Chapter 3- Stranger

A young boy could be seen walking alone, naked as the day he was born. His brown hair fairly long, but brushed off to the side, his face stream lined and snake like, his eyes sharp but innocent, retaining its semblance of childlike innocence.

He wrapped his arms around himself, as he shivered, the cold wind frolics around his body, enveloping him in a cold embrace.

He looks around frantically. 

‘Why am I here? Where am I?” he wondered. Looking around his unfamiliar surroundings. He looked at himself and saw copious amount of dried blood all over his body.

He looked towards the dark sky, he sniffed the air. “It’s still dawn.” He muttered.

Suddenly his sharpened senses picked up something in the distance. West from where he was, was a familiar smell. Using his seismic sense, he determined its location and followed, with his eyes closed. His snake like instinct coming into play. Kyran didn’t know that he was doing this subconsciously.

His transformation changed him in more ways he has yet to know or understand.

Like in strange a trance, he let his senses take over, his body swaying from side to side, as his feet made a thrummed as it made contact with  the ground as he walked.

Feeling that he was close to his target location, he stopped, just a good distance away.

Opening his eyes, what greeted him was the warm crackling of fire, a tent pitched between two tall trees and a man, dressed in thick dark green mottled cloak hiding his stature and appearance. A sinister long bow was strapped to his back and a Saxe knife on the side of his hip.

He was facing forward, busy brewing coffee his morning beverage.

“What do you want?” he spoke without turning around. His voice grim and unfriendly. 

Kyran was tongue tied in the presence of this cloaked stranger. He remained quiet and still.

Turning around, his eyes widen in surprise, seeing a ten year old, naked and alone covered in dried blood.

“What are you doing here all alone child, where are your parents?” he asked, his voice still unfriendly, distrusting.

Kyran let out a small sobbed as he shook his head wearily. “Gone.” He said softly, voice trembling.

The cloaked stranger, let out a small sigh, he studied the boy closely with sharp trained eyes. ‘He doesn’t seem to be lying. And my horse ‘Abelard’ should have notified me, if anyone else was nearby.’

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

A ranger’s horse was trained to notify its owner, whenever they notice someone unfamiliar approaching their location. The stranger knew that someone was coming and scouted, to see whether it was an enemy or just an adventurer passing by. But seeing a young boy from a distance, he relaxed a little and went back to the fireplace to resume brewing his coffee.

The stranger pulled the cloak off his thin and wiry body and handed it to the naked boy. Kyran accepted the cloak gratefully, and put it on himself. He let out a small ‘thank you’ expressing his gratitude.

The stranger merely nodded in confirmation and faced the fire again.

Kyran, decided to sit near the fire, across the stranger. He looked at his uncovered face for the first time.

The stranger's hair was black-grey, his eyes dark and steady. He is very strong due to his arms being toned through the years of training with the long bow.

Glancing up slightly, he rummaged through his sack which was on the side of him, taking out two cups, he poured him a cup coffee which the stranger handed to the young boy.

Kyran reached to grab the drink with his small hands and smiled as the delicious smell of coffee overwhelmed his senses.

He put his face near the cup, to let the hot smoke from the mug warm his face.

“Name?” the stranger suddenly asks, now taking out dried meat and bread from the sack, handing half of it to the boy.

“K-Kyran.” He answered timidly. As he gratefully, took the food handed to him.

The stranger nodded. Muttering something to himself, after a few minutes, he looked to the young lad, wearing his cloak.

“Do you have anywhere else to go?” the stranger asks.

Kyran shook his head sadly.

The stranger barked out a laugh and patted the boy’s shoulder reassuringly. 

“Then come with me. Your small and athletic figure, seemed to fit my kind of trade. I’ll take you back with me as an apprentice, what do you say?”

Kyran hesitated, unsure of this stranger’s offer, but still for an orphan who was lost and alone in the world, this offer was better than none.

“Okay.” He answered, with a determined voice.