It was an early fall day in the Lowvanicc Tribe. Everybody was hard at work preparing for winter, especially the doctor who expected many colds and flus. However, something unexpected happened... Their leader, FoxThorn had died suddenly with no explanation as to how it happened.

“I just can’t figure it out... FoxThorn was perfectly healthy yesterday... and this morning too!” The doctor commented while examining the body.

“Did you give her any medicines?” one young woman asked.

“No... I only give my medicine to sick people...” the doctor said, shaking his head.

The woman then noticed that the doctor was missing a tooth. She had never noticed this before. She then noticed some tears trickling down the doctor’s face. He was thinking back on all the good times the tribe had under FoxThorn’s leadership.

“What are we going to do without a leader? How are we supposed to tell everyone this bad news?!” the young woman asked.

“Amy... I... I don’t know...” the doctor says, gently laying a hand on the cold dead cheek.

“Amy? I’m not Amy...” the young woman says.

The doctor turned around abruptly to look at the woman.

“Aren’t you, though?!” the doctor asked.

“Okay, this is getting out of hand... What is going on?!” Not-Amy asks.

“Like I said... I don’t know...” the doctor said, then he emerged from FoxThorn’s hut.

He opened his mouth to speak, and at first, he had to pause because he opened his mouth a bit too far.

“Hey everyone! Looks like we need a new leader!” the doctor announced.

“WHAT?!” many of the tribe members asked in shock.

“FoxThorn is dead. There is nothing I can do about this,” the doctor continued.

“But... It’s nearly winter! In just a few months, we’ll be up to our waists in snow!” one person cries out.

“Let us vote on a new leader,” the doctor said.

Not-Amy emerged from the hut after him.

“Well, that was a horrible way to announce the news...” Not-Amy said.

“Sorry, I’ve never had to do this before...” the doctor apologized.

Then, much to the doctor’s surprise, everyone agreed that he should be the new leader.

“Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!” the tribe members cheered.

“I have a name, you know!” the doctor said with a chuckle, “My name is Red.”

“What? No... I thought your name was James...” Not-Amy said.

The doctor looked at Not-Amy with a look of bewilderment.

“What on earth are you talking about? Shouldn’t I know my own name?!” the doctor asks, “Something really weird is going on and only one person can help us now!”

“The Speaking Stone?” Not-Amy suggests.

“No, where did you come up with that title from?! His name is The Rock Of Words!” the doctor declares.

The tribe members fall silent and stare in shock at the doctor. The doctor realizes this and blushes in embarrassment.

“Something has to be done... And anyways, as new leader, I should pay the rock a visit,” the doctor says.

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“You need an escort! You know these woods are dangerous!” Not-Amy says.

“I... Well... Why don’t we go together?” the doctor suggests.

“Sure, I’d be happy to,” Not-Amy responds.

The doctor leads the young woman to where the camp exit is usually located, but, for some reason, it is closed off.

“Well, then... Up we go,” the doctor says.

Much to Not-Amy’s surprise, the doctor leaps clear over the wall and lands with a thud on the other side.

“JAMES!” Not-Amy cries out, climbing the fence to check on the doctor.

“Urgh... That was a terrible idea...” the doctor says, peeling himself off the ground.

“Do you need help?” Not-Amy asks.

“...yeah...” the doctor says, reaching a hand up to Not-Amy.

Not-Amy reaches down and grabs the doctor’s hand and helps him to his feet. The doctor dusts himself off and smiles a thanks to the young lady.

“Come on, we have a long ways yet to go,” the doctor says.

Walking away from the camp, a sense of dread keeps crawling down the young woman’s spine.

“What if we can never find the way home...?” Not-Amy asks.

“Amy... We will find our way home... Our hearts will guide us home,” the doctor says, accidentally calling her Amy again.

“Please... My name isn’t Amy...” Not-Amy says.

“Right, right... I keep forgetting...” the doctor says.

The two continue on and on as the dense woods surround them for a moment. Dizziness overcomes Not-Amy and she collapses.

“What?! No! You’re supposed to be my escort!” the doctor exclaims.

He stoops next to the unconscious woman and checks for a pulse.

“No! No, no, no! Please! Don’t be dead!” the doctor cries out, shaking the young woman.

He looks around the woods nervously, expecting to be ambushed at any moment.

“Please... Don’t die!” the doctor cries, “Please...”

A wind blows through the trees and the leaves rustle. Suddenly, there is a crunching sound like feet walking through leaves. The doctor turns around again and sees the figure of a young woman walking towards him.

“Doctor...? Are you coming?” the woman asks. It’s Not-Amy!

The doctor quickly looks back at where the dead body was, but there is nothing there.

“You died!” the doctor exclaims.

“No? I’ve been walking ahead of you this whole time, watching for danger,” the young woman says.

