_Where Am I?_ He had absolutely no idea where he was. His head hurt, and his foot was bleeding. The forest around him was dark yet beautiful, with weeping willows and lush bushes. He groaned as he tried to sit up, when suddenly he spot a backpack and a mask. The backpack was plain and simple; brown with two pouches on the front. It looked rustic and used, with worn straps and tattered sides. The mask, on the other hand, was extraordinary. It was a felt dog mask with a mix of browns and grays. It had black, slightly see through eye holes, and a star on the dog’s forehead. He shakily reached out to grab the mask, running his hand over the soft fur. Suddenly, it dawned on him; he had no memory. He couldn’t remember a thing, except the names of the flora and what the creature was on his mask. He flew into a panic, looking around frantically. No one was around, absolutely no one. Who brought him here? What was this place? And what was up with the mask? His mind raced with questions, when he heard what sounded like a growl behind him. He jumped up, despite the throbbing pain in his leg and head, and scooped up the mask and backpack. He slipped on one strap over his shoulder, strapped the mask on (in hopes to scare off any animals), and ran. He had no idea for how long he ran, but it was joyous. When he put on the mask, he had a burst of energy, and sprinted through the beautiful forest. With this mask on, he could see more clearly. It was like all of his senses were enhanced; a feeling he had never experienced. He could smell the sweet flowers blooming on the trees, and hear the crunch of the old leaves on the dry grass underneath his feet. He had the sudden urge to run around like a dog, to play and be free— Wait. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. When he put on this mask, he felt so amazing…almost like a dog. Oh no. He was a dog, now…at least, he had the mentality and abilities of one. It was so wonderful, but he felt like it wasn’t all going to be good. He tried to pull of the mask, but it was useless. It was as if someone glued it to his face. In frustration, he banged on a tree, and a girl fell out of it. “Watch it!” The dark-skinned, girl hissed, rubbing her head. She had a monkey mask on, and her black hair was braided. She had ripped jeans and a torn sweater, along with a not-so fake looking fluffy tail that was curling around her arm. “I-I’m so sorry!” He exclaimed, and his tail drooped. Wait, tail? There wasn’t a tail alongside the mask…. He spun around, and there it was. A very real-looking dog tail tucked between his legs from embarrassment. Oh my gosh. “It’s fine.” The girl whispered, looking him over, and a cheeky grin appeared on her face. “I was watching you. You can’t take the mask off, by the way.” She said, walking circles around him. He gave her annoyed look. “Yeah, I sort of figured that out myself…” He muttered, crossing his arms. “…what is this place? And why am I here?” The girl shrugged. “Honestly, none of us know. We all just kind of…woke up here.” She tossed one of her braids over her shoulder, his tail swaying behind her. “I’m going to guess you can’t remember anything, either. Don’t worry, it happened to everyone.” He nodded, but paused, tensing. “‘We…?’ There are more..?” He gulped, looking around. People could be watching him at every corner… “Mhm. But don’t worry, they’re nice.” The girl purred, her tailed wrapping around his hand in an attempt of comfort. “Anyways, I’m Monkey. Well, that’s my name now. None of us can remember our real names. We just go by the name of the animals on our masks.” She said, looking him over. “So I’ll call you Dog. Or maybe Dee for short? I’ll think of a good nickname, I promise!” Monkey winked, grabbing Dog’s pale hand. “Come on! I’ll show you the way to camp. The others will adore you.” Monkey giggled, dragging the hesitant boy behind her. Through the forest she lead him, watching as he marveled at the beauty