Alanis had always wanted to leave the settlement she lived in ever since she was a little girl. Together, she and her childhood friend, would sneak outside the walls of their settlement, and go on make believe adventures. They would fight and slay m...
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand— Princes of the Universe, Queen
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North Larska River
Unknown Forest
It was late afternoon before Alanis was roused from sleep. Her eyes opened and took in the lush canopy of foliage that hung over her, examining the many strange vines that wrapped around the branches of the tall trees. There were hundreds of yellow sprouting blossoms that weaved within them, all twinkling in the sunshine.
Where the hell am I?
She lifted and turned her head to the babbling body of water beside her. Larska River, she figured without giving it a second thought, then continued to look around for a familiar landmark. Dense forest covered both sides of the river, and as far as could be seen, there was no sign of the settlement she belonged to.
Where the hell amI, she thought again giving the yellow flowers a second glance, noticing their sweet fragrance on the breeze. The night before was a blur, and try as she might, she couldn't recall the days before in great clarity either. Just fragments from them.
But she remembered something in great clarity.
"That woman," Alanis whispered, lowering her eyes back to the water while she recalled her. The woman who held her in her arms, she could remember her vividly.
Was she real? Did she bring me here? Who was she?
Alanis stood up and brushed the dried sand that caked againt her skin and clothing away. After she made herself comfortable, she walked along the river searching for Larska, the settlement she called home. The forest surrounding her looked so different from the one she was used to seeing outside her apartment window. There were different types of trees, even the pines looked different, being more tall and slender. She sighed, hoping she wasn't too far from home.
After walking for a while, the shore began to narrow until trees blocked the way. Their branches swooped out over the water, preventing safe passage. It was around that time that she looked up at the sky to estimate what time it was. The sun was starting to fall below the treetops, so she figured it was late afternoon. Swimming was out of the question, knowing her clothes would still be damp by nightfall and how that would make for a more miserable evening.
Alanis made her way to the edge of the forest and broke off a branch from one of the trees. She grasped the thick-branch in her hands, and took several practice swings. It was her naive hope that this switch would help protect her from whatever dangers she would encounter within the forest ahead of her.
