Exploring the Forest

As I step out of our humble home, the cool breeze of the morning greets me with a gentle caress. The village is alive with activity; the sounds of villagers going about their daily business fill the air.

It was another perfect day for exploring, and I was determined to pick up where I left off the last time I was there. The morning dew glistened on the blades of grass as I walked along the pastures that lay on the outskirts of the village.

I had only just scratched the surface of the forest on my previous visit, and I was eager to see what else was hiding within its ancient trees.

I entered the forest, and I felt the ground give slightly beneath my feet, and the rustling of leaves echoed in my ears.

I marked the passing trees with my trusty little knife so that I wouldn't lose my way. I was so focused on my task that I didn't hear the rustling sound behind me until it was almost too late.

I spun around, ready to fire my spell, but then I saw who it was and froze. Standing there was my sister, Helga, with her big hazelnut eyes and pouty lips.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her, trying to hide my annoyance and quickly hiding my gun behind my back.

"We mustn't be here; I will tell Mom!" she replied, trying to sound brave.

"Please don't," I quickly replied. "I will tell you a secret if you keep quiet about this."

"What secret?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"You will see, but first tell me how you found me here."

"Well, since I heard you caught a rabbit by the stream, I wanted to go there to look for one too, but I couldn't find you there. So I looked around and saw footprints in this direction, and I followed you."

I couldn't help but smile at her determination. "Ah, I will tell you, but you must promise not to tell anybody."

"Okay, I promise!" she exclaimed.

I then picked a leaf from the neighboring tree and levitated it in front of her.

"How did you do that?!" she gasped.

"Well, you heard those stories that our mother told us about magic, right?" I said, feeling a thrill of excitement as I saw the wonder in her eyes. "I'm like that."

"What?! You could use magic?! Do it again; I want to see!"

"I will, but you must swear that you will not tell anybody, especially our parents," I said, feeling both excited and nervous at the same time.

"I swear, I won't tell anybody," she replied, her eyes shining with excitement.

I originally didn't want to tell my family about my magic. But since Helga found me here like that, I had to tell her something to keep her quiet, and since she is pretty smart, she wouldn't buy any half-assed excuse I could have come up with.

I just hope she will keep her promise and won't tell our parents, but seeing her excited like that, I think it might work. I then continued to levitate more leaves in front of her.

"But how come you can use magic like that?" She suddenly said with a questioning look.

"What do you mean?"

"I heard from Dad that only nobles can use magic."

"But I saw our local priest use magic to bless our house every year."

"That's not magic, you silly! Didn't you pay attention when the priest gave a sermon and taught us about the gods? He uses the power of the gods to bless us through the relics in the temple."

Ah, so that's it. I never really paid much attention to that. I thought that it was just religious blabber. I really need to start listening to what people say more so that I have some semblance of common sense.

Uhh, wait, what? "Power of the gods?" Does that mean that the gods are real? Well, I shouldn't really be surprised, with the existence of magic and all...

"Why can only nobles use magic?" I then continued to ask this wonderful grove of knowledge, which is my sister.

"Uhm, I don't know." It was just something that Dad said—that our local lord's family is very powerful because they can use magic.

Hmm, interesting. I really can't wait to go to the city.

We then spent the rest of the day exploring the forest together.

The forest was thick with trees and tangled vines, and the light barely penetrated through the dense canopy. It was both eerie and enchanting, and my heart raced with anticipation as we stepped into the unknown.

As we moved deeper into the forest, the air grew cooler, and the sounds of the outside world faded away.

After some time, we came across a small clearing. The grass was a vibrant green, and wildflowers of every color dotted the landscape.

As we stood there, I noticed a waterfall in the distance. It was a magnificent sight, with water cascading down from the rocks high above.

I couldn't resist the temptation to explore, and we made our way towards it. The water was crystal clear, and as it hit the pool below, it glimmered with reflected light.

Helga looked at everything with awe and wonder since it was her first time in the Forest. Luckily, we didn't run into any animals along the way, although I never let down my guard.

After a few hours, I decided it was time to start heading back home.

The rustling leaves and chirping birds gradually faded into silence as we approached the exit. As we emerged from the forest, we could see the outline of the village in the distance, and we hurried back home.

***

It had been a few weeks since Helga and I first ventured into the forest together, and in that time, we had gone there several times more, but we were careful not to arouse suspicion from our absence.

