"The sun was shining in among the branches, and the birds sang their beautiful autumn melody. Artemis and Maria followed a path which, according to Maria led to the Rothranach nest, where Artemis was hoping to find a Rothranach, and catch it. But he had yet not a single thought to how he would actually succeed with it. All his thoughts revolved around only one thing right now, Maria. They walked silently side by side. Artemis could feel sweat running down his forehead, he quickly dried by the and drew a small breath before he said;
- Sooo ... Where are you from?
- Oh I, I come from the village outside the forest. Towards the West.
- Oh I see, cool ...
- Yeah ...
What are you doing you idiot? Can you not talk to girls or what? Pull yourself together! You only embarrass yourself!!
Artemis had this habit of thinking thoughts that are trying to pep him up. Which did not always go as he wanted it to do.
"The sun was shining in among the branches, and the birds sang their beautiful autumn melody. Artemis and Maria followed a path which, according to Maria led to the Rothranach nest, where Artemis was hoping to find a Rothranach, and catch it. But he had yet not a single thought to how he would actually succeed with it. All his thoughts revolved around only one thing right now, Maria. They walked silently side by side. Artemis could feel sweat running down his forehead, he quickly wiped it off and drew a small breath before he said;
- Sooo... Where are you from?
- Oh I, I come from the city outside the forest. Towards the West.
- Oh I see, cool...
- Yeah...
What are you doing you idiot? Can you not talk to girls or what?
Pull yourself together! You're only embarrassing yourself!
Pull yourself together! You're only embarrassing yourself!
Artemis had this habit of thinking thoughts that are trying to pep him up. Which did not always go as he wanted it to do. Instead it ended with that he gave himself a scolding. He turned his eyes gently to Maria to see how her face looked like at the moment, but when he saw she was staring back at him he quickly turned his gaze back down to the ground.
You see? Now she stares at you as if you were crazy!
Maria giggled. She looked at him with such an intense gaze. Like if she studied him. Artemis stared back at her through the corner of his eye. He wanted to say something to her, but what? What could he say that did not sound crazy? He said nothing. Rather that than to say something that might scare her, or embarrass him.
- You seem to be a very quiet individual, are you afraid of me?, Said Maria.
- N-no, it's just... I do not know what to say.
- Oh... okay. But hey, I just remembered something, you never told me your name.
- My name? Ehm... It's A.. Adam.
Perfect!
- Well, it's nice to meet you, Adam.
- You too.
- Don't you want to know my name?
- Oh, yes, of course I would!
- It's Maria. Maria Darwin.
- It's beautiful, 'said Artemis with a doubt in his voice
Maria blushed.
- Thank you.
After about half an hour's walk they stopped next to a clearing surrounded by birch trees. There was complete silence.
- Is it here? asked Artemis.
- Yes, it should be anyway. However, it seems abandoned.
They both looked around. Nothing. Not a movement. Artemis could not help to feel the feeling that they were not alone. Someone, or something, looked at them. Artemis looked closely around him. Where? He carefully pulled out his bow, and with further small movements, he flexed an arrow.
- What is it Adam?
- Schh... They are here.
- But, I see nothing, it's just-
The sound of a twig breaking sounded through the glade. Artemis took a deep breath.
- Stay close to me, he told Maria.
Suddenly there was a roar, and a large Rothranach male jumped out of bushes, followed by the rest of the pack standing on the rock shelves and exposed their sharp teeth. The large male slowly approached Artemis and Maria. Artemis felt how Maria grabbed his shirt back. He raised his bow and pointed it at the Rothranach. It growled loudly.
- What should we do? said Maria.
Artemis heard on her voice that she was afraid.
- Do not be afraid, I will not let it hurt you.
- Are you gonna kill it?
- I must do something.
- Please! Don't...
Maria took a tighter grip of Artemis' shirt. Artemis looked at her and then turned his gaze back towards the big angry male. Slowly he lowered his bow. He stared into the male's eyes, with a look that said, I don't want to hurt you. The Rothranach took a step forward and roared. Artemis gave it a nod, and the two youths backed away from there. They ran the last bit, until they were far away enough from the Rothranach's territory. They panted out.
