“When we get to the village, I will need you to follow me very closely, you hear me.”

“Yes mam, but may I ask why.”

“I still don’t fully trust you, so don’t ask questions. Just know that if anyone sees you, you’re dead, that’s all.”

You can’t end a sentence like that, all it’s going to do is make me panic. Still, she has got me this far, so let me put some trust in her.

So, when we arrive at the village, we sneak around as stealthy as possible, but whenever a crowd of people walk by, she asks us to hide, but I notice she is also hiding.

“Why are you hiding with us as well? Aren’t you a member of this village?”

“I am, but you see, I went outside against the rules, so if anyone spots me, it will be annoying and waste a of time as they scold me.”

So she was already a rule breaker, to begin with. I guess we got lucky with who came upon us.

I noticed that everyone’s clothes look quite primitive in that they are made from natural materials, not anything processed.

So as the little girl continued to guide us, I realised she was bringing us near the biggest building in the village, which became a problem as the population density increased the closer we got to it, but we were still able to get there successfully.

“Ok, we’re going to sneak in through a secret entrance at the side,” so as we start following her, we suddenly hear.

“MAPLE!”

Hearing that, the little girl immediately pushed me and the man to the side where we couldn’t be seen. Then I see her walk forward a bit, and put a big smile on her face.

Φ “Hey Willow, what’s wrong.”

“Where have you been? Everyone in the village has been looking for you. I bet you went out again.”

“I thought it would be fun to play hide and seek with the whole village, since I knew you guys would come to look for me.”

“DO YOU THINK I WOULD BELIEVE THAT? You know what? I don’t care, what are you hiding there.”

Φ Oh no, I think to myself.

“Willow, what are you talking about? There is nothing over there.”

“Do you think I am blind? I saw you throw something over there when you saw me.”

“You sure your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you.”

“Well then, let me go check.”

“Willow, wait. I am sorry I did lie. In truth, I found a big sonbit. It looked rather sick, so I decided to bring it back.”

“Oh, really well, since sonbit reacts to loud noise, let me ensure you’re not lying.” So, the boy screams at the top of his lungs.

Φ SHITTTT, I need to respond, but the sonbit wasn’t in any of Capti’s books. I need to make up something. God help me. so, I say in response “HUMINA, HUMINA, HUMINA.”

“Oh, so it is a sonbit.”

“I got that right!” I say, shocked.

Φ “Maple, the sonbit voice sounded too weak. I need to go check on it,” Willow says as he runs towards the noise.

I forgot willow is an animal freak “Willow, don’t go over there.”

Φ Seeing the kid named willow in front of me I take note of his appearance: Willow is a boy just as tall as Maple. He has light green hair and is wearing clothes like maple, but they are a bit less well made. I don’t know what to say when he sees me except “humina” while waving.

“Intruders”, he says as he quickly grabs an ornament around his neck and blows into it. Then a loud sound rings. What he blew was a whistle. This isn’t good. It was probably an alert. I should pick up the man and try to run.

But suddenly, I see a herd of people all around me. They all have spears and are pointing them at me, and then out of this large group of people, one giant man emerges.

“Two foul creatures, have snuck their way into the village. Who is the traitor that brought them into here.”

“It was me there, my guests Buloke,” Maple says as she stands in front of us with her arms stuck out.

“Do you know what you have done? The foremost rule in our village is that no one outsider shall be let in. You know the punishment for breaking this rule is death.”

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“If I didn’t, they would have died out there, so I had to help them.”

“That isn’t an excuse, you fool. If you were not the chief’s daughter, I would have cut your head of where you stand. You have really been pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable Maple, but this is too far.

“We can discuss that later, but right now, someone’s life is in danger so let me help them.”

Buloke then has a look of shock on his face and says, “These outsiders must have used some hypnotising power on you. Guys, restrain her. She isn’t in her right mind.”

“You idiots, of course, I am in my right mind. Let go of me.”

“We have not such power. You should leave her alone,” I say, but as the words leave my mouth, I feel a strong fist hit me in my stomach, forcing me to my knees.

“Silence, intruder who gave you permission to speak”

Vomiting from the hit, the pain I feel from his first is worse than the bite I received, but more than that, I feel immense anger and what’s making me think that is him. So full of rage with my face barely lifting itself from the ground, I stare at him intensely.

“That’s a rather fierce look you have it just like a beast, but luckily for me, I accel at hunting those,” he says as he swings another punch at me.

As his first close in on my face, it is suddenly stopped by a hand behind me. The unconscious man has woken up.

“A man such as yourself shouldn’t be hitting kids,” he says as he sends Buloke flying with a punch.

He then gets up with his left side still severely frostbitten “Do any of you other fine adults want to pick a fight with me? If not, put your spears down.”