“Then who collapsed at my side and had no pulse?” the doctor asks.

The young woman grows pale in fright.

“We should probably walk faster...” Not-Amy suggests.

“Great idea!” the doctor says.

After walking for some time, the pair of travelers come across the cavern.

“Look, Max! There it is!” Not-Amy cries out.

“What? Who’s Max?” the doctor asks.

“You are! You’re Max!” Not-Amy says.

“I’m not Max; I am Eddie,” the doctor says.

“No way!” Not-Amy disagrees.

“Let’s just go into the hole!” Not-Max says.

The two crawl into the cavern together and approach a large stone.

“Knock, knock!” Not-Max says, gently placing his hand on the stone.

“Huh? Oh! I wasn’t expecting a visit from Lowvanicc’s doctor!” the stone says.

“Something serious is going on!” Not-Max says.

“What kind of serious? Did the woods catch on fire?” the stone asks.

“No, there’s been a disturbance and nobody knows the truth anymore...” Not-Amy butts in.

The stone is silent a moment and then speaks again.

“I didn’t quite expect that to happen so soon...” the stone says.

“You knew it would happen and you didn’t warn us?! FoxThorn is dead!” Not-Max says, getting angry.

“FoxThorn is mortal, her life would end eventually. I am sorry for your loss,” the stone says.

“It wouldn’t have been this way if you had just granted your powers to her!” Not-Max yells.

The stone falls silent and then sighs.

“I did what I knew would be the best in the long run,” the stone says, “I will correct the cracks in time. You two best head home.”

“Can you prevent this from happening again, please...?” Not-Amy asks.

“I will keep my senses open to future cracks,” the stone says.

“Well, hopefully we won’t need to see you again soon,” Not-Max says.

“Yes, but if you ever need guidance, The Speaking Stone is here,” the stone says.

Not-Max and Not-Amy crawl out of the tunnel. A strong wind blows, nearly knocking them over. The wind cuts into the forest floor and draws a line heading back to camp.

“Doctor! Look!” Not-Amy cries out.

The doctor whips around to see what Not-Amy is talking about and also sees the trail.

“That’s the way home!” the doctor cries out.

“The Speaking Stone said we should head home!” Not-Amy says.

“Hey! I have all my teeth!” the doctor says, touching where once a gap was.

“That’s great! I knew you weren’t missing a tooth!” Not-Amy says.

The doctor and the young woman ran home, following the trail as a heavy wind whipped through the woods. On the way back, the two became very frightened by a strange sound.

“Doctor! What’s that noise?!” Not-Amy exclaimed upon hearing it.

She was trembling and her eyes were wide with fear. The doctor glanced around nervously, digging his feet into the ground.

“I might have an idea of what that noise is...and it isn’t something good!” the doctor said, his voice getting all squeaky.

“W-What is it...? Something that will give us horrifying powers only for us to completely obliterate ourselves soon after?!” Not-Amy asked.

“Where on Earth do you get such silly ideas! No, it’s not that horrible...” the doctor said.

“Death?!” Not-Amy asked, trembling.

The doctor nearly leaped straight up into the sky upon hearing the sound again, then, acting quickly, he jumped in front of the young woman.

“I thought I was supposed to protect you!” Not-Amy exclaimed.

“Yes, but that was until the Bamboo Snakes showed up...” the doctor whispered.

“Bamboo Snakes?!” Not-Amy asked, looking horrified.

“Shhhhh... Or they’ll hear us...” the doctor whispers.

The noise grows louder and closer, making both travelers extremely nervous.

“I... I think we’re just going to have to make a run for it...” the doctor says, gulping nervously.

The doctor grabs Not-Amy’s hand and then dashed off. The snake noises grow louder and more fierce as though the sudden movement has angered them. The two run and run until they reach the camp. Upon arriving, the doctor knocks frantically on the door.

“Who’s there?! If you’re not a Lowvanicc...” a voice grumbles.

The doctor and Not-Amy exchange looks of surprise. Before either of them can respond, the face of FoxThorn appears at the top of the gate, peering down at the travelers.

“WHAT?! GET IN HERE, YOU TWO! YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!” FoxThorn yells.

A few moments later, FoxThorn is throwing the gate open and pulling the two tribe members back into the camp.

“FoxThorn! You’re alive!” Not-Amy cries out.

“But of course I am! Why would I not be?!” FoxThorn asks, putting her hands on her hips.

“Well... The two of us had to travel down to the Speaking Stone because there appeared to be a disruption in the time flow...” the doctor explains.

“I BET IT WAS THORN’S DOING! CURSE THAT CURSED CHILD!” FoxThorn yells, shaking her fist.

Well, after that, everything seemed to hold together. Only the doctor and his companion would remember the nonsense that occurred...

The End!