i had first thought traveling alone would be a good idea..i was soon to
learn the error of my ways making slow progress to the edge of town the
rain still poured in heavy sheets soaking me to the bone even through my
rough linen shirt and fathers old feather mantle and battle boots with more
then one hole in the soles.i trudged on determined not to let a little bad
weather stop me from being free of my fate and the possible death awaiting
me at fort zeakden. i was beginning to miss the quiet chattering of the
other children and soft footsteps that let me know i was not alone. i
jumped at every shadow and the slightest sound waiting to be attacked by
theives or worse but it seems even they were not willing to venture out
into such weather. by the time i crossed the barrier of old buildings
leading into the sweegy woods i was beginning to feel dizzy and lightheaded
from hunger and a slight fever. i stopped at noon only long enough to eat
some of the stale bread that was supposed to have been part of my rations
as a soldier. as luck would have it my little break to eat had drawna
hungry red panther to my little camp thinking to take my dinner or have me
for dinner. i liked neither prospected and unsheathed my cheaply made
broadsword given to all squires from the orphanage and prepared for my
first battle. the panther growled low as it looked at me and my little meal
on the ground slowly edgeing forwards. as wary of me as i of it. not
wanting to kill the beast or be killed myself i did the first that popped
into my mind. i searched the ground and found a good sized stone and threw
it at the creatures head but missed only lightly smacking its left
shoulder and doing little damage. i begin to sweat as the cat growled its
outrage at being hit and charged towards me inent on sinking its claws
into my chest. i barely managed to dodge and recieved a nice set of claw
marks under the right side of my ribcage sendng fire shooting from the
wound blinding me with anger as i clumsily swung my broadsword at the cat
once again hoping for a head shot or better but badly missingas the cat
dodged and slammed its head into my stomach knocking the wind out of me and
driving the tip of my boradsword into its shoulder as i fell it howled its
rage sweeping poison filled claws across my chest leaving the front of my
linen shirt in shreds with trail of bright red blood streaming from the
slashes. the cat could have finished me then injured as i was and already
weakend by my fever i was suprised when it simply limped over to what was
left of the stale bread and snatched it up before limping off while i lay
on the ground struggling to sit up and clear my blurred vision that was
beginning to turn black at the edges as pain and poison took its toll on
my body. i saw the tops of the trees and the slowly stopping rain before my
vision went black. TBC.
