《How to get lost: a wanderers guide》Day 5: Hot to trot
Advertisement
Hello again. Today was... Interesting.
When I woke up and left the tree I noticed something disturbing. Yesterday I fought 13 little green men, but today I only count 11. That means either two survived the fight, and could be back with reinforcements for revenge, or it could be that there is a large meat eating predator or predators that can carry away two little green men that are each about a third my weight.
Personally I'm betting on the latter. I feel pretty confident I killed them all dead.
Either way, I didn't want to stick around and find out. I was still stiff and sore from the fight yesterday, and in no state for another fight. My nose in particular is still tender, but much better than before. I reckon it should be fixed by this time tomorrow.
So I put the odd mountain to my back and headed off.
Munching on some of that gross but filling dried meat the little green men had in their packs. I'm sure I don't want to know what manner of critter tastes like that. Its like someone rubbed sweaty feet in unwashed armpit, then smoked it.
As I walked I whistled, I find there is something calming and relaxing about whistling. Letting tunes of whimsy and a wandering mind echo alongside my physical whimsical wanderings. It feels right. To whistle while I wander.
I sent the occasional plume of fire darting out at any curious critter that might have waylayed me. I did find one candidate for the little green mens disappearance. The mighty fat-fur. It's a rotund and large animal with thick fluffy fur much bigger than the little green men.
Its shoulders coming up to about my hips on all fours, and I guess it might be a bit shorter than me standing. They definitely outweigh me though, so I made sure to scare the few I encounter off with a few ribbons of flame.
Advertisement
Did you know trees like fire?
Yeah, one caught some fire from an errant whistle and started to pass it around to all its friends. Soon they were all passing around my fire and making a cool roaring snappy sound. I didn't even know fire could get that big.
I decided to leave them to it and carry on. Get it? Leave? Tree leaves? No one is gonna laugh are they. Then again who would even be reading this?
Moving on, as I headed away from the firetree party I started to hum.
I was listening to the snap and crackle of the trees behind me. There was a certain music to it. So my humming mimicked that tune. The tingles started to hum with me, dancing throughout my body and making an hum harmony. A Humory?
I started to feel warmer. Enjoying the sensation I hummed louder, and the tingles rose from a hum to a thrum. Deep rippling vibratons rumbling through my body. In a heady tune of freedom and hunger.
My feet started stepping faster, first to a fast walk, then a jog, trot, gallop and finally I was sprinting to the driving tune.
My feet were pounding away at the earth. A counterpoint and rhythm to the joyous roar that had filled my frame. I started feeling hot, my pounding heartbeat accelerating to match the rhythm of my steps. I sped up more, beyond what I had thought I was capable of.
A glance downwards showed my whole body was wreathed in fire, most noticeably my feet. I was tempted to burst into joyous laughter, but knew that would end the music. And that would be a true shame. The hum picked up, carrying me away in its joyful melody. I sped through the forest leaving nothing but fire and its song behind me.
Advertisement
Soon the thrumming music was too much for my body alone to contain, I let it out into the world. Hoping all things would revel in this music as I had. Fire exploded from me with every step, and I could see and hear the nearby trees catching the tune. Bursting and roaring to life as they echoed the song of fire back at me. I danced and dodged between their trunks. It was glorious, and I never wanted it to stop.
But slowly the music turned. New players joined in, Branch-brains, fuzz-buts, and fur-fats, along with all kinds of feathered friends added their voices. Where the trees burned cheerily, sharing the fire song happily with one another. These new chords sang of desperation, pain, and fear.
Of smoke filled dens, where children once slept, of lovingly crafted nests, set ablaze, of carefully stored foodstuffs, reduced to bitter ash. They sang of slow painful death. Of choking on black smoke, and they screamed in gibbering terror at the dancing red wonder around them. The music took a turn and dove off a cliff, and suddenly I wasn't enjoying myself anymore.
All I wanted to do was end this new song of maddening sorrow. It had no joy left in it anymore, as the trees simply repeated whatever song they heard. The fear spread, and I needed it to end.
Looking ahead I saw a small stream. Maybe three bodylengths wide, and I decided to jump it. Get away from this new song.
