Legend of Kataria (Draft Version)

Chapter 6

He moved quickly through the woods toward the heart of the park, spotting the small playground off to the left. He smiled slightly, recalling when he and Leah had been children and they'd come there almost every day to play. There they'd created world after world from the depths of their imaginations. Pirates out to sea, explorers searching for a lost treasure, astronauts. It didn't matter who they were, how they looked, or what her parents thought. They could just be themselves, free of the worry and guilt the world tried to shove on them.

As he neared the edge of the clearing and started toward one of the hiking paths, he heard footsteps coming toward him. Not wishing to be seen, he quickly scanned the clearing and spotted an old oak a little ways off of the path. He hastily ran to it and threw himself into its limbs. He may not have looked it but he was strong and he was fast, which was perfect for climbing a tree at a tremendous speed.

As he neared the top, he swung himself around so he could see who was coming his way. He heard voices. Loud ones. Clearly whoever it was wasn't trying to sneak up on him, which was good because he hated surprises. Of any kind.

Moments later, as he positioned himself better on the branch, two heads came into view. One blond and one brunette. It took only a second for Greeny to recognize these two. He sighed, letting the tiniest of smiles return to his face as he recognized his friends. Sky and Josh. No doubt Leah had sent them. But how had she known he was going to be there? He hadn't even known himself until about ten minutes ago!

He knelt down behind the trunk, watching the boys curiously. What are they up to? They were scanning the clearing, but they did not seem to be searching for him. In fact, they didn't even appear to know he was there. This made him curious. What were they doing out here? And what were the chances that they'd be in the same place as him? He watched as they rounded a bend and disappeared into the foliage, still talking and laughing just as loudly.

Greeny let out his breath and quickly slid back to the ground. He was curious to know why the two of them were up so early. I've known them for years! They never wake up before noon on a Saturday! He elected to follow them. He didn't care that he hadn't selected the most stealthy of shoes, or that his clothes only halfway blended in with his surroundings. The urge to know overpowered everything else.

Sky and Josh turned off from the main path and headed toward the ravine. Deadman's Gorge. The same ravine where he'd managed to lose his pursuers only hours before. That seemed a bit too much of a coincidence. Did Leah send them for something else? Was it possible that they weren't there for him at all? Leah, what are you up to now?

He followed them as far as the creak and ducked down behind a large group of reeds to watch as the two of them splashed into the water and waded a good distance out. Above them, Greeny, squinting, could just make out the dangling remains of the bridge.

"Josh!" Greeny heard Sky yelp as there was a loud crash of water. "Stop! We're supposed to be working! Ack! Stop!"

"Come on, dude!" Josh laughed. "It's summer!"

"But I didn't wear my--aaaah!" The blond's protests went up in bubbles as he was shoved roughly into the water. He reemerged moments later, spitting out water, shaking out his soggy hair, and proceeding to wring out his clothes. "Now you've done it!" he exclaimed. "I'm drenched! How am I supposed to find anything if all I can think about is the fish in my shoe?"

Josh shrugged and continued making his way across the river to the opposite bank. "No idea, but do you really have a fish?"

Sky growled and hit Josh with another splash of water as he staggered after him. Greeny watched as the two boys ascended the slope and disappeared from view. He hastily hurried after them, determined to catch a glimpse of what they were searching for. He didn't like the option of crossing the stream but he saw no other alternative. So, rolling up his pants, he hurriedly stumbled across the water, wincing at how much noise he made. He reached the shore and kept moving, crouching down to keep from being spotted, ignoring the squishing and squashing of his now-soaked shoes.