Chapter 9: Exploration
Authors Note: I know that the Lunar Isles doesn't actually have a forest - wait a minute, does it? - anyway, just bear with me, whether it does or doesn't, otherwise, I've tried to get it as good as I can. Also, I know this should be chapter 10, but just pretend it's chapter 9, kay?
Thuw stared down at the grass of the Lunar Isles Forest, dark, grey, lifeless. The badge of fire that was the dragon that had landed them there lay on the wet grass, starting to fade away to the wet dew. He sat, livid, yet almost lifeless, next to Runecraft, who was asleep, not content, but resting. Thuw noticed his snoring, and decided to move. His father had owned a compass, and Thuw always kept it in his pocket since it had been inherited from Emphasis321. He knew that Runecraft owned one too, and took it out of Runecraft's pocket, laying it out on the grassy floor. He took out the compass, and picked up a sharp, jagged rock, and went to the tree nearest to Runecraft. He thrust the rock upon the tree, and indented a message upon it:
GONE EAST
MARK TREES FOR MY COURSE
Thuw looked at the compass, marked the right direction, and headed off eastwards, making sure he was keeping on course, but keeping his eyes ahead of him incase he ran into any obstructions (trees mainly.) He passed a couple of rare trees but ignored them, besides, he could cut no better than mere trees. It wasn't many yards he had gone before he stopped, and found the most clear tree in sight. He had pocketed the sharp rock, and he brought it out, cutting at the tree again.
HEADING NORTH EAST
Thuw turned slightly, and set off forwards to the North East. The Lunar Forest was still dense and thick, darkness upon it, but, suddenly, Thuw noticed the light coming through. As he headed forwards, the forest was decreasing, and, soon enough, no trees surrounded him. Thuw turned around, and went to the other side of the nearest tree, he brought out the sharp rock again. Before he carved a message, though, he smelt the sea air, and realized that he must be on the edge of the island. That meant that the port could be nearby. Thuw squinted into the distance, and, sure enough, a line of brown dotted the horizon. Thuw raised the compass towards it, and decided on the direction he was heading.
HEADED TO THE PORT AT NNE WAIT FOR ME THERE
"Let's see, 30 coins, 30 coins ..." Runecraft rustled around in his pockets, standing on the port next to a small boat and a tired, impatient captain. Thuw knew that no money lay on him, Runecraft knew that most of his had fallen out in the sky-fight with Zeldana. He had managed to scrape together 14 coins, but even as he rustled around in his pockets, he knew that there was no more. The captain sighed.
"Lad, ye' may have some more in the bank mightn't ye?"
"Oh, yes ... no wait, no ... I don't. Dammit, I'm out of money except for this. Besides, even if there was money in it it would mean taking a ship off the island."
"That'd be where yer wrong, lad, a bank, a store, a coupl'a fountains and water sources." Runecraft smiled.
"A general store?"
"Aye, just collect some items an' sell em to the genny." Runecraft brought out his bag, and took an axe made of steel, then turned around, eyeing the green dots of the trees behind them all.
"Thuw, wanna sell some logs? The Lumber buisness, not too bad if you only want to scrape up 60 coins." The captain brought out a pipe and began to puff at it, heavy-eyed.
"But I can't even cut oaks yet!" said Thuw.
"Don't worry," he said, as they began to head off, "You cut logs, I can find some maple or willow to cut. Don't take my name wrong, I was always a good lumber-jack. Willows sell at ... 4 coins, logs sell at 1. We need 60 coins, so ... how much can you hold in your bag?"
"Well, I'm carrying my axe, my tinderbox, hammer, pickaxe, chisel ... alot more, but I have about 16 spaces."
"Ok, I'll cut 16 of the high level logs, give them to you, you give me what you can cut, and I'll add my own high level logs. When we sell them, we can head back off."
"To where?" Thuw asked.
"Hey, good point, at that."