Lost in Translation - Chapter 6: A Lesson in Grief
James woke as violently as a nightmare. Bolting upright, he fought against the vertigo of his unceremonious slumber. As his eyes adjusted, a lush forest came into focus. Sunlight poured blissfully through casual openings in the scattered cedars. Gentle...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 5: A Friendly Betrayal
Dart had never been one to complain; he had never had the luxury. Even as a young swallow-tail Avis, unsporting lessons had taught him the keystone in his survival. For this reason, he had always taken offers for work where others had too much pride or...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 4: Haven Homecoming
It might have taken hours or days to reach the edge of the forest - in the persistent night, James could not know which; he only knew the intimate screaming of his legs, begging for reprieve. Time was alien under the sealing canopy; he could have...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 3: The Critical Choice
Without a glance back, the lop-ear marched forwards to the other side of the river. The wings that flew James' heart a moment ago evaporated as he came to realize what was spoken, no number of rocks were capable of sinking his stomach further than it...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 2: What Must Come
The forest was far more dense than he could have ever imagined. Old and wrought with countless cycles of decay and new birth, the unchecked growth made it seem more like a deciduous jungle than a collection of trees. The canopy shrouded their path in...
LiT Addendum 1: Of Mice and Men
The evening was quickly growing old. James could no longer stand the noisesome celebration in his professed honor. Harman and Dart had already retired to their rooms, having quickly traded interest in the noise and attention for potent drink. After...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 1: New Surroundings
Gone was the familiarity of the dog park; its quiet, picturesque beauty evaporating into a haze of smoke. Blade by blade, the neatly-trimmed grass plucked itself from the earth, as if some outside force commanded them. Intermingling with the leaves of...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 9: The Power of a God
The brisk morning opened into afternoon, sharing what small warmth it had to offer. Villagers scurried to complete obvious or hidden tasks; the Great Hall was no exception. Throughout his tutelage, James found his focus competing against the addling...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 7: Goldenbloom
The company rode swiftly through the dead of night, already on the verge of frost. James had hardly noticed how cold it had gotten in all of the excitement, but the icy air increased its effects while they remained in motion. Even on their final...
Lost in Translation - Chapter 8: The Unbeliever
Harman could be sure of it now; there was no mistaking it. Though he was thousands of kilometers further than he predicted; though his staff had been rendered useless by supernal exertions of unskilled power; though he may very well be trapped in this...