The rain had finally stopped and the sun was attempting to break through the thinning clouds. Terminal drops of water were dripping off the lower leaves of majestic yukoya trees. Puddling the edge of the forest where Todd crouched, near the still prone and unconscious Klem. Todd hoped; as Grimwald had suggested, that Klem would soon come round. If he didn't he would have to move him into cover and hide from the approaching horde of invaders.

Tucking his white shirt into his muddy bottomed trousers, he rose, worry visible on his youthful face. He was on his own, he must start thinking about survival, avoiding capture or worse.

It was difficult being Klems' friend. Others did not understand him. He was an emotional boy. Initially, he came across as a happy outgoing friendly lad. Everyone wanted to be his friend. The more close anyone got to him the more annoying he became. He would bully, he would be selfish and he would be a hindrance rather than a help in any game or task. Todd had wanted to punch him so many times. At times like these Klem would usually run off crying. This would then make Todd feel bad and upset. It was hard to understand what was happening until Klems' dad Ambrose had a quiet word.

'He's different Todd. he doesn't think the same way as you or I do. He likes to be in control. he likes to take charge. he does not listen to the ideas or suggestions of others. he will not join in with your game. He wants you to join in with his. He has what we call triggers. We all try to avoid triggering him in the family. This way he is the best boy he can be. If you learn his ways he can be a great friend. If you trigger him you will fall out. It is a lot to ask for you to learn his ways. If I promise to heal you and your family in return for being his friend would you agree to this?'

The ointments, salves and herbs of a healer were valuable things in the village so Todd agreed to this arrangement. It was difficult at times, but with learning, he and Klem had become close friends. Todd had become to like the lad beneath the strange ways. Todd had learned patience and calm. He now looked upon himself as a mentor for the boy with the fast mind. He would not have left him to starve or die alone in the forest.

Back down the trail, there was the abandoned wagon that had cracked an axle, maybe there would be something useful left behind.

Avoiding the puddles left by the tracks of the wagon wheels, he made his way to the discarded cart.

***

Klem opened his eyes to the evening light and a searing pain hit him. Sending him dizzy and rendering him briefly back into unconsciousness. He re-awoke and tried to sit. The pain in his head made it difficult to focus, he let out a groan.

After a few minutes of orientation and coping with the pounding in his head he made out a figure he presumed to be Todd approaching up the trail.

Todd was carrying a bundle. It looked as if he had been foraging in the abandoned wagon. What had happened? The mud was sloshing over his boots as he walked. A small smile crossed his face as he noticed Klem was moving.

"You're alive! Are you okay! I was getting a bit worried there for a moment, we are in a bit of a jam....can you stand?"

"Slow down." Speaking caused discomfort but he managed to lean forward and hold his head in his hands.

"The mangorians are on their way, Klem. As soon as you can move we need to go further into the woods. Councillor Grimwald gave me this knife."

Todd, proudly unsheathed the recently gifted, hunting knife from his belt.

"Where am I? How did I get here? The last thing I remember is flying! It must've been a dream. My head hurts and I can see two of you Todd. I can't walk. I'm freezing and me legs feel like I am stuck up to my navel in the mud. I need to get warm."

"You fell, or flew almost, off your da's wagon and bashed straight into that tree there, look there's some of your skin still hanging from the bark!" Todd pointed to the dangling skin with a ghoulish fascination and a lopsided grin.

"I have been busy. The rain has stopped and I'm sure it will get warmer. I have a change of clothes from the broken wagon and some other stuff that may come in useful." Todd opened up the blanket and rummaged around, finding some black trousers about Klem's size and a bright green shirt.

Todd unfolded the blanket and passed the clothes to Klem.

"Here you go, see if you can get these dry clothes on, I got three freshish loaves, some pore fruit and look! Half a side of hoglet! They must've been in a hurry to leave any food in there. This should see us okay for a few days."

"Todd? Why did my folks not stop for me?" Klem managed to shuffle his legs out of the mud and painfully pull the fresh pair of trousers on, glancing at Todd for an answer.

"They didn't see you fall. By the time they realised, they were turning into the forest and couldn't stop. For fear of holding the rest of the wagons up."

"How come you are here then?"

"I saw it happen and jumped off! We can make it to Kings-Port together. You wouldn't have been able to make it on your own. I told my folks we'd catch up. First, though, we'll have to hide cause them bad guys will be here anytime unless the garrison and Grimwald have held them, I don't hold out much hope."

