Sember (Forestfolk, Book 2)

Chapter 9b

I'd never had so many hugs in one day. Part of me wanted to stay longer and soak up more of the love, but we had to get moving before we lost too much daylight. Dozan had said it would take roughly two weeks, following a fairly straight path, to get to the village in the north. He also mentioned a tribe compound about halfway, which would give us a good indication of how far along we were.

With packs on our backs laden with food, water, bedding, and supplies, we began our journey north through the forest. Remi joined us for part of the trek, claiming he was going to hunt in this direction anyway.

"It's hard leaving everyone, isn't it?" he commented.

We both nodded. "We've never left Foresthome before," Goben said. "It feels a little strange."

"The first few days will be the hardest, but you'll get your journey feet soon enough."

"Journey feet?" I said quizzically.

Remi smiled, which gave his face a boyish quality. "It's what I call that turning point during your first expedition. In the beginning, your feet will often want to turn you around and take you home. You might even feel homesick. But after a few days, you realize it's not so bad, and that what lies ahead of you is just as important as what lies behind you. At that point, your newfound journey feet will confidently carry you forward."

"I like that," I said. "I'm going to remember that."

Goben kicked a pinecone. "I think I might already be homesick."

I pushed his arm so that he lurched sideways as we walked.

"Hey!" Goben said with mock indignation. "I'd like to get there in one piece, if you don't mind. Any tips for us, Remi, as we march off to our possible doom?"

"Trust your instincts," he replied. "If you are ever in doubt, that little voice inside can help you."

"You hear that, Sember? It's okay to hear voices in my head." Goben laughed.

I laughed too, grateful for the levity.

Remi walked with us for the hours it took to reach the northern tree line, whereupon he bade us farewell with one hug each. As he headed back in the other direction, I called out, "Keep her safe!"

"I will," he replied, knowing I meant Siena, and then vanished among the trees.

We stared after his retreating back long after he had disappeared. Now it was just the two of us. We knew the forest inside and out, but had not once set foot outside it since moving to Foresthome.

"Well," Goben turned to me and said, "it's just you and me, kid."

I noticed a slight shiver run through him. I wasn't sure if it was nerves or the chilly wind. I had no idea how much the trees of our forest protected us from these elements. We looked out across the wide expanse of plains yawning before us. It looked endless. The grass was mostly yellow, with a few hints of green here and there. A few hills rolled across the distance, but for the most part it was flat.

We walked. I definitely did not have the journey feet that Remi talked about. My feet wanted to turn around and run home to the lake. "It's so weird not to be surrounded by trees," I murmured.

"I know," Goben said. "It's like..."

For once, he didn't have a clever reply. His eyes just kept gawking at the vast nothingness in front of us. The sky was as enormous as the plain, and I got dizzy straining to see something in the horizon where the two met. So we walked in silence, putting one foot in front of the other, not quite believing what we had set out to do.

What lies ahead? Votes perhaps? ;)