one of the snakes, killing it, but the other one leapt onto his arm and bit into his neck. The guard started choking and had breathing issues. The venom spread very quickly. He fell to the ground and started shaking. He grasped towards his neck. There was nothing they could do. His face turned blue and he was soon dead. The other guard wasn''t too sure about what to do, so he quickly backed away with his sword ready. He looked back at his fallen comrade with desperation. The snake zipped toward him faster than before and jumped at him. The guard had good reflexes and frantically slashed at the snake and succeeded at killing it, but he forgot about the snakes from above. One cobra landed on him, and his fate was the same as the other guard. The queen gasped. "Well? It seems like you don''t have any more present defence. I believe I scared away most of the servants with the rodents I had sneak in and a friend of mine took care of the other guards." J smirked at his victory. The king grimaced. Grey saw his father shift a little and saw a small gleam of light flashing toward him. He was quite clever to stow a knife into his clothes, but it was only a dull kitchen knife at that. The royal family was taught slight self-defence to try and defend themselves against enemies in an emergency, but Grey only knew how to fence, and he wasn''t the best in the castle... The king was particularly good at slaying foes with an axe, but he didn''t have much experience with daggers or knives. The queen was a good shot with a bow, but she wasn''t armed during dinner. "So what''s your decision?" J advanced closer towards the king. "You know what my favourite motto is?" The king stalled. "I don''t care?" J said sarcastically. The king lunged toward J and shouted, "It''s give me liberty or give me death!" The king tried slashing sideways in a wide arc, almost like how he normally did with battleaxes. He aimed for the neck but appeared to only graze J''s right cheek when J moved quickly. J had fast reflexes to be able to move to the side and grab the king''s dagger, but he dropped his glass of wine in the process. He turned and twisted the king''s arm that was holding the knife. Grey was too far away to do anything about this scene. "I guess you chose death." J smiled bitterly as he stabbed through the king''s stomach. "I''m sorry I couldn''t do much..." The king wheezed as he coughed out blood. The king looked at Grey and his wife. J let him drop to the ground. His breaths were getting heavier and shorter. Blood stained the wooden floor. Grey rushed over. "Father!" Grey shouted. "Harold!" The queen exclaimed. Tears welled in Grey''s eyes and the queen already had tears coming out. She looked at her son. "Grey! Run! Grab your horse and go! I''ll manage on my own!" She shouted. "But... father... and you..." "No buts! Hurry!" She shouted. Grey quickly hurried to the kitchen door, thinking that J might get lost in all doorways if he were to give chase. Grey stuck to the walls of the room in case snakes might''ve jumped at him. J didn''t seem to make any move and let him go. J knew that he had to deal with the mother first. "Grey! I love you, son!" The queen cried. "I love you too, mother," Grey mumbled under his breath as he rushed through the kitchen doors. Many tears dropped onto the ground that day. Chapter 3 Running Grey ran as fast as his legs would take him down to the courtyard. Most servants would be gone at night, and they would soon be asleep in bed. Grey didn''t bother to stop to talk to anything for fear of J catching up to me. He wasn''t even sure if J was after him. Grey ran through the garden and almost tripped over a tree branch, but fortunately, his reflexes kicked in, and he did a shoulder roll. Grey was glad that he practised this move even though his spine hurt for a whole week. Grey reached the stables at last, but out of breath. He found the stable keeper who must have dozed off in the afternoon. Grey woke him up. He told the stable keeper that the situation was urgent. He didn''t want to let the poor old man panic. Grey ordered him to saddle up his horse, Winter. He went to fetch a canteen of water and a few strips of jerky. Grey made sure to take a pouch full of coins to last him for several weeks and the best sword in the army''s arsenal. He also grabbed a sharp dagger and a few matches. By the time Grey returned, the stable master had finished saddling up Grey''s horse, Winter, and he told Grey the horse was a bit grouchy from being woken up and he warned me to be careful riding in the dark. Grey was glad that J didn''t think to target the horses. He thanked the stable master and mounted Winter. Grey knew he probably wouldn''t see the stable master again, at least not for a while. Idela''s current weak army forces wouldn''t be able to handle J if he had more animals stowed away somewhere. Grey''s kingdom had already taken a few hits from foreign invaders, and it couldn''t bear to lose any more good men. He decided that it would be better to trust his mother. He couldn''t do much being a prince, and he wasn''t old enough to rule yet. Grey thought about to where he should go. If he went through the city, people would surely know it''s the prince from his stallion and tell J where he was headed. Grey decided to take the longer winding path through the forest and request for help from a nearby kingdom. He didn''t know how large the forest was, but it would be a long trip. Winter was quite faster than the average horse, but it was also very versatile and intelligent. He was a white Arabian stallion with black coal like smudges at the end of his muzzle. Grey''s father obtained the horse from trading. Winter was a bit wild and hard to take care of, but Grey had had enough experience riding horses. The horse could be very gentle if you gave him treats. Grey said his farewell to the stable master and went through the secret exit in the castle walls. He thought it odd to not see any other guards, but he remembered that J had probably taken care of them. Trees were blurring past him, but Grey could hear some owls and crickets chirping occasionally. He switched from a gallop to a light canter and alternated between a canter and a trot. Grey rode for half an hour in the dark before hearing running water. He thought it would''ve been a good idea to let Winter take a little break and have some water. Grey unmounted Winter and lead his reins to where he heard the stream. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Grey stumbled through a few trees and whistled Winter over to me. The stable master had put a rope and some sugar cubes in the saddle bag. Grey used the items to coax the stallion to come through the trees and bushes. Grey found the stream after tripping on a tree root for the second time. He regretted forgetting to bring a lamp or some torch. Grey felt a prickly crawling sensation on his hand and scratched at it. He realised there was a giant spider on his hand. Grey started shaking his hand frantically which spooked Winter. After shaking off the spider, he murmured some soft words in the horse''s ears so he would calm down. Grey then led him to the water stream and left him to drink. Grey washed his hand in the water until the crawling feeling of the spider went away. He took a large gulp of water from his canteen before he filled it up again in the stream. Grey stowed away the canteen in the saddle bag. He decided to tie Winter up when he suddenly felt like something was watching or observing him. Grey knew that something was definitely out of place. He surveyed his surroundings and saw something near a tree that was gleaming. Grey walked over to it and picked it up. The object was a small pendant. He held it up to the moonlight to see there was a well painted and detailed family portrait inside it. There was a handsome father, a beautiful wife, and a pretty daughter. They looked noble, but their clothes weren''t very fancy. The family seemed oddly happy. The man had light brown hair that and bright blue eyes. The woman had darker brown hair that was about shoulder length and had light brown eyes. The little girl had her mother''s dark brown hair that was growing long and had her father''s eyes. The girl shared her father''s toothy smile and looked content. Grey was still looking at the photo when a blur streaked past him and snatched at his sleeve. An arrow hit his sleeve, snagged onto it, and pulled his arm toward a tree to lodge deep inside the bark, making Grey stuck to the tree. There was someone there, and they were hostile. Chapter 4 A New Resolve Grey''s POV "Who are you?" I yelled out. "You don''t need to know." They said in a whisper. Suddenly behind me, a flash of black moved and they quickly pinned me to the tree with my no longer free arm behind my back. They seemed to padding my body, searching for any loot. They grabbed my pouch full of gold coins in my left breast pocket. I wasn''t sure what to do. "Please don''t kill me. I already had my father taken away from me. Soon my whole home will be taken." I plead. They seemed to hesitate for a second. This was my chance. I quickly slammed my head back. They seemed to be shorter than me and I only managed to hit a bit of their forehead. I tried ramming my shoulder into them and tore my jacket''s sleeve in the process. The person stumbled back a bit but quickly tried pinning me against the tree again. My left arm was now off of the arrow. I swung my left arm back in a straight line and hit their jaw. I could hear a grunt from them. I dropped the pendant in the process as I was trying to break free from their grip, but they were stronger than me. I grabbed a dagger from my belt and tried slashing at them. My aim was bad as I wasn''t left handed. They ducked and kicked me in the stomach. I felt the wind knocked out of me. It wasn''t pleasant. Rather than letting me catch a break, they kneed me right in the crotch, really hard. I sank to my knees and had tears come up to my eyes. I blinked them away. I desperately wanted revenge and tried jabbing them with my elbow, but it didn''t work out and I hit nothing but air. They pinned me to the ground and now were on top of me. I coughed from breathing in dirt and dust. They took my dagger away from me. I made quite a bit of ruckus trying to escape. Flailing around didn''t work and I didn''t have any other options. Things haven''t been going right at all lately. I might as well give in. "Fine. I don''t care anymore if I die. I have nothing left to live for anymore. It''s pointless for me to be alive." I said with tears welling up. "Only monsters take lives. I take valuables." They whispered again. I thought about what they said. J was a monster for taking away my father. Why did he want the kingdom? But then I thought about it again. My father is only a part of this. What will happen to Idela? The people? All of the children, women, men, friends, family. Would there be new laws? Would the citizens accept the new king? Or would they rebel? Would the nobles step in and try to take the throne? Would there be different customs? This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I kept thinking and thinking. Then I realized the person wasn''t on me anymore. They disappeared. I was confused. They stole at least 30 gold coins, which was a lot for pocket change in our kingdom. I stood up and found my dagger on the ground. The pendant was still where I dropped it. I walked a little ways back to the stream. Winter wasn''t there. Either the rogue took him, or he ran away after I made all that noise. I was exhausted from trying to fight back and decided it would be a good idea to light a fire and try to find a suitable place to sleep. I trudged through the forest and found some firewood. I found an open place near the stream where other travelers seemed to have already used this area as there were small rocks in a small circle. I placed the wood there and pulled a match out of my pocket. I struck it and and threw it at the pile. I didn''t have any food on me so I would have to forage for food in the morning. I collected some leaves and put them in a pile. I stoked the fire with a few more logs and laid down using the leaves as a pillow. I looked up at the stars. One was twinkling at me. I thought if that was father did that mean he was in heaven? Or maybe he''s trying to tell me something. No, maybe the heavens were trying to tell me something. I thought of father''s pale face as he said his final words. I cried a bit and fell asleep out of exhaustion. *** I woke up with a new resolution. I would someday come back and find J. I would take back what was originally mine. I would take back my home and end J. I could find my mother and we would be alright again. We would tell stories of father and have a proper funeral for him. I would be crowned king and make the kingdom great again. All I had to do was find a way to steal back what was stolen from me. Chapter 5 Wren Wren''s POV I saw a guy with a horse walking close to the stream. He was probably going to take a break. I decided it was the perfect time to ambush. I moved to a different tree with a better view and more foliage. The guy suddenly started flailing his hand around. I realized that he had a spider on his right hand. His horse was freaking out a bit too. I guess pets do resemble their owners. I had to stifle a laugh. He took his white stallion to the stream and let it drink. Then he bent down and started scrubbing his hand. He took a drink from a canteen he had and refilled it from the stream. Then he grabbed a rope and tied it onto his horse. I looked closely at the guy. He was quite handsome. He had blonde hair that was a little messy from the wind. His eyes looked a shade of light grey in the moonlight. He also had some expensive clothing on him, but it suited him nicely with the colors complimenting his eyes. He was probably rich. I decided I would be a little nice and not take his clothing. He was about to tie up his horse to a tree, but he started to look around for some reason. He walked over to the tree where I was in earlier. He picked something shiny up. Did I drop a coin? I thought I tied my pouch tightly enough. It''s probably a silver coin at most anyways. I think the guy was trying to