"Uh--" He stammered. "Not long. I--I just woke up."
The woman took a threatening step forward, where the dancing light of the fire shone on her face. Cole realized that while singing she may have sounded just a little older than himself, her aged, slightly wrinkled face told him she was in her late thirties, perhaps forty.
She gazed at him with intense almond-brown eyes, then snorted crossly. "Hmph." Without a word she turned away from him and tossed some branches into the fire. Sparks shot out with a small whoosh and flew up into the sky like little fire fairies. She then seated herself on a stump a few feet away from him and stared into the flames.
Cole sat there for a few seconds, feeling quite awkward. When the woman didn't show any sign of speaking, he cautiously cleared his throat. "Uh...How did I get here?"
She swung her head around and stared at him.
He shifted. "I mean...The last thing I remember was falling off a cliff during a storm...Did I black out or something, or..?"
She scowled. "Blast this generation. Can't even tell when someone's saved their worthless skin."
Cole blinked. "So....you saved me?"
"Risked my neck to save your worthless life, I did!" She made a peculiar hissing noise through her teeth. "Hss...Nearly smashed myself dragging your limp, broken body up that cliff! Hmph. Would have been better if I left you to the wolves." She glared into the fire.
Cole was bemused by the stranger's attitude. "What happened to my shoulder?"
Her eyes didn't leave the cackling flames. "You dislocated it. I put it back in place though, you won't be able to use it for several days. You also smashed your head on a rock, though I was able to close the wound in time. Other than that, and a few scrapes and bruises, you were very fortunate to survive that fall."
"Who are you?" He asked.
She hesitated, and glanced at him. Her eyes narrowed.
"Uh--" He stammered. "Not long. I--I just woke up."
The woman took a threatening step forward, where the dancing light of the fire shone on her face. Cole realized that while singing she may have sounded just a little older than himself, her aged, slightly wrinkled face told him she was in her late thirties, perhaps forty.
She gazed at him with intense almond-brown eyes, then snorted crossly. "Hmph." Without a word she turned away from him and tossed some branches into the fire. Sparks shot out with a small whoosh and flew up into the sky like little fire fairies. She then seated herself on a stump a few feet away from him and stared into the flames.
Cole sat there for a few seconds, feeling quite awkward. When the woman didn't show any sign of speaking, he cautiously cleared his throat. "Uh...How did I get here?"
She swung her head around and stared at him.
He shifted. "I mean...The last thing I remember was falling off a cliff during a storm...Did I black out or something, or..?"
She scowled. "Blast this generation. Can't even tell when someone's saved their worthless skin."
Cole blinked. "So....you saved me?"
"Risked my neck to save your worthless life, I did!" She made a peculiar hissing noise through her teeth. "Hss...Nearly smashed myself dragging your limp, broken body up that cliff! Hmph. Would have been better if I left you to the wolves." She glared into the fire.
Cole was bemused by the stranger's attitude. "What happened to my shoulder?"
Her eyes didn't leave the cackling flames. "You dislocated it. I put it back in place though, you won't be able to use it for several days. You also smashed your head on a rock, though I was able to close the wound in time. Other than that, and a few scrapes and bruises, you were very fortunate to survive that fall."
"Who are you?" He asked.
She hesitated, and glanced at him. Her eyes narrowed.
An night bird cried out somewhere in the distance. The snapping flames cracked and popped, warming Cole's bare chest from the chill of the night.
"What were you doing up here?" He asked. "Isn't it kind of weird for somebody to be wandering around a mountain during a storm by themselves?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing, not to mention your name." She retorted.
"Oh, yeah..." Feeling awkward, he said. "..My name is Cole."
" 'Cole'." She repeated. "Cole...short for 'Coleman', isn't it?"
"It's just...'Cole'. Just Cole." He muttered. He didn't like the name 'Coleman'.
"Well, '"Just Cole", if I were you, I'd try to get some sleep. It's the middle of the night, and unlike you, I haven't been sleeping for nearly twenty four hours." She said.
Cole shifted uneasily. How was he supposed to sleep with a sore arm, a throbbing head, and with a creepy lady who looks like a witch staring at him?
When Matilda saw his hesitation, she snorted impatiently. "Relax kid, if I wanted to get rid of you I would have done it hours ago, or just I could have just left you lying nearly smashed on that cliff."
