Strangers In A Wood | Phan A U

Forest Floors

When Dan awoke, he was scared to find that he had been left alone on the forest floor, with a shirt draped over him, and a pile of sticks beside him. He waited for a while before sitting up, when he heard a voice from behind him.
"Hey, I had to go get my stuff, but careful sitting up," Phil spoke, placing a small bag on the ground beside Dan. Then, Phil took a stick and spent a long while using it against a stone to get a fire started. Once the stick caught aflame, Phil places the burning branch into the pile and placed a circle of rocks around it to prevent it from spreading.

Next, the black haired boy reached into his pocket to take out a small bag, which he emptied to reveal two mushrooms, a crabapple and a few brussels sprouts. He handed Dan the crabapple and went on to take the sprouts, which he placed in a small tin mug. Smiling at Dan, he ran to the stream and filled the mug the rest of the way with water. He then placed it onto the fire, allowing it to boil as to cook the sprouts.

Meanwhile, Dan bit into his crabapple, scrunching his nose up at the bitter-sweet taste. He finished the whole apple, as he hadn't eaten since the morning before he had been injured. Phil smiled at the brown haired boy, not sure why he made him so happy. He popped one brussels sprout in his mouth, chewing on it, grinning. Dan shook his head, asking Phil how he ate brussels sprouts.

"They're nice!" Phil exclaimed, already finished his second one. Dan chuckled and lay back down, wrapping the shirt that had been layed on him around himself.

"Here, have this or you'll be hungry later on," Phil said, handing him a mushroom. Dan didn't mind the taste of the mushroom, though the texture displeased him. Phil was used to eating simple, plain food and was used to having to eat whatever he had to to survive.

While Dan ate the second half of his mushroom, Phil emptied the water remaining in his cup onto the dirt on the forest floor, and stepped over Dan to fill it again in the river. After boiling the water, Phil left the mug to cool before offering Dan the water, which had now been cleared of germs by the heat. Dan smiled thankfully and sipped on the water before placing the empty mug beside him as Phil looked strangely at a tree.

"Dan, I need you to hide," Phil spoke, helping the younger boy up and pushing him behind a hedge. Dan had no idea what was happening and looked up from behind the hedge, shadowed by Phil's tall stance. Phil mumbled something inaudible and stepped forward, his hand in a fist behind his back.

A figure emerged from behind a tree, dressed in white robes with gold borders on the material. Their head was covered by a white headscarf, which only allowed the eyes to be seen. Even from where Phil stood, he could see the bright yellow of their eyes. A hand moved from their side to be held upwards, and they twisted their wrist, pushing their palm towards Phil. Phil narrowly dodged the gust of air which was launched towards him, and he pulled his fist from behind his back to open his palm and place it onto his forehead, squinting his eyes and inhaling deeply.