look at the coin. It''s a good time to strike. I''ll move a little closer. I took out my bow and pulled back an arrow. I aimed for his sleeve and made sure I would only hit fabric. The arrow would go through the sleeve and hit the tree. I released the arrow. It went exactly as I planned. I quickly stowed away my bow and silently dropped to the ground. The darkness was my cover. I quickly ran and got behind him. He was a lot taller than me. Probably around 180 centimeters. "Who are you?" he yelled. "You don''t need to know." I whispered quietly into his ear and smirked. I grabbed his free arm and held it behind his back and pinned him to the tree. He definitely struggled. I started searching his pockets for anything. I felt a pouch and there was probably something valuable in it. I took it and I could feel the weight. I scored big. "Please don''t kill me. I already had my father taken away from me. Soon my whole home will be taken." he begged. I''ve definitely haven''t killed anyone, but I felt a bit bad about robbing him. So his father is dead and people took his home? I''ve been through worse. Sorry bud. Survival of the fittest. Suddenly, he slammed his head into me but he only slightly bruised my forehead at most. I was distracted by what he said. I guess that was all a facade. Jerk. He rammed his shoulder into me and ripped his left sleeve off the tree. What a waste. I should try pinning them back on the tree again. Oh wait, his left arm is free now. Whoops, here comes a swinging arm. Damn, it''s too late to dodge. He hit me pretty directly in the mouth, and of course I bit my tongue. Great, now you made me pissed. I think he dropped something, but I''m not sure. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. He''s trying to get his right arm free, but my grip''s too strong. Or maybe he''s just too weak. I can never tell. Oh god, he''s grabbing a dagger. He''s not left handed right? I''ll be fine. I ducked and went in for the kill. I did a fancy roundhouse kick right into his stomach. Revenge is real sweet. Might as well teach him more of a lesson. I kneed him right where it hurts. So many names for the crotch; the nether region, where the sun don''t shine, right between the legs, the groin, the private part, a man''s most prized possession, I could go on for a while, but you wouldn''t want that. Did I say that revenge is fantastic yet? He fell onto his knees. If he hit me with his dagger I''d probably get my wound infected, so I''d better take it away. I knocked him over and pinned him to the ground. I took away his dagger and he started half struggling and half coughing. Then he stopped. Am I too heavy for him? "Fine. I don''t care anymore if I die. I have nothing left to live for anymore. It''s pointless for me to be alive." he said with a small voice crack. Jeez, he''s a contradicting wreck. I tossed his dagger to the side. I already have 4 daggers and they''re definitely sharper than his. Might as well respond, after all, I''m not a monster. "Only monsters take lives. I take valuables." I whispered. He kinda just stood there for a while, well more like laid there, since I''m on top of him. Will he notice if I leave? I''ll just quickly get up and climb on a tree. He was still lying there when I left, like for a solid minute he had his face to the ground. Then he looked surprised when he could stand up. Idiot. He picked up his dagger and something else. Then he walked back to the stream, while I silently followed through the trees. He''s probably looking for his horse. Well, it''s gone now. Maybe I should''ve stolen it. I think it was an Arabian. Those would sell for a lot right? That reminded me. I checked my new bag of coins. I looked inside it. Holy... That''s a lot of gold. Forget the horse, I can probably eat off a silver plate for the next week. Thanks stranger. I looked back at the guy. He sighed and clenched his fists. Now he''s making me feel guilty. At least he''s not crying. He started collecting firewood and started piling it at a used campfire. He pulled out a match and lit the fire. He collected some leaves and piled them up. Then he laid down and started looking at the sky. Damn, he''s crying now. It''s been a while since I''ve felt this guilty about robbing someone. Most of them were scum anyways. I should get some sleep myself. I''ll sleep in one of the branches tonight. The guy''s too close to me so I''d better stay a couple meters away. I jumped through the branches and started scouting for a temporary place. I found a suitable tree with plenty of leaves, no bugs, and wide branches. Perfect, a five star inn. Chapter 6 Short Wren''s POV I woke up and stretched. Yes, I did a full body stretch on a tree. Lunges, deltoids, triceps, quadriceps, all of that. After all, I gotta be ready to fight and steal. I admired the rising yellow sunrise. I dropped down from the tree and decided to not go into town for a while and save some money. If I did go into town, I''d probably buy too many sweets and waste all of my money. I should try to hunt. I went to a dense part of the forest to try my luck with rabbits. I climbed up a tree that had a nice view with not so much foliage. I got out my bow and pulled back an arrow. I started to slow my breathing and listened closely. I heard a rustle in a bush. It was a snake hunting as well. That''s odd... It''s a black and brown cobra. You can''t find those here... I should kill it just in case. I shot an arrow at it''s head while it was slithering around. It turned limp instant. I climbed down from the tree and picked up a long stick. I poked it a couple times just in case. It stayed limp. I decided to pick it up. Ugh. Scaly skin still creeps me out. Do people like buying dead cobras with holes in their heads? I examined it. Woah. I knew cobras had strange markings on their hood, but this was an elaborate one. Wait... I know this marking. That man! His animals had those marks! Flashback 12 years ago "Hey mommy, what is that animal over there?" I asked while pointing at a wolf like animal. It looked somewhat like a wolf with it''s four legs, with pointy ears and an upright tail, but it had it''s tongue lolling out and was breathing heavily. It was brown and black. It was sitting on it''s haunches next to it''s owner who was standing up. