Ep.1 : The Forest of Nightmare
Here, time does not exist. In this world, the energies are clear, the rules are simple : eat, or be eaten !
In a mist of increasingly vibrant and attractive colors, mystical plants grew, clinging to endless trees bearing fruits that each had a shape defining its character. Water snakes traced the veins of these woods and stopped in the swampy, decaying marshes. These springs hid each a secret well-guarded by their habitant, many are unpredictable and may forget you. In this hot, humid, and unforgiving land, lizards of all sizes nap, huge and discreet cats hunt small, hairy men who shout at the morning light, along with animals with weird trunks. Birds fly, their changing beaks. Vicious and unwelcoming insects, whether furry or armored, flying, crawling, or walking, all are driven by a fearsome spirit, they will chase you all time.
And so, here in this beautifully hostile land, roam small lost men. Surrounded by dangers, forgotten knowledge, and unknown magic, fearless children have created a city hidden from everything : City of Children !
In the warm, rising alleys of the City of Children, there reigned a special child. His name was Gato. He was intelligent, a fighter and a leader, with a small round head framed by wild hair, and a hazel gaze of incomparable softness accentuated by small scars on his head. His lips were soft, curved in a confident smile. His body was lean, muscular, and perfectly proportioned, with calloused hands by his past battles.
Young Gato resembled a man before his time. He knew how to organize his friends both boys and girls, to create a prosperous and pleasant environment for all the children of the city. He had created and organized the City of Children by himself from gathering food, hunting, recipes, to the warmth of shelters. At first, the children here were fearful and resourceful, lazy even, enjoying being served. Gato fed them, clothed them, and cared for them, freeing them from their temporary laziness!
One day, as the children became more motivated, he built a bridge leading into the forest of fruits not far from there. He organized daily groups of girls, protected by the strong boys, to gather fruits and fresh water. One night, while everyone was sleeping, he built a second bridge leading into the Forest of Dreams. It was dark and cold, but at the end of the path, Gato knew it hid a luminous clearing where all kinds of prey could be found tapirs, monkeys, singing birds, anyone who wanted to live peacefully in the clearing.
The path of this forest was steep, muddy, and winding. It wasn’t until the rainy season ended that Gato decided to send the strongest, most daring children, along with some intellectuals, to protect them from the evil lurking there. Evil that nearly filled the forest, feeding on the souls of the unhappy, loveless warriors, and kings who sought to control their weapons. The children were sent with their leader to reach the clearing and bring back animals to build farms in their city.
Gato led the group. They didn’t have enough water to make it to the end, but the motivation of their leader was enough to keep them going. They boldly ventured down the perilous paths.
During the journey, in the dead of night, one of the children saw stones glowing a bright red in the distance. It was one of the intellectuals. Intrigued and wanting to understand why these tiny crystals shone so brightly in the dark, she decided to take a look.
What she saw was no less than an alligator waiting for a monkey to venture too close to its territory. Its eyes appeared to be precious metals. Unfortunately for the monkey, who had been reaching for a higher fruit, he fell from his branch. He too had seen the blood-red glowing stones and, driven by greed, he saw them as a treasure. The giant lizard slowly approached without making a sound, silently stalking the monkey. It was about to devour him in one swift bite, for sure !
As the monkey reached for what he thought was a precious stone, the alligator quietly opened its mouth. "CRACK!" A loud noise echoed through the forest. One of the children had dropped a dead tree branch to maintain the campfire. Thanks to this, the monkey escaped, but the alligator, disappointed, turned its gaze and saw the intellectual!
Suddenly, it charged toward the frightened girl. Fortunately, one of the children had noticed her moving away from the group and was watching the scene from a branch above them. In an instant, the girl was shocked and relieved to see a young man fall from the sky directly onto the alligator, blocking its mouth with strong vines, its limbs, and everything that stuck out. She could barely see his face, but whew ! The mysterious savior was Gato !
But barely had she had time to breathe when the giant lizard curled up around itself, crushing the group leader with each roll.
The intellectual quickly realized they needed stronger arms to help. Screaming, running, pushing through the leaves, avoiding the insects in her way, she reached the group and called out, "Cocoa, Bilimbao, Energia! Hurry ! Gato needs us !"
The children rushed to help without thinking. The three of them pulled the monster’s tail to free their leader from the trap the monster had set. Luckily, they were strong and brave. Once Gato was freed from the weight of the beast, he asked them to find something to knock it out. He was still dazed but stubborn, ready for vengeance. What he didn’t know yet was that the whole group was already around them. How could they not hear the commotion they were making ?
Some of them had built a cage for the beast, and without hesitation, when Gato saw their construction, he calmed down and restored order in the children's chaos. He ordered someone to open the cage and get ready to close it. Everyone, regaining their composure, helped the four strong ones put the prey into the cage !
Victory ! They had caught an alligator and would feast on it in the city. They didn’t even stop to rest and took the road home, proud and laughing at the poor creature that was crying big tears.
The forest’s energies were with them tonight because on their way back, they encountered no danger. At the first rays of the sun, under the howls of the howler monkeys, the group arrived victorious. Some jumped with joy, some were already preparing the fire and tools to cook, while others praised the merits of Gato the quick-witted. They told stories about how he had caught the river monster with his bare hands!
Others listened with wide, tired eyes. They woke up happy today, a cacophony that announced celebrations ! And with growling stomachs, they danced in a circle around the fire and the animal, playing instruments made from coconut shells, calabashes that made guitar-like sounds, and rattling necklaces that vibrated in the air. Others had just finished making drums from the skin of the prey and were proudly beating them in rhythm: BOOM, BOOM, BOOM !
The little leader soared, carried by the music and his friends, happy to see that his efforts were making sense.
Thus, in a thunderous noise, the young man forever earned the respect of all the inhabitants of the city, making them happy once again! But this was just the beginning of a difficult path. Will they ever see the peaceful heart of the long-desired clearing ? Will they discover the beauties this place has in store for them ?
- Each of my posts will serve to support emerging projects in geographically disadvantaged areas. Our children have the right to experience these adventures too. To help non-GMO cocoa plantations and small producers in the Amazon, as well as combat Amazonian deforestation, you can always UpVote.
More donations on this wallet:
0x6dFF282fa9964FBAB3ffC1867C7f0364bF8c8033
