Drop by Drop ( 2/4)
Title: Drop by Drop
Prompt: Here Be Dragons
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language
Please see the bottom for any notes as they will have spoilers.
--
Another day had passed as Fai sat on an outcropping of rocks nibbling on some crackers Sakura had packed away for him. He'd gotten in some nice sketches of the landscape and had managed to write down a few more statements from the locals, but still no sign of anything out of the ordinary. The blonde stared absently over the loch not sure what to do now.
A high-pitched neighing interrupted the silence and caused Fai to nearly jump out of his skin. Looking over he saw the same horse, tall and black against the tree line a few hundred feet away staring. It dripped water along its wake as it pawed the ground. He hadn't heard it get out of the water and thought he must really be tired.
"Hello there Mr. Horse!" He waved smiling and scaled down the rocks to approach the animal. He laughed at the mussed look of it. Reeds sticking out from its mane and tail. The horse snorted stopping before him and Fai smiled. "If you're nice I'll give you a treat~" He cooed at least thinking this way he wouldn't be bored.
Digging into his pocket he pulled out a fist sized piece of bread offering it to the horse that approached it carefully and eventually nibbled at it, eyes trained on him all the while. Fai laughed regardless and moved back away. "That's all I have for now." He explained showing his hands empty to which the horse sniffed over to make sure.
"You should be going home. I bet someone's missing you." He reasoned and then found it funny he was even talking at a horse. The horse then turned and trotted off to the edge of the woods, shaking its massive head and snorting. "What?"
The horse stared a moment longer before wandering into the undergrowth. Sighing Fai figured it wouldn't hurt to see exactly where the horse went to. He wasn't sure how the monster of a horse managed to make its way through the woods as he was finding it difficult to move but followed for a few minutes until he was out of the densely packed trees and shrubbery. The high grass hit around his thighs and Fai watched the horse as he moved out onto a old game trail that crossed in front of him. "If you want me to follow you should slow down!"
The horse didn't pay him any attention as he went at a fair pace. Fai frowned, determined now to follow it to where ever it was headed. What he hadn't expected was a thrush to fly out nearly giving him a heart attack and when he looked for the horse it was no longer on the trail or anywhere he could see.
"What are you doing out here?" A tall man, eyes narrowed. He had a gun slung over his shoulder and two rabbits in one hand.
"Ah sorry, I think I'm a little turned around." He smiled sheepishly. There was no point in saying he'd been following a horse, he might get carted off to an asylum.
"Hm. Road's that way. I'm heading back now." The hunter offered and Fai nodded, letting him lead the way. He glanced back down the trail confused, but supposed it wasn't anything to worry about.
"I'm Fai and thank you for the help." He said when they reached the forests edge.
"Shizuka. My family owns the Mill a couple mills from the town." He explained and Fai had no clue where any mill was.
"Do you travel these woods often?" He asked and Doumeki nodded. Seemed he wasn't much of a talker. "What about those tales of a lake monster?"
"The forest is old, so it's possible. There are old graves and shrines in the woods. My grandfather believed in fair folk." He shrugged.
"And you?" Fai asked looking over at the man. It wasn't all that strange from some of the older people to still believe in myths and tales from storybooks.
"I haven't seen anything." Well that didn't help him. They walked out onto the road and Fai was surprised at how close he had been. He and Shizuka parted ways after that, Fai heading back to his room to go over his notes.
--
The next day he woke at dawn and couldn't get back to sleep. When he wandered downstairs he found Sakura and her mother spreading feed out for a flock of chickens and geese and waved at them on his way out.
Choosing another route today he picked up some food at a small food stall and went on his way. There were only three roads in Celes, two of which lead away from the loch, this time he walked along the western side of the loch on a dirt path worn away by countless feet over countless years. Hiking he made it the half way point, not near the shore, but he could see the loch from where he was. He wanted to see if he could find any of these graves Shizuka had mentioned. It would make for a nice ghost story and his readers were fanatic about the paranormal nowadays.
His legs were aching by the time he found the game trail again and marched forward with his bag over his shoulder. Fai had asked a few locals before leaving about graveyards and the like and they had pointed him in a few directions. Fai took the one furthest away from the small map he had drawn out. The woods were thick, but at least the trail was wide enough to where he didn't catch his clothes on low branches.
Checking his pocket watch he sighed. It had been two hours already and he had yet to find anything manmade. As he came across a shallow stream he hopped across nearly falling as he did and noticed the path branched off in two directions.
He could see tracks in the mud heading off to the path in front of him and nothing on the side, which made him wonder why exactly the path hadn't been overgrown. Figuring it wouldn't be a long trek he turned heading right and down the trail.
Perhaps it wasn't his best idea going alone. He should have searched for a guide to take him to the cemeteries, but there was no helping it now. What did surprise him was the little shed he found when he was at the end of the pathway. The walls were rotting away, water stained and not in the best condition. It was better than just more trees as he walked up to investigate. It looked to be an old hunter's shack that had gone into disrepair.
Stepping up onto the porch he opened the door, hinges squeaking loudly as he stepped inside. A small bed sat there along with a rusty wood stove. A thick layer of dust had settled on everything except for a few paw prints no doubt left by mice. It was interesting, but nothing he hadn't seen before.
Poking around in the desk he found a few newspapers, yellowed and curled with age and spider webs. Fai sighed as he straightened and when he glanced over at the broken window. The sun looked like it was lowering and he needed to go back to the inn, his eyes lowered and when they did they caught a glimpse of a face staring back at him. His breath caught as he whirled around to see a man inside the shack. He was tall, almost unable to fit into the doorway as he stood there in worn clothes, looking unimpressed.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know someone lived here." He backed up as the man stepped forward.
"What are you doing?" The man's voice was deep and hoarse from disuse.
"Leaving if you'll let me."
"You were snooping."
"I didn't know I was. I'm sorry." Fai said again, hoping he would be able to get away unscathed.
"What are you doing here?" He asked again and the blonde wasn't sure what to say.
"I'm a writer, I wanted to look for some of the old graveyards around here to write a story." He frowned as the man approached and looked over him.
"Are you looking for things too? Out in the lake?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Everyone is recently." He looked out the window then and Fai followed his gaze, seeing nothing of note.
"Then you know about the stories?" Fai asked stepping out on a limb.
"No, now get out." He stepped away from the door watching expectantly. Fai didn't hesitate to get out, thinking the man deranged, living out in the woods in an unlivable shack. Well obviously he knew more than he was willing to tell Fai.
"I can pay you!" He blurted out which got the man's attention.
"What could you pay me?"
"Money of course." He offered and fished into his pocket for a few coins holding them up. The light filtering through the trees hit the three copper coins, making them shine. Red eyes looked interested at least.
"What do you want then?" The strange asked as he stood within his home and Fai was out of arms length.
"Stories. I'm writing about what people are seeing." Fai didn't know what he was thinking really, for all he knew this man was some sort of marauder or lunatic, but wandering the forests all day wasn't helping him at all.
"Fine." His arms folded across his massive chest then as Fai smiled and pocketed his money to begin walking backwards.
"Tomorrow then? It's getting late and all and people will start to miss me." Without an answer the door was slammed in his face, the other no longer wanting to talk. Well it suited him just fine as he turned tail and ran.
PART III