Forest of Fate
Nathan had always loved trees.
He didn't know why, but the feeling of being sheltered in the branches of one—just hidden in the leaves—made him safer than he ever felt at home, even in his mother's arms. He was an agile and skilled climber, so he had no problem getting his way to the top of almost every tree he set his eyes on. He was only eight years old, but Nathan knew exactly what he was going to do in life.
"When I grow up, I'm gonna build a giant tree house, and everyone in the whole, wide world will come and live in it, and the they'll make me leader and I'll protect them and stuff!"
He had no idea what he was going to protect them from, but he was going to protect them, and that was that.
"NATHAN! Get back here this instant, young man!" The angered shout rang throughout the small village at the edge of the woods.
"And get in trouble?! No way, you'll have to catch me yourself, or I'll run away and never come back!" A boyish voice called back. Nobody stopped in their work to stare. This had happened far too often to be of any surprise to anyone. They all knew he would run off into the forest for a couple hours to cool off, before trotting obediently back home, having been placated by his beloved trees.
Sure enough, the boy turned tail and darted towards the forest, ducking under the shrubbery and disappearing from sight with barely a rustle of leaves.
His mother shook her head, exasperated, and headed back home. She knew her son would be back by dinnertime, as he always was, but that didn't mean he was getting out of his punishment.
Deep in the forest—his forest, Nathan thought proudly, the boy raced among the shady trees, expertly dodging the foliage, until he arrived at his secret grove. Flopping down happily on a fallen log, they boy absentmindedly pushed his blond bangs out of his eyes and settled down for a quick rest.
Nothing ever dared to hurt him in his forest.
Blue eyes snapped open at the sound of a pained cry.
Somebody was hurt!
Leaping up from the log, Nathan sprinted in the direction the voice had come from. After a few sharp twists and turns, he scaled a small rock a found...
A boy, gripping his ankle in white-knuckled hands with a decidedly constipated look on his face.
Was he hurt? Did he need Nathans help? If he was going to protect a whole world of people someday, Nathan thought resolutely, than he'd better start by helping this poor, innocent—
"What are you doing, idiot?!"
Scratch that.
"Well excuse me for trying to help out some hurt little boy who was trespassing in my forest!"
"You're forest?! Who died and made you king? Besides, I 'm not little. I'm bigger than you!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are not!"
"Are too— wait, wait, no! I take it back!"
"Too late, you already said it!"
"That doesn't count!"
"Does too!"
"Does not!"
"Does—oh, for crying out loud, we sound like a couple of babies. How about this: how old are you?"
"I'm eight!"
"Hah! I'm nine! Take that!"
"What?! You liar, I'll bet you're actually seven! I'll bet you—" Suddenly, Nathan broke off as a scream echoed though the woods. Nathan froze, but the other boy immediately sprang into action, racing off towards the scream.
Without even knowing why, the blond-haired boy chased the black-haired boy.
And the wheel of fate began to turn.
