Ander - Part 3: Subchapter 1
Chapter 3
Life
1
A change comes over the woods at dusk. The birds stop chirping, the rustling of the small animals in the underbrush cease. As the shadows grow long and the infinite golden blades of the setting sun pierce the canopy, all life seems to disappear, but Ander knew that was only an illusion.
The life was still there, but it was hiding...
Hiding from the things that prey in the dark.
Your blood is a lie...
He thought the long walk back home would take forever. He hoped it would take forever.
What's done is done...
But he was wrong. It felt like every step he took propelled him twice as fast as it should, as if the world itself was moving all around him, hastening his return.
You're no brother of mine...
The pass... He barely remembered going through it the first time, and going back was no different. It was over in the blink of an eye. One moment he was still in Grovenglen, still in the warm light of the afternoon, the next he was inside the Cora, as if it had swallowed him whole. But he still would have preferred that cold, shadowy place to what lay beyond its exit.
The river.
... and can't be undone.
Ander stopped, put his hand against a nearby tree, and looked down at the roots criss-crossing the ground, fighting for position in a flow of time all their own.
The river. It was there that his life changed forever. It was there that his life took on a new meaning, one he didn't yet fully understand. It was there that he took the life of his older brother.
It can't be undone.
How he stared at the flowing waters, as if he had never seen such a thing. It looked... wrong, somehow. The water was so clear, so cheerful, flowing over the rocks, carrying leaves and twigs like little rafts, bobbing them up and down, spinning them around in little whirlpools along the side. It was calm. It was innocent.
Even though his throat was parched and he still had a long way to go, he couldn't bring himself to drink from those peaceful waters.
It would be like drinking the blood of his brother.
It was like smoke, he thought, shutting his eyes against the final, dying rays of the day. Black smoke inside the river...
Ander opened his eyes -
It can never be undone...
- and continued his journey, taking one step at a time, constantly drawing nearer to the place he never really thought of as home.
It wouldn't be long now. He could see the smoke rise up in the distance, carrying with it the smells of burning cedar and the undertones of his tribe. He could hear...
Drums.
Drums, drums, drums... echoing through the woods, growing louder and louder, faster and faster. It was the song used by the tribe for times of battle. It was the song of war.
The drums.
"No..." He quickened his pace, following the rising sound. "Don't let me be too late," he said, breaking out into a full run, the smoke from the bonfires tinting the last glimmers of the sun into rays of dirty, orange flame. "Please... don't let me be too late..."
Finally, Ander is back! Sorry for the long wait. To prevent such a long gap from ever happening again, I'll only be updating on Mondays and Fridays from now on. A slightly slower, but consistent pace is better for everybody (especially me, since I sure as hell don't want to go on another 4 month writing spree to rebuild my buffer X_X).
But once again, sorry for the long wait, it won't happen again, and... what else? Ah! Hope you enjoy! ^_^
If you enjoy my story, please help keep my face un-mauled by irritable ostriches by dropping me a donation.
Thank you! ^_^
Paypal: [email protected]
Donation Progress $34.34 / $100 (Unlock Sunday update)
First: https://www.sofurry.com/view/517235
Previous: https://www.sofurry.com/view/583412
Next: https://www.sofurry.com/view/659872
How and Why: The Story behind "Ander" (Journal): https://www.sofurry.com/view/517234
Special thanks go out to the following furs for helping me keep this project afloat with their generous donations. I couldn't do it without your support.
- The mystery fur strikes again with a second donation! If you'd like to be credited, drop me a PM with your username. :3
- PyrePup has also donated twice.
- KmlRock
Thank you! You guys are the best! ^_^