[Chapter 3]

Anders and Otto began riding through the town. The family’s shop was at the North point and although it would be logically quicker to go around the town to get onto the path, they would have to pass the hospital. Both have an unspoken distaste for the place and avoid going near it when possible. Anders feared who he would see, and Otto respected his wishes.

“So, what thing are we doing first? Fight the pretend tree fay? Maybe shoot arrows at the goblin foes?” Otto began listing things they would do as children, often adventuring out with just their imaginations and play weapons made of wood. Anders kept quiet. For a moment Otto thought maybe something was bothering his friend’s mind. An issue he needed assistance with. Then he remembered how Anders would go quiet as a tactic to keep from saying the wrong thing and letting out what his real intentions where to Otto. “You’ve already got me on horseback trotting towards a forest. The least you could do is speak to me.” Otto said with slight frustration. “We are going on an adventure. I’ve grown bored of the town… want… no, need… something refreshing. New sky.” Anders replied. “Is this because of the mist thing. It’s rain if you want to call it rain.” Otto scoffed, more jokingly in an attempt to break his friend’s facade. Anders chortles. “No, no, dear friend. We are two young bachelors who need a fresh crop!” Otto rolled his eyes; of all the people he knew Anders was probably the only who never truly saw Otto for who he is. It was an odd feeling; your best friend is really only friends with the version he made up of you in his mind. Otto often wondered if Anders would still be friends with him if he knew. He still liked the idea of women, but the allure just wasn’t there. It wasn’t all there with men either but more so than the opposite. Otto always assumed it was due to the men he was surrounded by more than his actual feelings. Maybe a venture outside of the town would do both of them some good.

The men reached the outer south buildings of the town, the path changed from stone to dirt. Packed down from years of travel and weather. They began without a word galloping across the open field between the famers crops towards the trees in the distance. The mist causing a fog along the branches making the forest look darker than before. But this was their forest, they grew up running bare foot along the paths. They had nothing to fear between these leaves.