So time passed.
It has been three days, we have seen many unruly things, conforming even more to the knowing of another world, we are still indenial, I myself having believed I could fully comprehend it, still am unable too.
Behind me I hear the treading steps of a young girl, I turn to face her with a gentle smile.
"Sir Leon, look at this pretty flower!" She shows me an orange flower she is holding with both hands, I look at it, it's shaped as a heart, almost artificial looking, taht didn't diminish its elegance.
I pat her head as I smile.
"Yes, it is very pretty!" I speak with enthusiasm, I pat her head once more.
"Hmm, I have a challenge for you, find me more similar to this, maybe of a different colour, you could make a bouquet of flowers.
"Yes!" She jumps with joy, her smile grows wider, my eyes shine with happiness.
Moments like these I cherish very much.
Heeding what I had said she skips along into the parameter Adam had set for the kids, my joy and motivation for the day raised to a nice maximum.
Dale follows along with her, since he has been tasked to watch over her.
I look around.
'Only a small amount of time has passed, and things have grown, we already have a stable place to sleep, Renard and Adam spent a whole day getting the three stick tents to call them, I'm not too sure what they are actually called'.
I scratch my neck.
Adam and Renard a really amazing, Adam, it's as if he's been here before.
Adam has shown his worth and knowledge, even surpassing the old man's.
He has fully made traps around the area, he even told how lucky we were, had searched the area and found foot prints of what he deemed a predator.
Which Renard missed.
He had said Renard picked the perfect area, since he deemed this an area no predator would deem fit enough to approach.
'Wonder how they are so confident on this'. I walk around observing the camp we now foster within.
I breath the fresh air, it's as if magic itself exists within the air, my lungs feel powerful.
I walk to the bastion of water, Adam had carved a fallen part of a trunk into a water storage, we are running low.
'Hm, it is my turn to refill'. I grab two jugs Adam had made with the help of the young ones.
The jugs were larger than two tea kettles, both big enough to hold 3 letres of water, we have all become quite strong, holding the water filled jugs had only given us little strain.
I go to Adam, to warn him of my absence.
"I am going to collect some water, need me to check anything while I am out".
A say setting the jugs down for a moment.
Adam who was patching a lose knot on a tent thinks for a moment.
"I need some flint, get me some, and make sure you check the traps, see if any have been triggered." He says while continuing the tying of knots.
"Okay, will do!" I say picking the jugs back up, Adam isn't too friendly with me compared to the others,
I shouldn't think to much about it.
I get straight to my tasks, and exit the camp.
I first head west, to the traps, treversal was somewhat difficult since I hold two jugs, but the dexterity and mobility of my body helps with pivoting and avoiding dangerous tripping hazards.
I spot one of the traps; it's destroyed.
Adam had said they were rushly made tests, but it's entirely rubble, I shake my head.
"Are the others in similar condition?" I question too myself, I wiggle my head trying to find other traps.
I find them, empty, I walk around a little knowing some are a small distance further than the others.
One of these had caught an old rabbit.
I look at it, it's laying down, I would say it's tired, but something within me is saying it's on the verge of death.
My eyes fill with pity, before going any further I return and tell Adam about it, he comes with me to collect it.
"Yeh over there". I point to the trap the now corpse lays within.
"Thank you, this is very good". Adam says with a sparkle in his eyes, I get a little uncomfortable and side eye him a little.
"okay I'll be collecting water". I say walking away.
"Yes, yes go" he says not facing me but shooing me off with his hand, I shake my head, I respect him, but him disrespecting me is getting to me.
I continue to the pond, it didn't take me too long to arrive.
I scoop the elevated water from the pond.
'The cleanness of this water always surprises me!' stare at the water in admiration, it even tastes wonderful.
'I don't think we even have to boil it'. I look at it.
"No, no I should trust the instructions of Renard and Adam."
I resist the temptation of thirst.
Being alone it gives me enough time to reminisce about the times my mother had taken me to a nice river bed as a child.
"I'll never see her again". I sit down at the pond watching the other worldly ducks swim, I had already filled the jugs.
"Leon, go on jump". Leon in his swimming trunks stares at his mother already in the water, he was standing on a rock stump.
