The two men woke up that day in the dark forest with the fire being gone. It was someone's job to keep the fire lit but they both fell asleep at the exact same time. "Dammit Jace! Light the fire!" Marco shouted as he grew anxious about it.
Jace felt annoyed by Marco's recklessness and decided to do something about it. By not lighting the fire he not only put himself at risk, but his friend at risk. Marco panicked at his act of rebellion so he started the fire and scolded at his friend, "Um excuse me! But you have to listen to me wolf boy! Or else no one will know that the prints are real!"
Jace looked at him as if Marco was slowly turning like a ghoul. "Our best friend just died and all you care to do is insult me in this dangerous wood? In this forest? I can kill you easy Marco." Jace threatened and looked at the fire in deep thought. They didn't pack any food or water so how were they going to survive in the forest. It may have been a spark of hope because that same voice echoed the forest.
"Hello?"
Jace's face lit up with hope. "Lachlan! Hello! It's me Jace!" He said happily as he looked around and long behold. The creature he was speaking to was a very young friendly tree. "Hello! I see you! Hello hello hello!" Lachlan the tree continued to say. Jace was beyond thrilled to run over to the tree to present himself but Marco stayed back because he didn't trust the tree or anything in this forest.
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Jace smiled to the tree as he was so hopeful for survival now to know there was a owner to a voice. "Could you please help us?" Jace asked. "We don't have any food or water and we might starve out here. We have weak planning skills.." Jace pleaded and the tree shook with laughter. "Do you know the way?" Lachlan asked the pleading Jace.
"The way to where?"
"The way! There is a path that can help you sir!"
Jace was so confused but he saw a sign above the tree that read "The Giving Tree". With built up confidence he was able to obtain he asked Lachlan the tree, "could you please give me food?" Lachlan smiled and handed a couple ripe apples to Jace. "That is the way!" Lachlan said.
Marco saw this exchange and ran over to start kicking the tree. "Hey! Give me apples to!" He said with a stern voice beating this creature and bruising his stump of him. Lachlan would give painful bellows which would attract the ghouls to where the men were. Jace would grab Marco to make him fall backwards and beat him senselessly.
Lachlan watched in horror how his new friend was beating up someone who hurt him. It made the humble tree find so much peace knowing this human actually cared for his safety.
When Jace was done with beating up the savage beast known as Marco he stood up to walk over to Lachlan and place his forehead against the tree. "I'm so sorry." He said to Lachlan. He felt so guilty by not stopping Marco for hurting the friendly tree. The friendly tree wrapped his branches around the friendly man and gave him the hug of his life.
Who else can say they had a friendly hug with a tree? A very friendly one to be exact about it. Jace hung out with Lachlan more and showed him his camera and how he was taking a lot of pictures from his adventures in the forest. "Hey! It's Neko!" Lachlan said as he pointed to the very dark silhouette of a wolf.
Jace was so confused about this image, when did he take it? It has a name? Jace wanted to know more about this mysterious wolf. "Lachlan, do you know when the wol- I mean Neko was introduced to the forest?" He didn't know if he said it respectful but Lachlan's face lit up in happiness.
He told the whole history about Neko and how she got here to Jace. He made sure to write it all down as his friend woke up from being knocked out and looked up at Jace and Lachlan. "How dare you take this tree's side over mine!!" Marco yelled as he stood up weakly and in pain. Lachlan's branches wrapped around the male's ankles and launched him five feet in the air towards the fire pit.
Jace was stunned and proud of his new friend being able to defend him as well. Lachlan saw the ghouls going near the fire pit where Marco landed. "Oh no.. the ghouls are near your friend Jace." He said in worry.
Jace wasn't so into saving him but he didn't want Lachlan so worried anymore. "Could you please give me something to fight the ghouls?" He asked as he got up to stand in front of Lachlan. With that, Lachlan handed Jace a battle axe that was sharp enough to fight the ghouls.
It didn't take him long but when he got there to fight the ghouls off but what cost was it honestly? His friend was a huge jerk to not only his dead friend Gabriel but also to a friendly tree! One that actually fed him apples and is amazing to talk to.
Jace fought at least two ghouls before completely giving up on protecting Marco. "You want him? You can have him! No one disrespects Lachlan!" Jace yelled making his way back to Lachlan until he was stopped by beauty.
There. The most intimidating creature upon this forest and maybe the world. It stood in front of Jace as Jace saw the features of its face. Lachlan was chanting and chanting as the ghouls ran away from the creature in so much fear. Marco was lying there and tried snapping a picture.
There stood the wolf. Named Neko.
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