Inkachu
Bursting with fruit flavor!
- Jan 31, 2008
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IJWTS: Here's some of my current story 
It's gonna be geared more towards children/teens.
I took a deep breath and assured myself that I was bold and fearless. I lifted my foot and took a step forward. Of course, nothing happened, no wolves came leaping out to devour me, and no goblins swooped in to kidnap me. I took another step, my boot sinking pleasantly into the deep snow with a satisfying crunch. I passed into the evergreen wood with slow, deliberate steps.
The shouts of the other children were suddenly muted, as if I’d walked a great distance already. I found this very curious, but I didn’t think on it for more than a passing moment. After all, the thick snow and the trees might easily explain that. I continued on, following what seemed to be a crude or perhaps very old path through the trees. It was hard to discern with all the snow, but the trees lined each side, and I was certain I was following a deliberately created avenue. My steps grew quicker, and I watched my breath coming in excited little white puffs from my lips.
A small shape suddenly sprang from the trees to my left. I gasped and jumped a foot in the air, giving a high-pitched squeal. My first impression was that it was black, then that it looked like a big cat of some kind. I was too busy squealing and stumbling over my own feet to get a better glimpse of the creature; and since it seemed just as startled by my presence and quickly dashed away into the woods, I was left having little idea of what I had just seen.
I stood for a time, my hand pressed to my chest, catching my breath. I waited and watched, but the animal didn’t reappear, and I didn’t hear any movement in the trees. In fact, not only had the sounds of my fellow pupils completely faded away, but the wood itself seemed eerily still. No wind in the boughs of the trees, no birds rustling in their winter nests, nothing. I held my breath. The forest seemed to be holding its breath, too.
I realized then that my hands were trembling.
‘It’s just because you’ve had a fright,’ my mind said. ‘Don’t turn around and run away now like a baby. Be brave.’
Drawing a quivery breath, I plunged forward again, determined to overcome my fear and prove myself the bravest of explorers. I encountered no other animals, and the path wound on. Minutes passed, and the only sound was of my boots thumping through the snow drifts. The trees passed on either side, each one a replica of the one before. My legs began to grow tired, and I began to grow bored. I came to a stop and put my hands on my hips. I considered turning around. I didn’t know how long I’d been in the wood, or if anyone had missed me, or even if the bell had rung and perhaps I was now delinquent for my lessons. I looked back over my shoulder and saw my footprints leading away into the distance. There was something about the scene that struck me as ominous, and I shivered.
I turned back around, and the black animal was standing directly in front of me again, looking at me. I let out a hair-raising shriek that echoed through the still trees. The creature didn’t budge, or even blink, but only continued to stare at me. Once I had composed myself somewhat, I saw that it was a fox, complete with stiffly pointed ears and bushy tail. I’d never heard of a black fox, and I met its stare with a frown of my own. Its silent observation of me was immediately unnerving, and I wondered if it were about to spring at me. I flinched away from it, wanting to run, but afraid it would give chase. But it didn’t seem interested in attacking me at all; in fact, it looked directly into my eyes for a long pause, then turned and trotted down the center of the path instead of running away. After a few paces, it stopped and looked back at me.
I watched it quietly, and it repeated the action, trotting a few steps, pausing, and looking at me.
I spoke hesitantly, my voice sounding oddly loud and clear in the still air. “Do you…want me to follow you?”
It's gonna be geared more towards children/teens.I took a deep breath and assured myself that I was bold and fearless. I lifted my foot and took a step forward. Of course, nothing happened, no wolves came leaping out to devour me, and no goblins swooped in to kidnap me. I took another step, my boot sinking pleasantly into the deep snow with a satisfying crunch. I passed into the evergreen wood with slow, deliberate steps.
The shouts of the other children were suddenly muted, as if I’d walked a great distance already. I found this very curious, but I didn’t think on it for more than a passing moment. After all, the thick snow and the trees might easily explain that. I continued on, following what seemed to be a crude or perhaps very old path through the trees. It was hard to discern with all the snow, but the trees lined each side, and I was certain I was following a deliberately created avenue. My steps grew quicker, and I watched my breath coming in excited little white puffs from my lips.
A small shape suddenly sprang from the trees to my left. I gasped and jumped a foot in the air, giving a high-pitched squeal. My first impression was that it was black, then that it looked like a big cat of some kind. I was too busy squealing and stumbling over my own feet to get a better glimpse of the creature; and since it seemed just as startled by my presence and quickly dashed away into the woods, I was left having little idea of what I had just seen.
I stood for a time, my hand pressed to my chest, catching my breath. I waited and watched, but the animal didn’t reappear, and I didn’t hear any movement in the trees. In fact, not only had the sounds of my fellow pupils completely faded away, but the wood itself seemed eerily still. No wind in the boughs of the trees, no birds rustling in their winter nests, nothing. I held my breath. The forest seemed to be holding its breath, too.
I realized then that my hands were trembling.
‘It’s just because you’ve had a fright,’ my mind said. ‘Don’t turn around and run away now like a baby. Be brave.’
Drawing a quivery breath, I plunged forward again, determined to overcome my fear and prove myself the bravest of explorers. I encountered no other animals, and the path wound on. Minutes passed, and the only sound was of my boots thumping through the snow drifts. The trees passed on either side, each one a replica of the one before. My legs began to grow tired, and I began to grow bored. I came to a stop and put my hands on my hips. I considered turning around. I didn’t know how long I’d been in the wood, or if anyone had missed me, or even if the bell had rung and perhaps I was now delinquent for my lessons. I looked back over my shoulder and saw my footprints leading away into the distance. There was something about the scene that struck me as ominous, and I shivered.
I turned back around, and the black animal was standing directly in front of me again, looking at me. I let out a hair-raising shriek that echoed through the still trees. The creature didn’t budge, or even blink, but only continued to stare at me. Once I had composed myself somewhat, I saw that it was a fox, complete with stiffly pointed ears and bushy tail. I’d never heard of a black fox, and I met its stare with a frown of my own. Its silent observation of me was immediately unnerving, and I wondered if it were about to spring at me. I flinched away from it, wanting to run, but afraid it would give chase. But it didn’t seem interested in attacking me at all; in fact, it looked directly into my eyes for a long pause, then turned and trotted down the center of the path instead of running away. After a few paces, it stopped and looked back at me.
I watched it quietly, and it repeated the action, trotting a few steps, pausing, and looking at me.
I spoke hesitantly, my voice sounding oddly loud and clear in the still air. “Do you…want me to follow you?”
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