He bit his lip, but consented to pulling the blanket back over his body and lying down. He forced himself to close his eyes and slow his breathing. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Matilda, careful to shut it if she glanced in his direction.
She ignored him for the most part, and stared distantly into the burning flames, her gaze unreadable. Her long, brown, scraggly hair with streaks of gray spilled from underneath her worn, pointed hat and around her midnight-blue cloak. The hiss of the flames and the rustle of the trees eventually lulled Cole to a peaceful sleep.
Really? I think know or have known about 10+ redheads. They are all great people! In fact I would even go as far saying a few of them helped make me the person I am today. Actually as a matter a fact my grandpa was a redhead when he was younger, I just always forget that since he's got gray hair now.
Not personally, I've seen plenty on the streets before, but that's it.
"Uh--" He stammered. "Not long. I--I just woke up."
The woman took a threatening step forward, where the dancing light of the fire shone on her face. Cole realized that while singing she may have sounded just a little older than himself, her aged, slightly wrinkled face told him she was in her late thirties, perhaps forty.
She gazed at him with intense almond-brown eyes, then snorted crossly. "Hmph." Without a word she turned away from him and tossed some branches into the fire. Sparks shot out with a small whoosh and flew up into the sky like little fire fairies. She then seated herself on a stump a few feet away from him and stared into the flames.
Cole sat there for a few seconds, feeling quite awkward. When the woman didn't show any sign of speaking, he cautiously cleared his throat. "Uh...How did I get here?"
She swung her head around and stared at him.
He shifted. "I mean...The last thing I remember was falling off a cliff during a storm...Did I black out or something, or..?"
She scowled. "Blast this generation. Can't even tell when someone's saved their worthless skin."
Cole blinked. "So....you saved me?"
"Risked my neck to save your worthless life, I did!" She made a peculiar hissing noise through her teeth. "Hss...Nearly smashed myself dragging your limp, broken body up that cliff! Hmph. Would have been better if I left you to the wolves." She glared into the fire.
Cole was bemused by the stranger's attitude. "What happened to my shoulder?"
Her eyes didn't leave the cackling flames. "You dislocated it. I put it back in place though, you won't be able to use it for several days. You also smashed your head on a rock, though I was able to close the wound in time. Other than that, and a few scrapes and bruises, you were very fortunate to survive that fall."
"Who are you?" He asked.
She hesitated, and glanced at him. Her eyes narrowed.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty, before I pour a bucket of cold water over your head!"
Cole stirred. Blinking blearily, he sat up and shivered. He realized it was only the break of dawn; the sun wasn't out yet! The sky was a navy blue mixed with gray, the tall pine trees stood around the camp, silent and still. The fire was somehow still blazing, and a tea kettle held up by metal rods hung over the flickering flames.
"Five more minuets..." He murmured, and slumped back onto his mat.
A stick whacked him over the head. "Ow!" He cried.
"All right, all right, I'm up! Sheesh..." He threw back the blanket and grimaced when his shoulder painfully protested. The cold morning air hit his body and clung to it, sinking into his bones.
"About time. Here's your shirt and jacket. Had to take them off to heal your shoulder." She handed him his clothes and turned to the fire. A large, flat boulder sat nearby, serving as a sort of table. Some food was there, steaming hot.
Cole's mouth suddenly watered. Was that the smell of...? Surely not...
She handed him a plate, where a slice of some light-colored pastry, covered in something that looked suspiciously like frosting.
His jaw dropped. "Is this...cake?"
She shrugged casually. "Of some sort. A bit sugary, but a good meal to have before a long journey."
He glanced at her suspiciously.
She rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud, it's food. It may not be well-known in Ninjago, but it won't smash you. Served it to a couple of kids your age a while back, and they loved it." She turned to the boulder and started picking up cooking items.
Cole hesitated, then took a bite. He then wolfed it down, shocked at how delicious it was. After several bites he reached for a tea kettle sitting nearby, needing something to wash it down.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Matilda snatched it away. "Trust me, you don't want that. That's Traveler's Tea. Here." She poured him a cup from the kettle sitting over the fire.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty, before I pour a bucket of cold water over your head!"