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "It''s called a dog, honey. They were originally wolves that humans tamed and they soon grew into different breeds." my mother said. "Wow. Why does he have that red stuff on his back?" I asked questioningly. "It''s called a tamer''s mark. A beast tamer always has a mark on his beasts so that he can tell from other animals and his own. It''s basically a sign that tells you that something belongs to a certain person." ~~~~~~~ Is it really him? I hope not. But his snake was in this forest. Is he looking for something? Was he looking for me? No, he shouldn''t think I''m still alive. He probably wouldn''t recognize me after all these years. If he''s not looking for me... who is he looking for? ----------------- A/N Sorry it''s twice as short as normal today guys. I was, uh, a bit distracted. (gorged on food and watched youtube for 2 hours while typing) All you need to know about me is that I''m obsessed with pandas and I''m pretty irresponsible. Chapter 7 A Trap Grey''s POV After I woke up, I decided to search for food. I walked around for a while with my sword clanking on my side. It was getting a bit heavy and annoying. I was foraging for berries, but then I realized I didn''t know if berries in this forest could be poisonous. I saw a rabbit nearby eating some berries from a bush. I decided it would probably be fine to eat them. The bunny ran away when it heard me. I inspected the berries. They were a dark blue purple color and came from a large tall bush. Maybe I should push my luck. My stomach grumbled loudly. Then again, maybe I could try something else... I''ve got an idea. I could trap a rabbit in a pit! I''ll look for some slender sticks and some large leaves. Then I''ll dig a hole, but it''ll be hard with bare hands. Maybe instead of a hole, I could elevate and area? I''ll look for some flat rocks and I''ll stack them around a closed off ditch. Perfect. I''ll start scouting. I passed a small ditch earlier. It''s close to the stream too so I''ll get some rocks from there and lay them around the ditch. I started collecting some flat, yet wide rocks that were a bit heavy. I carried four at time and brought them to the ditch. I started stacking them. I did this for half an hour. Then I collected some small sticks that were long and easy to snap and placed them in a horizontally with about a centimeter space between each stick. I collected some leaves off a tree that were nice and wide. Then I placed them over the leaves. I went back to that berry bush and collected some and used my shirt to carry them. Thankfully, my shirt didn''t stain. I laid the berries on the leaves. Now all I had to do was wait. Great, I''m still hungry. Should I risk the berries? That rabbit looked fine eating them. I suppose I''ll try them. I collected more berries and went to the stream and washed a single berry. I put it in my mouth and chewed. It was a bit hard to swallow. It was tangy and bitter at the same time, also a bit tart. I washed it down with water from the stream. I waited thirty minutes. I don''t think I''m dying yet. I''m too hungry to wait now. I washed all of the berries just in case. Then I ate them. I felt satisfied enough. I decided to check the trap. Nothing was there. Maybe I should make it look less conspicuous. Maybe I should kick some dirt onto it. It''ll ruin my shoes though... Food is more important anyways. I''ll just use my hands and pour some dirt around it. I grabbed soil from grass nearby and kept sprinkling it around the rocks and the edges of the hole. I''ll just explore for now. How do I kill time in a forest? I should be walking to the nearby kingdom, but I already set up this trap that I''m now regretting... I never think things through properly. Maybe I should try looking for Winter. By that I mean my horse, not the season. I tried whistling for the horse, but nothing happened. The whistle echoed loudly through the forest. It''s already high noon. Maybe I should find a suitable place for shelter tonight. I''ll do that and get some firewood as well. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.I found section of the forest with humongous trees that were really wide. There was a large tree that had a diameter that was longer than I was tall with a hole hollowed out in it''s trunk. It was like a cave, but in a tree. I wonder why this was made. Maybe I can stay in here for tonight. It''ll protect me from rain and wind. There''s also plenty of space in this tree that I can lie down in the middle and have to stretch to reach the end with my foot and reach the other end with my fingers. The floor was just hard wood, but I could probably make a bedding with leaves. It seems very clean as well, no bugs or anything. I''ll start to collect kindling and check on my trap. I collected enough firewood to last for a few hours and piled it all by the tree. I went by to check my trap and there was actually something in it. It wasn''t a rabbit, but rather a small red fox. A kit in fact. It looked a bit starved and all of the berries were gone. It had a silky reddish brown coat with a white underbelly and black paws. It looked really scared and backed away. I tried to put my hand near it, but it scratched me. My wound stung. "Ow..." I said. Maybe I should try talking to it nicely. "Here little guy..." I attempted to coax him to come into my arms, but he just growled. Maybe I should give him some food. I''ll dash to the berry bush real quick. I don''t think most foxes eat berries though. Maybe he''s just really hungry. I collected plenty of berries and placed them in my pockets and rushed back. I slowed down and walked carefully and made solid steps so the fox would know I was coming. I knelt down and held out a handful of berries. "Come on... It''s okay..." I rolled a few berries toward him. The fox sniffed suspiciously at the berries. It pawed at one and then licked it. It decided to eat it. Then it ate all of the others. It made me a bit happy watching it eat. I didn''t think animals could make faces, but this fox made a sour face when it tasted a really unripe berry. The fox almost forgot I was there until I chuckled. It backed away warily again. I held out some more berries in my hand. "Come here little buddy..." I held my hand closer. It started to come closer. I wasn''t sure if it was sniffing my hand or the berries, but it started to eat from my hand. I started to slowly pick it up. It didn''t seem to resist, but it was a bit tense. I gave it some more berries and took it out of the hole. It was really soft, but dirty as well. I put it onto the ground and gave it some more berries. I left all of the berries on the ground and let it eat. I watched it devour all of the fruit. "Well you''re hungry, aren''t you?" I smiled endearingly. I should leave it now and find some food for myself. I guess we both have to eat berries for a day. I stood up and walked away to scavenge for more berries. The sun was starting to go down and the skies were darkening. I should hurry and get as many berries I could and get to that tree hollow. Chapter 8 A Little Friend VS (Thanks Photoshop) Grey''s POV The clouds in the sky were a little grey. Would it start raining soon? I hurried to collect berries and I washed them at the river stream. It began to lightly sprinkle when I finished washing the berries. I held most of the berries by lifting my shirt up and used it as a bag. I started walking briskly north, but struggled to find the large trees. It started pouring a little harder and I was damp. I finally found the right path by going to the pitfall trap and turning east. I was walking through some puddles when I heard a loud rustle and turned around. It was the fox. He was just as soaked as I was. He saw that I was holding berries and walked toward me. He stood on his hind legs and pawed at my leg with his fore paws. He must be hungry again. "You want some?" I asked while smiling. The little fox jumped up and down on his hind legs. He must really want food. I think I can hold the shirt up with one hand. I tried, but a couple of berries spilled and landed in mud. The fox ate the ones that only fell onto soil. I lifted the little guy up and put him in my shirt like he was a berry too. He was small enough to do so. He seemed content laying in my shirt and eating berries. I picked up my pace and started doing a strange walk where I made fast and large steps. It was a bit odd, but it worked. I finally reached the hollowed out tree. The rain was getting heavy and we were drenched head to toe. I put the fox down and put the berries on a pile of leaves. The fox sat down and was watching me curiously. I looked up and saw the upper trunk was hollowed out all the way to the top. I guess the leaves will catch any rain. I can ventilate a fire in this tree then. There was a large, flat rock in the corner of this tree. It had a small crater in it, so It was like a perfect bowl for me to stack the logs on. I guess someone probably lived in this hollow before. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. I used a bit of leg strength and pushed it to where the hole in the ceiling was. The ceiling was a bit shorter than I was so I had to crouch down a bit and pushed with my legs. I piled some firewood logs onto the stone and lit it with a match. The fox seemed a bit afraid of the fire at first, but it slowly crept near it for warmth. I took off my jacket and shirt to let it dry by the fire. Then I warmed myself up. The fox got up and walked toward me. It pawed at my leg for attention. We looked into each other''s eyes. Then it looked at the berries. It wanted food. "Are you still hungry?" I shuffled over to the pile of berries and dragged them over to the fire. I gave the fox a few handfuls of berries. Then I started eating as well. I probably won''t get used to eating these. They''re really tart. I''ll just eat a couple at a time. Meanwhile, the fox licked up all the berries and ate them one by one, but very quickly. The berries weren''t very big, but I was slightly afraid that it might start choking. "Slow down a bit at least." I chuckled. The fox looked at me and tilted it''s head. I thought only dogs did that. After the fox ate all of the berries, it leaped onto me and licked me a bit. I stroked it a bit. "You''re quite friendly aren''t you?" I told the fox. "Maybe I should give you a name." I suggested. It tilted it''s head again. Is it a boy or girl? I picked it up by it''s armpits and looked at it. I don''t think foxes show it directly, but how about I speculate it''s a male? Yeah, I suppose I''ll just assume it''s a male. "Alright," I set the fox down. "I''ll name you Max, boy or not." I sighed a bit. I wonder how mother is doing. I don''t think she would like to see me come home with a fox. But then again, Max will probably leave me when he becomes more mature. At least for now, he''s tame. I stared into the fire while petting Max. The fire made a pleasant crackling sound. Max''s fur was only a little damp, but warm thanks to the heat. I was tired and lied down. The floor was hard, but I fell asleep content. Chapter 9 All in a Days Work Wren''s POV I didn''t know what to do with the cobra so I threw it into a bush. I''m very eco-friendly. Time to get some real food. I went to a different location and climbed up a tree. Maybe if I''m lucky I can find a badger or deer, even though I''m already fortunate enough to have "found" all of these gold coins. Heh... I spotted a well concealed rabbit hole, burrow if you will. I got my bow out again and pulled back another arrow. Now I just wait in this position for a while. Usually ranging from thirty minutes to two hours. Well would you look at that. There''s a a pair of fuzzy brown ears sticking out of the hole. I''m more lucky than usual. I let loose the arrow. To survive is to eat. To eat is to kill. To kill is to fight. I may not kill humans, but I will kill any other animals as a means of survival. I once thought it was the survival of the fittest, but now I know it''s survival of those quick to adapt. By afternoon I had 2 more rabbits. I started skinning them and gutting them. I had a bag for the rabbit meat and put them in. Don''t ask what I did with the leftover intestines and parts. Although I do keep the rabbit hide to sell later on. The sun was starting to set. I was at the stream getting water for my canteen. I took a few gulps and refilled it. I looked up at the sky. The clouds were growing bigger, and getting more grey. It was I better hurry. I rushed to my special home in the forest with larger trees. It was getting dark and I couldn''t climb these trees as their branches were a lot higher up. The foliage in this part of the forest was a lot denser, but that didn''t stop me from becoming dripping wet. I pulled my hood on. My tree home wasn''t on top of the branches, but rather in a hollowed out tree. There was a small hole that I could fit in on the outer part of the tree. The inside part of the tree had a large naturally formed cavity and was perfect for a home. I discovered it when I was chasing a rare bird. I never got to find the bird, but I did find the tree hollow. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. I finally reached sight of the right tree, but there was a light coming from it. Damn it. Did someone else find it? Let''s give them a little surprise. After all, they took my perfect tree house and make me wait in the rain. I was as quiet as I could be for someone sloshing through mud puddles. The pouring rain would cover any sound I made anyways. I leaned against the wet bark and peered inside the hole. The person was shirtless and laying down. He was asleep from what I could tell. He had a fire going in the tree with my special rock. Wait a minute, he''s wearing black pants... And he has A WHITE SHIRT WITH A BLUE TUXEDO. It''s the guy I robbed before. He''s still in this neck of the woods? "Crap." I whispered out loud. Something beside him stirred. It was a reddish brown fox with black paws and black tipped ears with a white belly. It got up and stretched. I forced myself to move out of the way of the hole. I heard something make a few steps and then it was silent, apart from the rain. Suddenly, a head poked out and looked straight at me. It was the fox. I was never sure what sound foxes made, but this one barked exactly like a little puppy. It pawed right at my face and it poked my eye. "Ow. Damn fox!" I said aloud. Shoot. I think the guy is waking up. "What is it Max?" the guy said groggily. He got up and dragged his feet to where the fox was. The stupid fox looked from him to me. "Is there something out there?" the guy said while putting his head out the hole. Welp, I''ve been found out. We made eye contact. I wasn''t very sure what to do, but he said some words that I wasn''t sure I heard right. "Can I help you, m''am?" Chapter 10 A Guest Wren''s POV "Excuse me?" I said. "I asked if you needed assistance. Do you?" he said a little louder as he got out of the tree. Does this guy realize he''s not wearing a shirt? The fox turned back to the inside of the tree, it was cold and wet