“Not too long Gwen.” said Heracles, “Just enough to decide to explore the forest.”
“Oh, let’s go. I also want to explore that place.” said Gwen immediately.
Then Heracles and Amelinda stood up. They made their way head to forest. Heracles and Gwen did go in the forest but it is the first time Amelinda went. The first thing she got that the forest was an ancient forest and completely wild. Trees were really big and looked really very old their trunks were covered black shaggy bark or green mosses while boughs which were as big as normal trunks. They were grabbed vines which were as big as a person's calf. Sometime she even saw vines which were as big as a human body. The forest was really humid. It made the temperature inside dropped. Amelinda could feel cool air swept on her skin whenever she stepped. Sometime, it made her creepy when winds blew passing her. Sunlight was very weak in there it had to break the foliage upon their heads. Under their feet the ground was covered by rotten leaves, dry branches, shrubs, mosses and mushrooms. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda still kept walking deeply into forest. They had no choice but to step on the thick layer of rotten leaves and branches which sometime spread out small crack sounds as they stepped on dry branches. The more they went in the less light could reach on ground while the trees turned much older and higher. They covered whole the place under their leaves. The forest gave them the feeling of mystic than ever. They stopped after hours moving.
“It’s difficult to find the way here. We will get lost if we continue going.” said Heracles seriously. He turned back, looked at his friends. “I think we should go back and found another way.” he added.
“Turn back to the stream. It’s the place we can get water. We will eat, drink and rest there a bit.” suggested Amelinda.
“I think we should have some mushrooms to eat as they came there. I saw some of them standing around the place.” said Gwen grinning.
There had a small stream through the forest they met it on the way they came to there. The stream looked clean. The stream bank was clear and enough place for them to rest there. They made their way back. Walking on the way which led them to there, they found the way to the stream. It took them a half hour to get to it, a shallow and narrow that they could wade cross. Heracles and others stopped at one side of the stream. They walked along the shore finding a dry place to fire. Later, they found a pebbles area and stopped there. They put their bags together then scattered. Heracles wandered around and he was the first person turning back. He brought a bunch of dry firewood then put it down next to the bags. He sat down, reached to the bunch of firewood, took a branch then he used it to slide pebbles aside showing up sands below. Later, he chose some large rocks, laid around the sands to create a fireplace. When all things done, Heracles put some firewood into then fired it. As soon as the firewood was burnt, Amelinda and Gwen made their way get back. Gwen brought with him some mushrooms. He even got some bird eggs. On other hand, Amelinda have some herbs and by some way she even got some yellow oranges.
“Where did you find the things?” asked Heracles curiously, looked at Amelinda.
“I find them all along the shore. Herbs grow a lot there while orange tree only have few.” said Amelinda.
“Oh, I don’t think we can find orange around here.” said Heracles. “What about you? Where do you find the mushrooms?” Heracles turned to Gwen, his voice had a bit surprise, “I don’t think you even find eggs.”
Gwen grinned. “Of course, you have the skills to find them.” he said proudly, “I was trained well. Sometime, you see mushrooms break ground to grow up but it only happens in spring after the rains. The remaining time mushrooms hide themselves underground to grow. We call the work finding mushroom is mushrooms hunting and people who go finding mushroom are mushroom hunters. They must be people who have to have great keen senses that they have good vision, can see disturbance and also moisture on the ground, to recognize behaviors of wildlife, the great hunters in the natural world. They have to have a good sense of smell that he could realize the different in smell between the places mushrooms are growing up and the others. Also he that is his hearing, it is enough good for him to hear whispers underground and at last.” Gwen stopped, looked at Heracles and Amelinda who were attentively listening to him. “That is the feeling.” he added – his voice turned much mysterious, “Follow your feeling. It will lead you to the treasure.”
“Really?” Amelinda squealed, “I don’t think the feeling can help me find mushroom.”
“Of course,” said Gwen. His voice turned back normal, not mysterious more, “not all of people can use their feeling to hunt mushroom.” he added with big grin on his face.
“I believe it, the feeling.” Heracles said, looking on his friends.
Gwen took a smile with Heracles then he spoke up.
“Okay, let me cook.” he said. His space ring lit up then a lot of kitchenware poured out, a pan, honestly it’s a big pan, a big cauldron, some pots, cutting knives, bowls, plates, spoons, forks and many other things. They overlapped together on ground with some bag of grain and spice jars.
“OMG!” Amelinda screamed, “You bring all things in your kitchen to here.”
“No, I’m not. They are only necessary things.” said Gwen, rummaging everything to take out his cauldron.
“I don’t think that you store all those things in your space ring.” Heracles said gently but her voice still had a bit surprise.
“I like it.” said Gwen, grinning. He took the cauldron to the stream to get water then bought back and put upon the fire. He grabbed on one of his bag, poured some grain into the cauldron then put the lid upon. Then, he turned to Heracles and Amelinda. “We should wash them.” he said, watched on mushrooms, herbs and oranges they laid on ground.
“Alright!” said Amelinda. She picked up herbs and oranges on ground.
“I help you a hand.” said Heracles, hurriedly helped Amelinda and Gwen pick herbs, oranges and mushrooms on ground up. They walked straight to the stream. Heracles chose a large rock emerging the stream to step on. When he reached to water, he squatted and started washing herbs, oranges and mushrooms he brought with. Amelinda and Gwen also stepped on other rocks nearly, sat down and washed things they had. After washing, Heracles and Amelinda made their way to Gwen. They put mushrooms, herbs and oranges together into a basket Gwen put beside him. Gwen got them. He chose a clean and flat rock nearby, put mushrooms on it, using his cutting knife and started mincing the mushrooms. The orange were cut into two while herbs were sliced. Everything was put neatly and separately back to the basket after he cut. Heracles and Amelinda had turned back to the fire to watch the cauldron.
Heracles and the Nemean Lion
The first epic in the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series — witness Heracles' legendary battle against the invincible lion. A tale of strength, fate, and immortal valor.
Heracles and the Dragon Hydra
The second chapter of the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series. Heracles faces the monstrous Hydra — a dragon-like beast with many heads, each reborn from the last. A mythic journey of courage, strategy, and divine challenge.
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