As the sun began to peek just beyond the horizon, Jonah, Marcia, and Gruff made their way through the dimly lit streets while keeping mainly to the shadows. The boy gripped Jonah's shirt, holding his breath each time they were forced to traverse through the main roads. The normal morning scent of fresh bread and dewy flowers filled the air as the bakery began its daily preparations.
Birds chirped, signaling the morning's arrival just as the three made it to the back gate. Wood splintered from the sides, causing the hinges to rest unevenly and leaving the gate unusable. The teens turned to a small door just near the guard's station, where a lazy guard rested in the small box with his legs kicked up onto the counter.
Marcia made her way to the door, uttering in a language that seemed familiar and unusual at the same time, causing it to suddenly swing open like magic. Baffled, the boy looked up at Jonah, who just winked at him.
The boy gazed at the forest as the teenager carried him past the door, shutting it firmly behind him. Traces of golden sunlight peeked through the trees, bringing an inviting warmth.
Whispers of leaves and branches crashed together as the foliage danced, and it grew louder the further from the village they got. A sharp scent of pine carried by the wind replaced the sweet smell of flowers, and lulling water trickled and dripped all around as a symphony of birds chirped along. It was very different from the clattering, chattering sounds of the village that the boy had grown used to; almost like a song.
As if joining the choir, Marcia began to sing. Her voice was strangely powerful, fluttering through the trees like a leaf on the wind. Then Jonah's voice blended in with Marcia's; his voice was striking like the beat of a bird's wings, and the boy could feel the vibrations from the song against the teen's chest. Closing his eyes, he listened to their song…
By Day we sing,
And night we fight
Here within the forest.
The song we sing
A joyful tune
Ladada dada da.
When night arrives
Protect your life,
Danger's in the forest.
Adventurer's past
They come to life
Returning to the forest.
They guard
The night
To people's fright,
Stay safe,
Beware
The forest.
After some time, the singing stopped, and as the day faded, the two teens began to slow their pace, each footstep deliberate, each movement careful as if they would wake a beast from its sleep. Their heads swiveled back and forth, watching shadows dart behind the trees.
"It's gotten late." Jonah looked up at the sky.
"You're right." Marcia looked around, "We are still a ways from home, too."
"We should find a place to set up camp before—" Jonah glanced at the boy, and flashing a smile, he said, "Gruff, could you get us some firewood? Don't go too far, though."
The boy ran off through the brush, scouring the ground for little sticks, hoping to be helpful. He fumbled with the growing pile when he heard the teenagers whispering. "Monsters have been more aggressive lately. Maybe it was a bad idea to bring Gruff back without Ma."
"You saw how he looked." Through the brush, the boy could see Marcia rolling out some bedding as she spoke. "There was no way we could leave him in that village and not feel guilty if something happened to him."
"Still though. I don't feel right about tonight. After all, something was stalking us those last few miles."
"I know. I'm worried too, even the Hobgoblins we trade with have been attacking people."
"Ma always talked about how monsters could go crazy, but I never really believed it until—"
A twig snapped under the boy's foot, and the two teens pulled out their knives, jerking their heads in his direction. He curled up into a ball as they pushed the brush away, revealing his shivering body and a pile of wood strewn across the ground.
"Oh, Gruff! You scared us!" Jonah sighed.
"By the looks of it, we scared him more." Marcia reached a hand out for the boy. "Sorry about that. We thought you were a wild animal, or… something."
"It's getting cold, Marcia. Let's get the fire started."
Picking the boy off the ground, Marcia carried him over to the fire pit they dug while he was away and set him down on a pile of blankets. One of which, she pulled over his chest, tucking in the sides before patting his stomach in a soft rhythmic motion.
"Get some sleep, Gruffy. We will get home tomorrow."
With heavy eyes, the boy watched Marcia as she smiled down at him before drifting off into sleep, where his dreams were filled with memories of his mother dancing in the meadow.
"Gruffy," a voice pulled him from his dream. "Wake up, Gruffy." Marcia knelt in front of him, and he rose from the makeshift bed, rubbing his eyes. She pushed his hair away from his face, saying, "We will have to get you a haircut when we get home."
She smiled, but she looked worn out and was covered in dirt. In fact, the entire camp looked a little rough compared to last night.
"Man, Gruff, you slept well." Jonah smiled. His clothes were in tatters, and he held his knife in his hand as his eyes darted to the tree line.
"We should get going," Marcia said while dusting off her pants. "Ma always says—"
"It's best to start a journey early."