(William)

It was high noon on a cloudless day. The Nature Kingdom had endured a decade long winter, but spring was finally on the horizon. The soft pink petals of the foxwood trees were beginning to emerge. The early migratory birds were starting to appear, and they sang the melody of spring throughout the forest.

William had been hunting with his brother, Ivan, most of the morning. Despite their bad luck during the hunt, it had been a peaceful affair until his latest blunder.

“Ughhh,” he groaned. He had squandered the perfect opportunity to put meat on the table.

“William, I don’t know why you keep rushing,” Ivan growled. “How many times are you going to make the same mistake? Slow down… Take your time. Patience is essential during the hunt.”

William’s shoulders sagged. He had always tried to measure up to Ivan. His older brother was seventeen, but he already had the height and muscular build of a man. He was exceptionally agile and excelled at hunting. Where William was hasty and awkward, his brother was patient and nimble. Where his chestnut hair was shaggy and disheveled, Ivan’s black hair was kept neatly trimmed.

Scraps, Ivan’s hair even looks neat when he wakes up in the morning. William flicked his hair out of his face in annoyance.

At least their clothing looked equally beat up. They wore faded coats, patched up pants, and scuffed leather boots. He eyed the quiver on Ivan’s back and the loaded bow in his hand. William grinned.

One of these days I’ll get a bow of my own.

“Are you even listening to me?” Ivan shook his head. “Stop being so impulsive. We could’ve been on our way back home if you hadn’t rushed things.”

“I know that I messed up.” William pushed his hair out of his eyes again. “But when I saw that plump yellowtail perched on the tree, I couldn’t help myself. Before I had a chance to think about what I was doing, I had already hurled the stone.”

“You’re missing the point.” Ivan sighed.

Under the weight of Ivan’s stern gaze, William blurted, “What can I say? I don’t always have control over my arms.” When his brother did not laugh, he continued, “Besides that, I’ve never seen such a fat bird.”

(Ivan)

Ivan regarded his brother. William’s glacier blue eyes, which usually twinkled with mischief, were now filled with remorse. His chestnut hair was shaggy and unkempt, which was its usual state. His hand-me-down clothes were a bit too big for him.

Ivan shifted from one foot to the other. “Well, we’ve scared off most of the game in this area. Anyway, hunting here has been scarce for the last few weeks.” Ivan paused to consider their options.

“We can go to the Black Forest,” William blurted. “We never hunt there. I bet it’s brimming with plump yellowtails.”

Ivan turned his head and shot his brother a warning glance. “There are reasons why we never hunt there. As you know, Aunt Lisa has forbidden it. Every year stories come out about hunters who have disappeared after venturing into the Black Forest. Some of them go missing for years and others never return. The ones that do come back have no memory of what happened to them.”

“C’mon…” William rolled his eyes. “You know that those stories are told to scare little kids. Anyhow, I’ve got a brilliant idea.” William glanced at the distant forest and his eyes gleamed. “We can stay at the edge of the forest, not too far from the bridge. Or…” He scowled. “We could go back home and have eggs… again.”

William kicked the dirt. “I don’t want to do that. I’m sick of eggs. I can only take so much of boiled, scrambled, poached, and fried eggs. We eat eggs for breakfast. We eat eggs for lunch. We eat eggs for dinner. I’ve had it with eggs! I’d rather take my chances in the Black Forest than look at one more rotten egg.”

Ivan rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, we’ve already checked most our traps and snares, and they were empty.” Ivan pressed his lips together.

For the last week, the brothers had returned home with nothing. Each day had been more discouraging than the day before. They had never experienced such a dry spell. It was almost like a predator had entered their area and had spooked off most of the wildlife. The thought made him instantly more vigilant. He carefully scanned the forest around them. He reminded himself that he had not seen any unusual footprints and that their bad luck with hunting was probably just a fluke.

This was not the first time that William had suggested that they venture into the Black Forest. Ivan had gotten used to his brother’s badgering. Today was no different.

“Put your slingshot away and let’s go check the pit trap by the river,” said Ivan. “We haven’t been there in a while.”

William muttered and grumbled behind him, “Stupid traps.”

They trudged on through the woods in search of game. Their path took them westward. Ivan heard water gushing over rocks before the Lonely River appeared ahead of them. He walked toward the edge of the riverbank and smiled wistfully. He remembered going to the Lonely River with his dad before the war. He must have been around six years old at the time.

William stepped up next to him and flung a stick in the river. It bobbed and twirled for a moment before it began its journey down the river. Ivan watched it flow away and wondered how long it would take for it to reach the Ocean of Tears. The river passed by Calot, the fallen capital of the Nature Kingdom, before it merged with the ocean. That was the city where he had been born. That was the city where his parents had died.

“Well, the pit trap is empty too,” William groused. He crossed his arms. “What now?”

Ivan blinked a few times to snap out of his reverie and scanned the area. A suspended wooden bridge swayed, as gusts of wind moved it from side to side. It was an ancient structure, far away from any roads and so was rarely used. Some called it the Forgotten Bridge because no one could remember who built it or when. Ivan wondered why it was built in such a remote location. It did not seem practical.

