A day had passed and the summer sun was beating down on the healthy grass. The village children were playing outside weilding sticks and playing a mash up of knights and mages and whatever else their imaginative minds could come up with.
They played just on the edge of the village wall. The village was built onto of a big hill that stuck out from the miles of forest. Near the bottom of the large hill the villagers built a log wall good enough too keep any wild beasts out and keep monsters at bay long enough too have a fighting chance.
Cole the leader of the group turned away and looked up too the top of the hill where he saw Kabel staring. Cole kept looking and eventually Felixstow noticed "Uh what's the freak doing now? He shuddered.
And then too everyone's shock Kabel started too walk straight towards the crowd. "A-am I dreaming or" As Kabel walked closer and closer everyone finally got a good look at him.
His hair was so dark green it could be mistaken for black and his eyes were also a deep viridian though not as abyssal as his hair. The thing that caught their attention the most was his temperament. His steps were measured almost mechanical and his expression wasn't cold but more aloof.
When he got too close to ignore, Felixstow mustered up his courage and shouted out "What do you want um moss head!" Kabel looked confused and tilted his head "I'm here to play of course?" The crowd froze over but that was quickly shattered by a giggly laughter from one of few girls in the group called Betta.
"If he wants too play then why not? That argument left an arkward silence as Kabel stood facing the crowd. Cole spoke up and said "Uh okay then you can play a knight" He threw a wooden stick that resembled a sword too him while the rest of group decided to get back into play that was until Felixstow spoke up.
"Well since it's his first time we should do somthing exciting how about we go too the stream" A few did seem eager but the rest were unsure. "Alright how about we leave it too Mosshead over here"
Everyone turned too look at him while Kabel also looked behind him before saying "Oh..I"m mosshead then? Well I guess I've got no problem with going too the stream unless its far?"
Felixstow had a cheeky grin on his face as he smiled and led the way as the group followed along the wooden wall to a more remote area. "Now the adults don't know this but you squeeze under right easy" There's was a large oak tree on where none of the adults in the village would go near often. At the back of the tree where the wall was almost touching there was a hole formed half by roots and the other half by digging that looked it was done by a dog. And so they went through and walked into the forest.
Kabel could tell that the path they used too get to the stream through the forest was familiar to them. Once they did the hard bit of sneaking out the group got relaxed and stared talking. Cole went up too Kabel and said "There's two ways too the stream you can go out the main gate and then follow the dirt path or you can take our way which leads too a more downstream place it's our own hideout"
After hearing that, what boy wouldn't look forward to it? They moved forward and the forest got path winded and twisted as the grass grew longer and the branches grew closer to their faces. The very environment seems to be swallowing them up.
Soon they heard the faint sound of rushing water and on that Cole started running forward which led the boys to start racing and the girls too follow along. Kabel for the first time in his life running along the forest path feeling the freshest of air rushing by him he felt childlike joy and wonder. It was the same feeling he got whenever he was reading them books and the same feeling he got when he emerged out of the water.
As they arrived onto the shore of the stream Kabel stood frozen. Felixstow stood smug and said "I heard you can't remember nothing maybe a familiar sight will jog it for you" Kabel ignored the small crowd and lent down and touched the water feeling flow gently through his hand.
Fliexstow was just about too shout at him for ignoring him but then tears started falling from his eyes. Cole looked at Felixstow and angry said "This is too far Felix say sorry" He quickly looked around and he could tell that everyone else shared the same sentiment.
His face grew red and ashamed as he shouted at Kabel "Why are you crying over a bunch of water anyway" Kabels face didn't contort much while crying so he could easily look up and say to felix "I'm sad and happy...I'm happy because of how far I've come but im sad because I'm not going to stop and now the difference between us will only grow bigger" Kabel noticed the werid mood and said "I'm fine guys lets just move on downstream" He on a big smile on his face and moved forward.