"Thank you, friend." Klem looked at Todd with gratitude. A feeling of awe and comradeship started to replace the pain in his head, warmth started to circulate in his veins again. He pulled the blanket around him and prepared to try to move.

Todd helped Klem to his feet, wobbly at first and almost collapsing back into the mud, he half dragged him into the mighty forest and tried to hide any signs of their entry point. Covering footprints with leaf mould.

The yukoyas were quite sparse near the edge of the trail but the forest looked to become denser and darker the further in they hobbled. Forest creatures could be heard scraping and calling, most frighteningly they heard the occasional hiss.

"If we aim to the left, through the woods then I am pretty sure that will be East. When we clear the trees we should be in the direction of Kings-Port." Todd was struggling with the burden of his friend. The pain was etched on Klems' usually carefree features.

"I hate snakes. Tell me there are only small non-poisonous ones in this wood?" Klem had to stop and sit on a fallen branch.

"Yes, there are only small non-poisonous ones in this wood." Todd grinned.

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The nausea was fading leaving a throbbing pain in Todds' head, a slight lack of focus and dizziness if he moved his head too suddenly. Continuing along creature trails, surprisingly the going became easier the further they went. He realised that this was probably due to the greater numbers of creatures that moved about in here. His bow had survived the fall without a scratch. He had lost one arrow somewhere but he could make do with the ten he had. Not knowing if and when he may need his bow he kept it close to hand.

Dusk fell. The difference was hard to discern as the canopy of the trees kept out any stars that may have been in the heavens. Apios and Farios the ever facing moons could shed no light on their travel.

Deeper and deeper they went until they could barely see their own hand in front of their face. Klem could now walk unaided but fatigue was overtaking his need to push on and escape the following army.

Exhaustion and darkness brought them both to a halt. Under the cover of one of the biggest yukoyas Klem had ever seen, Todd unfolded two blankets and dumped his damp, aching body on one of them.

"No way we should light a fire here. I think we will have to put up with the cold and damp till we safer. What you reckon?

"It's getting warmer if you ask me. I think we can survive the night without. Good job you got them blankets. What else did you get from that wagon?"

"Well, I got a pan. Maybe useful if we need to boil water n stuff. I got a tree tap if we can't find any water, these bigger yukoyas can give some water if we were desperate. A ball of string and some assorted clothes that may fit, but not checked them yet. This forest is going to be tough to get through. It gets thicker the further we go in and darker, we may need a light of some sort, we need to travel by day and night. It's spookin' me out not knowing if they coming after us. We maybe shouldn't try to sleep? And just keep pushing through? How are you feeling?

"I need to stop. Give me an hour or two. My body feels exhausted and a couple of hours may get rid of this bangin' head. How about you? You not tired?"

"here, you, get your head down for a couple of hours" Todd handed over the bag of assorted clothes for Klem to use as a pillow. "I will keep watch I, don't think I'm too tired yet"

Klem took the makeshift pillow gratefully and lowered his dazed and bewildered head. It had definitely not been a normal couple of days. His head had still not caught up with the trials of the day. Hopefully, some sleep may clear his thoughts.

***

Todd left his friend and moved in the direction he expected the mangorians to approach. Looking and listening for any signs of movement from the West. Sitting against a tree he took out his new knife and started whittling.

The forest was alive! Calls, clicks, snaps, rustles and hisses were all around. Todd tried to make sense of them one at a time. The smell of rotting leaves prevailed but it was not unpleasant. A faint waft of wild garlic and mint came and went and came back again. The yukoyas had an earthy scent reminding him of nights at home with his family in his warm wooden home.

Not so warm tonight he thought and pulled his thoughts back from the melancholy. He would be back with his family as soon as they made it through this darn woods.

Was that a flicker of light towards the west? No, no just his mind playing tricks. He sheathed his knife and stood. Looking back towards the curled-up form of his sleeping friend. Thankfully he will be up and back to his normal self after this rest. Todd hoped fiercely that they would make some headway tomorrow and avoid their pursuers.

There! That was definitely a flicker of light but to the East? They would not be coming from that direction? Todd crouched low and moved toward the flicker which appeared some way behind Klem. An instant became a moment and then after some time, it was clear that the light would not re-appear.

They both awoke to the call of an owl. A screech that seemed to signify that hunting was over for the night. The dawn cast few shadows in this part of the wood.