He remembered the first time he had seen it, about nine years ago. It still surprised him that it looked brand new. Neither the planks nor the ropes showed any signs of aging.

It isn’t natural. He frowned.

Across the river, the Black Forest loomed dark and malevolent. A sudden movement on the other side of the bridge caught Ivan’s attention. He saw a white rabbit at the edge of the forest. A stroke of luck! The animal was just inside his range.

“Oh, I wish I could get closer before I try this shot,” he whispered to William as he lifted his bow and nocked an arrow. “Crossing the bridge will spook the rabbit. My best bet is to try to hit it from here.”

Ivan took a breath, exhaled slowly, and let his arrow fly. It would have been the perfect shot if not for a stray gust of wind. The rabbit startled when the arrow struck the ground next to it. It dashed off toward the cover of the forest.

“Aww, that was so close! I could almost taste the rabbit stew.” William sighed. “Still, that was a great shot. If not for the wind, I’m sure you would’ve skewered it.”

Ivan stood at the edge of the river and warily scanned the wall of ancient oaks on the other side. Their supply of arrows had been dwindling over the past few weeks while he taught William how to shoot. His brother was a terrible shot. He shot so far-off target that they kept losing arrows.

I know that William is dying to cross that bridge. A muscle in his jaw twitched.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Resigned, Ivan sighed. “Well, you’ll finally get your chance to cross the river and stand at the edge of the Black Forest. Come on.” He gestured to his brother. “Let’s go and retrieve the arrow, before I change my mind.”

William raised his hands in the air triumphantly. “Finally,” he exclaimed and scampered after Ivan.

The boys crossed the bridge in silence. It did not take them long to recover the arrow. Ivan was not surprised to see William edging toward the woods. He knew exactly what his brother was doing. William had been determined for a very long time to put at least one foot into the forbidden forest.

“Psst, Ivan. Over there,” William whispered and pointed into the woods. “Look… Look! It’s still there.”

The white rabbit munched on some vegetation nearby, not quite under the trees. The ears of the critter twitched as it looked at them. The rabbit hopped behind a shrub before Ivan could nock another arrow.

Ivan glanced at William, who was practically drooling and sighed. He motioned his brother to follow, and they stalked after the rabbit.

Moving with stealth, they followed their prey. Every time Ivan raised his bow, the rabbit hopped behind another shrub. Their pursuit took them deeper and deeper into the woods. Finally, they reached a small clearing, and the rabbit was right in front of them. Without hesitation, Ivan took aim and released an arrow. This time, the arrow hit its mark. William raced forward, grabbed the animal by the ears and yelped with excitement.

“Scraps! This is bigger than any of the rabbits that we’ve seen on our side of the river. There’ll be no eggs tonight.” William did a silly victory dance and whooped with joy.

Ivan crouched down next to his brother and examined their catch. “That’s one hefty hopper. It looks like we’re going to have meat on the table tonight.” Ivan looked at William and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now, William, we don’t want to worry Aunt Lisa. We’re not going to lie to her, but… unless she asks… we’re not going to tell her that we were hunting in the Black Forest. After all, we don’t want to upset her.”

William was quick to agree. “What Black Forest?”

Ivan rolled his eyes and bagged the rabbit. William gave him a wicked grin and launched into his favorite song. Ivan joined in and they headed back to the Lonely River, stepping in time to the music.

The hunter moved silently armed with his spear,

Scared that the giant was lurking ever near.

He had embarked upon a quest,

To save a princess in distress.

The monster took her to its cave,

To make her work for him like a slave.

The hunter reached the lair of the frightful beast,

Afraid of becoming its dinner feast.

He turned the corner, prepared to fight,

The giant’s lair was dark as night.

Before his eyes could adjust and see,

The giant had grabbed him by the knee.

He jerked in shock and dropped his spear,

Caught off guard by the giant’s cheer.

The giant grabbed him and hugged him tight,

If you hadn’t come, I’d have fled tonight.

“You’ve come to save me, I can see,”

The giant shouted with grateful glee.

“The princess makes me cook and clean,

She argues, screams, and is so mean.

I’ll let you live, I promise thee,

But you must take her far from me.”

The hunter moved silently armed with his spear,

His future wife was screaming near!

The brothers finished the song and laughed. As they got closer to the river, the trees around them thinned, letting in more daylight.

Ivan’s expression sobered. The thrill of the hunt had taken them deeper into the forest than he had realized.

“Hey Ivan, do you think there will be a sword fighting tournament in Pike this year? During our last visit a couple of months ago, there were rumors that the Shadowlanders were moving north. What do you think? Do you think they’ll attack us?”

“Even if they attack, Lord Harvin has been improving Pike’s defenses for years,” Ivan replied.

It’s just a matter of time before the Shadow Lands attack Pike. With the end of winter, it’s inevitable, Ivan thought, but he did not share that with William.

“Anyway, I hope they don’t cancel the sword fighting tournament this year. Last year when you won, I got treated like a lordling. All I had to do was say that you were my brother and people gave me free stuff. At the Bright Bell tavern, I got honey rolls and apricot cider. At Flossy’s, I got her famous cherryberry pie. You know how much she charges for one of those and I got two of them for free!” William paused then added, “All I had to do was introduce her daughter to you.”

