During breakfast that early morning, Matilda sniffed the air and grimaced. "Phew! Kid, when was the last time you had a decent shower?"
Cole paused his chewing. "Umm..."
"Don't answer that." She snorted, then said. "Once these dished are cleared up, I suggest you take a dip in the river."
He gaped at her. "The...The river?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, the river. You stink, and you need a bath."
"You know that's mountain water, right? As in, extremely cold?"
Smirking, she said. "Better make it quick, then."
Reluctantly he left the camp with a blanket to serve as a towel, and ventured to the gurgling river. It was already cold enough in the air, and he shivered at the thought of the water. He stopped by the bank and stalled. The river moved at a slow pace, only eight feet wide and a few feet deep, and yet it looked malicious.
"OK..." He muttered to himself. "...Don't think about how cold it'll be. It's just mountain water."
He shifted.
"Big baby...Get in there. Just hop in there and get it over with." He took a deep breath. "OK...On three...One...Two..." He licked his lips. "...Two-and-a-half..." He shut his eyes tightly. "...Three!" He jumped into the water.
Cole's piercing shriek echoed throughout the forest, passed the camp where Matilda was laughing out loud, up the steep cliffs where mountain goats hopped about, down the rolling mountain sides, past valleys and hollows, and reverberated throughout all of the Yokai mountains.
* * *
Kai looked up from his work. He frowned, then called out. "Hey, Nya...Did you hear something?"
Nya paused from sweeping the floor of the Four Weapons shop. Brushing aside a strand of ink-black hair, she looked at him. "No...I didn't hear anything."
"Huh. I thought I heard some high-pitched noise...Never mind, it was probably just me." He shrugged, then returned to forging the sword he was working on.
I forgot about this part! Oh my goodness that's so funny!
I'm so impressive. xD That's the complete opposite of me when I was young. I saw rules as things that were meant only to be broken.
I mean there was certain rules I'd break for fun. Mostly when I very little I was into breaking rules and making trouble. but the older I got I realized trouble isn't worth the punishment.
We might have gotten along well if we lived in the same neighborhood at that time period.
I talk to myself. . . in my head. It saves the trouble of delivering dirty looks to unfortunate eavesdroppers.
I talk to myself in my head too. Sometimes there's more than one voice of reasoning and sometimes they fight. And sometimes I accidentally refer to myself as " we " in my head.
During breakfast that early morning, Matilda sniffed the air and grimaced. "Phew! Kid, when was the last time you had a decent shower?"
Cole paused his chewing. "Umm..."
"Don't answer that." She snorted, then said. "Once these dished are cleared up, I suggest you take a dip in the river."
He gaped at her. "The...The river?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, the river. You stink, and you need a bath."
"You know that's mountain water, right? As in, extremely cold?"
Smirking, she said. "Better make it quick, then."
Reluctantly he left the camp with a blanket to serve as a towel, and ventured to the gurgling river. It was already cold enough in the air, and he shivered at the thought of the water. He stopped by the bank and stalled. The river moved at a slow pace, only eight feet wide and a few feet deep, and yet it looked malicious.
"OK..." He muttered to himself. "...Don't think about how cold it'll be. It's just mountain water."
He shifted.
"Big baby...Get in there. Just hop in there and get it over with." He took a deep breath. "OK...On three...One...Two..." He licked his lips. "...Two-and-a-half..." He shut his eyes tightly. "...Three!" He jumped into the water.
Cole's piercing shriek echoed throughout the forest, passed the camp where Matilda was laughing out loud, up the steep cliffs where mountain goats hopped about, down the rolling mountain sides, past valleys and hollows, and reverberated throughout all of the Yokai mountains.
* * *
Kai looked up from his work. He frowned, then called out. "Hey, Nya...Did you hear something?"
Nya paused from sweeping the floor of the Four Weapons shop. Brushing aside a strand of ink-black hair, she looked at him. "No...I didn't hear anything."
"Huh. I thought I heard some high-pitched noise...Never mind, it was probably just me." He shrugged, then returned to forging the sword he was working on.
I forgot about this part! Oh my goodness that's so funny!
{RoE Spoilers} XD That'd be funny. Cat #1: Ancestors above, what was that strange sound? Cat #2: It sounded like a kitten screeching. . . or a choking goat. . . Cat #3: Well, whatever it is, I don't want to stick around and find out what made that noise. We should head back, in case it's a predator, or if it'll attract predators. Cat #1: Good idea, Eagle Talon.
