Chapter 3: Alone in determination

As Damian awakes to the chilling breeze that surrounds Diamond Valley, determined to return to his home, going back the way he came as not only does trouble find him, but also comes to a realisation.

Damian awoke to the chill that blew in the cave, quickly wrapping the blanket around him even tighter. Sitting up and breathing gently, his teeth chattering away as he tried to keep warm. Damian looked around, seeing that Terrah had returned, but she was not here. The valley was so quiet, you could hear each individual leaf leave it's dying tree, a soft breeze blew through the valley, moving small particles of snow, making them shimmer in the sunlight. Damian moved towards the open valley, hopping over to a tree, using the trunk to support himself as he tumbled forward breaking off a branch, covered in snow as a dying tree branch lay in front of him, all he could do now was reach for the branch and use it as a walking stick. Planting it firmly in the ground as he climbed up it. Taking one step at a time walking around with the stick as he held on to it tightly. Damian started to head back to the forest he had come from, back home. The sun had risen now. The pale sky skimmed the outer rim of the mountains to the north, surely no one would attack him in day light, but then again in his current state, he would probably be easy prey, even for the weakest of predators. Damian limped out into the open landscape constantly adjusting his grip on the branch, stabbing it into the ground and then hopping forward. A gentle breeze passed Damian as he approached the forest, looking past him as if something had tapped him on his shoulder, shaking the thought from his head as it was probably nothing.

 

 "I refuse to let you win" he'd say through gritted teeth as he stumbled through the forest, wincing in pain as his leg was getting tired and the grip on the branch felt like it had become a permanent part of him, it had only been a few minutes of walking and already the valley he left behind was no more. Damian continued to limp onwards, planting the branch firmly with each step, birds started to sing, sun shafts soon littered the forest floor.

 

Of course no matter what time of day, there will always be food, for someone, or something was breakfast. The bushes started to russle. Damians ears perked up, this was no mere soft russeling of leaves, it was clear and sounded angry" Get out" whsipered a voice, it sounded as if it was coming from all corners of the forest, Damian looked around, moving to what he assumed was a defensive stance as best he could, lacking the stability of his other foot.

 

"W-Who's there?" Damian started to look around as snakes started to swarm around him, only to slowly lift his gaze to a much larger snake, a large cobra like being, but this being had arms, no legs, and spoke like any other" Are you deaf boy?" the large snake asked in a whispering tone that sent chills down ones spine and made your skin crawl. Damian gulped looking down as all he could see were several hundreds of eyes looking at him without any expression in them" I'm up here boy!" the cobra hissed, Damian jumped as if he'd been mildly shocked"S-sorry, I...."Damian paled" didn't know?" The snake like being finished, slowly tilting his head in question. The large snake gave him a slight hiss "Of coursssse you didn't" as the snake being slithered forward, the smaller snakes parting respectfully, clearing a path for the larger one" I am...Chivarra, the snake lord of this foressst...and you are trespassssing...cat" Damian gulped, but did his best to hide it. Chivarra hissed as his minions parted for Damian, as he limped on through" You won't last long boy and when you do...collapse. I will be there to clean up" Damian looked behind him to talk back, but before he could, everyone and everything had gone from sight. Damian hobbled onwards, slowly losing his grip from his walking branch, groaning as this constant posture had cramped up his hand in to a claw like shape and hopping along on one leg was started to take its toll on this rough terrain. Damian continued to hobble along until he tripped on a root making him loose his balance and grip, his clawed hand sliding down the branch gathering splinters along the way. Landing face first into the cold and damp earth of the forest as he sobbed " I can't do this" gently letting go of his walking stick, his clawed hand twitched from the cold and pain that pulsed through him

The snow that once covered the forest ground was slowly melting away. Damian tried to push himself up, but could only hold the position before falling to the cold damp ground once more. Walking seemed like a feat of strength for him right now, he'd traveled so far from the cave, let alone civilization. He was in pain, he was scared and full of questions that had no answers.