My first thought was that this guy is strong. How is he able to move when his body is like that? Still ignoring his pleas, the people around hold their spears, and one shouts, “CHARGE.”

“STOP YOU FOOLS,” a thundering voice says.

When I look over, I see a monstrous man. While I am gazing at this man, I hear the frostbitten man say, “This is bad.”

The giant man walks over to Buloke and says, “Everyone take this as an example of why violence is the lowest form of communication, because the moment you face someone stronger, you no longer have the ability to get your point across.”

“YES, SIR”, the crowd of people shout.

So, as he walks over to us, the man in front of me takes a defensive stance, but then I hear Maple Shout, “Dad, don’t do anything bad.”

Dad, that must mean this man is the village chief.

The man sighs and says, “Cleaning up mistakes is a father’s job. Everyone throws the little one in prison and keeps a close eye on him and take the other one to be treated.”

One person in the crowd says, “But that is dangerous to the medics treating him. This man is strong. It’s too dangerous. We should just throw them out.”

After this, the crow shouts in unison, “OUT WITH THEM OUT WITH THEM”

“Then I will be present as he is being treated. That should be enough to curb your worries.” After the chief’s declaration, the voices of everyone went silent.

“So we’re ok now,” the man in front of me said as he passed out. Soon after he fell, the people around us acted fast and did what the chief said, picking the man and me up and taking us away.

“Maple, we’re going to talk later,” the chief says with fury in his eyes. Maple looks frightened at the prospect of it. But I didn’t get a good look because I was taken away rather quickly and thrown in a jail cell with iron stocks binding my hands and feet.

So, my hands and feet are now bound in a jail cell with no one around and no books to read. They even took my box of letters, and from the looks the people were giving me, I am sure everyone in the village wanted to kill me. I think this is the best situation to use that word Capti taught me

“FUCK”

-Break-

Three days later

I am bored, so, so, bored. Did they have to keep me in this cell all by myself? I have had nothing to do except shit and piss in a bucket, and if I even want to talk; the guards refuse to answer any of my questions.

So, I get back at them by playing mind games with the guards. I discovered they think I am some demonic creature, so I started mumbling nonsense in the other songs while staring intently at them. They were visibly shaking and freaking out. It’s the only joy I have had while being locked in here.

That’s how the last few days had gone until today, when they came into my cell and said, “We have been tasked with covering you with this,” they were holding baskets filled with snow.

They must be checking if I was resistant to snow. I guess Maple and her dad talked after all. So, I now sit there surrounded by a massive amount of snow. All this snow is making me feel nostalgic, so I start smiling. The guards have constantly been glancing at me. I guess they are worried I am going to freeze to death.

So, to get them to stop, I mumble even faster in the saviours and heavens song while staring at them for even longer. That brings their eyes to turn away from me.

Will this be my whole day? “Your cell is here,” The guards say as they open my door and bring the man with the scars into my cell.

As he gets close to the cell, he notices me covered in snow and then screams at the guards, “Are you trying to kill this boy? You men should be ashamed,” the guards frighted immediately go into fighting positions.

“Don’t worry; the snow doesn’t affect me. I’m all good.”

Taking a second to understand what I said, the man backs down and says, “My humblest apologies, I overreacted,” as he bows to the guards. This causes them to relax.

After that, they threw him into the cell with me and locked the door. When he entered, he said, “I heard from the girl called Maple that you saved my life and brought me here, thank you.”

“It was no problem, but could I ask you a question.”

“Go ahead. It’s the least I could do for you.”

“Oh, thanks, so why do you want to die.”

“What do you mean.”

“Well, most people who go up Fimbulwinter have a death wish, so I was just asking why you want to die,” I say with my eyes staring intently at him.

“I know I said ask me anything, but don’t you think you should be somewhat close with the person you're asking that question to.”

“Oh, sorry, your right, so how about this because I saved your life. Be my friend.”

“Two things first, friendships are built, not you can’t just magically become friends with someone, and second it’s immoral to use a favour to take advantage of people in such ways.”

Annoyed, I say, “But you said you would answer my question.”

“I am sorry but making sure a young boy like you has better morals, is much more important than a promise,” he says confidently.

I hear the guard snicker at our conversation. “Ok, then, can I at least have your name.”

“You should always state your name first before asking others.”

He is irritating me, but whatever, “My name is Orb.”

“Nice to meet you, Orb. My name is Cole Animus.”

Log of animals

Name: Sonbit

Height: 210cm

Type: Predasaur

Description: It is a giant white fluffy mamma with long ears and long circular tails

Fact: They have no teeth, so they swallow everything they eat whole, breaking it down with their acidic stomachs.