Leaving III

I was lost. I was tired. I missed home.

The realization hit me harder than I wanted to admit. The weight of my pack dug into my shoulders, and my feet ached from the uneven terrain.

I had been walking for hours, yet the forest still stretched endlessly in every direction, an unrelenting maze of towering trees and tangled underbrush.

I should have known better then assuming that memorizing maps would help. Everything looked the same.

I needed to find my way out. But how?

I exhaled sharply, scanning my surroundings. The trees stood tall and unwavering, their thick trunks stretching toward the sky like silent sentinels. A dangerous thought flickered into my mind.

If I couldn't see the path forward from the ground... then I'd make my own vantage point.

The nearest tree was massive, its bark rough beneath my fingertips. My muscles screamed in protest as I pulled myself up, fingers searching for purchase along the jagged ridges of the trunk. Every movement had to be calculated; one slip, one misplaced step, and I'd be dead.

Branches scraped against my arms, dirt caked beneath my nails as I climbed higher, the forest floor shrinking beneath me. My breath came in short gasps, my limbs burning from exertion. But I pushed forward.

Then... a sharp tickle against my neck.

I froze, my heart hammering. Slowly, I raised a hand and swiped at the sensation. My fingers connected with something small, something squishy.

I glanced down.

A spider. A fat, wriggling, eight-legged menace.

Oh, hell no.

Suppressing a shudder, I flicked my hand violently, sending the tiny creature hurtling toward the abyss below. I muttered under my breath, shaking off the eerie sensation that still lingered on my skin.

Focus.

With a renewed grip, I climbed the last few feet and hoisted myself onto a thick branch. My chest heaved as I finally looked out.

It was beautiful. 

Beyond the suffocating embrace of the forest, the world stretched out before me, vast and untamed.

To the north, a mountain range loomed, its peaks shrouded in mist. The jagged cliffs stood defiant against the sky, their dark silhouettes hinting at ancient secrets buried in their depths.

To the east, far in the distance, great plains stretched far beyond what my eyes could capture, an ocean of yellow swaying with the wind. Dawnhaven lay somewhere beyond those fields, nestled within towering stone walls.

But it was far.

I swallowed.

Wolves were one thing, but I was well aware that they weren't the worst thing out here. Memories of the massive serpent flashed through my mind.

Still.

I had left Havenwood behind. I wasn't turning back now.

I marked the direction in my mind, committing the layout of the land to memory. Then, gripping the bark carefully, I began my descent.

Climbing down was easier than going up, and soon my boots hit the forest floor with a dull thud. My fingers throbbed, my arms ached, but I ignored it.

I had my heading.

I adjusted my pack, took a deep breath, and set off toward the clearing. I walked for days, but gradually the forest began to thin, the trees growing more spaced apart, their towering presence giving way to open air.

Then, finally, the forest ended.

Before me lay a massive clearing, a golden sea of grass stretching out toward the horizon. The wind whispered through the blades, carrying with it the crisp scent of open land.

I stood at the threshold, caught between the past I had left behind and the future waiting beyond the plains.

And just for a moment, I hesitated.

The weight of everything pressed against my chest.

Kael. My mother. My father.

Lily.

By now they would've found the letters. They would know I was gone.

I clenched my fists, pushing away the doubt creeping into my thoughts.

Then, with a deep breath, I took my first step forward.

And I didn't look back.