Amorthon Blackwood

Ashes

The first rays of sunshine filtering through the trees of Eversong Woods found the ranger slowly making his way down one of the many rarely used paths only those familiar with the area bothered to use. He’d been up before sunrise, as usual, to take Savage hunting. The hunt had been good exercise, and it had been good to start to get back into a routine, something he had been avoiding for weeks. 

Amorthon adjusted his bag on his shoulder, and his grip on his bow before motioning for Savage to follow. Had anyone been following it would have appeared that the ranger was simply wandering, with no destination in mind. The reality was that he very much had a destination in mind. Somewhere he hadn’t visited in over a year…somewhere he’d been running from for over a year. His grip on his bow tightened as the cabin came into view.

Over a year ago he’d left to go hunt, as he did every day, only to return to an empty building. He sighed as he moved towards the structure, Savage close enough to rub his head against the ranger’s leg. Everything was just as it had been a year ago. The plants were a bit overgrown, yes, but the structure itself? The same. His jaw clenched as he stepped into the cabin, checking for anything suspicious before moving all the way in and starting to make his way to the back…the bedrooms. 

He set his bag and bow down just inside the larger of the two bedrooms before moving over to where the three cribs were settled. Gently, he ran his fingers over the headboard of the crib closest to the door, before moving to the railing. His hand tightened around the railing as he looked around the room. Every piece there he’d made…and each had been left behind as easily as he had been. He snarled, grabbing and turning the crib with ease, pushing it towards the door. 

Dismantling the pieces wasn’t difficult…not for the one who had built them. Still, the afternoon sun found the ranger, his chest piece discarded and axe in hand, finishing off several of the larger pieces of furniture. Every swing of the axe fueled by anger, by hurt, by disappointment, and by frustration. Dressers, the bed, the cribs, all of them reminders that he no longer wanted to be forced to deal with. He set the axe aside, tossing one last piece of splintered wood onto the large pile before gathering what supplies he would need to start a small fire. 

He made sure the pile was a safe distance from the cabin before lighting the smaller fire and then retreating to the steps of the cabin. He eased down, Savage wandering over to sit next to him. He waited for a moment before leaning back against the door, watching as the pieces caught fire. He was tired of being defined by other’s view of him…tired of being seen as something to be discarded after his usefulness was through.  

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He reached over, gently running his hand over the top of the tiger’s head. He had needed a space for carpentry…and an apartment in the city wouldn’t do. Slowly, he turned, glancing over his shoulder at the cabin. “…I think we’ve been away from this place for too long Savage…” He glance down at the tiger. “…I think a fresh start is needed for this place…A couple of new beds..new furniture…that should keep me busy for a while.” He stood retrieving his chest piece, his bag, and his weapon. A fresh start for the cabin, but more importantly a fresh start for him. He let his gaze wander back to the fire. Yes…maybe this was exactly what he needed. To rise from the ashes and find his way back to himself.