of the flora. The trees slowly changed from weeping willows too tall oak trees with beautiful orange and red leaves falling down on the two. This place is perfect… He thought silently to himself, his tail drooping. Almost too perfect. Something isn’t right. Soon, they stopped at a hill overlooking the camp. It was surrounded by four great oaks, almost as if the camp was protected. Inside of it was a crystal pond and four large tents. There were bushes and an outdoor-ish area with herbs and flowers growing on the stone shelves of it. “Woah…” Dog breathed, running a hand through his hair. This place was…marvelous. Monkey smirked at his awe-struck expression, and elbowed him. “Just wait until we get inside,” she grinned, before sprinting down the hill, and Dog followed suite.He listened to the sound of nature, taking in the sight. He could hear the buzz of the lotus and the sweet song of the birds. The smell of the dry grass and the sap oozing from the oaks. Nature was reviving him, nurturing him and replenishing his senses. This camp was brimming with some kind of unspoken magic, and he loved it. Monkey leaned against the oak as Dog caught up with her, a sly grin on her face. “I see you’ve experienced what we call, ‘Mask Linking.’ You’re really connecting to your animal powers now.” Dog nodded, smiling shakily. “Y-yeah. It’s so cool.” Monkey nodded, walking with him as they entered the camp. “Yuh-huh. Now I’ve gotta bring you to Wolf’s tent. She’s our leader, and pretty tough. Still sweet though…” She said, her tail curling around her arm cautiously. “Just don’t mention G.” “Who’s G—-“ Dog was cut off by a gruff looking wolf-masked girl appearing in front of him. “You. You’re new, aren’t you.” She growled, circling him. Monkey eyeballed her nervously, shifting from foot to foot. “Yup, Wolfie! I found him in the forest all alone.” She squeaked, shrinking under Wolf’s harsh gaze. “I figured. No one has appeared with someone else before, M.” She snapped, her glossy snow-white hair shining in the sun. “We’ll have to introduce himself to the others…” Wolf growled, before noticing the blood streaming down Dog’s leg. “Monkey, go get Rabbit.” The tan-skinned girl hissed urgently. Monkey nodded, dashing off to get fetch Rabbit. Dog just stood there awkwardly, waiting for Monkey to return with this “Rabbit” guy. Wolf glared at him, wiping dirt off her gray, tattered shirt. “How’d you get hurt already..?” She asked, raising a brow. Dog gulped, shrugging. “I don’t know. I woke up bleeding.” He whispered, looking up at the taller teen. Wolf clicked her tongue, nodding. “I see. I remember when Badger first came here, he was all banged up. Nobody knows why we come like this, but we do.” Finally, Monkey returned with a handsome boy in a rabbit mask, his sandy blonde hair bouncing with each step. He was wearing a paramedic-like outfit, and holding a handwoven case with gauze and herbs. “This is Rabbit.” Wolf said, gesturing to the boy. “The best medic our forest has ever seen.” Dog could’ve sworn Rabbit was blushing, with the way he fidgeted with his hands and his tail twitched as Wolf talked. Immediately he could tell the poor boy was crushing hard, but from the looks of it, Wolf just saw him as a friend. “Let’s get you fixed up.” Rabbit squeaked, pulling out the gauze from his basket and starting too tightly wrap Dog’s foot. Dog watched him, wide-eyed, impressed by his diligence. “How did you get all these supplies? This gauze doesn’t look like something you’d just find hanging on a tree.” He joked. Rabbit chuckled, tucking a lock of his curly hair behind his ear. “Oh, in everyone’s backpack there’s something that fits a role in the camp. Mine came with gauze, and Cat and Badger’s had daggers since their hunters, Swan had cloth since she’s the “tailor” of some sort…you get the gist.” Dog nodded, now curious…what was in his backpack? He hadn’t checked yet. Hopefully it was an arrow or dagger so he