This part is short but interesting. Oh, and for reference's sake, I probably won't do a disclaimer for every chapter, simply because I still don't own the Xanth series, but if I happen to make up a cool new disclaimer, I'll be sure to put it where it belongs!

Satori

Part Four

Journey's Launching, also entitled, Of First Step's Misstep

*~*

It must be said now that I truthfully have absolutely NO idea what I am doing. Otherwise, I might be tempted to start lying and taking all the credit for any luck I might stumble into. Heneric told me everything he knew about Jade, and while it wasn't much, it was a lot compared to what I know because I didn't listen to him.

Which, as I've already said, is NOTHING!

So know that we've got that tiny little fact established…

This journey was what I waited my whole life for. Or at least the life I had back at Lord Arcturo's. I stayed awake at night envisioning what I would see, what and who I would meet and what I would do with my new found freedom.

It was to be the adventure of my dreams… and what was the first thing I did?

I fell in a hole.

And I am NOT joking.

We had gotten cleanly away from the palace, apparently it was not in the guard's job description to chase after dangerous slaves on wild horses who are carrying a dangerous arsenal of exploding fruits. Not that I blame them really, I wouldn't chase after myself if I were in their shoes.

To continue…

Blackhurricane and I had gotten well away from the gates by the time night had fallen. I decide to spend the night in a grove of trees beside a swiftly flowing mirror river. The trees would give us shelter and food, we were also secure from any attack from in front or behind us, the trees were almost impenetrable and the mirror river did not like to be walked on.

So we were safe for the night.

Then myself, being the ever-so wilderness survival savvy person that I am, decide to take a look at the surrounding area from the branches of one of the tallest trees in the glade.

I swear, it SOUNDS like a good idea if you're all caught up in the "I'm on Adventure" deal…

I leave Blackhurricane to graze in a small patch of grass near the river, hoping the horse would have enough sense to not try and bolt off onto his own little adventure, he seems contented enough. I walk over to the trees then I chose the tallest one that had enough trees with sturdy branches for me to climb onto.

So I start my upward trek. I get about ten feet off the ground when…

SNAP!

The branch I was holding onto snaps off in my hands. So much for sturdy branches. I loose my balance and fall the ten feet to the ground. (Hitting the various jutting outward branches that seem to coincidentally jump into my path…) To my surprise and sadness, when I reach the ground, I don't stop. The ground beneath the tree gives way and I fall what seems to be another ten feet… before I 'gracefully' hit the bottom of the hole.

"Ouch!" I say in pain, rubbing what I knew was going to be a tender area tomorrow. "That was unexpected."

I look around the dark pit I had fallen into. I can still see the sky clearly, night has fallen in earnest now, but there was no way I was going to be able to just climb out of this prison. The sides of the hole were smooth, and there didn't look to be any shovel marks of any kind.

"Well this is most excellent. Who in their right mind would put a hole in the middle of nowhere?"

"No, not a person," I argue sensibly, there are no digging marks, so this hole couldn't have been made by a human… some animal? An oversized squiggle? No, they don't leave tunnels… Nevertheless, I am trapped in the hole of… something, and I DON'T want to be around when whatever night creatures come out and see what stupid animal has made such a big butt print.

Unfortunately for me, getting out was a lot easier said than done.

You try climbing out of a ten-foot deep pit with your bare hands and see if you don't fall down a couple of times.

Remember that tender spot? It was going to get a whole lot tenderer…

*~*

I had been trying to get out of this blasted hole for a good hour and was nowhere closer to getting out than I had been before. The highest I got was about three feet before I lost my grip on the dirt and went sprawling back to the floor.

I was about to give up climbing out on my own and try and entice Blackhurricane into pulling me out when a shadow fell over me.

I look up and see a grinning face about five feet straight above me.

"Need a lift?"

So, as any other sane damsel in distress (I hate that title) would do, I scream, because below this smiling, somewhat handsome face, was the toothy grin of something definitely not human.