The Great Journey

Kollin

Morning sunlight bathed the land, causing the birds to sing their morning song. A crisp, clean breeze, remanents of the previous nights gale, ruffled the trees branches, causing them to stretch and creak. The smell of smouldering fire hung low in the air. Thick clouds of smoke, trapped by a sea of green, acted like a blanket of mist above the sleeping Guild members, the dawning sun turning it into a thick, white fog.

Blinking awake, Kollin sat upright, stretching his arms above his head. Twisting his back from left to right, two satisfying clicks popped. Checking for movement, everyone appeared to be asleep still. Casting his eyes through the tree trunks, the sun sat on the horizon, its orange arms of light, tearing into the dark sky like claw marks.

In dire need of a call to mother nature, Kollin rose to his feet, heading for the wilderness. Examining his sleeping buddies, a frown drew across his face.

Where's Lyra?

Shaking his curiosity away, Kollin escaped the camp through the tree line. Finding a quiet spot, next to a plant with the softest feeling leaves, Kollin went about his morning glory. Using the leaves as toilet paper, the Guard member dressed himself, taking his time, letting the soft, crisp breeze, air-out his sweat encrusted flight suit.

Enjoying the vibrant sights of the morning forest, he stalled as much as possible before heading back to camp. Stopping dead in his tracks, spotting the snapped branch of a shrub, the young man's inquisitive nature was captured. Growing up in Guild Seventeen's capitol city of Horlling, didn't allow Kollin to have the everyday experience of nature. And unlike Ajax, who had witnessed the wonders of space through the Army, Kollins nature consited of concrete and steel. So any chance the young man got, whether it be through books, or his own eyes, he'd explore natural beauty.

Looking to his feet, hoping to pick up the trail of an animal, he saw a different set of footprints in the soil. Glancing around, he didn't see anyone, nor had he heard movement whislt he ws answering his call of nature. Following the footsteps, intrigued with finding their source, Kollin weaved his way through the ancient forest, clinging to the path of broken branches and footsteps. A scent caught his nose, forcing his head to rise.

Fire.

Like a blood hound, Kollin pursued the scent of smoke, scampering over any obsticle the terrain threw at him. A trickle of running water infiltrated his hearing, breaking his concentration. Astonished, an excited rumble exploded in his stomach. Racing over a small hill, a stream carved it's way through the landscape.

The stream ran the purest of blue, twinkling as the sunlight reflected off its mouthwatering surface. Without checking for dangers, something Kollin never did, he ran to the stream dropping to his knees at the water's edge. Scooping the crystal water with cupped hands, he drank and drank and drank. Beads of ice cold water trickled down his chin through his short stubble, and equally the water ran down his throat, tasting like liquid gold. Staring at the tree tops above, savouring the magnificent taste, Kollin colleted his wandering mind. Climbing to his feet and dusting himself, revitilised for the trek back to camp, a new sound whispered behind the rush of the stream. A giggle. Whipping his head back towards the stream, he sharpened his eyes for movement.

Who's out here?

A strong gust of wind, harboured a potent stench of smoke, signalling he was close to whoever was out in the woods. Lowering himself, Kollin crept from tree to tree, listening for further activity. Slowly stalking down a gentle moss-covered slope, Kollin leant against a tree, peering around it. A smouldering camp fire, at the base of a large tree ten meters away, produced a thin trickle of smoke - the source of the smell. From behind its trunk a gorgeous naked woman stepped out into Kollin's line of sight. Her breasts perfectly round, nipples erect from the cold, complimenting her sleek hour glass figure and long legs, Kollin couldn't peel his eye's away. Blood pumping, he shook from excitement, unable to control his fidgits.