Chapter III
“No! You can’t go!” Hedfeldon stated indignantly.
“Why not?” Answered Harestin calmly.
“Because we need you here helping with the field.”
“It isn’t that hard to watch it grow.”
“You don’t just watch it grow! You have to water it as well, and weed it!”
“So? That isn’t very difficult.” Harestins voice rose as he began to get irritated.
“No, but…”
“You don’t need me!”
“I want you though! Our family has been through hard times, and now I just think that we should all stay together and enjoy what little we have. If you run off, who knows what will happen? We might lose you too!”
“It isn’t just for me! It’s for the town too! Just think! Our town could be like it once was!” Harestins voice softened, “I’d be extra careful, Why can’t I go?”
“Because I don’t want to lose you! I’m older, and I’m saying this for your own good, you can’t go, I forbid it!”
And with that Hedfeldon turned his back and went in the house.
Harestin glared daggers at the door of the house for several minutes, and would have continued had not a gentle paw come to rest on his shoulder, along with the soft voice of his sister, Hadaleen.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Harestin sighed and with Hadaleen’s paw still on his shoulder walked over to an upturned wheelbarrow and sat down.
“He doesn’t want me to go.”
Hadaleen replied with just a touch of sarcasm. “I kind of figured that.”
“He just doesn’t realize what a wonderful chance this is!”
“He doesn’t want to lose you, he has a soft heart, and all you have is some writing on a map, that may or may not be, just a rumor. He’s afraid you’ll die and then all he’ll have is me, he’s lost so much that I think he’ll just be overcome with grief.”
“I said I’d be careful!”
“You have to realize that you have a reputation for doing reckless things.”
“Like when?”
”Like when you made that wooden glider. Hedfeldon finally persuaded you to at least do it on the cliff by the inlet; he ended up having to swim in to pull you out.”
“I guess, but…”
“But nothing, remember that other time when you made a vine rope and you wanted to swing over that ravine? Hedfeldon again persuaded you to make sure you wouldn’t kill yourself before you actually tried it at the ravine, you ended up sitting on the ground holding on to half a piece of rope. Listen, I don’t want you to go either. But if you do go, be careful, and take plenty of food, you’re a growing hare and I know how much you eat.”
As Hadaleen got up and left for the house, Harestin couldn’t help but think that she knew she couldn’t stop him from going.
He went to bed with troubled thoughts.
~~~~~
Harestin had dreams that night. Hijlon was falling down. Roofs were caved in. Families were leaving. It was becoming a ghost town.
Then suddenly he was in his own home, his sister lay on a bed, sick, Hedfeldon was kneeling next to the bed, gently dabbing at her brow with a cool cloth. Then he was whisked to a sad gathering of familiar people standing around an open grave. Hedfeldon was crying openly.
A few moments later he was awakening to find a note on the table from his brother.
“Gone to be alone, please do not try to find me, I won’t be back.”
Hedfeldon
He was alone in the house, all alone.
Harestin awoke with a start. He couldn’t let that happen! He had to get The Medal Of Prosperity so their town would be rich enough to have a hospital. Even if it was just some writing on a map, he still had to try.
Hurriedly he got out of bed and put the map and some food supplies into a pack. He grabbed his dirk and canteen as he looked for some paper to write a note on. There; he quickly wrote the note and filled his canteen.
He tiptoed to the door, and wisely took down his bow and quiver of arrows from next to the door. Then he stepped outside into the crisp spring night air.
Taking a deep breath he strode out and began his journey.
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Very uncertain about this, I am trying to come up with a different way to get him on his way.
Does this sound a bit cliche? I mean a dream, whisked to different areas... the whole nine yards. I think it sounds a little unoriginal, I don't like that.
Other than that main concern, all other comments are welcomed as well!
It wasn't immediately clear that they're... hares? And they need a hospital so the hero must embark on an epic quest to save his sheltered and oh-so-safe little tow. Sorry, but the plot - if I've deciphered it correct - stinks of cliches. Sorry, but it does.