Shivering miserably, but clean, Cole accompanied Matilda out of the rolling forest and down to where the land was steep and rocky. Boulders topped with thick green moss peeked out from the moist dirt, while steep cliffs grew and towered above them. The growth of trees thinned the further they walked, leaving them vulnerable to the cold wind biting their ears. Seeing that his jacket wasn't enough, Matilda loaned him an extra cloak from her bag, which fit nicely and was warm. He wondered just how much stuff she had in that bag of hers, and how she managed to fit it all inside.
Evening fell sooner than usual, for the sky was covered in thick gray clouds, and cast a shadow across the land. As dusk was falling, Cole asked her. "So, are you just looking for plants and stuff? Or is there something else you're after?"
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think I'm looking for something else?"
"Well, we've left the fertile part of the mountains," He said. "This area can't support a lot of plant life, can it?"
"Hmph. Smart kid." She muttered. "There are still plenty of helpful plants that grow around this area...But yes, I'm not just looking for herbs."
"So what are you after?"
She paused. "After I found the things I needed up here, I was planning to go down to a village I know and find information."
"About what?"
"Dragons."
"Dragons? Why?"
"My secrets are mine to keep, and they shall stay that way."
He was about to press for details when he heard something. He froze, and surveyed his surroundings.
A faint, shrill cry rang from somewhere in the distance.
"I hear it, too." He realized Matilda had frozen, and was staring about the valley. He dared not breathe, for fear of missing the sound. He laid his hand on the hilt of a dagger she had loaned him, while Matilda slowly reached for something in the folds of her robes.
I mean there was certain rules I'd break for fun. Mostly when I very little I was into breaking rules and making trouble. but the older I got I realized trouble isn't worth the punishment.
We might have gotten along well if we lived in the same neighborhood at that time period.
{RoE Spoilers} XD That'd be funny. Cat #1: Ancestors above, what was that strange sound? Cat #2: It sounded like a kitten screeching. . . or a choking goat. . . Cat #3: Well, whatever it is, I don't want to stick around and find out what made that noise. We should head back, in case it's a predator, or if it'll attract predators. Cat #1: Good idea, Eagle Talon.
{RoE Spoilers} XD That'd be funny. Cat #1: Ancestors above, what was that strange sound? Cat #2: It sounded like a kitten screeching. . . or a choking goat. . . Cat #3: Well, whatever it is, I don't want to stick around and find out what made that noise. We should head back, in case it's a predator, or if it'll attract predators. Cat #1: Good idea, Eagle Talon.
Shivering miserably, but clean, Cole accompanied Matilda out of the rolling forest and down to where the land was steep and rocky. Boulders topped with thick green moss peeked out from the moist dirt, while steep cliffs grew and towered above them. The growth of trees thinned the further they walked, leaving them vulnerable to the cold wind biting their ears. Seeing that his jacket wasn't enough, Matilda loaned him an extra cloak from her bag, which fit nicely and was warm. He wondered just how much stuff she had in that bag of hers, and how she managed to fit it all inside.
Evening fell sooner than usual, for the sky was covered in thick gray clouds, and cast a shadow across the land. As dusk was falling, Cole asked her. "So, are you just looking for plants and stuff? Or is there something else you're after?"
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think I'm looking for something else?"
"Well, we've left the fertile part of the mountains," He said. "This area can't support a lot of plant life, can it?"
"Hmph. Smart kid." She muttered. "There are still plenty of helpful plants that grow around this area...But yes, I'm not just looking for herbs."
"So what are you after?"
She paused. "After I found the things I needed up here, I was planning to go down to a village I know and find information."
"About what?"
"Dragons."
"Dragons? Why?"
"My secrets are mine to keep, and they shall stay that way."
He was about to press for details when he heard something. He froze, and surveyed his surroundings.
A faint, shrill cry rang from somewhere in the distance.
"I hear it, too." He realized Matilda had frozen, and was staring about the valley. He dared not breathe, for fear of missing the sound. He laid his hand on the hilt of a dagger she had loaned him, while Matilda slowly reached for something in the folds of her robes.
Shivering miserably, but clean, Cole accompanied Matilda out of the rolling forest and down to where the land was steep and rocky. Boulders topped with thick green moss peeked out from the moist dirt, while steep cliffs grew and towered above them. The growth of trees thinned the further they walked, leaving them vulnerable to the cold wind biting their ears. Seeing that his jacket wasn't enough, Matilda loaned him an extra cloak from her bag, which fit nicely and was warm. He wondered just how much stuff she had in that bag of hers, and how she managed to fit it all inside.
Evening fell sooner than usual, for the sky was covered in thick gray clouds, and cast a shadow across the land. As dusk was falling, Cole asked her. "So, are you just looking for plants and stuff? Or is there something else you're after?"