Cole stirred. Blinking blearily, he sat up and shivered. He realized it was only the break of dawn; the sun wasn't out yet! The sky was a navy blue mixed with gray, the tall pine trees stood around the camp, silent and still. The fire was somehow still blazing, and a tea kettle held up by metal rods hung over the flickering flames.
"Five more minuets..." He murmured, and slumped back onto his mat.
A stick whacked him over the head. "Ow!" He cried.
"All right, all right, I'm up! Sheesh..." He threw back the blanket and grimaced when his shoulder painfully protested. The cold morning air hit his body and clung to it, sinking into his bones.
"About time. Here's your shirt and jacket. Had to take them off to heal your shoulder." She handed him his clothes and turned to the fire. A large, flat boulder sat nearby, serving as a sort of table. Some food was there, steaming hot.
Cole's mouth suddenly watered. Was that the smell of...? Surely not...
She handed him a plate, where a slice of some light-colored pastry, covered in something that looked suspiciously like frosting.
His jaw dropped. "Is this...cake?"
She shrugged casually. "Of some sort. A bit sugary, but a good meal to have before a long journey."
He glanced at her suspiciously.
She rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud, it's food. It may not be well-known in Ninjago, but it won't smash you. Served it to a couple of kids your age a while back, and they loved it." She turned to the boulder and started picking up cooking items.
Cole hesitated, then took a bite. He then wolfed it down, shocked at how delicious it was. After several bites he reached for a tea kettle sitting nearby, needing something to wash it down.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Matilda snatched it away. "Trust me, you don't want that. That's Traveler's Tea. Here." She poured him a cup from the kettle sitting over the fire.
And thus, the story of Cole and his beloved cake begins.
Really? I think know or have known about 10+ redheads. They are all great people! In fact I would even go as far saying a few of them helped make me the person I am today. Actually as a matter a fact my grandpa was a redhead when he was younger, I just always forget that since he's got gray hair now.
Not personally, I've seen plenty on the streets before, but that's it.
Bear's Aunt is a natural redhead, her mom is a dyed redhead, so yeah, I know some. (For those of you who don't know, Bear2013CJ is my best friend in real life and I'm blessed to have her.)
Not personally, I've seen plenty on the streets before, but that's it.
Bear's Aunt is a natural redhead, her mom is a dyed redhead, so yeah, I know some. (For those of you who don't know, Bear2013CJ is my best friend in real life and I'm blessed to have her.)
(I didn't know that! -- or, if I did, I forgot, which is completely likely. That's cool! )
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty, before I pour a bucket of cold water over your head!"
Cole stirred. Blinking blearily, he sat up and shivered. He realized it was only the break of dawn; the sun wasn't out yet! The sky was a navy blue mixed with gray, the tall pine trees stood around the camp, silent and still. The fire was somehow still blazing, and a tea kettle held up by metal rods hung over the flickering flames.
"Five more minuets..." He murmured, and slumped back onto his mat.
A stick whacked him over the head. "Ow!" He cried.
"All right, all right, I'm up! Sheesh..." He threw back the blanket and grimaced when his shoulder painfully protested. The cold morning air hit his body and clung to it, sinking into his bones.
"About time. Here's your shirt and jacket. Had to take them off to heal your shoulder." She handed him his clothes and turned to the fire. A large, flat boulder sat nearby, serving as a sort of table. Some food was there, steaming hot.
Cole's mouth suddenly watered. Was that the smell of...? Surely not...
She handed him a plate, where a slice of some light-colored pastry, covered in something that looked suspiciously like frosting.
His jaw dropped. "Is this...cake?"
She shrugged casually. "Of some sort. A bit sugary, but a good meal to have before a long journey."
He glanced at her suspiciously.
She rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud, it's food. It may not be well-known in Ninjago, but it won't smash you. Served it to a couple of kids your age a while back, and they loved it." She turned to the boulder and started picking up cooking items.
Cole hesitated, then took a bite. He then wolfed it down, shocked at how delicious it was. After several bites he reached for a tea kettle sitting nearby, needing something to wash it down.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Matilda snatched it away. "Trust me, you don't want that. That's Traveler's Tea. Here." She poured him a cup from the kettle sitting over the fire.