could hunt and fight the wild animals in the forest. “Alright.” Rabbit said, standing up. “You should be all set. If the bleeding worsens, just come to me and I’ll check, alright? I’m the third den to the left, with the herbs and flowers outside of it. Okay?” He said, patting Dog’s shoulder to make sure he understood. Dog shook his head, standing up slowly to test the pain. Thankfully, there was only a slight little pang, but other than that it felt fine. Thanks.” He whispered softly. Rabbit gave him a small smile and a nod before walking off to his den. Dog watched him leave, before turning around only to be ambushed by Monkey. “Wolf said you can stay in my den with me and Fox!!” She giggled, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “I can’t wait! You’ll love it! We’ll get you a sleeping quarters and then you and I can check out what’s in your bag after your Welcoming Ceremony!” Dog chuckled weakly at her enthusiasm, before pausing. Welcoming Ceremony? What? “What’s a ‘Welcoming Ceremony?’” He asked, tilting his head at the masked girl. She laughed sheepishly, realizing her mistake. “I should’ve explained. It’s pretty simple, actually. Wolf announces your name and then you go up there with her while Gecko gives you the “Mark of the Forest.” It’s a diamond with a paw-print in the middle; pretty cool looking!” Monkey pointed to a marking on her right-arm, and it looked just as she described it; awesome. Dog smiled, his excitement overpowering his doubt. He opened his mouth to speak, but Monkey interrupted him by grabbing his arm and pulling him towards one of the fairly large den. She slipped through the half opened curtain and into the dimly lit tent. Around the tent were torches and wool blankets all about. The place smelt of something buttery and salty, causing Dog’s stomach to growl. He grabbed his stomach, the sudden, unbearable hunger causing him to whine. Monkey glanced over, frowning sympathetically. “It looks like the bad part of your powers are setting in.” She said, sitting down on the floor and pulling him down with her. “Don’t worry, we all went through it. Looks like your “Quirk” his hunger. For me, I had energy spurts, and I’m way more annoying than usual.” She joked, laughing as she leaned back. Dog chuckled, trying to think of something other than food. But it was infesting his thoughts, he wanted something to eat. No. He needed something to eat. “Don’t feel too bad.” Monkey said, laying on her back and looking at him. She smiled sweetly and looked up at the ceiling. “Fox’s Quirk is much worse. He always has the urge to steal. I can never find my climbing shoes anymore!” She exclaimed, trying to make Dog feel better. He simply gave a weak chuckle, before plopping down next to her. “I know this will take some adjusting.” She said softly, turning on her side to look at him. “But this place is amazing. Everyone here is so kind, they won’t let you down.” Dog smiled, and his hunger slowly began to melt away to the back of his mind. He was happy here, and he had a feeling this forest wasn’t as bad as he thought.

(I mean the story takes place in a forest so this’ll work for the prompt) So basically the main character wakes up in a forest with zero memories and just a backpack + an animal mask (haven’t decided what animal yet). Out of pure curiousity, he puts on the mask, and immediately gains the abilities of that animal. He does some exploring, and meets more kids his age with animal masks trying to survive in this forest. They team up, and build a bit of a camp out of their natural resources. Also, every so often while exploring, they’ll find a “clue” (aka an object like a toy or shoe) that not only helps them get ideas on how to escape, but also gives one of them a bit of their memory back. Ya da ya da, the story basically follows them trying to survive and get home. ((( what do y’all think? I really like this idea but I want to know if y’all would read it?))

