My Strange Fairytale

Chapter 6

    I stayed up as long as I possibly could trying to see if anything will come claiming this as their cave, but nothing did. I didn't go too far into the cave for it seems so large, but I didn't stay at the entrance for fear of robbery was in me.

    When I awoke it was warm, almost hot. This was very puzzling to say the least for my fire was out, and when I walked out prepared to meet my mentor for training, and it was freezing.

    I found him in the fields, I couldn't help but ask "Do you need some help?" He looked up startled like I came out of nowhere. "Make at least a little noise!" He said, "You're scaring the birds in the trees, and they saw you coming! And no I was just finishing." He toweled the ground a little while longer then turned to me, and we started training.

    After a week of training he asked, "Where do you live, in the village?" Is this everyone's favorite question? "Why must you know, Joe?" (I learned his name) He thought for a second then replied, "Well if I needed your help where would I send for?" If we are going to get along I need to tell the truth, right? "Well I live far from here, and for now I am staying at a cave near a hollowed tree north from here."

    "Oh, what are yo- WAIT!! THE CAVE!?! AND YOU ARE STILL ALIVE!?" I gave him a strange look, "yes a cave.... Is there something I need to know about?" He ignored my question and asked one of his own, "You didn't spend the night in there, did you?" Now I am very confused, what is this man babbling about!? "Yes I did, now please expla-" "You better pray forgiveness for your sins, you will be meeting the lord soon". (The main religion at this time and place was christianity)

    Finally I snapped, "OLD MAN WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" I yelled in his face. "The Firestone cave is the place of no return, once you have the mark you are dead within a day's time". He replied grimly. "What mark exactly?" He thought for what felt like forever. The he leaned down and grabbed a stick and started drawing in the dirt it looked a little like a wolf paw print, or a hand, art isn't Joe's strong suit.

    I started looking on my arms looking for the strange symbol, then my legs and there was nothing there. Thank goodness! I am safe. For the rest of the day I work on my swordsmanship. As I leave a while before sun down I feel a searing pain on my back and collapse. Luckily Joe saw this and brought me to a doctor.The doctor said that it looked like I was branded, like a cow. But instead of initials it was a symbol, not like the death warning one but like.... Like a dragon.