Helga was getting older, and she had to spend more time helping our mother with the chores, leaving me alone once again.

But I didn't mind being alone; in fact, I preferred it. I was what you might call a social introvert. I didn't mind being around people, but I preferred to be by myself.

Despite my efforts to hunt, I had only managed to catch one more rabbit. When I was with Helga, I didn't get the opportunity to hunt because she considered them "cute," and I didn't want to upset her.

But mostly, the forest was empty, devoid of life. I don't know if it was due to my exceptional unluckiness or if the animals were actively avoiding me.

As summer approached, I began spending more time playing with the other children in the village. I didn't want to cause suspicion about my whereabouts.

I liked our village. It had a completely different atmosphere from the bustling cities back on Earth. The villagers worked with smiles, and the scent of freshly baked bread filled my nostrils as I went along the village square.

One day, as I was wandering through the village, I stumbled upon a commotion near the Vogt's house.

The Vogt was dressed in his fancy clothes, which didn't fit in with the rural setting at all. He was ordering some workers around, and they seemed flustered and overworked.

As I was watching from a distance, I noticed something that caught my eye. On the outskirts of the village, I saw a local hunter sitting in the shade of a tree, repairing his traps.

The hunter was a rough-looking man with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His rough, weathered skin and unkempt beard spoke of long days spent in the wilds.

His hair was a tangled mess of brown and gray, and his piercing green eyes held the wisdom of someone who had seen much in his years.

His clothing was practical and well-worn, with layers of fur and leather that protected him from the elements. He wore a long leather coat adorned with the pelts of various animals.

A quiver full of arrows hung from his belt, and a large hunting knife was sheathed at his side. His bow, made of dark wood, was never far from his grasp.

I was immediately interested. 'What if I could convince him to teach me something about the forest?' I thought.

As I was exploring, I found a lot of different plants; if he could teach me what is edible and what is valuable, I could then gather them and sell them, finally making some money. I thought filled with excitement.

I mustered my courage and then slowly approached him. I hoped I wasn't interrupting him and that he won't be too bothered by my presence.

He looked up from his work and stared at me with a critical eye.

"Wot, you want, boy?" He grumbled, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "Cain't ya see I'm busy?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.

"Good day, good sir," I said as politely as I could manage. "How are you doing on this fine day?"

He gave a gruff snort. "I've been betta. What you want?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me something about the forest."

He looked at me like I was crazy. "The forest? Didn't yer ol' man tell ya it's dangerous?"

"Yes, he did." But I'd like to be a hunter when I grow up."

He let out a bark of laughter. "You, a hunter? That's the best joke I've heard all day. You're just a kid. Wot, do you know 'bout huntin'?"

"I've heard a lot of stories about it, and I'm curious."

"Ya heard stories? Lemme tell ya, bein' a hunter ain't no playtime in the forest. It's a hard, dangerous job. Ya still wanna do it?"

"Yes," I replied with confidence.

He shook his head, grinning incredulously. "Well, since ya so eager, come sit here with me. I'll tell ya a few things every good hunter oughta know."

As I settled in next to him, I couldn't help but feel excited. I then spent the rest of the afternoon listening to the hunter.

Although I really don't want to become a hunter, it is a perfect opportunity to gain some precious information about the forest for free.

So I listened with interest as he told me various things about his traps and how to maintain them.

Despite his intimidating appearance, there was a sense of calm about him, as if he were at home in the forest.

As the afternoon wore on, the hunter shared more and more of his knowledge with me. He told me about the different animals that lived in the forest and how to track them.

He showed me how to set up a camp and how to make a fire. And as the sun began to set, he clapped me on the back and said, "Well, I reckon that's 'nough for today. You've got a lot to learn, but you're a quick learner. "Come back and see me again, and maybe I'll teach ya some more."

I then spent the rest of the summer learning from him every time he was in the village. During our time together, I think he also enjoyed our sessions, at least a little bit, since he started to come to the village more often.

Although I haven't been able to learn his name or where he lives after all the time we spent together, I think he wants to keep his identity a secret.

As summer drew to a close, the fields around the village turned golden with ripening crops, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of hay and wheat.

The harvest season was upon us once again, and everyone in the village was busy preparing for the coming winter.

But there was one event on the horizon that promised to be even more exciting than the harvest. The big autumn market was coming to the city.

My father kept his promise, and I was to go there with him, together with Konrad.

The time has finally come to explore the city!