Hearthway Hollow

Kirby

Hearthway Hollow was the town you grew up in, but around the time you turned thirteen you had to go move in with your grandmother. You were going to miss Hearthway Hollow, it was surrounded by forest that you loved to explore and play in. Not to mention you'd miss all the wolves that lived around the town. Luckily, your grandmother didn't live too far from a national park and you spent any free time you had there.

After your grandmother died, you decided to move back to Hearthway Hollow. You had been working in the National Park as a ranger and you had seen there was a job opening for a conservation ranger very close to your beloved hometown.

Not much had changed, although town seemed to be much busier than it used to be. There were more shops and business but other than that everything felt the same. You felt at home. You found a nice little place to rent that surrounded by the nature you so loved.

After a few weeks on the job, you got a call at your office from a school teacher. He asked if you would come to the school to talk to the students about your job as well as what it was you did.

"That sounds really great," you tell him. "Is there anything I should bring? I'm actually not sure how to talk in front of a bunch of kids."

He chuckles. "You're coming to the right crowd. Most of these kids would rather be outside than in the classroom. Just be prepared to answer their questions. If you have anything you'd like to bring, I just ask it's nothing dangerous."

"Ok then, I'll bring the musket."

He laughs and you're stunned by how attractive a laugh can be. "I look forward to it. I'm Kirby Daas," he says. The name sounds amazingly familiar to you. "I'll see you Friday?"

"Ok, Mr. Daas, I'll see you then." You hang up and start to wonder what on earth to talk about. You gather up some supplies as well as a bunch of maps you can hand out to the kids. As you do, you still can't shake it that you know that name, Kirby Daas.

On Friday you go to the office to pick up your visitor pass and wait for Mr. Daas. You sit in the office, remember this place exactly. There's a new paint job, but pretty much everything is the same from when you went to school here.

As you're looking over an alumni board a man walks into the office. He's tall and gangly and has a neatly trimmed beard. He has a mess of auburn curls at the top of his head, massive corkscrew curls that look fun to tug. His eyes are a deep hazel and almost look gold behind his thick glasses. He grins when he sees you and extends his hand.

"You must be my ranger," he chuckles.

You feel like you should know him but you still can't place it. "Yes, I am. You're Mr. Daas?"

"Please, you can call me Kirby," he leads you down the hall.

It keeps nagging at you that you know this guy. You feel as if you should know him. He takes you into the classroom where the students are all filing in and taking their seats. You suddenly feel nervous as all their little faces point up to stare at you.

"Ok class let's settle," Kirby says as he walks to the board. He writes your name and job down on the board then turns to the students. "Now, can any of you tell me what a conservation warden is?" A couple of hands shoot up and Kirby points to a girl. "Yes, Mellie?"

"They conserve in the woods?" The girl says and giggles ring out.

You smirk and Kirby laughs. "Well, technically, Bella, how about you?"

"They're the game warden!" Bella says. "My dad gets his hunting and fishing permits from them and they make sure that no one over hunts and they watch over the animals."