Pate's Journal

[Burgy]

When I came to my head was throbbing and I had no idea where I was. I've been to the Woods before, but never this far in. I remember Kal telling me about a 'spirit journey' and the necessary ritual, but after she starts it is where my memory starts to get a little fuzzy. Luckily if there were any enemies or predators around for whatever reason they did not see fit to disturb me. I slept with no bedroll and no shelter and my body and head ache like they never have before.

I'm lost in the woods and I'm alone. I've no supplies but my bow, blades, and a quiver of arrows. . . And I have never felt so alive.

[Burgy]

Sleeping in a tree was a mistake... That much is clear now. It seemed like a good idea at the time, I found a nice wide branch well off the ground and fairly hidden, but when I woke I was covered in ants. Hundreds, thousands mayhaps. Getting them off was not easy and a rather rude awakening. I still think staying off the ground when I sleep is for the best so I took the time to try to notice any differences with that tree and others. After several hours of examining tree after tree, all kinds and sizes, I think I will be able to choose one tonight that isn't suffering from some kind of infestation or habitation.

After that I started to take note of other things. Things I would have never wasted a moment's worth of thought on before. My waterskin is still near full and I'm a bit hungry, but have gone much longer than this without food before so I spent most of the day just... Observing.

It was hard, I'm not good at moving quietly to begin with and much less in the woods walking over leaves and fallen branches, but I managed to watch some various animals for awhile. I saw what kinds of things they ate and more importantly what they didn't. I will be very hungry tomorrow, but I will spend a few more hours watching them until I am sure of what is safe for me to eat.

Tomorrow I think I should also learn how to make a fire without my flint stone in case I need to hunt food and cook it... My blades will not serve to make a spark I must not damage them unduly. I have seen men make a fire by rubbing two sticks together before, it couldn't be that hard. . .

[Burgy]

Eating bugs and worms isn't as bad as you'd think... Once you are used to it anyway. My attempts at a fire have thus far been unfruitful. I got close and even got it smoldering slightly by rubbing two sticks together as I had seen done before, but I hadn't prepared sufficient tinder and it quickly went out. After several nights out here though I have realized that might have been for the best. My senses seem to have adjusted and sharpened and it made me think how easy it could be for potential enemies to find me if I made a fire right out in the open like I planned. I did, however, find a deep cave that I will take shelter in tonight. It should provide more than ample cover for a small cook fire if I am able to get a smolder going again.


Keeping my water skin full or near enough to make no matter has turned out to be fairly easy so long as I am careful about rationing it. Though the rains have been very light, leaves on the larger plants are still able to collect small pools of water on themselves. Folding the leaves and funneling the tiny pools of rain water is a simple enough task, I just make certain to fill my skin at every single opportunity.


So far though the strangest thing that has happened to me is that even though I am hardly starving, I am very underfed in contrast to before. By all rights I should be feeling much weaker by the day, but I'm not. I'm getting...Stronger.

[Burgy]

I had just started to cook meat from a fresh hunt in the deep recesses if a cave, as I have become wont to do, when the beast approached from the darkness. With a deep, rumbling growl he let me know he was hungry. I did not want to harm the beast needlessly nor did I want to become it's next meal, so I cut off a portion of my boar and tossed it to the large cat still bloody. He devoured the meat greedily, his black coat shining in the light of my cook fire. After finishing his meal he wandered back into the darkness...

I noticed the next day the beast is following me and has been for several days now. I've taken to calling him Notch, but he seems to prefer sticking to the shadows. All the same I enjoy having the occasional company... Mayhaps I've made a new friend?

[Burgy]

It's been awhile since I wrote anything in these pages, but as I watched the sunrise and smoked my morning pipe in quiet contemplation I felt compelled. Last eve I left the Inn smiling and content, but now in the cold light of day my all too familiar doubts have surfaced once again. In spite of the laughter and the smiles I have so many suspicions. Mostly: What does she want with me?? Is it as she says and she enjoys trying to irritate me? Mayhaps... There is truth to this to be sure, but hardly the whole story. Does she genuinely enjoy my company? Not bloody likely. No... She wants to turn me and my friend against each other in some kind of twisted game. What else could it truly be?

On that note, am I betraying a friends trust or is this the innocent acquaintanceship I've been telling myself it is? And why is this all so bloody confusing??

This must be one of those problems father was always telling me about where the answer will only come to me in time. I must be patient.

*he looks at the rising sun with a frown before penning one last line*

My name is Pate. It rhymes with wait.

*he closes his journal and gathers his things, then makes his way towards the Inn...*

[Burgy]

Rings? Rings?! What in all the bloody hells would they need rings for?? It makes no sense that they could be or have been together! Kaltyra doesn't seem to have anything to gain by lying about it so I don't think it is that. But even still how could I not have known about this before? And the way Kal said it.. Mates.. So casually like she was telling me the sky is blue!

I couldn't explain why it made me feel the way it did, but I can't recall the last time I've felt so furious! Even after a night of tossing and turning restlessly I woke still angry.

Taking it out on that bandit only helped so much... "Your money or your life," he had said. He clearly hadn't considered the third option; me breaking his wrist while wrenching the blade from his hand and then using my fists to bash his teeth down his throat. I'm ashamed to admit how good it felt in my rage, the sound of the crack as his wrist snapped, the shout of pain that followed until I quickly silenced him.

Even so, as I write all this down I am still seething...

Pate... Rhymes with irate.