“So Lassie, what do you suppose we’ll find on our journey?” asked the elder to his foxy companion, but the reply he got was a small rapid succession of barks. “I suppose you’re right, but do you think that I’ll find it?”, and again, he only got a small burst of barks that one could expect from a foxling. “Yes, yes, I again do suppose you could be right.” and the little fox only continued to walk with the old man, smiling with its tongue out. The time was still earlier, as the duo had not left the village for more than an hour, the old man looked to the sun, half expecting it to be near noon, half expecting it not to be. They continued onwards. From the eye of a stranger, the old man would have been perceived as a rather thin man garbed in purple robes that reached slightly above his ankles, and on his back was a rather large backpack, filled with the gifts from the towns folk, and on his crown was a rather nice day hat from the tailor. As for his companion, she was a young red fox by the name of Lassie, who was rather nicely attired in a hat of design quite uncommon to many a people, a flat cap the Oldman called it. One made specifically for Lassie at the Oldman’s behest to the tailor. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7F6oeiNEt
He felt particularly joyous from the heartwarming departure of his village to complete his task, the one triggered by a particular letter received just the other week, but being who he was, he had not thought to open it until his teachings were finished and his house was cleaned, and his farm was tended to, and his clothes were wrung, and finally, his day for rest and seclusion. But lo, when he had actually opened it the day prior from his departure, he found the contents quite alarming. That same night, his neighbors could hear him saying particular words quite shockingly to his dismay. Thus, we end up to this scene with the fellow walking on the light brown dirt road between two lanes of many a tree. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5Ocmg1Kmx
A cool breeze had rushed his face and stole his haste along with his sweat, and so the old man felt to rest. A bit more he walked, and then he saw, right in front of him was a rather large and branched tree, filled with leaves to the side of the road. He decided to stay there for just the time being, nothing too long. Lassie lay there near him, nuzzling his being, and so complying with her request he massaged her back as she sat. He looked up, and heard a song. He looked to the tree across the road and in the branches he could see a nest. A mother bird had flown in, dressed in her Monday garbs, and she fluttered to the left and fluttered to the right, and then finally landed near the nest. A chirp soon emerged from her throat, one of mellow beauty, and small chirps began to follow in an excited manner. He could just barely make out the heads of her chicks, but that soon grew easier. As one by one, they marched out, and with a bit of hesitancy, from the nest, jumped! copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrMb9PxydJ
The elder had an exasperated expression worn as he watched the birdling plummet, until, astonishingly, the bird in mid-fall, began to unskillfully and without much in the way of grace, flutter its wings to fly. Up and up, it flapped and flapped to then reach and perch itself on the branch as its mother. And one by one, they all followed, suite. The Oldman’s expression smoothened as each bird had narrowly escaped its plummet, much to the foxes’ dismay, as its maw had gaped in disappointment, and the Oldman laughed. But, there was just one more to go, and this one was of a smaller size than its brethren. She reached the end of the nest, just the edge, and just as she looked like she would make the leap… she scurried back to the nest. Now Lassie’s eyes were fixated on its next meal, and all the other birds began to chirp, perhaps mocking her and the mother sung along still to the baby. The Oldman felt it in that moment! A burst of inspiration exploded across his face as she rushed to the side of his bag to remover his book and writing apparatus. He could feel its essence raw in his mind, a poem was going to emerge on the paper. After a final attempt by the birdling to challenge its fear he placed ink to paper and began to scribe a poem. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡz82qmlxgBT
-Open Air- copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVYCZB5vkH
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FG7oA9eUd
Open air, and windy treats, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60mYxZGiAc
I cannot feel the wind on feet. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hjBDKUien
Belonging to you and no one else, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBbPCsVqYo
This open air, you wear no shell. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡunWMCPuTfl
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡawowvnOtei
Empty sky, and clouds on high, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4ULOnr0OH
Though my wings won't take me by, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkzvWwnlbt
To the Heavens and pleasures which there lie copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpaB0Oamoz
A delectable treat for sore eyes. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwG93teVe2
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoSBbk1JoP
Feathers of mine, feathers of mine, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoj97sRxFy
Won't you take me on so high? copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5cDQQHy1r
In the air, up above, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡq04S2vcZoT
With my brethren and know the love. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06nDRvwYWz
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbg8o2Nile
Of winds in my feathers, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwZHwUtWiz
And no dust in my ears, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97ccsZFUO7
To taste the cool weather, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKeGnVNt9Y
And not live life in fear. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RFfH6tLfr
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQf2iORD8U
On the nest all I feel is rage, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5d9FvVTjE
Where no bird is free. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf4W0PbFt8
My thoughts are in this cage, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxlIWNYZrq
Where they imprison me. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlSLXObr4K
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAm2g99SCv
All I need, all I need, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEzxpZTUiP
Is to taste the blue. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0giDBPkmP
Up on high, up on high, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfCYyYoNCj
And experience free virtue. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwmfsykNqf
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYkdWgYw5l
All I have, my brothers, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAiyv3XUsQ
Is a sky made of steel. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtJCsDDsuB
All I've tasted dear brothers, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvFVfGldze
Is the steel on my heel. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hmzmhyl3N
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AEA5CbuFx
And you all on, up on high, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zlU1aNLxZ
Take the winds, diamonds in sky, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgEuu3ODsC
And wear its elusive touch like bride, copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbMChUYH5T
For I can only hope to join by. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBJcGpXvKU
.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNhbs2Pgeh
At that moment, just as he had placed the last period, the final mark of ending, the full stop to hit the stop… The bird was pushed off by its mother and the Oldman’s jaw dropped at the soon to be horrific sight. At that same instant, Lassie had already bolted away under the fallen bird. “No!”, he screamed at the fox in vain, as the birdling landed… right in the foxes belly. The man’s eyes widened as he saw the fox do that which he had never seen it do in all its time with him. Take a life… and preserve it on its underside. Gently and clumsily, the little bird fell off the foxes’ underside and began to chirp more, as Lassie lay there on its side smiling wide mouthed, at the little creature. Relief poured over the Oldman’s face as his worry drifted away. The foxling had saved the life of the new soul. The mother and others began to chirp wildly at the fox, and so it stood and trod back to her companion. The Oldman began to rub her and cuddle her with all the love his old bones could give, as she simply panted her warm breath on his face. Within a matter of seconds, the baby bird began to flap its wings more and more as its form began to take to the air. The Oldman rubbed his long beard with his fingers and gave a slight chuckle to this unexpected turn of events. Within the time span of a few more seconds, the chick had reached to the top of the branch to reunite with her family. They all chirped happily at this reunion and the old man couldn’t help but smile. To commemorate this special occasion, he pulled his book of blank pages and read over the page aloud, the one on which he wrote. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0FzYpUWqT
[???: Hehehehe… ahh… what a bunch of pretty words you’ve got there mister.” copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35fbtrxhrT
[Oldman: Yes, quite the collection of uh-] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR2s5QWGQK
The Oldman turned his head to the direction of which he was going and saw a man of a similar build, but much younger, dressed in gray attire and wore a black hat. His eyelids were narrow and his skin was a ghastly pale shade of white or grey. He turned to the Oldman and their eyes met. The elder sensed coldness being emitted from this man’s presence, one which made the hairs on the back of his neck salute in shivery fear. The old man gulped slightly as his eyes met the dampness of this man’s eyes. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡHN00ZGjfHH
[???: Nice to meet your acquaintance… Well, not really, but it’s the thought that matters right?] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiO5MwHK3G
Said he in a lackluster voice in monotone, even the man’s words seemed to cool the air. Whether it was some fault in his own vision, the elder could have sworn to have seen a mist come from each of this mans words. In his dull voice, unenthused by anything in this world, he spoke, the elder responded thus.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ArTQm6vr0
[Oldman: Yes… I suppose… I ought to imply, not to be rude, but from a glance, you appear to be a rather unique… fellow. May I implore to ask your name?] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOWyaVXCXh
[???: But of course, where are my manners? I seemed to have left them in my other body… ha… ha… ha] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9SYYAIffW
The man shrouded in the unknown gave a very dry laugh to his own wit. The Oldman began to notice something odd, his vision had become slightly blurred. As if a fog had possessed him, but then he realized indeed, that the air had gotten rather cool, and his glasses had fogged up. The stranger could no longer see the elder’s eyes through the lenses anymore, nor the elder he. The Oldman was paralyzed, he had lost authority to move his hands to remove his glasses, but he could still make out a smile of devilish proportions exposing itself through the lenses. Until, his vision once again cleared. But not of his own accord. His glasses were removed by the stranger who, took from his shirt pocket a handkerchief and began to speak with a small smile while cleaning the lens. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPVJg3j21D
[???: Hmm, oh yes, my name, hmm… I guess that you could call me… Gethen] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbl7M2cbvj
Gethen placed the glasses back to the still eyes of the elder after assuring him his cloth was clean. “Thank you…”, replied the elder, “Gethen…” he continued “That is quite the name indeed, may I inquire a query to question the etymology of your name?” copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhhI6ow4Pe
[Gethen: No. Goodbye.] copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwPuFhVKo7
From slumping on the tree, Gethen removed his presence from the scene, heading in the direction of the town where the older man had just departed. He made his strides uniform and followed the side of the road to perfection. Hands in his pocket and head tilted down, he continued onwards. “What a strange fellow… to just leave like that. He carried not even luggage, just a black coat. What business could he possibly have going to anywhere to or past my town?” The Oldman asked himself with a wry expression worn on his face. copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡY14nLqsypc
This question did not stay in the mind of the mind of the elder for long, he surmised that he would just pass through or do business. By picking himself up and rustling fallen leaves from his robe, he collected his thoughts and began to walk yet again, but something was off. He looked to both his left and to his right and did not see Lassie. He’d never noticed from before, but Lassie always had a habit of playing with strangers, but this time she was spirited away. Through the thin silence, he could hear small whimpers, from behind the tree he sat at. Around the corner, laid in a submissive position, was Lassie, shivering with pupils dilated and glued to the ground, like a scared pup. “What’s the matter Lassie?” asked he to the troubled fox, to which to no avail did he get his reply. “Hmm, so that is how it is, is it?” he playfully said as he began to rub down her back and neck, and the foxling, in turn responded playfully and nibbled at his fingers. With a jolly laugh, he and the foxling continued on, into the unknowns of a world not seen in years. Unseen to either the elder of foxling, was on the side of the tree where the stranger leaned, the wood had turned grey. Where his back met tree had begun to erode and turn to ash. As a gentle wind blew, the side of the tree had been rendered to dust.copyright protection289ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5Sgp41wyO
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