Characters:
 White Flame - warrior (F) Dragon Hybrid; white hair and gray-blue eyes along with massive white wings and black horns Silver Tooth - warrior (M) Bat Hybrid; black hair with blue streaks in it, giant bat ears and wings too. Crow Talon - Alchemist (M) Teenage Genius; black hair and green eyes The Poison Twins (Ivy and Oak) - spies (F and M) Bear Hybrids; tan skin and blue eyes Vision - leader (M) Young man around 21; curly blonde hair and sea-green eyes Hurricane - doctor (F) Otter Hybrid; curly black hair (she’s latino too) Sage Sight - second in command (F) Snow Leopard Hybrid; gray eyes and gray-blonde hair (All other characters are 17-19) * * * “Agh!” White Flame hissed at Silver Tooth, her smoky gray eyes reflecting her fury, “YOU were supposed to swoop, not strike, idiot! I was supposed to strike the ‘heroes.’” Silver rolled his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest with his ears pinned back. “I’m sorry, okay?! I thought it was the other way around! Maybe if you were better at communicating, I would’ve known!” Flame gasped, unsheathing her clawed-gloves. “Take that back!” She growled, beginning to lung at Silver’s neck. Before she could reach him, Vision picked her up by the neck of her shirt. He was getting tired of all the bickering after their last battle with the heroes. “We’re going on a team-building retreat!” Vision announced, lifting Flame a couple of inches above the ground. Everyone groaned. “I know, I know. But after our—unfortunate—mission today, I think this will be a great way to strengthen our team.” Vision smiled, setting Flame down gently. “Start packing, folks, ‘cause we’re leaving tonight!” * * * Ivy pressed her forehead against the car window, groaning as she watched the comfort of the city buildings pass by as they entered the forest. “Vision…” she moaned, “why couldn’t we have brought our phones?! FaceBook is my life!!!” Vision shook his head in the front seat, his curly blonde hair glimmering in the moonlight. “I’m sorry, Ivy, but electronics will take away from the perfect team-building experience!” He grinned happily, focusing on the scenery ahead. Despite being a villainous mastermind, he was surprisingly cheery. The silver moonlight illuminated the forest, the trees shimmering and the owls cooing softly. A family of deer noticed the huge van and began prancing next to it. Sage Sight glanced hungrily at them, while Hurricane looked utterly fascinated, jotting down various descriptions and sketches of the woodland creatures. Despite his sister’s pouting, Oak was having the time of his life. Singing various show-tunes with Crow Talon and enjoying chatting with White Flame when she wasn’t death-staring Silver Tooth. After around thirty-minutes, they arrived at the campsite. It was beautiful, with greenery that grew extra lush when Oak and Ivy approached it due to their plant powers. The dirt was soft and good for setting up the tents. Crow and Silver immediately set out to find firewood, and just five minutes later, they came back with plenty. All of the villains sat down around the campfire (on leaf-chairs that Ivy had made), and Flame used her fire-breath to start it. They all laughed and roasted marshmallows, while also talking about battle strategies. Soon it was almost pitch black outside, with hundreds of stars in the sky. Hurricane yawned, taking a final bite out of her s’mores and standing up. “I’m absolutely exhausted!” She announced, stretching slightly. “I’m heading to bed.” Crow nodded and stood up with Hurricane, following her to the tents. The rest of the gang slowly began heading to the tents, too, feeling tired from the fun night. “Tomorrow we shall practice our fighting skills!” Vision announced to everyone, before going into his one-person tent. * * * Later that night, Ivy sat outside her tent, looking up at the shining blanket of stars above her. It was nice to be out in nature, enjoying the gentle crackle of the stream next to their camp, the coos of the birds, and the songs of the crickets. Ivy closed her eyes, taking in the sound of nature’s music, when a gentle pat on her shoulder caused her to jolt up. Next to her stood Vision, his sea-green eyes twinkling in the moonlight as he smiled down at her. “The forest sure is beautiful.” He said softly, and Ivy nodded. “Y’know, I thought this retreat was probably the worst idea you’ve ever had.” Ivy began, fiddling with her chocolate brown ponytail. “But yet, I feel closer to nature because of this…and just being able to talk and laugh with the team was amazing. We all seem closer than ever, and I think that’ll really help when we’re fighting the supposed ‘good guys.’” Vision grinned, and a gentle midnight breeze blew through his hair. “I’m glad you think so. I’m always looking for ways to make our team stronger.” Ivy nodded, looking back into the forest. An owl was perched in a tree, looking intently at them. Her bear senses suddenly picked up on something; a rustling in the woods. She felt a growl grow in her throat, and