A Kindling, Of Sorts [DISCONTINUED]

Lapis Lazuli.

"I must have found a new cone in my eye, what other lapis lazuli was hiding behind my colour blindness; what did I miss, what did I miss, what did I miss?"

To you, the forest was still as unnerving as when you had first opened your eyes. The only noise truly being the soft crunch of pine needles and twigs under your feet. It was like this place wasn't even real, it felt artificial. Upon the forest floor lie trees and leaves of the year beforehand, fallen in storms long forgotten. Everything that surrounded you was alive, yet it felt so dead, and abandoned. George didn't seem to take mind to this, after all this was probably the norm for him. He simply led you around aforementioned fallen trees and hopped over small creeks, making sure you didn't slip on the smooth rocks.

How anyone could possibly live so close to somewhere that seemed so dull and lifeless baffled you.

Let alone the fact this place seemed endless. You swore you had seen that strange tree shaped like a pretzel at least four times. Either this place was indeed endless or George just didn't know where he was going. There were a multitude of times where you had completely stopped and swung your head around for a while, swearing that you had heard something other than your repetitive pairs of footsteps. With the hair standing up on the back of your neck, the crunches of pine needles that didn't come from your own feet, there had to be someone following you.

"George-"

"We're almost there, there's another river to hop over, and once you see a large boulder that means the main trading path is just a minute or two away"

"No, George I-"

"We're almost there, there's another river to hop over, and once you see a large boulder that means the main trading path is just a minute or two away" George turned his head and smiled softly at you, yet again tensing his hand in your hold, and then turning back.

You frowned, scrunching your eyebrows together, before nodding, even though George couldn't see it, and then went back to letting him lead you around like a dog. After a while, your ears yet again picked up the sound of water, this time likely running much faster than all the previous small streams and the odd river that went by at a leisurely pace. You picked up your own pace slightly.

"You won't have to worry about slipping on rocks this time, there was a bridge built for trading carts a couple years ago so as long as that hasn't broken..."

You sure hoped it hadn't. You had come so far now without getting more wet than you previously were, and the sun had, bit by bit, dried you off. Even if that did mean your hair was now crunchy and felt like straw, it was better than feeling a water droplet glide down your collarbone every minute or so.

Through the trees you caught the foam of the river splashing up, this did seem a lot more violent that the previous estuaries you had crossed. After a couple more steps you were right in front of the river, if not for the foam caused by the raging river crashing up against rocks, it would have been crystal clear. George started leading you up North of the river, walking about a metre and half away from the river's bank.

"Cmon, the river is a bit more calm up here, it also happens to be where the bridge is"

The entire walk here had been mostly silent, as expected, your ears only being occasionally graced with the sound of George asking if you were alright, or if you wanted another bottle of water. Normally you would have enjoyed the silence, but here? It was almost daunting. So you enjoyed the small conversations you had with George, even if they were few, and the light noise of water.

After a bit more walking, you were met with a sturdy looking stone and wood bridge. No wonder this was used for trade routes, it definitely looked like it could hold a good couple thousand Kilograms.