[Mkguild] Patrol XIII

[Jack Moore]

AN: I have to do something tonight or go insane. So I post. I need many
hugs.

Patrol XIII

Woods: April 1st
My neck was frozen in place. There was a dull ache on the side of my head
from ice cold water dripping. I cracked my eyes open and was rewarded with
a drop in the eye. Back to shut they went.
'How long have I been out here? I'm never getting back home.' I gingerly
opened my eyes again. Cold pale spring-light had illuminated the forest as
best it could. I didn't move from my hollow, though.
"I'm so sorry Nemo." I mumbled. "If you'll save me I'll never complain
again..." Dripping water responded in its own way. I whimpered and buried
my head between my knees. "I'd even take that fox right now."
My dress was wet and clinging to my scales. The hatchet Aaryn had given me
was pressed against my side. My hip burned from sleeping on it. My hand
burned from where the raccoon had bitten it.
In addition there was no one around, or at least no one I could see. I
couldn't hear anything but the forest coming back to life, no doubt coming
soon to eat me. I was lost in a forest outside a far away city. No one
would care if I died out there. Hell no one wold have noticed.
And I still hadn't hit rock bottom.
I tossed a few dirt pieces around and kept my eyes on the ground. If I
didn't see what was out there, it couldn't hurt me. I'm safe here, I can
just stay here until Nemo finds me and...and how is he going to find me
hidden in a hollow?
"Not easily." I sighed. "I gotta get out of here." Gently I emerged from my
tree, soaking and blinking into the shadows. "I'm still alive. I got that
much for me." My muscles roared in pain, feet in particular. I pushed the
pain away as best I could. "I'd kill for my bed right now. Even the damn
slab."
'Now remember James you can survive for longer without food then water.
When you need water there are ways to get it.' That's what Nemo had told me
before. No creeks so instead I took advantage of the leaves around me. I
slurped up water as best I could; I'd never done this before. Being taught
how to get water from leaves and actually having to do it are two very
different things.
I drank until I (sort of) had my fill and tried to get my perspective.
"Okay, I'm lost in a forest that might be haunted." None of this sounded
weird to me. "No idea where Nemo or Cuddles are." I rubbed my forehead. "No
idea if they're even alive." I looked up at the sky.
"What is it Nemo told me...the Keep is to the South of the forest. Then I
want to south...the sun is East and how does that help me?"
The trees coated the world in bands of shadows; they each seemed to follow
me back and forth. Each burst of leaves hid a face and every whisper on the
wind came from a secret follower.
\
"Nemo?" I called out only to snap my mouth shut. "What am I doing? If
they're still trying to kill me the last thing I want to do is call out. I
gotta get out of here." I unhooked my hatchet and approached the biggest
tree I could see. I chopped twice into the trunk, making an X.
"X is where I have been." I mumbled. "If I see X, I'm back where I
started." What was my plan here? Marking where you have been is intelligent
but when you just walk off randomly it's not much of an improvement.
The pain in my arm was beginning to burn into my brain. It was getting
harder to stand upright. But I walked on anyway, with my legs quivering for
every step. My thoughts continued to slip back to the past.
"The last time I was dragged into the woods against my will, Sir Tallis
tried to kill me." I pulled my dress a little tighter around me, trying to
hold in as much fleeting warmth as I could. "I think I'd rather be there
right now. That is so messed up but I would."
'Blood running in rivets, splashing onto my feet...'
"At least then I still had skin, not scales." I rolled my right sleeve up
to my elbow. All up them were green-gray scales, streaked with orange and
pebbled with brown. My hand was now five long fingers and each was topped
with a sharp claw.
I approached a new tree and instead of using my hatchet I pressed my hand
against it. My claws slid into the wood with ease, like sliding my hand
into water. I stuck my left hand a little further up the trunk, into the
wood.
"I wonder..." I unhooked my hands and then undid the wraps over my feet. I
now had to look at the ugly, gangly things my pristine feet had become. No
matter. I again gripped the trunk with my hands and then wrapped my feet
around the bottom.
'Oh gods if you are out there please don't let me die!' I raised my right
hand and dug back into the wood. Then my left. I kept my feet wrapped
partially around the trunk and scooted myself up the tree.
"No way no way nowaynoway" I chanted as I slowly inched my way up the tree.
I ducked out of the way of branches, not always easy. Every second I
climbed I was shaking with fear.
And yet I kept climbing. My claws kept me lashed to the wood and never once
did I come close to falling. I moved my altered limbs as though I had been
born with them. The bark tore at my dress and rubbed badly against my
belly. But I didn't feel it.
"This is amazing." I giggled and looked down. Big mistake, the ground was
so far away and the world began spinning. I clutched the tree a lot
tighter. "Okay, that's a long drop but..." A rook crowed, which drew my
attention. I saw it flying just above the tree tops, so much closer to me.
"But it's still amazing. I'm so high up and this is amazing." Just above my
head was a thick tree branch. I pulled myself up onto it, digging both of
my hands deep as I could into the bark.
"This...wow..." Now the forest stretched out for me in every direction.
Lines of trees crisscrossing. I could see the forest floor, trembling and
shaking as creatures crawled under them. I could see owls perched in
shadows on top of trees and sparrows hopping between branches.
Spider-webs glistened like silver in the damp morning light. Every noise
echoed through the forest and the light filtered through the canopy in
white beams. For a second I lost myself in this. But only a second.
"If I climbed to the top I maybe could see Metamor...or maybe Nemo?" I
sighed. "Nemo's okay, he can take an arrow or two. Brightleaf had that
double headed substitute for masculinity to protect him. What about Bos and
Shema?" I shook my head. "You don't know them James, don't worry."
But I did worry. I don't know why but I worried and it spoiled this amazing
moment for me. "They have to be okay. They will be okay. I'm sure they will
be."

