Dragon Age; Books 1 And 2

Chapter 7: The Tree House_ Part 1

Dedicated to AjaxAth for making me amazing covers, even though they haven't read Dragon Age yet.

Photo of Axel's tree house. (Ignore the background.)

I reached my arm up as high as it could go, grabbing hold of the nearest branch, I pulled myself up and with my legs, pushed myself up.
Again and again I done this, my muscles pleading for rest.
I looked up, even though that made me dizzy, I noted that I was almost there.

I stopped climbing for a moment, panting heavily. How does Axel do this? I asked myself.
Something caught my eye a few measures to my left, on the same tree I was climbing.

"A ladder." I huffed. "How did I not see this earlier!?" I whisper yelled.
With a great amount of effort, I shuffled over to the ladder.
Grabbing hold of the dried out vine and sticks that formed the ladder, I began climbing. Every step I took I thought the ladder would give in, but it didn't. Maybe if was safer climbing the bare tree, I thought.

I finally reached the top, grabbing hold of the flat wooden floor of the tree house, I pulled myself up the rest of the way, until I was standing on the tree house floor. I looked around for a bit. I must've been at the back of the house. The back of the house was made of black wood. Usually wooden houses are only for the wealthy, but I guessed that rule didn't apply for a jungle man.

I walked slowly to the front of the house, my closed shoes making a tapping sound on the deck.
The front of the house was also black, and it has large windows- Also something for the wealthy.
I noticed another ladder, but this one was a lot smaller than the one had climbed. I went from the deck on the side of the house, up to the roof. I can imagine it would get messy up there, all the animals, leaves and insects would make their homes up there.

To the edge of the deck was a almost fence like barrier made of some net or something, obviously so it isn't so easy for you to go tumbling off the tree if you trip or take one extra step.

I leaned on the net like fence, looking out at the view. The moon at its apex, and the stars shining bright.
The sky was pitch black in further down towards the trees, where there won't much stars.
The trees were also barely visible in the dark. I could see on my right, that there was an orange light hidden mostly behind the trees. If wasn't sunlight, but it was the camp fire that was always lit in the center of my village. I smiled as I saw, how such a big thing, could look so small from up here. You could see anything and everything up here!

"What took you so long?" a voice said from behind me. i didnt move from my position. i was all too comfortable here. "a few things actually." i replied as axel leaned on the rails beside me. i thought for a few seconds before i added, "sorry about that."

"why dont you come inside, its getting a bit cold." axel said, rubbing his arms to warm them up. i turned my head to look at him. i wasnt sure if he was really cold, or maybe he thought i was cold. i huffed, "i thought guys were supposed to be strong. i dont even feel the cold." i grinned. axel looked a bit surprised at first before he frowned and punched me in the arm playfully. it was my turn to be surprised now. a guy just hit me? that may not seem like anything special to you, but to me, that meant he thought i could take a punch, he didnt think i was weak. i remembered when me and leo were still friends, i playfully hit him in the arm once, and what he said to that was, "if you were a guy i would've punched you back, but since your a girl im afriad if i punched you id take your arm off." just anothere way of showing off how 'strong' you are.