Chapter 4
1068 Words
4
The melancholic tune of Dagwood’s flute danced through the darkness of the early night. The sun had set fast and left me in a strange mood. Maybe it was the company, maybe it was the forest. Who was to say?
“That’s a nice melody,” I said, trying to make conversation. “I don’t recognise it.”
“It is song of Elves.”
“It’s beautiful.”
Dagwood blew into the hand-carved flute and put it back in his breast pocket. “It is a warning. Do not go into woods alone.”
“Then how did you get lost?” I asked, watching how the tongues of fire cast strange shadows on Dagwood’s face. In the dark, he looked menacing and dangerous. Like someone that could snap my spine in half with one hand.
“I— I have sister. She is only small and stupid. She walk into forest. I look for her, but no sister.” He rummaged through his small bag and pulled out a handful of strange pods. “I return, Forest not end. Now I am here.”
“I’m sorry…”
His arms bulged as he ripped the strange plant open and sucked out the flesh. “It is what it is.”
“You’re not upset? I’m upset. I want to get out of the forest, I want to go home.”
Dagwood shrugged, spitting out some seeds. “I did not listen to warning. I face consequences.”
“What warning?”
“They really do not teach you about Keeper?”
“No. I’d never even heard about him until today. What about him? What is this place?”
“When child gets lost in heart of forest, they find Keeper. He rules Forest of Illusions and will not let you leave. Not unless you pass test.”
“Right, right. The test.”
The fire crackled warmly between the two of us, semi-warming my stiff limbs from the settling cold. Dagwood fetched two logs as temporary seats and brought enough firewood to last us to well in the morning.
There was no tent or roof to sleep in, but I probably wouldn’t get much shut-eye. I wasn’t going to let my guard down and get killed in a pathetic way. That wouldn’t get me written into songs.
All I could do was try and get as much rest as possible while keeping things friendly between me and Dagwood.
The familiar crackling of the flames was a comforting sound next to the occasional hoot of a lone owl or a growl from whatever was roaming the woods. That and Dagwood’s slurping as he devoured his strange plant. It seemed to have a thick, fibrous outside and hidden flesh in the inside of the pod.
It didn’t look very appetising, but I was getting hungry and I didn’t have anything to eat on me.
I gestured to the plant. “What are you eating?”
“Lauweed. It taste like coconut.”
“Wait, isn’t that poisonous?”
He shot me a look of pity. “Wood Elves do not get poisoned by plants.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know that. “Good for you.”
So that was a no on dinner for me then… Great.
“Here.”
Dagwood rummaged through his small bag and threw a small packet on my lap.
“What is it?”
“Eat.”
A little suspicious, I loosened the strings of straw and unwrapped the thick, brown parchment.
“What is it?” I asked again, holding up a charcoal-black chunk of bread. Was it bread? Why did it have this colour?
My newest companion frowned between his slurps. “You not know bread?”
“It’s just… A different colour.”
This really wasn’t the time to be iffy or picky. Between unknown food or no food, the choice was pretty simple.
Hungrily, I took a big bite and chewed as aggressively as I could. The bread was tough, dry, and definitely not fresh. But there was a surprising floral flavour and sweetness that was actually quite tasty.
Dagwood smiled for the first time as he gestured to me. “Good, huh?”
“Actually, it is.” I took another bite and held the chunk up. “Thank you.”
“No, you eat. I eat Lauweed.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to take your food.”
He nodded. “You eat.”
That was unexpectedly kind from someone that didn’t seem to care much. Especially towards me, who hadn’t been exactly the most friendly of people I could’ve been.
“Okay. Thank you. I mean it.” To demonstrate my gratitude, I took another big bite and chomped down on the flowery bread. I should really work harder on not being so discriminatory and suspicious of other elementals.
“Why you lost?” Dagwood asked as he spat out more seeds.
“I... Gosh, it’s a long story.”
“I have time.”
I facepalmed myself. “Right, of course. Sorry. I… What do you know about Afterlife Assistants?”
He chewed slowly. “Like Reapers?”
“Yes, like Reapers. Anyway, I’m studying to become an Assistant, but I lost my dusk wolf. Well, I didn’t lose it. He was taken.”
“Taken?”
“Stolen,” I clarified. “To get him back, I needed to travel through the Veil. It’s this barrier between life and death, it’s rather important for anyone that works with souls. Anyway, I was in the Veil and I hear this call from my pup. His name is Hyde, he’s got this little grey fleck on his nose. Not important.”
“I like wolves.”
“Yes? Me too. So. I hear him calling for me and I find this mature dusk, cuffed with a silver chain and, the i***t I am, I touch it. Duh, I just have to go and touch it.” I slapped my forehead and growled softly. “I blacked out and when I woke up, I’m in the forest. I found the thief, but apparently, now I can’t leave unless I complete this test! Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Dagwood remained silent for a second before he nodded. “You find wolf. I find sister.”
A smile curled around my lips. He said it with such conviction, it wasn’t even a question.
“I’d like that,” I agreed.
He ate his last Lauweed pod and gestured to the bunch of branches on the ground. “Now you sleep. I stand watch.”
“Oh, now that doesn’t sound very fair. We can do shifts?” I protested.
“No, you slow in day. You sleep.”
“Wow, no holds barred then. Ooookay.” Even so, I wasn’t really offended. The offer of a good night’s sleep was tempting, especially with him watching over me. He was strong and he seemed quite comfortable despite being lost in this strange forest.
I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me, but he would protect me. I was sure of it. Like a big brother, he’d make sure everything was alright.
At least, that was what I needed to believe to dare close my eyes and let myself drift off. The morning would come soon and it would be full of riddles and mystery.
I just knew it.
- Writer
