the stone, spluttering and coughing, and allowed the rest of his body to fall back into the stream.
The cool, refreshing water washed over his hot, sweaty body, calming him so that he finally noticed that he was thirsty, sore, and thoroughly exhausted. He sat up slowly and painfully, cupped his hands in the bubbling water, then drank of the life-giving substance with much relief. The water was sweet and seemed to calm his troubled mind and spirit.
When he had his fill, he began washing his aching arms. In the filtered moonlight, he could see that his shirtsleeves were torn to ribbons. His arms were cut and bruised from running through brush, tree branches, and whatever else was in his path. After washing his arms, he stood and walked into the middle of the stream to wash his legs. His leather pants were torn in many places, his legs were cut and terribly bruised, and his muscles screamed for rest.
His legs began to shake and become weak as he rubbed them, so he sat down in the running stream and let the cool water wash over his legs. Soon, the blood was washed from them. They began to feel stronger, and the aching lessened. After sitting in the stream for a while longer, he noticed the sound of falling water nearby. He slowly stood and forced his heavy legs to wade upstream.
Presently, he came upon a moonlit waterfall twenty stones high and eight stones across. He noticed a large darkness behind the cascade of water, and it took him a moment of intense staring to realize that a dark cave was behind it. He wondered what lay behind the waterfall, and the more he wondered, the more he felt that he should see for himself.
He approached the waterfall, cautious of what strange and dangerous creatures might be lurking within the dark, open chasm behind it. He shivered as he remembered the bear-dog creature that had brought his father down from his horse. He secretly swore in his heart that, if he could survive in this strange forest, he would hunt down the creature and kill it. He would never forget it, and he hoped it would never go unpunished.
Keegan drew his dagger then proceeded toward the cave. He stopped briefly before the waterfall, took a deep breath, and then strode through the falling water and into the cave. One of the two moons came out from behind a cloud and reflected on the falling water, bringing light into the cave and giving Keegan a fair look into it.
He was standing in a pool of water at the center of the cave. To his right, there were some rough-cut boulders, and to his left was nothing but a high stone wall. It was strangely warm in the cave, and a sudden weariness came over Keegan. His eyes began to droop, and his body pleaded for rest. He waded out of the pool and stepped onto the dry gravel. He walked toward the boulders--dagger raised, dripping water, his hand clamped tightly about its handle.
He came to the boulders and stopped to look around the dark cave. After a moment, he felt it was safe enough for him to rest, and he slowly lowered his dagger and placed it back into the sheath. At that moment, the moon disappeared behind another cloud and plunged the cave into complete darkness.
A red light glimmered on the boulders and cave wall, causing Keegan to jump. He traced the light to his chest and grabbed the chain that was around his neck. He pulled the chain out of his shirt to see that the ruby in his ring glowed brightly, making the golden dragons also glow.
As he stared at his ring, Keegan felt a lump form in his throat. He dropped the chain, leaving the glowing ring out of his shirt, and walked closer to the boulders. He found a comfortable crook where he could sit in one of them. He then put his face in his hands and began to sob. His father was dead, gone forever, and their only village, the only home he had ever known, was destroyed. His best friend was missing. His brother, sister, and mother were far away from him. His friends and other relatives
The cool, refreshing water washed over his hot, sweaty body, calming him so that he finally noticed that he was thirsty, sore, and thoroughly exhausted. He sat up slowly and painfully, cupped his hands in the bubbling water, then drank of the life-giving substance with much relief. The water was sweet and seemed to calm his troubled mind and spirit.
When he had his fill, he began washing his aching arms. In the filtered moonlight, he could see that his shirtsleeves were torn to ribbons. His arms were cut and bruised from running through brush, tree branches, and whatever else was in his path. After washing his arms, he stood and walked into the middle of the stream to wash his legs. His leather pants were torn in many places, his legs were cut and terribly bruised, and his muscles screamed for rest.
His legs began to shake and become weak as he rubbed them, so he sat down in the running stream and let the cool water wash over his legs. Soon, the blood was washed from them. They began to feel stronger, and the aching lessened. After sitting in the stream for a while longer, he noticed the sound of falling water nearby. He slowly stood and forced his heavy legs to wade upstream.
Presently, he came upon a moonlit waterfall twenty stones high and eight stones across. He noticed a large darkness behind the cascade of water, and it took him a moment of intense staring to realize that a dark cave was behind it. He wondered what lay behind the waterfall, and the more he wondered, the more he felt that he should see for himself.
He approached the waterfall, cautious of what strange and dangerous creatures might be lurking within the dark, open chasm behind it. He shivered as he remembered the bear-dog creature that had brought his father down from his horse. He secretly swore in his heart that, if he could survive in this strange forest, he would hunt down the creature and kill it. He would never forget it, and he hoped it would never go unpunished.
Keegan drew his dagger then proceeded toward the cave. He stopped briefly before the waterfall, took a deep breath, and then strode through the falling water and into the cave. One of the two moons came out from behind a cloud and reflected on the falling water, bringing light into the cave and giving Keegan a fair look into it.
He was standing in a pool of water at the center of the cave. To his right, there were some rough-cut boulders, and to his left was nothing but a high stone wall. It was strangely warm in the cave, and a sudden weariness came over Keegan. His eyes began to droop, and his body pleaded for rest. He waded out of the pool and stepped onto the dry gravel. He walked toward the boulders--dagger raised, dripping water, his hand clamped tightly about its handle.
He came to the boulders and stopped to look around the dark cave. After a moment, he felt it was safe enough for him to rest, and he slowly lowered his dagger and placed it back into the sheath. At that moment, the moon disappeared behind another cloud and plunged the cave into complete darkness.
A red light glimmered on the boulders and cave wall, causing Keegan to jump. He traced the light to his chest and grabbed the chain that was around his neck. He pulled the chain out of his shirt to see that the ruby in his ring glowed brightly, making the golden dragons also glow.
As he stared at his ring, Keegan felt a lump form in his throat. He dropped the chain, leaving the glowing ring out of his shirt, and walked closer to the boulders. He found a comfortable crook where he could sit in one of them. He then put his face in his hands and began to sob. His father was dead, gone forever, and their only village, the only home he had ever known, was destroyed. His best friend was missing. His brother, sister, and mother were far away from him. His friends and other relatives
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