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Samuel

Just as Samuel thought the squeezing would kill him, he opened his eyes, and all the pressure was relieved. He could feel similar reactions from his orangutan, Feather.

"That was quite strange." commented Feather, shaking her head a few times. He had to agree with her; Samuel had never experienced anything like that before. Slightly troubled Samuel untied their legs, and the ropes slid to the ground. The straw-colored grass was knee high, and dotted with wild blackberry bushes. There were no berries, whether that was due to birds they did not know. A few trees were there, tall spindly things with waving leaves. They needed to know where they were.

"What a queer tree." Said Feather as she nudged a branch with her snout. Samuel expected it to move, but it did not.

"Hmmm." Was all Samuel said. Off in the distance, in the direction of the setting sun, Samuel could see the ruins of a rather large city - or what looked like ruins, at least. That would be the obvious destination.

"What do you think, Feather?" Samuel said, waiting for her to answer. Feather was nibbling on a bit of dried meat that she had managed to get for them.

"Want some food?" She said.

"No." Samuel said. "I'm prone to loss of appetite when bored."

"Are we going there?" Feather pointed to the city ahead.

"Yes."

"Now?"

"Yes."

They began their journey.

[Post collaborated on]

Crane and Crew

Samuel jumped to his feet, his fists clenched. "Who did that? Make yourself known!"

"Me moniker be Crane. 'N ye art?" Crane questioned.

"Crimeney! What did you just say?" Samuel asked.

"I be Crane. Who art ye?" Crane repeated.

"I be Samuel - wait, I mean, I am Samuel." Samuel said.

"Art ye mockin' me?" Crane questioned.

"Not mocking you! Just a mistake, just a mistake!" Feather said, hands gesturing.

"This be Feather - no, no, I mean this is Feather." Samuel said.

Feather threw her hands in the air and exclaimed, "Oh brother!"

"Where the heck did you come from anyway, sneaking up on a man in a deep slumber, talking all funny like you do?" Samuel asked.

"Sammy, where are your manners?" Feather exclaimed. "Crane, come join us for breakfast!"

"I hail from Yezin." Crane stated.

"Where is Yezin?" Feather asked.

"Yezin be th' city ov'r thither." Crane clarified, pointing in the direction of the ruined city.

"Why are you all the way out here?" Samuel asked.

"That ruined city over there?" Feather asked.

"No, no, Yezin be not an undone city!" Crane exclaimed. "Them ruins surround Yezin's outskirts."

"Cool!" Feather said. "Would you join us for breakfast?"

"Hold on, what do you mean?" Samuel exclaimed. "Why is Yezin surrounded by ruins?"

"Oh yarr, I would lust to join ye fer breakfast!" Crane said.

"Oh my, you've got to try this rabbit with blackberry!" Feather declared. "You'll never try anything better!"

"You're not answering my question! Has there been a war?" Samuel inquired. "Is the city not safe anymore?"

"Oh I would lust some!" Crane said.

"Yep, Sammy makes the best campfire food anybody can ever have!" Feather proclaimed.

"Are either of you listening to me?" Samuel asked. "You're talking about food, I'm talking about serious business!"

Feather and Crane turned their gaze to Samuel and seemed to see him for the first time.

"What's wrong Sammy?" Feather asked.

Samuel heaved a sigh. "Can you all take your mind off food for a few seconds and talk about the important matters at hand?"

"Well sure Sammy, no need to get upset!" Feather said. "All you had to do was ask!"

Samuel stared at the both of them in disbelief. "Like I asked several times already, why is Yezin surrounded by ruins?"

"Thy sidekick hither be pretty testy." Crane commented.

"Man, don't I know it! You should see him during a full moon." Feather agreed.

Samuel cleared his throat and Feather looked at him. She immediately stopped talking. Everyone looked at each other. Crane turned to Samuel.

"Seasons ago, a terrible forest fire raged through th' villages toward Yezin. Thankfully, th' river, Cold Creek, which surrounds Yezin, caused th' flames to die out, thereby savin' Yezin. Sadly, th' villages wast destroyed." Crane explained.

"So Yezin is still a safe town to be?" Samuel asked.

"Safe fer ye, but not fer me." Crane stated. "I wast framed fer somethin' I didst not doth."

"What have you been accused of?" Samuel asked.

Feather's eyes grew big. "Please tell me it's not for robbing and restraining friendly wanderers."

"No, no. I wast accused 'o harassin'." Crane clarified.

"Harassing who?" Samuel inquired.

"Some fruitcakes." Crane stated.

"So you wouldn't consider returning?" Samuel asked.

"Forsooth not!" Crane proclaimed. "Those gents would has't me headeth."

"What if we disguised you with my Camouflage Charm?" Samuel suggested. "It changes your appearance."

Samuel had done it so many times. It had become second nature by this point. It felt like he was a completely different person when he slipped on the anklet.

Crane stood, feet on the grass, overlooking the ruins of the villages. These villages had been the pinnacle of trading in the days of old. That had all changed years ago, when a fire ended their legacy. Did he want to go back? The villagers wouldn't. He knew that.

He thought.

Feather

Feather's breath was frozen in her chest, too cold to make a cloud in the air before her. The wind howled, throwing icy snow at her face. Each flake was a needle-sharp pain. Feather had long since lost all the feeling in her feet and hands, but the rest of her stung with the bitter, relentless cold as she stumbled through the snow drifts. There was open whiteness as far as the eye could see. No birds called. It was as if the world had died. Feather tripped and fell, and she couldn't even get up. She was too weak. She stayed there, the snow piling on top of her, her bones freezing and cracking. It didn't even register as pain. Her labored breathing slowed. She was drifting away.

Something grazed Feather's arm - a scaly hand. They, whoever they were, kept digging, slowly uncovering her. She tried to see who it was, but her head was too heavy to lift.

Feather's eyelids fluttered open.

"Feather, are you okay?" It was Samuel's voice. Feather rolled over slowly, struggling to prop herself up on one elbow. She wriggled up to a painful crouch.

"Oh dear, I think she's sick!" Samuel said frantically. "I should've known that her environment and her home never prepared her for this! Crane, we need to get to the hospital of Yezin, and fast!"