“Oh yeah, I remember her.” Ivan cringed. “If only I had known what you were up to, I would have bought you those pies myself. That girl talked for hours without saying anything. She talked about all her past relationships and how none of them had met her expectations. I barely managed to get away from her. And then, I had to avoid her until we left Pike.”

“Yeah, I probably should’ve saved one of those pies for you, but they were delicious,” William admitted. “Anyhow, I hope there is a tournament this year. I want to go back to the city. The first thing that I’ll do is visit the merchants near the Bell Towers. They sell my favorite cocoa-butter truffles. Then, I’ll sneak into Lord Harvin’s keep and explore his sunstone gardens. Last year they almost caught me. Oh, and for dinner, I’ll visit the outdoor kitchen near the Argent Steed Inn. Their onion soup is the best! Don’t tell Aunt Lisa, but it’s even better than hers. Scraps, I can practically taste it now. I love Pike. I wish we lived there.”

“Yeah, it would be nice to live in Pike,” Ivan agreed. “There are so many things to do there. They’ve got a three-story library, master craftsmen, a great bazaar, dueling pits, and a central well with aqueducts.”

“Yeah, pumping water and carrying a heavy bucket every morning stinks,” William complained.

Ivan cocked his head. “I wish Aunt Lisa would tell us why she refuses to move to Pike. I can tell that it’s not just about the war. She’s adamant that we have to stay on the farm.” He shrugged. “I’m sure she has her reasons, but it does make things harder. It’s a long trip to get provisions from the city, but hopefully things will get easier with winter coming to an end.”

“I can’t wait for the summer to arrive,” William declared.

“Yeah, you were too little to remember your first summer. You were barely four.”

“I’ve known winter almost all of my life,” William agreed and kicked a small rock.

William remained silent for a bit, before asking, “If the Shadowcloaks move north, do you think they’ll find our farm?”

“Has anyone ever visited our farm? It’s not an easy place to find.”

“Oh, yeah! You’re right.” William nodded and smiled. “So, who do you think will win the Burn the Banner champ…”

His brother was silenced midsentence as forceful gusts of wind sprung out of nowhere and blasted the boys. They were knocked off-balance.

“Whaa!” William squawked.

The trees shook violently around them. Branches snapped and fell. Ivan yanked William away from a large tree that crashed down near them. The sky darkened and lashing rain pelted the ground.

“Follow me,” Ivan shouted and they ran.

“Run faster!” Ivan cried out. The rain poured down, drenching the boys. “We need to cross the bridge,” Ivan shouted over the clamor of the storm. “We don’t want to get stuck on this side of the river.”

They raced out of the forest. Ivan’s heart sank when they reached the riverbank and he realized that they were further away from the bridge than he had thought. Somehow, they had gotten turned around in the woods.

He grabbed William’s pack and yelled, “I’ll take this!” He hoisted it over his shoulder and turned around. They sped forward, fighting the elements.

William tripped and fell, one foot coming out of his oversized hand-me-down boots.

“Scraps, they won’t stay on,” William shouted and kicked off his other boot. “I’m better off running barefoot.”

“Just give them to me.” Ivan hustled back, snatched the boots, and shoved them into the pack. He reached down, hauled William up, and they scrambled toward the bridge.

Zap!

Crack!

Ivan was momentarily blinded when a massive lightning bolt crashed into a giant oak tree. The tree collapsed with an agonizing screech into the river. The current grabbed it and propelled it downstream. Two long branches stuck straight up. Those branches looked long enough to hit the bridge. He did not want to get stranded on the wrong side of the river, right next to the Black Forest. He squinted to clear the rain out of his eyes, darting glances between the oak tree and the bridge as he ran.

Ivan reached the bridge before William. The raging storm drowned out the sounds of their thudding feet on the wooden planks as they hurtled forward. The safety of the eastern shore was right in front of them, promising a reprieve.

“Come on, William,” Ivan yelled into the storm. “We’re almost there!”

William shouted back but the pounding rain made it impossible for Ivan to make out his reply.

Ivan reached the eastern shore and turned around just in time to see his brother’s bare feet slip on a plank. William’s feet flew out from under him, flinging him backward. His head hit the boards and he lay there, motionless.

Ivan gasped. His eyes widened as the oak tree barreled toward the bridge. He ran to William, picked him up, and tossed him over his shoulder.

He was too late.

The large limbs of the oak crashed into the bridge. The collision knocked Ivan off his feet and the boys tumbled. Ivan clenched one arm around his brother’s limp body. With his other hand, he reached up and grabbed one of the ropes that suspended the bridge.

The branches of the oak lodged on the side of the bridge, like the desperate hands of a drowning man. The entire structure shook and tilted. Like grappling hooks, the tree’s branches became wedged deeper and deeper between the planks. The ropes snapped one by one. The bridge shuddered violently. The grating and grinding sounds of scraping wood intensified.

Crack!

The bridge snapped.