The plan had been to go right back into the woods and find James. Only the
torrential downpour started. There would be no finding him in that rain
Misha had said. Nemo had been forced to concede. The two decided to wait
for first light.
Now that it had come they were back in the woods. Nemo was of two minds
right now. One was internally in a panic over James, knowing how much
danger he could be in. The other was focused on him and this strange
sensation he had had since yesterday. His body felt overly energized, but
with no outlet. Misha in contrast to him was calm and single minded. They
were going to find James.
"We will find him." Misha said. "I promise, this isn't the first time I've
had to do this." Nemo nodded.
"You've never dealt with someone like James before. On our first day in the
valley, he nearly got himself killed. James is a babe in the wood. I have
to find him or he will die out here."
"I know." Misha said. "Stay calm, we will find him. Now we're going the
same way we were last night." Misha's movements in the forest were those of
a man made fox. His ear would give small motions; his nose would quiver on
occasion. These little actions were foreign to a human but fitting of a fox
man. Nemo found himself jealous of the foxes heightened senses.
He can find his way through the forest so much easier. People fear these
cursed men, but they have been granted an amazing gift. Now his thoughts
turned back to him.' Will I be changing like that? No I will be growing
younger...right?'
"How can you tell we're going the right way?" Nemo asked. "Heightened sense
of smell?" Misha shook his head.
"The storm is wrecking havoc with the scents. I just remember where we
went." Misha glanced over at Nemo. "Something I've been wondering. That
young man is the son of one of the Lords in the Sathmore Empire. What on
Earth was he doing here in the first place?" The question Nemo had already
wondered many times.
"I don't really know." Nemo said. "Lord Leontes just said he had business
in or around the Metamor valley. We do not question, we follow him. Mostly
because if we did question, we'd be tortured for our mistake."
"Lord Leontes sounds like a bastard."
"One of the highest order." Nemo said. "Working for him was the worst thing
that ever happened. Only James made it worth while. I care very deeply for
that boy; I will do anything to protect him."
"Then let's quit talking and get moving." Misha said. The two continued to
follow their path from last night. All the while the swallows and larks
sung above them.

Berlitz had landed headfirst on a rock. When he made it to his feet blood
was pouring down his face and his friends were no where around. Or maybe
they were; Berlitz had been quite a bit disoriented.
Walking through the woods had been difficult even when he had been
uninjured. Now though the trees swayed with Berlitz shaking steps. Every
branch grabbed at him and tried to cut him deeper. And every animal called
out to him, or warned him?
'They're trying to eat me.' That was the thought that drove Berlitz to run
from the battle, deeper into the woods. And very soon into tree roots and
branches. Berlitz was flipped by a root around his ankle and then rolled
down a muddy hill.
After that came the rain. Berlitz cloak soaked through and chilled him to
the bone. His muscles burned carrying the extra weight from the water. His
legs screamed out for a break but Berlitz kept pushing on.
'Back home. I want to be back home.' Back home in the cabin with his
mother. Game hung up, stew cooking in a pot by the fire. His bed would be
warm and dry. And his mother...his mother...
'My mother would be so disappointed in me. She wants me to be out here.' No
doubt she'd be happier with him lost in the woods then at home. Berlitz
could see her in his mind, long brown hair done up into a braid and tan
dress worn thin.
"I know you're scared Berlitz." He could almost feel her hand on his back.
"You are doing noble work. The greatest work you can do."
"The greatest work I can do." Berlitz had chanted that throughout the
night. Now the sun was up and he was still chanting it. He had walked all
night and now his legs just stumbled forward.
'...I've been walking in circles?' Berlitz sat down on a rock. I've been
walking in circles. He looked at his cloak and leggings. There were long
tears in both, blood flowed fresh from a cut on his leg. Gods what am I
doing out here?
"I don't have anything with me." Berlitz mumbled. "Lost my net, didn't grab
a scrap from the Keepers." He sighed. "Wanna go home." His throat burned
with thirst. In desperation Berlitz wrung his cloak into his mouth.
The water was horrid, dirty and blood soaked. Right now it tasted like the
wine of the gods. Berlitz wiped his mouth and looked up. "Okay, sun hasn't
risen all the way yet. Not noon." He sighed. "I gotta get out of here
and..."
'And do what? Admit my first hunt was a failure? Admit that I lost my net
and my-'Berlitz patted himself down, 'And my crossbow. Marvelous work Berl.'
"I got my knife still..." That was strapped around his leg as it had been
earlier. Berl pulled it out and fingered the ash handle. "I gotta...if I
could get a trophy...I could be the only one..."
'No one would think I was a coward.' Berl stood up and started walking
again. 'I can find someone. I can find someone...'
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