out here after all. It gave one last glance at me and flicked its tail before it left. "Um..." I tried to think up an excuse. Should I ask for shelter? There''s nowhere better anyways. "It''s raining and I was looking for shelter..." I mumbled. I was looking particularly for this tree, but apparently you''re already here... "Pardon me? The rain is a bit loud." he asked courteously. "I was trying to look for a place to get out of this rain!" I yelled. "Oh. Uh, you can come in if you''d like. There''s plenty of space." he said as he motioned toward me. "Thank you." I said quietly. If anything happens, I know that this guy is definitely weaker than me. The smell of smoke hit me, but the warmth from fire made me feel at ease. The guy picked up his shirt and buttoned it on. The fox was sitting by the fire and watching me. It had a relaxed pose, but I knew foxes could easily attack at any moment. "Sorry, my clothes were wet and I had to dry them..." he said a bit shamefully. Well now I know he has some decency. He was using my special rock for the fire. He had some extra wood piled up and stoked the fire with another log. "It''s alright. Um, do you mind if I use the fire? For cooking, I mean." I said awkwardly. What else am I supposed to do? I haven''t eaten all day. "Oh sure. It''s perfectly fine." he said. He was looking at me. I''m not sure, but I think he''s eyeing my bow and arrows. I''ll pretend I don''t notice him staring. I grabbed the bag of rabbit meat and pulled out a meaty leg and breast. I put them right onto the rock holding the fire. I made sure the meat was as close as possible to the fire, but didn''t touch it. I had some salt with me too, so the other meat can be preserved. The smell of meat made me even more hungry. I heard a small grumble. I don''t think that was my stomach. I turned and saw the guy blushing a slight red and he glanced away. The fox licked it''s mouth and seemed like it was crawling a little closer every few seconds. "Sorry," he said embarrassed. "The fox and I have only eaten berries today." he said while picking up the fox and putting it back next to him. Oh right. I robbed him of money. And his horse is gone. I wonder how he got the little fox. I kind of pity him... "Um, I have extra food. You can have some if you''d like. The little guy too." I said. "Really? Because I''d really like something to eat right now. Thank you." he sounded really happy. No problem rich guy. I should probably ask his name. I think he called the fox Max. I pulled out 3 more rabbit drumsticks and put it on the fire. I don''t think the fox understood us, but from the guy''s tone, the fox could tell something happened. It looked excited and licked it''s nose. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Um, my name is Grey. I''m not exactly familiar with this forest... I just found this tree by coincidence." he said. I tried my best to maintain eye contact. I feel like any moment he''ll realize I was the one who attacked him last night. "My name is Wren. I''ve been in these woods for most of my life. I''ve been hunting here for a living." I said. And I''ve also been robbing for a living too. The guilt keeps creeping up. I wish the food was finished cooking. I started drumming my fingers impatiently. The guy was petting the fox while flipped over the meat onto the other side. "Is it tough? Living like this, I mean?" he asked out of the blue. "You mean hunting? And living in the forest?" I asked before he nodded. "Well it was difficult at first, but it got a little easier as time went on." I said. Life just found a way to go on for me. Things changed one day and moved on the next. It was silent for the next couple minutes. The food looked brown enough and cooked. I reached for a leg, but dropped it on the floor. It was too hot. The fox got up and walked over to me. I rolled the meat over to the fox. It sniffed the meat and then licked it. It jumped back with a yelp and started growling. The fox looked really alarmed and had it''s tongue out slightly. I noticed how skinny it was. It must be just as hungry as me, but the food was too hot for it. I giggled a bit and looked at Grey. He was chuckling too. It''s been so long since I''ve heard such a genuine laugh from another person. I felt more relaxed than usual. "I found the little guy today. I tried setting up a trap for a rabbit, but I caught him instead. He was aggressive at first, but as soon as I fed him, he calmed down and was easygoing. I picked him up on the way to this tree when it started to rain, then I named him Max." he said with a slight smile. "Wow. Max must really like food." I laughed. I took the food away from the fire and let it cool down. Then I gave one to Grey. "Thanks." he said. "No problem." We ate without another word. The food must be bland for a rich person like him, although he looked happy just to eat. The fox looked cautiously at the food again. It licked the food and braced itself. When nothing happened, it started devouring the food. We finished all of the food and sat back. It was a good night. I leaned back and lied down. I closed my eyes. "Good night, Wren." he said. "Night." I closed my eyes. I fell asleep with many thoughts on my mind. --- Hey guys! I''m gonna be taking a break this whole week since my computer isn''t available. I''m gonna be a bit busy with school tests and more homework coming up. Sorry guys Chapter 11 Up in the Mountain Grey''s POV I opened my eyes and saw light shining through a hole, kind of like a window. I felt stiff and the floor was hard. It was morning and cold, which wasn''t very pleasant waking up like this. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around. I was surrounded by wood. Then I remembered everything that happened. The kingdom, Max, the gigantic hollow tree I''m in, and that girl, Wren. There was something about Wren that I couldn''t quite put my finger on. It was odd, really. She seemed really familiar. I think I had a small clue about her from last night, but I don''t remember it. She was quite pretty though. Probably better looking than those girls father tried to introduce me to. He said something about marrying the nobility for capitalism over business and something about the economy. I wonder if there''s any news on Idela''s current state. I wish I could return already and hear some news. That''s right! I should start moving. I looked over at Max. He was sleeping, but he was starting to stir awake. The fox was curled up next to me and he had his face buried in his tail. He suddenly did a roll and was lying on his back with his paws stretched out. He blinked slowly and then looked at me. Max got up and looked at me steadily. "What are you looking at?" I asked. The fox motioned and pawed at it''s head. It licked it''s paw and then made a sweeping motion at it''s head again. You want to get pet? I reached for it''s head and started to stroke it, but it batted at my hand. It made the sweeping motion again and then pawed at me. Then it scratched it''s head like a dog with it''s hind legs. My hair? Crap. My hair''s probably messy. I haven''t combed it in a while and I''ve been sleeping