My leap fell short but the explosion of steam from the river picked up my blazing hot body, and carried me to the other shore to land amongst bushes of vibrant red berries. My flames extinguished, and my body exhausted.
It was at this point that I finally noticed the pounding ache behind my eyes. The thorns that had torn my legs and feet open. The scalding welts from whipping branches. All the pains of charging blindly through a dense forest. Forgotten in my music induced madness.
Combined with the fact that my hide is still a bit ragged from the fight yesterday. It's surprising I'm doing as well as I am. My legs are shaking like a leaf in a storm, and I know I won't be doing much walking for a while.
So here I sit, watching the fire dance with the trees eating berries by the handful. Letting the song shift and change as it will.
I'm can barely think. My mind feels slow, and tired. For now, it would be best if I could get some rest.
Good night.
Advertisement
- In Serial111 Chapters
The Last Primordials
In a world where people can serve as hosts to animal spirits, Huo Lohse Lang (Lolo), daughter of the Wolf Tribe leader, makes friends during her five summers in the training exchange. Little does she know just how critical those relationships will be on a quest to unlock the hidden mysteries of the original primordial spirits and save humanity from annihilation by an ancient evil. A young adult, slow burn progression fantasy written in eight novella-length parts and published together to make one epic adventure. The story is technically COMPLETED though in a rewrite process. See chapter "00- Rewrite: A Living Draft" at the beginning of the story to follow the rewrite process. If you have any comments or suggestions, let me know! I'd love to hear your feedback! Please be advised that this story contains a wide variety of traumatizing content and dark/adult themes. I avoid graphic details, but the content is there. Reader discretion is strongly recommended. If you would like more specifics, feel free to PM me. Story inspired ART!!! Standig Thank you to RenamedUser8903457!! Beautiful work. I am blown away. I had some fun with artbreeder.com to create some loose character sketches. They aren't perfect, and I might replace images from time to time with more accurate ones. However, in case you are curious: Character Images
8 260 - In Serial12 Chapters
A Time for Leisure
A world of cultivation is always a brutal one for people and beasts alike, a world owned by royalties, powerful sects, and monstrous powerhouses. For people trying to make their way to the top, only a handful ever get past even the first few levels. This is the story of a young Devil who is tired after forcing his way to the top, now he just wants to live a carefree life, eat many different types of food, and maybe look up the skirts of a few beautiful maidens? -DISCLAIMER- This is my first novel on any site, but please do NOT be gentle with reviews. If you think you even have the *tiniest* idea as to what could make the novel even a tad better, please do not hesitate to tell me. MC is very OP, apologies if you don't like that, it's just one of my preferences. Once I am experienced, I will most likely do weak to strong or fantasy style novels.
8 133 - In Serial20 Chapters
My New Boss
Zara has always been headstrong and determined to do exactly what she wants. What happens when she meets a man just as determined to get what he wants, when what he wants is her?
8 81 - In Serial9 Chapters
Addorn: "The Freed of The Void"
Have you ever wondered why the Dwarves in games, movies, and comics, were so great at developing weapons or in some cases creating technology that was so far ahead of their time? Or even why they seemed ruthless and resilient, always somehow surviving even if it meant living underground to survive? And also why were they always in most cases described as greedy for gold or other luxuries? This is the story of the legendary race and the truth behind these stories that followed after this tale.The story begins with the Humans finding out the earth will be decimated, by a cataclysmic event that had happened millions of years ago, in 2 years time. Followed by the awakening of a man, or in this case an infant boy, reborn into a world of myths, legends, and fantasy, only to be a King of legendary proportions.
8 149 - In Serial22 Chapters
The Redemption of The Chain Hero (TROTSH x Male Reader)
Y/n L/n, the chain hero. Summoned into another world at a young age to become its hero against calamity. However, the task was too much for the boy to do on his own. He had failed to protect the world and was punished by the universe. But his chance to redeem himself came soon in the form of a new calamity.
8 146 - In Serial48 Chapters
Heroes: Book III
Without any warning we were there, staring at the dark and pain of the world. I could sense it all. All the black matter consuming humanity. But for some odd reason I wasn't afraid. He just laced his fingers with mine and looked at me in a way that made it all okay. And then we ran into the shadows. ...because I guess that's just what heroes do.
8 109

