“It’s sweet and succulent.” said Heracles, chewing.
“Yes, it is.” said Gwen. He completely agreed with Heracles. “At least, they are the planted orange trees, not the wild orange trees we found yesterday.” he added, still focused his orange tree’s brand. With one hand pulling the branch down, he managed to pick as many as ripen oranges he could. Short time later, Heracles and Gwen picked about forty or fifty oranges. They put them into a bag then strode heading deeply into forest to explore and also find some water. Heracles and Gwen discovered a small walkway as they passed the orange trees. Though grasses did covered on the walkway, it’s still found out. They decided to follow the walkway. Stepping on grasses they went. Shrubs and sprigs growing outwards made the walkway turn narrow. They had to push shrubs and sprigs aside to go. They slowly went in deep forest and at last to be prevented. There had a stream at the end of the walkway; it’s wide and looked not too deep. They stopped on the shore looking to the other side but no one of them decided not to wade pass the stream.
Heracles stood on ground, kept watching around while Gwen wade down the stream to take water into his water-skin. It’s too quiet and deserted around the place at the moment. It gave both Heracles and Gwen jittery feeling. Suddenly, a crack sound spread out from the other side of the stream. Heracles immediately took his eyes out of Gwen, turned to the place the sound came out. He narrowed his eyes something seemed to be there behind thick branches and leaves.
“Gwen,” called Heracles. He tried not to make his voice too loud and still kept motionless at his place.
“What?” said Gwen, raise his head turning back to Heracles. He planned to stand up.
“Don’t move.” Heracles immediately warned.
“Look!” he added, hinted Gwen to look to the other side.
“Do you see it?” asked Heracles, still kept his voice low.
Gwen followed Heracles’s hint he kept silent tuned his eyes to the other side. Tree and bushes stood few feet away from the stream and gave an empty land next to it. As like Heracles he narrowed his eyes to see far. After few moments, he saw it. After gaps of branches and leaves, there had something brown. It seemed one part of something’s body. He continued scanning over the place and then saw a long horse’s tail.
“It seems a horse.” He turned back to Heracles and said.
“No, it’s not.” Heracles refused at one, “It’s bigger than horses much. Furthermore--” Heracles stopped he couldn’t finish his words because he realized that the creature behind trees started moving and he didn’t want to waste the chance to see it.
“Follow it.” said Heracles. He immediately ran passed the stream and made water splash away. Heracles chased after the creature. Gwen on other side still didn’t know what happened, took his water-skin, ran after his friend.
“Wait—wait Heracles.” screamed Gwen. He was after Heracles trying to catch up him. Heracles quickly got onto the other shore but the creature did leave.
“Where is it?” spoke Gwen. He promptly caught up Heracles. Put his hand on Heracles’s shoulder, he breathed his breaths turned much fast.
“I don’t know.” said Heracles calmly, “It moved to fast.” His eyes focused on trees he scanned. He steeped ahead.
Then Gwen took again his breath. He caught up with Heracles. He turned around looking.
“Heracles - is it there?” he said. His hand reached on Heracles shoulder. His eyes still kept on high bushes few steps ahead. Heracles immediately turned to the place. His eyes scanned on each gaps between leaves and quickly see the brown fur behind the bush. Heracles didn’t say he turned to Gwen, bowed his head then hinted him to approach. They both slowly walked ahead trying not to make any noise. However, when they almost reached on the place, just two or three steps away, the creature moved. Honestly, it leapt out from its place passing Heracles and Gwen’s faces then jumped into another bush. It’s too fast for Heracles and Gwen could catch up but in luck they saw the shape of the creature. The creature completely vanished after bushes and trees. The hoof-beats turned farer and farer then disappeared. Both Heracles and Gwen stupidly were standing still at their places because of surprise.
“Do you see it Heracles?” said Gwen he got again his mind after seconds.
“I see.” said Heracles seriously. His eyes still kept on the bush where the creature jumped in and then vanished. “Follow it.” he spoke up. Then he went heading to the bush. Gwen silently walked after him. They broke in the brush then then got through. After the bush was a hidden trail. They didn’t stop, kept following the trail and quickly got into a wide lawn. They stopped because the lost the trace of the creature there.
“Is it a centaur Heracles?” asked Gwen. “Why does a centaur appear there and besides alone?” he added curiously.
“I don’t know. Only meet do we have the answer.” said Heracles.
Gwen turned in silence a while thinking. “It’s not easy to see a centaur unless it actively came to us.” he said.
“I know it.” said Heracles, “But, we should find around here in case it left some traces behind.”
Heracles and Gwen scattered they wandered in minutes inside the lawn surrounded by trees and bushes but they didn’t get any trace the centaur didn’t leave them any chance to meet it. However, Instead of it, they found walkway from the lawn heading to somewhere. Both of them felt curious and also a bit hesitated when they saw the walkway.
“Don’t you think where the road lead to?” said Gwen.
“I don’t know. Just take a look.” said Heracles.
Then Heracles and Gwen made their way walk in. It’s really long road. They spent about half an hour to follow it but they still didn’t find the destination of the way. It only led them to go deeper and deeper in the forest.
“Stop Heracles.” said Gwen loudly, “It seems lead us to go in forest deeply. We should turn back. Amelinda is waiting for us.”
Heracles stopped. He looked far away the endless road then turned back. He walked pass Gwen. “Go come back.” he said.
They quickly came back the lawn, crossed it then headed the stream. Heracles and Gwen waded passed the stream then found the way to the place where they left their pile of firewood. It was still there on ground when they came. Heracles bent down he managed and tied the firewood into two bunches then each of them brought one bunch on their back. Then they went leaving the forest.
Two shapes of people appeared at the forest’s edge. They were Heracles and Gwen. In front of their tent, Amelinda was sitting on the trunk waiting for them. She saw them. Heracles and Gwen quickly arrived. They laid the firewood bunches on their back down.
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