on the floor recently. I started combing my hair with my fingers. The fox stopped staring and it started licking itself clean. Maybe I should take a bath too. I probably reek of sweat. Speaking of cleanliness, I think that girl left already. There wasn''t anybody in the corner and the fire was out. I guess she didn''t want to say anything to me. "Hey Max, you know how to hunt yet?" I tried asking. The fox tilted it''s head and looked at me funnily. Then it crouched down and jumped on me. "Woah, okay buddy. You sure you can hunt on real animals yet?" Can he really understand me? Max ran over to the hole in the tree and jumped out. I got up and walked over. I looked outside and he was gone. I heard a slight trot and saw him coming back. He has something tiny in his jaws. He jumped right back in the hole and I had to pivot to the side before Max would hit me. He landed softly and sat on his haunches. Max dropped what was in his jaws. A wet beetle fell onto the wooden floor. "Gross. I meant mammals, Max." I said. Great, the beetle''s still alive and wiggling it''s legs. Even better, Max ate the beetle and made a loud crunching noise... I shivered a little. Let''s go walk outside. Would Max still follow me? "Let''s go outside. Maybe we can find more berries, or maybe apples. I also need to travel to the next kingdom." I said while motioning to outside. I grabbed my blue jacket that was now dry and put it on. It seems a bit odd to be out in a forest, yet dressed in a dirty tuxedo. I stepped outside and breathed in the cold morning air. I sighed a little. Max jumped out as well and landed on the dirt between the large roots of the tree. He''s just like a little cat. We walked along a trail I had found. As Max trotted happily along, I was stiff and sore. I cracked my neck a couple of times and my back was tense. The best I could do was stare at the scenery as I walked through the woods with Max. We walked on for an hour. Every once in a while, Max would have his ears pricked up and he would bound off into the trees and I couldn¡¯t chase him through all of the thick trees. The very first time I got worried and thought that Max left me. After all, he was a wild fox, but he came back to me running along the dirt after a short period of time. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Max leaped through the thick trees for the fourth time. I was getting hungry again. My stomach growled loudly. By the time Max came back ten minutes had passed, but he had something in his jaws. It was a baby white rabbit. ¡°I suppose you do know how to hunt. Poor rabbit was probably chased for a kilometer.¡± I teased at Max. The fox looked pretty proud. He stopped behind me and barked at me to stop as well. I turned around and walked back to Max. I gave him a questioning look. Max started to eat from the rabbit and ripped the skin apart. I tried my best to look away. Raw meat is unappealing to me, especially raw, bloody meat. After 3 minutes of hearing Max eat, we walked on for a few kilometers. We reached a fork in the road. One leading through a denser part of the forest, and one uphill. I decided to go uphill so that we''d have a better view of what was in the forest and which direction to head. We walked uphill for what seemed like years. By the time the slope was finally level, the sun began to set. Max was exhausted and decided to leap onto me. I held him for a bit, until my arms got tired. Max climbed onto my shoulder and put his fore paws and chin on my head. I think he''s trying to take a nap on me. He''s just a kit anyways. I hiked on for another half hour until I reached a small clearing with a single boulder in the middle. There was a cliff extending forward and I could see many kilometers away. "Max, wake up. Look at the view!" I said in a soft voice. The fox got up and I held him in my arms again, but I made sure he was looking outward. The view was breathtaking. The trees extended on as far as I could see, but some parts reached mountains and stopped growing around there. Either this forest was huge, or I was just really lost. There was a large lake in the middle of all the trees. It was big and a dark blue around some areas, but the sun reflected against it, giving it an orange yellow glow. It also reflected many trees and a mountain. If I squinted, I could see a small pass around a mountain to the side. Max looked disinterested, but for me, it was the first time seeing a lake like this. In fact, I''ve never traveled much, unlike my mother. The most I did was attend a royal ball in a city away. Mother did say that many times traveling was a drag, but she also said many locations were a sight to behold. I wasn''t sure, but I heard a faint call. It slowly got louder, until I was sure it wasn''t just in my head. I turned around a saw someone walking my way. Wait, that''s Wren! I think she''s calling my name. "Grey!" she yelled, fairly audible now. I guess it is a small world after all. Maybe in this case, a small forest. --- Sorry for the late update guys. I''m finally able to spend some quality time with my computer now and type. I tried to make this chapter a little lengthy, but I usually try to write around 800-1100 words. I think this chapter is almost 1300 words, and I put a decent amount of effort into this. I''ve posted a poll, as you could see, and I''d appreciate it if you answered, guest or member of royal road. Chapter 12 Down by the Lake Wren''s POV I woke up a few hours earlier than usual in the morning. It was cold and the sun was barely up. It was fall now and the days would be getting shorter. I got up and looked behind me. Grey was still sleeping as well as the fox laying next to him. Maybe I should steal something again. No, I shouldn''t. He''ll probably wake up and the fox will start "barking" again. I''ll just leave. I gathered only my belongings and walked as quietly as possible to the edge of the wall. I stepped through the hole and thought about the to do list for today. I already have another rabbit and a half that''ll last me through today. I already smoked it last night so I just need some water to get out the excess salt. Maybe I should take the long way to the next town. I could probably jog for an hour or two and be halfway through the forest. Maybe I can stop by the lake and try spearing for small fish. I walked briskly and quietly away from the tree for half of a kilometer. Then I stopped for a little bit to stretch. After feeling my muscles warm up and loosen, I started jogging at an easy pace. I never know what to think about while running. I just focused on the ground in front of me and my breathing. I heard the jingle jangle of the heavy coins in my pocket as I ran. It was muddy on the ground in most areas. That''ll waste some of my energy. I better be careful not to trip. Maybe I can head east through the narrow roads. The people in Downy were kind. Although the land there was uneven and had hills everywhere. There was also the possibility of just going into Idela, but it was further back than the nearest town and Downy village. I jogged for a while and decided I should go to the lake. I was getting