FSE

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Crickets chirped among the dry grass in the otherwise quiet forest clearing, the only other sound being the crackling of the small fire where a young fox kit had made camp. Liam sighed softly as he poked at the firewood with his stick. It had been almost two weeks since the boy had left home, eager to venture out into world and live his dream of becoming a powerful mage like his father.

The young boy stared up at the starry night sky above him through the oak branches above him, clutching the rune stone his mother had given him just before she had passed away. She had never explained what it was for, but she had only said that it was important and to find his father, he would know what it was for. Thankfully Liam had a natural talent for survival skills in the woods, having loved the outdoors ever since he was born and making camp outside his house with his mother any chance he could. He didn't look like he'd be very good being out on his own as young as he was, the young fox being only 7 years old and going on 8, but he was nevertheless.

Liam hugged his blanket around him and tossed the last branch he had gathered onto the fire. He yawned softly and nestled into his wool and hide sleeping bag his mother had made him long ago, clutching the rune stone to his chest as he settled in for the night. He traced his finger over the small black stones surface, tracing the outline of the engraved rune while he slowly fell asleep. Liam knew that come morning, his adventure would begin again to find his father and learn everything he could to become the strongest mage he could be.

As the sun rose so did the forest, every aspect of the lush greenery coming to life to greet the day. Deer grazed in the clearing near Liam's camp, while birds chirped and squirrels chittered overhead amid the branches, disturbing the child from his sleep. Liam groaned quietly and tossed about as daylight assaulted his eyes, urging the child to wake up with the rest of the world around him. The boy sat up finally, rubbing his eyes tiredly as they adjusted to the light. Before long finally making it to his feet to grab some breakfast from his pack, not bothering with anything more than his undergarments for the moment figuring no other people were around to see him mostly naked anyway.

After finally finishing breakfast and packing the essentials of his camp into his bag, he dressed himself in his favorite blue knit shorts and vest. Luckily, his pack was enchanted by his father to hold almost anything and everything he needed that could fit in it. It was these kinds of magical objects in the world that fascinated Liam so, the wonder in how the impossible was made possible and how great feats were achieved with a simple flick of a wand or staff tickled his childish imagination and curiosity.

With camp behind him, little Liam padded into the woods towards the road heading to the nearest town, little footsteps crunching the dry leaves he stepped on as he scampered off. Young Liam smiled as he found his way back to the road, smiling as his paws felt the familiar feel of well-traveled dirt. He shifted his pack a bit before running down the dirt path following the signs towards the nearest town.

The signs read "Ellenvale" and pointed to the east and that was where the young boy decided he would go first, having been the only town he had been to before in his short 7 years of life. It was always a bright and cheery place. His mother always took him there whenever she needed specific supplies that they didn't have at their farmhouse so he had a general idea of what the place was like. It wouldn't be long now, maybe a few hours on foot and he'd be there after days and days of walking.

Liam's ear twitched and his looked behind him where he heard the sound of a carriage coming up the road. He stopped where he was as the carriage started to pass him, though the man driving the carriage tugged on the reins pulling his horse to a stop.

"Whoa girl, whoa..!" The man said as he tugged the reins. He looked over the side down at the little fox child which made Liam nervous as he hadn't expected the man to stop by him. "Hey there son, where you headed? Kinda small to be out here on the roads by ya'self!" The man said in a friendly tone as he leaned over the side, a large masculine buck greeting the young fox boy.

"U-um... I'm just headed that way, mister. To Ellenvale." Liam squeaked, a bit intimidated by the size of the buck.

"Hmm well that doesn't explain why you're out here by your lonesome... Bah, never mind, I won't pry. Ya want a lift little one? I'm heading to Ellenvale myself!" The buck said with a warm smile, offering his hand down to meet the kit.

"U-um..." Liam hesitated, he knew better than to trust strangers so willingly. But the way the man smiled seemed to reassure the boy, and Liam took hold of the man's huge hand and was whisked up into the carriage and came to rest in the man's lap to which the boy tensed a bit.

"Heh, sorry there isn't much space up here for more than just me, I know I'm a big guy!" The man said with a laugh. "You can just fit 'yur bag next to us in that little nook there. I hope ya don't mind sitting in my lap, back is full of supplies for the shopkeepers in Ellenvale heh."

Liam nodded, setting his bag beside the man. There really wasn't any space up here, the man was big enough to take up the whole two-person seat by himself with maybe enough room for Liam if the man scooted to the very edge but not for the bag with it. He settled in as best he could as the man brought his arm around the boy's back and rested it on the railing so his young passenger wouldn't fall off on accident.

"Name's Herson by the way, nice to meet you, umm..." The buck said inquisitively, not having asked what the boy's name was.

"I'm Liam, mister. L-Liam Niedlich." Liam said a bit timidly.

"Liam Niedlich huh? Hmm, fitting heh~" The man chuckled before taking the reins again and urging his horse back down the road to their destination.

"Huh? Whatcha mean by that, mister?".

"Hahaha, nothing son, nothing~" The buck grinned cheekily.

With the morning sun to their backs the two rode east to Ellenvale. Liam was still a bit nervous and unsure of the stranger, but he was glad to not be walking after so long. The young kit rested back on the thick forearm around his back and began to relax. The realization that his adventure had truly begun started to settle in his mind, and with that thought the boy couldn't help but smile.