Chapter 1

The sun bowed deeply towards the horizon lighting the evening sky with an extravagant rainbow of colors. Various trees towered within the Sillyhp Forest as the sandy gravel mountain soil sprung the occasional tuffs of short lived verdant grasses. Leaves littered the ground below along with a sparse population of stout woody bushes while the trees held their branches aloft soaking the last bits of the day’s sun. Down by the banks of a shallow stream sat two humanoid figures watching the sun retreat deeper into the forests. Along side them was a long shaggy necked beast of burden hitched to a simple wooden cart. It gave a low grunting moan as it shook off the leaves from its short bristly mane.
Out came a heavy sigh of serenity for the setting sun, yet it was also filled with the dread of the coming night. Orrok turned his gaze towards a young man no more than seventeen years, “Tell me Lyu…” he paused to revert his gaze towards the setting sun, “Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?”
Lyu stared out into the distance as if in a trance. He then let out a muted sigh as he turned to Orrok “It feels lonely.”
“It must be the spirits then” Orrok remarked.
“Spirits?” Lyu questioned.
“Not all spirits my friend… Just those who are searching, I figured as much.”
All became quiet as a soft breeze caressed their faces.
“Well whatever they’re looking for I doubt they will find it here” Lyu shrugged as he shook off a light yawn.
“Oh you never quite know what they are after, as fickle as spirits are known to be. They come and go like summer rains, always looking for something different. Spirits are always on the move until they fid what they were seeking.” Orrok got up from the bank dusting off the leaves that clung to his clothing.
Lyu stretched out his legs and in his mind he whispered to himself “I hope they find it soon…” as he clambered on to his feet. Lyu began to walk to the cart, stretching his arms high in to the air and letting them sway back behind his head.
“We best be off before it gets any darker”, said Orrok.
Lyu clutched the reigns of the Cudehjo.
“Orrok, Are you sure that we have enough firewood for the village?” he questioned looking back at the cart half stocked with dry kindling.
“Oh, I’m sure this is enough for at least three days if we ration wisely, these are hard times you know?” Orrok replied.
Hundreds upon hundreds of leaves could be herd crunching and cracking under foot as they made their way to the old rope bridge. On the other side of the bridge vertical cliffs rose high on either side creating a narrow passage that gracefully widen at the near by spring
“You go on ahead to the village store Lyu I’ll lock the bridge gate okay.”
Lyu continued past the spring into an alcove where a small dwelling was carved high into the rock. Tufts of long brown grass grew under the shady trees that encircled the alcove. The soft pat of split hooves stirred the grass at the village gate; the wooden wheels creaked across the many little bridges that zigzagged across the small river like stitches. The clear river water flowed through the mini basin until it emptied into a large the large lake.
Every home had a small garden with various vegetables and herbs. The local women waved hello as the children ran to him from playing a game of kinabrac with their marked stones. He smiled waving back to the women as the children rushed upon him full of questions. They all walked together to the storage shed especially reserved for wood.
“So Lyu, did you see any ferocious animals?” a young boy asked eagerly with bright eyes.
“Lyu did ya find any makaru berries to eat? We haven’t had any here in ages!” asked another.
Each child there had their own query to ask him. Their voices filled the air around him as he laughed happily. Orrok was not far behind him as Lyu began to unload the day’s collection of wood.
“Lyu!” he called out.
“Yeah Orrok!” Lyu replied.
“Bromley asked me to ask you if you could help him wrangle up the Kenwoj with your cudehjo.”
“Alright!” Lyu answered.
“Very well, I’ll take over from here” Orrok replied.
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