'I might die, but, I believe I can trust mum'. He steps back enough to give him a run in jump.
He sprints and leaps, he curls his legs and hands.
"Dive bomb!" He shouts with laughter and a smile.
His mum gives him a smirk.
"Haha, I knew you weren't as scared as you pretended to be". She swims closer to him and rubs his little head.
"Haaa". I wish I could remember more, the adult Leon has a bleak look in his eyes, he knows he wasted his life, his death allowed him to realise this.
"Fuck, I am glad I am choosing to learn more now". He says staring at his hands.
Cuts cover it, he has been carving and chipping things with Adam, it has only been three days, so his knowledge cannot even be called a skill yet.
"Guess it's time for me to return". He stands up walking, he was going to go straight back but chooses to head to the traps, so he can check for any captured critters.
Grrr* a monsterous growl echo's in Leon's ear.
Rustling bushes surround him.
Whoosh*
A gust of wind swirls, revealing the animals.
A giant wolf like animal enters my vision
Gulp*
I couldn't help but swallow saliva, fear and adrenaline begin to kick in.
"W..wo.w". A stuttered wow escapes my mouth as a face my reaper, fear having yet to fully take over and adrenaline having yet to fully envelop me, I notice that it has yet to notice me,
I crouch ever so slowly.
'Why me?' I think while tearing up.
'What the fuck have I done'. I wrap my hand into a fist and hold it to my chest, I lay within thorns, all my senses fully focused on the monster right next to me, all my thoughts and prayers and questions of desperation.
'God please, please be real!' I shout in my mind.
Having heard my prayer the wolf beings to groom, having already placed the jugs down the moment I touched the ground with my knees, I leave the area slowly cursing the fact that I have to return with no water.
'Not even a cup, I have to leave it entirely there.' I weep as I crawl away.
'I should go to where the traps are, if it runs to me, I should be much safer.'
I continue my direction I had originally gone, making sure to avoid the wolf.
Minutes pass as i crawl, I enter the vasinaty of Adam's traps.
I go further.
Crack*
I hear the breakage of what is definitely one of Adam's traps.
The colour of my face goes, I look to the noise's direction, another 'wolf'.
My eyes which are now aiming towards it shake in fear once more.
It's not too massive, but it can definitely kill a grown man without issue, gray, sharp claws, similar to that of a cutlass, and humongous fangs, it's a beast built for killing.
As if snesing my gaze, it looks to me, staring me down with pure unreasonable confidence, it stares me down, I stare frozen in fear, it licks its nose, the area I was in was the closest one to where,
Ashley and jack play, I have to move away.
It growls, no howl, just a growl and an unfazed gaze.
I pray. "Oh father who art in heaven, please protect me". I announce allowed, not knowing a actual prayer, I formulate something out of my memories, having prayed I do feel an anewed confidence.
I run, in the most opposite direction of the camp.
No thoughts just sprinting.
Oh WOOOOO* the 'wolf' howls
Having given me enough time to make a large gap it begins the chase at a disadvantage.
As I run, my brain analyses how the creature hasn't killed me yet, i realise something.
'Wait, isn't it just pacing with me'. A shudder runs through my back.
'It's intelligent'.
My sprint becomes quicker.
'Why hasn't it killed me yet'. I say, now looking behind me, I realise it's actually herding me, I have unintentionally been following a path it's laid.
"Oh my fucking days". I shouting feeling my bodies fatigue I still run.
The run continues, not following the true path it tries to guide me too, to the point I find a river.
*grr
Another wolf joins the chase, knowing what needs to be done.
I see a flash in my mind.
"Jump Leon". My mother says.
I jump into the river, I run to the other side, it joins with 3 other 'wolves'.
One nobs a chuck of my leg as I jumped, casing me to swim slower.
As if God heard my prayers from before the moment I reached the other side, the current of the river had increased in pressure, forcing the wolves who were slow swimmers to return to their side.
"Hahaha". I cry out laughing tears run down me, I don't feel the pain of being bitten, I look at the 'wolves' staring me down, their eyes seem to glow.
I sigh, knowing they'll remain their, looking behind me a forest stored bare, less dominated by nature, I walk into the knew forest hoping I can return one day, not looking back at the pack of demons.