Upon passing through the first line of trees, the growing noises of the waking town disappear, almost instantly. The near-silence in the forest is a welcome contrast to the stifling, almost strangling noise that I've been surrounded by during my time in the castle and the town. I take a deep breath of the forest air. If green had a smell, this would be it. The damp smell of early morning and the mild humidity of the uninhabited expanse greet my steed and I as we slowly traverse the uneven ground, which is frequently broken with massive tree roots. Fortunately, the roan places his feet well, and I have only to nudge him forward, leaving the path he takes to him.
Only the sound of the roan's footfalls and breathing, the infrequent chirp of birds, and the dripping of condensation from leaf to leaf reach my ears as we slowly walk. What drove me to explore this forest, I do not know, only that this forest has intrigued me since the day I saw it, accompanied by Finn.
I frown at the memory, chiding myself for my naivety, and take a deep breath to quell my quickly increasing anger.
The books stored in the folds of my cloak bump against my leg, begging to be reopened and explored. I urge my steed, whose name was carved into his stable door as Phantom, forward, further into the quiet forest. A squirrel races away from us, Phantom's ears perking at the movement. Despite the faint noises all about us, I am amazed at the absolute lack of movement, save the frightened little squirrel.
The trees seem to be sleeping around us, and I begin to feel a sort of calm come over me, as if the quiet of the forest was beginning to affect me. I yawn, reaching to pet Phantom's muscular side as he dips his head slightly, also calmed by this atmosphere.
I lead us through the forest, hoping to find a rise or a river where we might spend the day. As we continue our slow but steady pace, I hear the trickling of a stream somewhere to my left. Upon this discovery, I change our direction, but let Phantom choose our path. The faint trickle becomes a steady gurgle as we near the stream.
Finally, after following nothing but the direction of my hearing, we break through the line of trees to find a narrow stream dancing through the trees. White foam coats the top of the stream, so I move Phantom further up, attempting to find a gentler stretch of it for him to drink from.
We've covered several hundred yards of ground when the atmosphere changes subtly. It changes so subtly, in fact, that I don't recognize it at first, dismounting from my steed and taking off his tack. I allow him the freedom to roam around the general area, but keep him in sight.
I drape the damp, sweaty tack away from the stream to let them dry for a while. I lie down away from Phantom, against the trunk of a large, moss laden tree and peel my cloak off. Spreading my arms behind my head, I take a deep breath and let the early morning sun stream through the green trees. My eyes flutter shut as the warm sun kisses my bare arms. My breathing evens, and my mind slows, contentment spreading through me.
The chirping of birds accompanies me into the early stages of sleep when alarm races through my mind. I open my eyes, squinting as the sun through my eyelids has altered my vision, and see Phantom, his head lifted out of the stream and pointed further up the river.
I blink quickly and stand, trying to make sense of my sudden concern. Coming to stand beside the spooked steed, I stroke his strong neck and speak soft words to him, looking in the direction he faces.
Ryker's keener senses warn me of the quickly approaching presence of two other horses. I think to don my cloak too late, the pair of riders entering the clearing. The horses spew foam from their mouths and whinny at the quick stop their riders, looking just as disoriented as their steeds, bring them to.
"Onyx?!" The nearer rider exclaims.
My eyes widen in my own mild surprise. "Argon?" The pair of riders dismount and draw their blades. "What's going on?"