The sleep of exhaustion had reinvigorated both of them. Klem had lost his dulled head. Todd, although carrying some guilt of falling asleep on his watch, knew that it had been an inevitable result of his preceding days of drama. Now they must move.

***

After a hurried breakfast of hog and bread, they continued eastwards towards the heart of the forest. Walking briskly and sharing the load they went deeper and deeper. The oaks had become a thing of the past and now the forest became solely yukoya trees. They followed large animal tracks that must have been made by forest jacks, a furry, nimble-footed animal well suited to the dining table. Klem readied his bow, but their clumsy movement through the twig strewn woodland floor gave him little hope of ever seeing, let alone downing, one of the agile beasts.

Snakes were the biggest danger. Klem noticed that the small slithering creatures had given way to larger, less shy reptiles. Some seemed happy to laze from the branches as they passed.

"They won't urt you, less you step on one!" Todd saw Klems worried look as they walked side by side past one at least half a span long, dangling above them. Looking now at the floor, Klem lightened his step.

"You said they don't get no bigger. I s'pose they not poisonous either?"

"Didn't want to scare you, but they can grow to a full span! A bite can kill an ekwid. It may be an idea if you can find some herb or stuff to counter the poison just in case? I know yer da used to treat bites. "

"Yes! You're right. Mottled spurt-weed. That's what we need. I would rather try to avoid a bite though if possible."

"Well yeah, makes sense oh 'wise one'."

Klem clipped him round the head playfully. With raised spirits, they both continued on the leafy trail. Keeping a watchful eye on the flora and fauna as they passed.

As they moved through the trees, the fear of the mangorians dwindled, the beauty of their surroundings, filled them both with silent awe. As evening closed in they decided to make a camp of sorts, take a couple of hours rest, then carry on their trek through the middle of the night.

Far away Klem heard a moan. As if the earth was crying. He found himself buried in leaves. Todd was nowhere in sight. Rising and brushing off the sweet-smelling foliage he heard voices, foreign voices. They had found him! He must run and run like the wind. His feet wouldn't move. He looked down at his legs and snakes entwined him in a stifling embrace. Pulling and kicking at the reptiles he became frenzied, the beasts disappeared and he ran. He felt his pursuers close behind. Every trail he followed they were there, behind him, to the sides and in front. There was no escape. A hole appeared in the floor of the forest and he fell. The wet caress of a snake coiled around his cheek, a hiss.

Klems eyes opened. The dream had been so real. Above him, a forest-jak, wide-eyed, was eating a pore-fruit from the bottom of his blanket. He slowly reached for his bow, notched an arrow and drew it back. Slowly the jak retreated, staring with its black intelligent eyes, right at him. Todd stirred and sat up, the movement frightened the creature, it let out a snort in its retreat and slowly walked away, back into the undergrowth.

"Shoot it! That's dinner for a week!" Todd was incredulous. Klem lowered his bow.

"I couldn't do it, it looked so friendly and harmless. We have enough food for a few days. It wouldn't have been right."

"You soft pup! I know what you mean, though, it did look tame. It has probably never seen people before." Todd looked around the camp, his eyes widening.

"What is it? You looked spooked." Klem followed his friend's eyes, all around them there appeared to be lights in the forest, moving closer and closer.

"I think we are finished."

The beings were half a span high, they gave off a slight glow. They wore no clothes but had no modesty to hide. Their bodies were smooth, creamy and hairless, almost translucent. Unblinking eyes of violet, filled their people-shaped heads, no ears or mouths. A round, friendly nose in the central lower-half of their face gave them an affable countenance.

Klem and Todd moved back to back, Klem half raised his bow and Todd drew his knife. Wide-eyed and trembling the two did not know what to make of their unexpected, extraordinary company.

One of the beings approached them slowly. Every movement and gesture felt as reassuring and peaceful. Feelings of tranquillity overwhelmed them as they stood back to back. They lowered their weapons.

We are the Yukoya. We mean no harm, we can help you and you can help us.

"Uh-huh," Klem spoke out loud before he realised that the strange being had been talking in his head. He had no mouth for starters!

"How?"

Please follow us. All will be explained and we can hide you from the warriors that approach. Haste is required.

From dream to dreamlike. Klem and Todd wordlessly put one foot in front of the other and followed the Yukoya further into the heart of the forest.

Klem's head was spinning. The main thought running over and over in his mind was ' that must have been one serious bang I took to my head. This can't be real.'