thirsty. I slowed down a little bit so that I could drink water. Soon my canteen was empty. Twenty minutes passed by before I reached a glade. I finally arrived at the lake. I leaned down and tried to catch my breath. A minute later, I got up and started walking quickly to the edge of the water. I cupped my hands together and splashed water onto my face, getting my clothing slightly wet. I filled my canteen and drank from it. I heard faint thuds from far away. I scanned the opposite edge of the water, but I only saw trees. I faced away from the trees and looked around me. Nothing much in the vicinity other than small game. I walked a little away from the lake and crouched down. I put my hand to the ground and focused on only my hand and feet. I took a deep breath and relaxed. I could feel something. It was getting closer, but there was something else as well that wasn''t small nor very big. The bigger one definitely wasn''t a deer. Deer were more quiet than that. Both animals were running. I should just forget it. It''s the food chain. I''ll deal with it. I was about to stand up, but I realized they were really close. I think they''re coming from the south. I turned right and ran as fast as I could and climbed up the nearest tree. I waited. It was getting closer. I definitely recognized the sound now. It was a horse, but what was the animal behind it? It was coming now. For a horse, it was going a bit slowly. A white horse came in view. I think that''s Grey''s horse. It has the coal like smudges on it''s muzzle. But there''s also some red pink color on it''s leg. I''m pretty sure it''s bleeding. Something else is definitely after it. I see a grey wolf chasing it now. It''s a timber wolf chasing Grey''s horse, which is a bit ironic to me. Anyways, they''re still in view. They''re about to pass by my tree. That wolf doesn''t seem to have a pack. I''ll help out the horse. I quickly grabbed my bow and notched the arrow. I decided to shoot when the horse would pass by me. If I was really lucky, I could hit it clean in the eye. The wolf was gaining on the horse. It was getting weak now. The horse passed by and I let the arrow fly. I hit the wolf in the neck. It wasn''t affected immediately, but it made a weird chortling noise. It choked in pain before slowing down and falling. The horse was still spooked and it kept running. I climbed down to a lower branch on the tree and then I jumped down. I ran over to where the wolf laid. It was dying. I quickly inspected it and found a black marking on it''s back. It was the same as the cobra from yesterday. That means that same beast tamer is really back. Although I never bothered to learn his name. The mark is starting to turn a dull grey for some reason. Is it because it''s almost dead? I didn''t really pay much attention to anything on the cobra earlier. If the wolf is chasing the horse, does that mean the man is looking for Grey? Or maybe the wolf was hungry. But there''s plenty of small game in the forest. Maybe the beast tamer wants to see the wolf''s skills at hunting? That''s unlikely. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I''ll leave the wolf to rot. Any animal of that beast tamer''s I could care less for. I''ll go find the horse. I jogged in the direction the horse ran, which was to the lake. I quickly reached the clearing and found the horse. It was bleeding a lot. A chunk of flesh was missing from it''s right hind leg. I tried to approach it, but it ran away. "Damn it." I mumbled. By the looks of it, the horse was tired. Maybe if I keep trying to come near it, it''ll stop running. I ran over to the horse again and slowed down 10 meters away. I walked slowly towards it and looked it in the eye. The horse snorted and stomped st the ground. It looked wary. I think I''m going through too much trouble for Grey. It''s already high noon. Maybe if I can get the horse to like me, I can sell it... Whatever, I should get it back to Grey. I know nothing about horses anyways. If I can grab the horse by the reins... I moved as swiftly as I could and caught it''s reins, but the horse started acting up and lifted it''s front hooves up despite it''s back leg bleeding. I''ll admit I got a bit scared and backed away before it could hurt me. "I think I dislike Grey''s pets." I said out loud. Maybe I can just trap it or tie it up somewhere. But I can''t do anything about the leg if it won''t let me come near it. The leg could become infected and the smell of blood could attract more predators. What to do... Maybe I should just let it be. Animals have to find ways to survive on their own. I''ll find Grey and let him know. I left the horse alone and started jogging back into the forest. Where would Grey go? He''s probably of nobility, and I think he came from Idela. Maybe he''ll head east. Maybe I can scout for traces of him. I''ll start looking by going in the trees. The higher I am the more I can see above the trees. I know, I''ll just head to the top of this mountain. It''s not too hard to walk up and there''s a cliff where I can have a view of the lake. I started jogging slowly northwest to where the fork in the road was. I was still tired from the jog to the lake. Another hour passed before I reached the beginning slope of the mountain trail. Nearby I saw a dried up footprint in the dirt. That''s probably Grey''s shoe. Maybe he headed up the mountain as well. I''ll try my luck. I was a bit exhausted, but I pressed on and walked up the slope. Another hour of walking and I had to stop to take a break. I sat down on a rock and drank from my canteen. My quiver and bow felt heavy on my shoulders. The daggers in my boots added extra weight. The pouch of gold coins weighed me down a bit further, but I got up and kept walking. I was glad that the weather was dry and not humid. I was sweating quite a bit. I kept pressing on for one more hour. Then I took another break. My canteen was empty now. I''m really tired. The sun is starting to go down though. I trekked on for another half hour and the ground was finally flat. I knew the cliff was nearby. If I was lucky, Grey could be right there. Maybe I''ve been a little bit right behind him this whole time. My legs were aching but I just kept walking. I started shouting and yelling for Grey. Trees were still around me, but I knew I''d reach the clearing with the cliff. "Grey!" I shouted many times. I finally caught sight of a light blue figure and something reddish. I started yelling louder and louder until he turned around. I caught his attention. "What are you doing here?" he yelled back. I think he was admiring the view of the lake. He had Max in his arms. I started walking a bit faster. My breathing was a bit heavy. "Hey Grey." I greeted. "You wouldn''t happen to know a white horse would you?" I asked. --- Sorry I''m a bit late on the update. I sprained my ankle the other day, but it''s nothing serious. I had my rest and I can sort of limp around or hop on one foot. Anyways, a few of you (3) said that you''d prefer chapters every other day that were a bit longer, so I put some effort into making this longer than the last one. I hope you enjoyed it.