she looked around, scanning the area for any threats. Vision began to look tense, too, and just then, Sage came bounding out of her tent, her leopard tail lashing side to side. “I sense danger…” She hissed, unsheathing her sword. A twig cracked from behind a bush, and their was a voice, cursing in what seemed to be Italian. Vision put on his night-vision goggles and stepped closer to the bush. Suddenly, a young girl stumbled out, and the villains immediately recognized her. With her freckled face and fluffy rabbit ears, they knew it had to be Clover, one of the “heroes” on Asha’s side. All the other villains emerged from their tents, holding their weapons, and Clover went pale. Her eyes darted around, and she spun around. “Heroes!” She called into the woods, her voice surprisingly deep. “ATTACK!” To Be Continued

Today is our last hike to complete the 48 4000 footer challenge. We started at 5 am to start our climb up Mount Washington. My backpack was filled with protein bars, trail mix, and gatorade. My sister had hers stuffed with water and our extra layers. We both had hiking shoes, shorts, and a sweatshirt on. Now that you have a good idea of what we were working with, here's the story. So we got out of our car at 5 am on a Saturday in September. Which is the beginning of fall season, so think of chilly mornings and evening with a warm up mid day. I grabbed my headlamp, coffee, and backpack. My sister grabbed her backpack and we closed up the truck and headed to the trailhead. Over the last year of hiking the 48 4000 footers, we've bonded an incredible amount. We were always close but now it felt even stronger. Unfortunately Mount Washington is one of those hikes where it's become so popular, the solitude of a hike is nowhere to be found. We're making our way up and it is rough! Even with the training we've done, the elevation in such a short time is incredible. So we do what we do best and that's help each other keep pushing. We spend the next 3 hours just hyping each other up and pulling ourselves over the boulders. Our teamwork was on par and we managed to reach the summit! It was an absolutely incredible view. There's also a lot to do at the summit so we hung out for a bit to celebrate our successful challenge completion. The way down was about 10 times harder than going up. Which means we had to continue the teamwork and take our time. Slowly but surely we managed to finagle our way down the mountain and got back to the car in one piece. As we got in the car we both looked at each other and said, "Which ones next?"

“So…Anneliese calls him ugly?” Lou’s face scrunches up in confusion. Amelie laughs as they continue to watch _Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper_. With Lou only viewing animal movies (ones with happy endings), they all decided to educate her on the Barbie movies from Ria’s phone. They began with the obvious best Barbie movie. It helped to convince Lou with talking cats. The movie watching is going hilariously. It’s been a while since Amelie watched them, so as an older teen, some of the lines surprised her. “I guess she did. I think she was going for a diamond in the rough message,” Bell comments. She glances over to the boys who are trying to set up a huge tent. “You guys need any help?” Cross, Jeremiah, Roman, and Jones all shook their heads, determined to do it on their own. Amelie wouldn’t be much help even if they did accept Bell’s offer. This is her first camping trip. Ria leans close to Amelie and whispers, “Ten bucks that they can’t do it without powers.” Seeing the slightly frazzled looks on the boys, she’s most likely right. And if Amelie has learned anything, you shouldn’t bet against Ria. “Can’t bet against that. I can’t believe they haven’t yet.” When they initially got to the camp site, the girls thought they all would be pitching in to get everything set up. Turns out the boys had a bit of a macho attitude today and said they had it covered. Watching the tent collapse again, they definitely do not have it covered. Bell giggles at a frustrated noise that came from Cross. “I don’t get to see this side of him a lot, especially after finding out about my mom.” “What side? The exasperated side?” Ria questions. “The freedom to show how you feel. Since we were trying to keep us being soulmates a secret from our families, we haven’t really been able to openly express our feelings. Being out here, away from the stress and messed up situation, we can be ourselves. Fully.” It is the whole reason for this gathering. Bell and Cross wanted to get away from everything. Finding out that your mom lied to you and changed your memory has to be a big blow. Amelie can’t even imagine “Cross, just please use your new powers,” Roman pleads, redirecting her attention back to the boys. He throws down the ‘useless’ poles. His emotion/pain absorbing powers wouldn’t help with the tent. Amelie and Ria share a glance as the bet is proved. The poles suddenly shoot up and whip around in the air wildly. “Watch it!” Jones cries