Tales From Fox Forest

Chapter Six

Idk I got nothing again

How long until this book flops again

TRIGGER WARNINGS : idk

Thomas POV
"I never did get your name,"  Wylan commented, turning his head to look at me while we walked to Bramble Tavern. 

"Oh, my names Thomas,"  I told him. 

"That's a nice name,"  He said.  "It's nice talking to someone that doesn't know."

"Know what?"  I couldn't help but ask. 

"Just how...I became what I am now,"  Wylan mumbled softly. 

"You weren't always half metal and glass?"  I asked.

"No, just cursed some might say,"  He sighed.  "It's not important, it happened a millennia ago and I'd rather not talk about it."

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking,"  I questioned.  "I'm starting to understand that time doesn't work that same here as it does were I come from."

"I'm one million, seven hundred thousand and twenty two years old,"  Wylan answered with a laugh.  "Only two other stories are older than me."

"Who's that?"  I asked.  "Would I know their stories?"

"The Corrupt king is almost two million years old,"  He told me.  "And I couldn't tell you how old the Firepeople are but I do know that they're the originals story here."

"What are the Firepeople?"  I asked him since he seemed to know everything.  "The story about them-"

Wylan placed a glass finger to my lips and shushed me.  There was a grave and serious look in his eyes as he slowly lowers his glass finger.

"Don't tell me,"  He said sternly.  "No one can know how stories end.  Didn't Vigil tell you this?"

"He did,"  I mumbled.  "I forgot."

Wylan sighed and we fell silent.  I started thinking about the story Firepeople.  It's a long story that ties in with two other stories; The Corrupt King and Brothers Arrogant."

The story starts with the two brothers.  They scheme to have their corrupt father assassinated.  Together they kill their father and the older twin takes the throne.  He then demotes his twin brother to the position of Duke.  The younger twin, out of anger, murders his brother in cold blood.  He's then charged with treason and decapitated by a guillotine.  For a while, the kingdom remains in turmoil with multiple claims to the throne made.  But then the Firepeople rise, fiery demons of the underworld.  The Fire Prince awakens and destroys the world with fire and lava.  But then he is struck down by the Storykeeper and everything starts over again. 

"Who's the youngest story?"  I asked, desperate from a break from this silence.

"Out of our group here, Emile is the youngest formed,"  Wylan answered.  "He's only about six hundred years old.  But new stories are written everyday so I couldn't tell you who exactly is the youngest."

Patton and Emile jogged over to us, Patton looping his arm around mine.  Silence returned for a few seconds.  But then Emile spoke.

"Are you two gossiping over here?"  Emile asked in a teasing voice. 

"Just explaining things to Thomas,"  Wylan sighed. 

"See Deceit!"  Patton yelled with a sure smile.  "Gossiping is essential to explain things to Thomas as long as it's not mean."

Deceit just sighed and rolled his eyes.  Quinn laughed a bit from where he was floating behind him. 

Everyone stayed silent again for a while.  Then we reached a good sized building in the middle of the woods.  A worn dirt path heading towards the kingdom in the distance. 

It was mostly wood and cobblestone, a few windows and a large wooden door.  Remy ran ahead and opened the door for everyone. 

We walked in and I unconsciously grabbed onto Patton's arm tightly.  It was definitely a tavern.  Two long bars went along the sides of the tavern opposite each other.  Makeshift tables and chairs placed around everywhere but cut through the middle with a large dancing area. 

It was incredibly crowded.  Lots of people talking and yelling.  Rowdy music came from a strange contraption in the corner.  There were lots of strange people and creatures. 

People so tall and skinny they had to hunch over to stand.  Short people barely half my height but with beards and wrinkles already.  Tiny people with fairy wings.  People with large angle wings.  People with other strange appendages like antlers, extra arms, snakes for hair, one or more than two eyes, and many other strange people.  There were a few people who did look normal.

Remy quickly hopped behind the closest bar as if he worked here.  He smiled to us and leaned against the bar top. 

"What will you all have?"  Remy asked. 

Everyone except Patton, Emile, Evan, Quinn and I crowded around Remy at the bar.  I was uncomfortable here.  It's not proper for someone of my status to be in a tavern. 

Patton pulled me over to an empty table in the nearest corner. He seemed to notice that I was uncomfortable here.

"I'm guessing this place isn't very proper where you come from," Patton laughed.

"No it's not," I said, pulling my elbows off the sticky table.

"Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of this place," Patton sighed. "Where do you think you'll stay since it's night and you're obviously not getting home today."

"Oh," I whispered. "I didn't even think about that."

"It's okay kiddo," He told me comfortingly. "You can stay with me, I have an extra room for lost travelers."

"Thank you so much Patton," I thanked him profusely.

"Want to ditch this place and go back to my cottage?" He asked me. "I have actually food and tea there."

"That'd be nice," I said.

Patton stood up and I followed him. He didn't bother saying anything to anyone, just slipping out of the tavern with me in tow.

We walked in silence back to Patton's cottage. By the time we made it there, the sun had completely set.

I collapsed into a plush chair as soon as I walked into the cottage. Patton locked the door behind him and turned a few lamps on. He then walked over to the selves and grabbed something off them.

He tossed me a bag of chocolate chip cookies. I opened the bag and quickly scarfed the cookies down. I realized I haven't eaten since I arrived here.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I asked.

"This world isn't as bad as you think," Patton told me. "You can stay here with me and visit all the cool places you want to see. Eventually you'll find your way home."

Patton was trying to comfort me but his kind words didn't work to ease the horrible feeling of fear in my chest. I don't want to be stuck here.

"It'll be okay Thomas," Patton told me gently.