Somebody explain this Travelers Tea stuff to me. It keeps popping up.
Not personally, I've seen plenty on the streets before, but that's it.
Bear's Aunt is a natural redhead, her mom is a dyed redhead, so yeah, I know some. (For those of you who don't know, Bear2013CJ is my best friend in real life and I'm blessed to have her.)
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty, before I pour a bucket of cold water over your head!"
Cole stirred. Blinking blearily, he sat up and shivered. He realized it was only the break of dawn; the sun wasn't out yet! The sky was a navy blue mixed with gray, the tall pine trees stood around the camp, silent and still. The fire was somehow still blazing, and a tea kettle held up by metal rods hung over the flickering flames.
"Five more minuets..." He murmured, and slumped back onto his mat.
A stick whacked him over the head. "Ow!" He cried.
"All right, all right, I'm up! Sheesh..." He threw back the blanket and grimaced when his shoulder painfully protested. The cold morning air hit his body and clung to it, sinking into his bones.
"About time. Here's your shirt and jacket. Had to take them off to heal your shoulder." She handed him his clothes and turned to the fire. A large, flat boulder sat nearby, serving as a sort of table. Some food was there, steaming hot.
Cole's mouth suddenly watered. Was that the smell of...? Surely not...
She handed him a plate, where a slice of some light-colored pastry, covered in something that looked suspiciously like frosting.
His jaw dropped. "Is this...cake?"
She shrugged casually. "Of some sort. A bit sugary, but a good meal to have before a long journey."
He glanced at her suspiciously.
She rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud, it's food. It may not be well-known in Ninjago, but it won't smash you. Served it to a couple of kids your age a while back, and they loved it." She turned to the boulder and started picking up cooking items.
Cole hesitated, then took a bite. He then wolfed it down, shocked at how delicious it was. After several bites he reached for a tea kettle sitting nearby, needing something to wash it down.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Matilda snatched it away. "Trust me, you don't want that. That's Traveler's Tea. Here." She poured him a cup from the kettle sitting over the fire.
Somebody explain this Travelers Tea stuff to me. It keeps popping up.
Basically, in Ninjago, there's this magical tea called the Traveler's Tea that you pour on the ground to open a portal to other worlds, like Chima.
Bear's Aunt is a natural redhead, her mom is a dyed redhead, so yeah, I know some. (For those of you who don't know, Bear2013CJ is my best friend in real life and I'm blessed to have her.)
After Cole had scarfed down the cake and tea, Matilda began picking up the mats and blankets they had slept on and packing them into a small carpet bag. "So, what exactly did you think you were doing, climbing a mountain in the middle of the storm?" She asked. "If there was a 'Stupid Stunt' contest, I believe you would have won the grand prize."
"Har, har." He muttered. "I was traveling. I thought I could find shelter before the storm hit."
"Traveling, hm? Where to?"
He hesitated. "To..." He tried to remember lessons from Geography class. "...Jumanakai Village. Yeah."
"Hm." She grabbed some bottles filled with colored liquids and stuffed them in the bag. "Why are you heading for Jumanakai?"
He frantically searched for believable lies. "Uhh...to visit my uncle. He's a martial arts teacher."
"Why are you crossing the Yokai Mountains to get there? Surely you could just take a bus to Warbler Town and follow the river from there."
"Uh, I thought this would be quicker."
"Hsst..." She turned and glared at him. "Don't you lie to me, boy. Tell me the truth. Why are you traveling by yourself?"
He sighed. "OK, OK..." He took a deep breath. "...I'm running away. From school."
"Hmph. Thought so." She folded a blanket. "Why are you running away?"
"I just..." He crossed his arms, trying to think. How could he explain how he felt? There were so many mixed emotions. "...I just...couldn't." He paused. "My dad wants to send me to the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts...he wants me to follow his footsteps and become a dancer."
Matilda didn't reply.
"He's trained me all my life to dance. It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything, it's just that I don't think it's right...for me." He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "He didn't take it too well when I told him I didn't want to dance. He said I was going to school whether I liked it or not. So..." He shrugged. "I ran away."
There was a moment of silence. Then Matilda murmured.
I think know or have known about 10+ redheads. They are all great people! 
In fact I would even go as far saying a few of them helped make me the person I am today. 