out as one of them gets close to decapitating him. He leaps out of the way, transforming into a hawk to get out of further reach. “I’m still getting used to picturing what I want them to do and then having them do that,” Cross explains, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. With all that her friends deal with regarding their abilities and soulmate, Amelie has never been so happy to not have one. It seems that living a boring, soulmateless life isn’t that bad. Especially with her friends. Cross gains control and the poles float into position for Jeremiah and Roman to manually slide the tent into place. In Amelie’s opinion, their sleeping quarters still looks a bit shaky. Jeremiah grins and flips his hand. Following the motion, long vines grow from the ground and stabilize the structure. “Just in case.” “Bell, you’re keeping the weather nice, right?” Lou question, concern for their shelter evident. “Yep. All good.” With the tent set up, they work to place blankets outside and their snacks, readying themselves for stargazing. “Do you guys want to watch the rest of the movie while we wait for night?” Bell faces the boys as they all have laid down on the blankets, apparently tired from all their hard work. “Does it have to be a Barbie movie?” Jones inquires, though he knows it is a losing battle. “It has talking animals,” Lou chirps, using their secret weapon that they had for her on him. He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t protest. Not that he could that much. If you let the girls pick the movie, it was going to be Barbie. Those cinematic masterpieces were Amelie’s childhood. “It is one of the better ones,” Jeremiah adds. When they all look to him with questioning eyes, he shrugs. “I do have a little sister.” As they distribute the snacks, keeping the vegan stuff for Lou and Jones, Ria passes Amelie a soda and a bag of chips. Their fingertips glide against one another and Amelie can feel her face warm at the contact. She curses herself mentally at having such a reaction at such a small touch. She just needs to be cool. Amelie isn’t obtuse. She knows they have been in this confusing dance where neither of them wants to lead. So they just go in these circles. They finish out the movie and let the boys pick one. They pick a Marvel movie which is fine by Amelie, though not all of them are knowledgeable on the extensive lore. The sun begins to descend, bringing both darkness and new light along with it. Cross is the first one to throw himself on his back and tilt his head up to witness the stars. They all follow suit. There are some white clouds, covering the brightness of the night. Bell waves her hand, her pointer and middle finger swiping, and the clouds part, leaving a clear starry sky. In a rare moment, they are all silent. Just the whispers of the breeze, rustling the trees. Amelie truly savors her friends. It is comforting to have these quiet times without it feeling awkward. The stars are beautiful. So far away, yet twinkle so radiantly. Taking a quick glimpse at Ria, her red highlights shining under the starlight, Amelie feels brave. With all the courage she can muster, she reaches over and grasps Ria’s hand. It isn’t like what Amelie hears about soulmates. Everyone raves about the sparks when they first come into contact with their soulmate. The electrifying, magnetic connection. This just feels like holding someone’s hand. Ria squeezes her hand and then slowly shifts to lay her head on Amelie’s shoulder. It may not feel like lightning in her veins, but it feels warm. Makes her feel happy. Makes her feel seen. Like a glistening star.

Somewhere along the line the forest had become a physical manifestation of our friendship. The love that we held for one another. Of course at the time it was just our forest. I remember it having distinct areas, like neighbourhoods or city blocks. We created a map once, thick card, burnt edges, like pirates parading as colonists. And as such we each had our own kingdom to rule and call our own. The old pine plantation was where we had pinecone fights, and made needle angels. I loved it so much I called it my kingdom. Leah had the songbird kingdom, filled with hollow oaks and bright music. We called Chris’s kingdom the ruin. Long abandoned cars and remnants of a factory mill impregnated the Earth with rusted iron, making it the perfect place for ghost stories or hide and seek. Marie chose the rolling hills as her kingdom. She lived for gymnastics. The soft grass cushioned her fall, and made for excellent tumbling practice. Charlotte made her kingdom in the wetlands and swamp, which quickly became our convene point. In the summers we would have mud fights and swim through boggy river. While during colder months we set up traps for the yabbies to cook and eat by our fire. Now I am old by my eleven year old standards and I’ve come to visit my backwater town. It’s so quiet I almost miss the sight of our forest. Or lack there of. Now that remains is only black, burnt and brandished.

