[Chapter 9]

            Despite being sunny out the air was cold and moist. Otto and Anders had found their way to the river edge. Following alongside it for a few kilometers in silence. The sun shimmering off the water but not piercing enough of the treetops seemed odd to the men. Although not the strangest thing to occur today. As they headed up stream Otto couldn’t help but wonder why Anders was heading this way. After all, shouldn’t they turn around and find their way back? Cilla would be cooking dinner by now. She wasn’t as good as cook as their mother, but she put a lot of effort in. Anders could hear Otto’s stomach grumble from behind him. “Need to stop?” Anders asked. Otto looked at his friend peering over his shoulder at him. “Nah, I can eat and ride. Toss me one of those apples.” “All gone.” Anders replied. “Okay, bread? You always take our bread.” Otto stared at the back of Anders head waiting for a remark. “…Okay but ration it.” Anders replied reaching back into the satchel to recover the bread, ripping off a piece and tossing it to Otto.
“Ration? Why? We can just get some more when we head back to town. You took the loaf we were to use for the week.” Otto realizes as he says week that they truly will not be turning around any time soon. “REALLY?! You couldn’t have told me this was more than a day’s adventure?! My father is going to be furious when I leave all the work for the week to him and honestly a loaf of bread is nowhere sufficient. What were you possibly thinking!?”  Otto realized he had yelled this at his companion instead of just asking. Anders didn’t really react to the loud accusations of Otto. “I knew you wouldn’t come.” Is all he replied. “Ya! No shit.” Otto spouts off. Now he’s had enough, this time Anders needs to be the one to make it up to him.

            The men come along a ledge too steep for the horses to climb. Anders pulls the map from his vest pocket. “We can either go deeper into the forest or cross the river.” He says pointing on a few small lines beside the large blue river on the parchment. “It’s too deep and strong to cross here. We aren’t killing the horses for your bullshit.” Otto snapped back barely even glancing at the map. Anders rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid. We wouldn’t cross here.  We can back track about half a kilometer. The water was shallower there.” “Back track? If you weren’t stupid, you would have known that then.” Otto clearly annoyed looking around them. “Says the boy who also didn’t know to cross then either.” Anders was looking directly at Otto, frustrated why his usually very agreeable friend was suddenly being so difficult. “Forest it is.” They both mumble. Turning Arrow and Atlas towards the thicker bushes, the horses are hesitant to agree but do as they’re told.
            The men continue through the bush not speaking to one another, but not in silence. An eerie murmur can be heard all around them. As if many people are talking but not loud enough to be heard. Anders thinking he’s hearing things ignores the whispers until he catches Otto’s eye. Seeing the confusion and fear on his face makes Anders realize he isn’t the only one to hear the odd sounds. “Did you say something?” Otto says hoping to bring up the disquiet without sounding crazy. “No. Did you?” Anders slows Arrow down to get a better look at Otto. “Nope.” Otto says while avoiding eye contact. “Okay then. Whatever.” Anders barks. Unsure why he is upset again turns Arrow to continue. “Us!” Anders stop in his tracks, Atlas bumping into Arrow slightly as the horse aren’t paying attention to where they are going, rather what is around them. Looking up at the fearful face of Otto he is sure neither of them spoke. They sit in silence for a moment when there is a whisper loud enough to just understand. “Well? Are you not going to introduce yourselves?” Both men jump at the disembodied sound. Another faceless voice begins.

“Rude, just rude. You walk into our home and ignore us? Absolutely inconceivable.”  
“Now now, give the beings a moment, they’re clearly startled.”
“I can see that. I do have eyes that work.”
“How curious the looks. Two heads, such interesting patterns and garments that only cover some parts.”

“That is because there is four of them.”

“Clearly NOT. There are two, two headed, four legged beings. I can see, my eyes work you know.”
“No no no, there are six.”

“SIX, SIX? How do you come up with such a preposterous amount?!”

The voices continue to argue about the looks of Anders and Otto before them. The men attempt to quietly steer their horse back the way they came.
“Don’t bother. You won’t make it back. And do NOT go forward. If you damage my home more, I will have to retaliate.” One of the voices instructs loudly. Both men stop in their tracks staring back at one another.

“Uhmm, well I am sorry about any damage we may have caused; we cannot see your home.” Otto stammers out. “You can’t? Four eyes and you cannot, see?” one of the voices replies.

“Four eyes? I have two.” Anders says confused pointing at his face.

“No, no, no, your other face fool.” A voice comes back harshly. Otto and Anders look at one another again. Confused and scared they sit silently not knowing what to do.

“So? What is it you seek then? Barging in here with your long legs and odd shapes.”

“Passage?” the men respond sheepishly.

“A package?!” an older sounding voice retorts.

“No, you twit! Passage. They want to continue trotting through our home destroying our belongings like we mean nothing!” Many of the voices begin shouting in anger at the men.
“NO, NO, YOU MISS UNDERSTAND.” Anders shouts over them. “Just tell us how to leave without causing further damage and we will be on our way.”
“You can’t.”

“Why not?” Otto asks, attempting to speak softly to not upset them again.

“Because it’s all our home. And you’re standing in it.”
Otto and Anders realize the beings mean the forest and look around them. Maybe if they peer hard enough, they can see what is speaking.

“Well?” a voice says in frustration.

“Well?” The boys return in confusion.
“How do you intend to repair the damages?” another states.

“We, ugh, can’t. Or at least don’t know how.” Otto states shrugging his shoulders and getting slightly annoyed with all this back and forth. What can these things do anyways?

Anders and Otto lock eyes and seem to share a thought. In that moment they both begin leading Arrow and Atlas along as if nothing had stopped them.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” many faceless voices shout.
“Leaving.” The men call back.

            The men are very shocked to find no retaliation. After a few kilometers deeper along they stop for a moment and begin to laugh. “What was that?” Anders says snickering. “I couldn’t tell you.” Answers Otto.