Chapter 2: "The Water is Wide"

Man, and beast both tracked west for many hours. Donald snacked on his Light Meals, Combat or LMC for short from the pouch on the side of his field pack focusing on granola bar and trail mix leaving the shepherds pie for later. as they went and he drained his canteen, concern struck him noticing that this forest of spikes and thorns was only getting drier as they went on. His concern.

This might be on a death march. The Tipping point was the third hour of their track. Donald’s throat parched, very parched as he recalled the mouthful of dirt he ate in his shallow grave.

When after navigating a thorny bush like what had tangled the black Fox, a black Fox climbed 1 of the giant roses and jumped over it, and Donald after trekking a full circle discovered the bush was a perfect circle. He did not want to cut through it, worrying that he would get tangled like the black Fox had been. He had no choice then, so he climbed one of the massive roses. managing it, he had only some scratches on his hands and one large gouge in his left shin.

On the other side, he discovered a spring bubbling which was close enough to the thorn hedge for him to spring off the rose after forcing it to swing and build momentum.

“God damn that’s good.” He exclaimed after bringing his head above the surface for it wasn’t just simply water it was carbonated could be the only word that would fit. the spring was deep, deep enough that he could not swim to the bottom if he were to try. He just might try swimming laps for the spring was slightly bigger than the average hotel swimming pool.

Up on the bank of the spring he listened to the steady sound of gurgling mixed in with hissing as the water bubble. The grass was the thickest he had seen and felt in this forest and appeared to be crowding out the bush and the saplings of the giant rose flowers that were attempting to grow. And next to the spring was a regular trees, Donald looked with wonder thankful for such a mundane and normal view. Each one of the trees which was laid out like a little orchard had different coloured fruits of different shapes, and he could recognize as if each fruit was a mixture of apples, pears, and dozen other types of fruits.

Donald finally turned his attention to black Fox that had just finished guzzling, which it must’ve been doing ever since it leaped over the hedge. apparently, he was not the thirsty one of the pair. Then the fox moved to the little orchard and dug a small hole then gingerly reached into its own for and extracted a seat using two of its claws gently placed in the whole. The black Fox then spat some water it had in his cheeks and cover the whole. Donald marvelled at the beast for was far more intelligent than he had ever imagined, as he watched it moved over to a hole the other side of the spring that was just big enough for it to squeeze in.

Donald decided to partake in the fruit after refilling his canteen and taking a large satisfying swig. He started he started with an orange Apple tentatively peeling it and taking a small bite. It was delicious but to his surprise it was savoury make it closer to an avocado. He gorged himself on the orange apple avocado and then indulged in two other random fruits these were fortunately sweet, very sweet.

He combined the fruits with The remainder of his LMC feeling no need, despite having ample water, to open anything more. Finally after having his fill even though the sun was just beginning to set and at this start of his revival from death he believed he would never sleep again, fearing it would end this dream but after a long march and a full two bursting belly sleep arrived just waiting long enough for him to unrolled his sleeping bag that was attached to his army back. It was a pleasant sleep it was one of those sleeps that a man managed only after a truly exhausting day that ended well enough.

In the morning, he discovered that his body had returned to him in more ways than just working order for he woke up at the crack of dawn, as one tends to develop that habit after a stint in the military.

He decided to set up his bagpipes and begin to play, feeling that this would be his only opportunity because they black Fox was still snoring away underground. Besides if he and it was going to stay partners for long it would have to get used to his music. He figured this would be the start of easing it into the loudness of the pipes, it worked with his pet dog.

He must’ve played for an hour straight, his mood jaunty light and bouncy and so was his tunes picking only 6/8 time signature pieces. IT was fun his embellishments were sharpened as is the day he last had the strength to play.

The black Fox stirred at the sounds of the music, Donald expected the worst, but the beast could be described as nothing but placid as it wiggled its way out of its burrow and went to trees swiftly climbing one and plucking off fruit after fruit with its long claws.

This cycle continued for two more days with Donald always choosing the same tunes because after the first day’s touch of his perfectionism returned, the notes could always be held and cut more the embellishments could be a little sharper and that was enough to keep him repeating again. The black Fox would behave as it always had placid and easy-going and gorging itself on fruit, its behaviour always changed as evening approach as though it started to hunger something new but did not wish to expend its energy on obtaining it.

Donald had no desire to explore the greater strange world they found himself. As far as he’s concerned, he had enough food for a long while and his own private swimming pool.

The pattern was broken when the black Fox finally left the clearing after spending some time sniffing and snorting. Donald at this time that became truly passive sleeping in and missing his morning practice session.

“Now is about time for a dip in the good old swimming pool.” Donald said as he got up from his resting position at the base of the tree, Donald had taken the habit of going shirtless. With the one annoyance of his small Eden being the giant roses sprouts, he had joined the Black Fox in its habit of trimming them from surroundings when he ever felt the need to be productive. the short ones were negated by him keeping his boots, if he didn’t he would not have a very fun time.

The underlying din of the spring and its clearing change with a subtle flare that was nine undetectable, sometimes adding an element of sound makes it less noticeable than it’s absence. Donald fortunately with sensitive musician ears, from years of tuning his bagpipes which was in his opinion the hardest instrument to get right, there is many a competition in his youth that he came in fifth with the only criticism being written was that as pipes were “slightly out of tune.”

He could feel the vibrations almost as much as he could hear them. The bubble of the spring and the rustle of the spiky hedge, added with the whistle of a breeze going through the large and small giant roses. There was slight discord in crunch instead of a rustle and at times a flatness to the sounds on the air. Then he looked towards a section of barbed hedge across the spring.

Donald froze as he’s spotted the there was a slender and agile woman wearing clothing that was medieval, cloak adorning her shoulders. And following her another woman with far more beauty, her hair was the colour of a blue sky. Finally, bring up the rear were two man one with a change of close would fit in perfectly as a biker, the other bespectacled with a academics bearing, both had blond hair.

This group of adventurers apparently were just as shocked to find Donald as he was to be found. Even the clogging of the spring and the Russell’s of the hedge barrier seemed to quiet and go still. Which was then broken but can only be described as a crescendo as the black Fox launch itself from one of the outside giant roses downward targeting the biker looking fella bowling him over and doing everything in its power to get a hold of his throat.