All we had really wanted to do was go on a hike. The hike was great, don’t get me wrong, but sore muscles aren’t. We were almost done when we spotted a large log over a small stream. Kate had dared Maylee to walk across it. She was a retired state gymnast, so we all figured she would do it. And just like we thought, Maylee made it over, like a ibex on a mountain. She then dared me to go over. I do horsey stuff for a living (if I explained, we would be here all day), so she figured I would have the balance to do it. The only catch is I’m clumsy. But a dares a dare. So against whatever I thought and my friends belief I would be fine, I made it over. At this point, everyone had to try it. Jaylee first, (we call her and Maylee and her the Aylees) then Kate, and then finally Anna. I of course then had the great idea to ask some poor old hiker to take a photo of us all sitting on the log. It turned out great. To anyone else, it would sound stupid. And maybe it is. But moments like these are the ones I will never forget.

Alliance is for the weak. That’s what I used to tell myself. I sit cross-legged on the grass and take in the view. The wind rustles through the air around me, rustling the leaves of the trees nearby. Distant clamouring echoes from a distance. Alliance is for the weak. Maybe I am weak. I believed I could trust no one, that vulnerability only gave way to potential hurt. To loss. To trauma. But I would have died, so so many times during this journey had it not been for them. These dummies. With their relentless positivity, unrivalled survival instinct and ability to rally the most downtrodden of us, they’ve propelled us to a victory I could have never achieved on my own. Or maybe I could have, with an extra decade or so. I watch them rugby tackle each other to the ground in the distance. Their duality astonished me. Playful yet rugged, lighthearted and dead cold serious. I struggle to believe that alliance is for the weak. Perhaps in truth, I was weak for lacking trust. I was weak, to not be vulnerable.

Babbling brooks Babbling babes We fumbled where the fishes played From dawn until the end of day Back when life was just a game Boggy creeks Bogging babes We rolled in mud Down hills In hay We messed our hair up Then we laid To dry in the sun Then hide in the shade Back when mammy would shout and say Your dinners ready Come in from play Back when life was just a game Restless rivers Reckless caves Cloaked in darkness We made our way To whisper secrets Or sneak a pint Down by the water In the cold still night Before we knew What was wrong or right When life was just a game Numbing rain Scorching heat When I needed you And you needed me We knew just where we had to meet Where life was just a game As time went on As times did change As you had babies And I moved away I wonder if it had stayed the same Where life was just a game One faithful day In summer passed Home for autumn I walked that same path Where you and I Grew old and vain Where life was just a game I happened upon a beautiful scene A group of babies by the beach Laughing and playing The same way as we Where life was just a game I looked up from this picture Sweet My eyes met yours Yours filled with glee Flooded with the memories Of when life was still a game And in that moment We both knew How much you missed me How much I missed you As we clung on tight We began anew Where life was still a game Seasons changed Tides did rise We faced the challenges Side by side Our hearts still young Our hair turned grey Watching the waves roll in each day Making so many new memories Making life a game

The wind hums through the branches Stoic trees provide their shade As I thrive in peaceful solitude My lonely escapade I’m indifferent to the silence Contented all alone I’ve left a trail of breadcrumbs To guide my way back home And yet I turn around and find My trail has disappeared Devoured by some creature Empty footprints filled with fear Now my peace turns to forlornness My seclusion dark and cold As I wander off the beaten path Recalling what was told Isolation brings despair A bleak and hopeless life While a good friend works like a salve To heal when things are rife I never thought I needed one My breadcrumbs were enough But now they’re nowhere to be seen And confidence is tough I beg you, wand’ring traveler To be a friend to me To be my trail of breadcrumbs That my path home I may see But I want not for myself alone For this is what I’ll do If you will be a friend to me I’ll be a friend to you Together we’ll traverse the world Without another care No need for trails of breadcrumbs For we’ll have each other there