BRANCHES creaking, feet shuffling through detritus, squirrels chattering, leaves rustling, wind whistling around trunks/disturbing the leaves, birds singing, insects humming/ churring, rustle of animals rooting in the underbrush, scrabbling of lizards on tree bark, limbs...

"I am Ambroz and I know nothing about a creature."

Theon was awestruck when he heard him answer. Ambroz left him dazed after he exclaimed that he does not know nor see such a creature lurking inside the woods.

"Impossible..." He mumbled.

Ambroz walked back inside the cave leaving Theon behind. Meanwhile, Theon was just staring in nothingness as he kept recalling the time when he heard such noise. No. More like a roaring sound.

"Are you really sure you know nothing about-" He stopped talking when he noticed Ambroz was not there anymore.

He looked like a fool bouncing around looking for Ambroz. However, he paused as it came out of the cave carrying a bow and arrow. It was rusty and obsolete but was sharp enough to kill a person.

His eyes widened. "Where are you getting on using that?" Pointed at Ambroz's weapons.

Ambroz halted and was disturbed by him frequently asking him so many questions. He asked himself how the bloody hell did he end up with this person?

"What do you think this is used for, airheaded?" He asked caustically in his deep voice.

Theon innocently glanced at his face and then back with the weapons.

He gasped and said, "Are you going to slaughter the conquerors?" It was in a tone of disquiet.

Ambroz took a deep breath and pursed his lips, he was at the edge of his fury. Such a naive man in front of him.

"Why do you think I could singlehandedly slaughter those men? And didn't I already told you that they attained weapons that we don't?"

Theon immediately realized it. He was right after all there can't be anybody who could actually defeat those armed enemies.

Ambroz was confused all of sudden by the change of expression.

"Stop asking questions and feel frustrated right after it." He complained.

"Then, where are you going to use that rusty weapon?" He asked with no harm intended.

Ambroz took it seriously, however. "This is not rusty. Also, why are you still here? I've given you so many chances to escape my sight yet you really are testing my patience."

"I was just asking you where you use such weapon and yet you are getting mad about it." He looked dismayed.

Ambroz was now pissed. ‘Does he have a habit of asking and saddened by the answers?’ he heaved a sigh.

"This," He showed his weapon. "Is for hunting. My stomach is empty and moments will pass I might just have to eat you alive or do you prefer to be cooked?"

He was taken aback by it. "Absolutely not."

"Then you must leave before that happens." He ended the conversation and moved onwards.

As soon as Ambroz disappeared from his vision he heavily sighed. For a while, the tragedy last night had left his subconscious mind and also the extraordinary noise he heard. He sat by a near tree to calm down himself. He was not wounded but he feel as though he was hurt intensely. He couldn't believe that the people he treated as a family was gone.

"I even dreamt about them for the last time."

He was in a miserable state.

However, he stood up. He almost forgot but the people of the village was entrusted to him. He should get out of the forest before the conquerors caught him. They might ne searching for him by now. The prople might or might not have been find out.

"But, how would I know where my people are?" He asked himself and roamed his eyes.

Of course, only trees were surrounding him.

"There's also no end to this forest. How can I lead them out when I haven't gone further than the river?"

He has never crossed outside the forest. It was strictly forbidden. And the road where he usually wanders around was nowhere to be found. He massages his head and was silent again.

But he kept an optimistic attitude and planned to do his best to get out of here as soon as possible. The people will be in danger if he stayed here longer.

He roamed his eyes at the atmosphere and see if he can recognize any details that he could hold onto. Absurdly, there was none. So he decided to walk whichever way and find out eventually.

As he traced his every step, leaves kept falling above his face. He ignored it and kept walking. Yet, endless leaves fell off and it almost filled his face. He stared above and saw a sqirrel playing around the branches.

"Uh, hey! Mr. Squirrel, can I ask you something?" He playfully talk to it.

The squirrel stared at him while holding an acorn. As if it understood him, it climbed down and went in front of him- staring at his face.

Theon bent his knees. "Is it possible for you to lead me the way out of this forest? Or to my people?"

It was one in a million chance that this squirrel might actually help him out. They stared at it each other and the squirrel then ran towards somewhere and he began to follow it.

It then climbed back to a tree and Theon saw monkeys after.

"Monkeys?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Monkeys!" He beamed as he remembered what his ancestors taught him.

Monkeys in the woods tend to be wise and is conscious of human's every movement. He thought that these monkeys would probably help him out of this forest instead of a squirrel.

"Uh, hey!" He called out to them.

However, it kept on bouncing around and ignored his yells. He looked around and pick up a stick. He glanced back at the monkeys and threw it at them. Well, he did catch their attention but glares were thrown at him.

"My apologies, I was just trying to ask you guys if you know the way out of here..."

Suddenly, a troop of monkeys appeared before him. He was shaken at how massive it looked like and all he could do was pause to refrain from the heavy tension.

He placed his two palms in front. "Calm down, I have no such intentions." He almost stuttered but he could not ignore the trembling of his voice.

But, he was too late. The troop of monkeys were already after him.

"Oh no," He started to run.

He ran as fast as he can while constantly gazing at his back and seeing if they are catching up to him.

He groaned. "Ah, I... I just wanted to... To get out of here and search for my people."

He regretted throwing sticks at them. He never imagined he did such a reckless action for the first time in his entire life. Running for his life, he wondered if he can actually die if this keeps up and his breath could break off. Now, that his all alone in the woods. He's almost on the verge of crying once again. If only Eliaz was still with him he would probably scold him. Eliaz was always revealing his strong and brave side. He missed him. Furthermore, he regretted leaving him the most.

Theon was still running when he felt that there was no more trace of noise coming from his back. He glanced behind him and he was right. He paused and heard such a refreshing sound. He slowly walked towards it. And he amazed himself in what he found out.

A turquoise-blue stream wound its merry way through the forest. Babbling and burbling, it sprung over the limestone rocks in its way. Pebbles whisked about in the under wash like pieces of glitter. Streams are the liquid soul of the forest, and this one was glowing. Chords of soft light speared down from above, bathing its surface in gold. It was a river.

The sight of it enlightened him. He breathed the air coming from its streams. It felt soothing. But, he suddenly heard the crackling of an object.