The Woodcutter's Lifestyle (2)
As the man walked along the path together with his daughter while holding her hand—the villagers that passed by them all greeted him like an old friend.
The man might not possess stunningly good looks—admitted by many of the natives that while his looks are a tad bit below their average standard—he is incredibly well-known in the village as a jokester.
His quick-witted nature paired up with his good sense of humor made him likable and attractive by many. Not to mention, he is also kind-hearted—would willingly rush into a burning building and prioritize the strangers' safety before his, and is also a pacifist.
To top it all off, he held a deep sense of gratitude for the ones that maintained the peace within the village, and managed to make vicious animals lurking throughout the forest coexist with them. If it weren't for the people's success—long would he have been buried into the soil and forgotten by the townsfolk.
The pair of father and daughter continued to advance towards the village's entrance. Soon, they were standing in front of the village entrance. Two guards cladded in chainmail armor and wielding a spear respectively halted the man's journey by obstructing him with their spears—blocking the village's entrance.
"Show us the pass, Andre." one of the guards demanded.
Although the man's reputation with the locals was great—the guards still acted professional and had a strict demeanor in regards to people who dared seek out the dangers hiding beyond the tall, sharp fences that encompassed the entire village.
Rummaging through his pockets for a few seconds, the man eventually pulled out a rectangular wooden crest.
The two guards looked at each other before redirecting their attention back to the man and nodding—removing their spears and letting him continue with his mission.
The crest the man had shown to the pair of guards was something granted personally by the village elder. Only a selected few were permitted to carry them around. Those with the occupations that required to exit the village's perimeters would be bestowed the wooden crest.
However, it isn't that simple as many requirements need to be met in order to gain such an item. Those with the crest are ranked quite high in the village's hierarchy system. But dare one abuse their authority—should their crest be revoked by the elder himself.
A cool gust of wind blew through the air—carrying the lushed jungle's scent along its trail. The man and his daughter took a deep breath—their brain rejuvenated from the fresh air they had inhaled.
With their minds refreshed—the pair begin trekking through the tropical rainforest. Rotten and half-eaten fruits were scattered atop heaps of decaying leaves that covered the forest floor.
The moss dampened the sound of their footsteps and hid the putrid smell of feces from entering their noses.
Dead branches, carcasses and slopes made their journey a treacherous one. Yet with determination, the impediments that strived to end their expeditions proved to be worthless.
The sun was high up in the sky the moment they had arrived at their stop—roughly 200 meters away from the village.
In spite of the fact that they had reached their destination—their stamina had exponentially diminished from their bumpy journey.
Thus, the man set up a temporary shelter with the help of his daughter who scouted their surroundings in search of branches, rocks and wide leaves.
Once the man's daughter had collected all the essential materials—the man started assembling a temporary, makeshift tent for him and his daughter to rest in.
The tent is a bit shaky considering the items they had to use—but the overall structure is good enough for a brief utilization.
The pair sat down inside of the tent and opened the basket they were given earlier today. The pleasant aroma became more prominent as the man carefully slid the lid off the basket.
His eyes widened to see sandwiches packed with meat and vegetables. His daughter began to drool as she could barely contain her hunger.
"Dad, can I…?" the girl asked while pointing her index finger at the food while simultaneously wiping away her saliva with her other hand.
The man looked at his daughter and gave her a nod—allowing her to plunge and devour the supper his wife had prepared for them. Just like his daughter—he too didn't hesitate to eat and stuffed his mouth with as many sandwiches his stomach could handle.
After having their hunger satiated—the man picked up his axe and began chopping small to medium-sized trees that had already withered—as well as replanting its saplings to ensure the jungle would keep its paradisiacal atmosphere.
His daughter on the other hand was busy capturing beautiful bugs that resided amongst the tall trees and moss. The forest gave off a mythical vibe that felt so surreal to her.
As the man gathered the last bit of tree and strapped it tightly onto his woodcutter's backpack—the pair was now set to leave and head back home.
Even so, the young girl wanted to wander further into the forest and implored him to let her roam the bewitching wilderness.
Despite her adjures, her father denied her pleas. As they strided back to the village—the little girl sulked for not being granted permission to rove and search the secrets the jungle held.
Seeing his daughter being in a sullen mood while following him from behind—the man gave up and offered to let her loose.
"But, depending on the location, I'm the one who decides whether it's safe or dangerous." the man emphasized.
The frown on her face promptly disappeared and was replaced with a bright smile as she took her time to contemplate where she wanted to go.
The man sighed at his decision—pondering the repercussions he would face later on once this news would reach his wife's ears.
Amidst the things she remembered—the girl recalled the sound of water flowing down and envisioned herself bathing in it.
With her choice made—she eventually opened her mouth.
"Waterfall! I wanna see a waterfall, father!" the girl gleefully shouted.
The man was confused as he couldn't think of any waterfall nearby. Only after taking a trip down his memory lane—he remembered also hearing water streaming from somewhere.
Although hesitant—he did make a promise with his daughter. Thus, he agreed to her request. Thinking about it longer—a waterfall isn't that dangerous. What's the worst that could happen to them?
…