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think I'm looking for something else?"
"Well, we've left the fertile part of the mountains," He said. "This area can't support a lot of plant life, can it?"
"Hmph. Smart kid." She muttered. "There are still plenty of helpful plants that grow around this area...But yes, I'm not just looking for herbs."
"So what are you after?"
She paused. "After I found the things I needed up here, I was planning to go down to a village I know and find information."
"About what?"
"Dragons."
"Dragons? Why?"
"My secrets are mine to keep, and they shall stay that way."
He was about to press for details when he heard something. He froze, and surveyed his surroundings.
A faint, shrill cry rang from somewhere in the distance.
"I hear it, too." He realized Matilda had frozen, and was staring about the valley. He dared not breathe, for fear of missing the sound. He laid his hand on the hilt of a dagger she had loaned him, while Matilda slowly reached for something in the folds of her robes.
Matilda motioned at Cole to follow her. As quietly and as stealthy as a cat, she slipped between boulders and over rocks, her footsteps soft and light. He did his best to be as quiet as possible, and he did well, for years of dance lessons had taught him to be nimble. Like ninjas they crept uphill and over a valley, following the sound of the cries. Flitting about the rolling landscape, they eventually tracked the noise up a steep, mossy hill, and soundlessly climbed up. Close beside one another they reached the tip of the hill and peered cautiously over the edge.
A gang of six or seven ragged-looking men were on horseback, adorned in weapons glistening in the dim light. They were shouting and jeering to one another, kicking their snorting horses viciously and yanking on the reins. The horses pawed the muddy ground and pranced about, surrounding two silhouettes cowering before them. Because of the dark night and the moonless sky it was hard to make out the figures, but what Cole could tell from up on the hill was that the men whooping and shouting on horseback were most likely mountain bandits, while the other two looked to be teenagers, people around his age. One was a dark, curly-haired man, while the other was a silver-haired girl.
Whilst the bandits surrounded them with excited shouts, the boy did everything he could to shelter the girl, though she looked no older than he was. They spun around in circles, trying to see their attackers all at once while clinging to their packs. They both looked very, very scared.
A broad man with a thick beard on a chestnut bay shouted. "We got 'em, boss! They're ours!"
A tall, cloaked figure on a deep black, snorting stallion ordered. "Search them!"
The dark-haired youth cried furiously. "Don't you lay a hand on my sister!"
"Relax, kid," A man jeered. "We won't hurt your sister...much."
"Let us go! We have no money or jewels!" The silver-haired girl cried.
{More Roots of Earth talk} I wouldn't blame him, Cole's life is pretty interesting. And hey, if you have to spy on a human, might as well be one with an interesting life, right?
Matilda motioned at Cole to follow her. As quietly and as stealthy as a cat, she slipped between boulders and over rocks, her footsteps soft and light. He did his best to be as quiet as possible, and he did well, for years of dance lessons had taught him to be nimble. Like ninjas they crept uphill and over a valley, following the sound of the cries. Flitting about the rolling landscape, they eventually tracked the noise up a steep, mossy hill, and soundlessly climbed up. Close beside one another they reached the tip of the hill and peered cautiously over the edge.
A gang of six or seven ragged-looking men were on horseback, adorned in weapons glistening in the dim light. They were shouting and jeering to one another, kicking their snorting horses viciously and yanking on the reins. The horses pawed the muddy ground and pranced about, surrounding two silhouettes cowering before them. Because of the dark night and the moonless sky it was hard to make out the figures, but what Cole could tell from up on the hill was that the men whooping and shouting on horseback were most likely mountain bandits, while the other two looked to be teenagers, people around his age. One was a dark, curly-haired man, while the other was a silver-haired girl.
Whilst the bandits surrounded them with excited shouts, the boy did everything he could to shelter the girl, though she looked no older than he was. They spun around in circles, trying to see their attackers all at once while clinging to their packs. They both looked very, very scared.
A broad man with a thick beard on a chestnut bay shouted. "We got 'em, boss! They're ours!"
A tall, cloaked figure on a deep black, snorting stallion ordered. "Search them!"
The dark-haired youth cried furiously. "Don't you lay a hand on my sister!"
"Relax, kid," A man jeered. "We won't hurt your sister...much."
"Let us go! We have no money or jewels!" The silver-haired girl cried.
Oh my goodness that's so funny! 
![[h]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/k3cXEdyNkyw6aB9dHN1d.png)
xD That's the complete opposite of me when I was young. I saw rules as things that were meant only to be broken. 
![[lenny]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/7elNEqtPK2hcSAiIMFNh.png)
