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.