- That was perhaps not such a good idea, 'said Artemis out of his breath.
- Maybe not, hehe. But Adam, thank you.
- For what?
- For not killing it.
- Oh, well, no problem.
Sooner or later, you have to catch one, you know that right?
- Wow! said Maria surprised.
- What is it?
- It has already begun to get dark, I have to get back home!
- I will follow you out of the forest.
When they had come to the forest's end they saw the city where Maria lived. It was not a huge city, but it contained a lot of people. He noticed how the people began to move back home when darkness swept over the streets.
- So, where are you at night, then? asked Mary, and looked at Artemis.
- Ehm I... Live in a cave in the woods at the moment.
- Are you serious?! It must be freezing during the nights?
- Hehe, oh no, I make a fire and keep myself warm.
- I see... Well, I have to get going now.
- Sleep well.
- Ehm, Adam?
- Yes?
- Do I get... to see you again?
- O-o-of course! Yes, I mean... Yes you may see me again.
- Wonderful!
They stared at each other a short while. Maria smiled, and Artemis felt all warm inside.
- Well, I'll see you again soon I hope. Goodnight Adam.
Maria turned to the city and began to walk home.
- Goodnight, Maria Darwin.
He turned around and went back into the great dark forest."
Maria giggled. She looked at him with such an intense gaze. Like if she studied him. Artemis stared back at her through the corner of his eye. He wanted to say something to her, but what? What could he say that did not sound crazy? He said nothing. Rather that than to say something that might scare her, or embarrass him.
- You seem to be a very quiet individual, are you afraid of me?, Said Maria.
- N-no, it's just... I do not know what to say.
- Oh... okay. But hey, I just remembered something, you never told me your name.
- My name? Ehm... It's A.. Adam.
Perfect!
- Well, it's nice to meet you, Adam.
- You too.
- Don't you want to know my name?
- Oh, yes, of course I would!
- It's Maria. Maria Darwin.
- It's beautiful, 'said Artemis with a doubt in his voice
Maria blushed.
- Thank you.
After about half an hour's walk they stopped next to a clearing surrounded by birch trees. There was complete silence.
- Is it here? asked Artemis.
- Yes, it should be anyway. However, it seems abandoned.
They both looked around. Nothing. Not a movement. Artemis could not help to feel the feeling that they were not alone. Someone, or something, looked at them. Artemis looked closely around him. Where? He carefully pulled out his bow, and with further small movements, he flexed an arrow.
- What is it Adam?
- Schh... They are here.
- But, I see nothing, it's just-
The sound of a twig breaking sounded through the glade. Artemis took a deep breath.
- Stay close to me, he told Maria.
Suddenly there was a roar, and a large Rothranach male jumped out of bushes, followed by the rest of the pack standing on the rock shelves and exposed their sharp teeth. The large male slowly approached Artemis and Maria. Artemis felt how Maria grabbed his shirt back. He raised his bow and pointed it at the Rothranach. It growled loudly.
- What should we do? said Maria.
Artemis heard on her voice that she was afraid.
- Do not be afraid, I will not let it hurt you.
- Are you gonna kill it?
- I must do something.
- Please! Don't...
Maria took a tighter grip of Artemis' shirt. Artemis looked at her and then turned his gaze back towards the big angry male. Slowly he lowered his bow. He stared into the male's eyes, with a look that said, I don't want to hurt you. The Rothranach took a step forward and roared. Artemis gave it a nod, and the two youths backed away from there. They ran the last bit, until they were far away enough from the Rothranach's territory. They panted out.
- That was perhaps not such a good idea, 'said Artemis out of his breath.
- Maybe not, hehe. But Adam, thank you.
- For what?
- For not killing it.
- Oh, well, no problem.
Sooner or later, you have to catch one, you know that right?
- Wow! said Maria surprised.
- What is it?
- It has already begun to get dark, I have to get back home!
- I will follow you out of the forest.
When they had come to the forest's end they saw the city where Maria lived. It was not a huge city, but it contained a lot of people. He noticed how the people began to move back home when darkness swept over the streets.
- So, where are you at night, then? asked Mary, and looked at Artemis.
- Ehm I... Live in a cave in the woods at the moment.
- Are you serious?! It must be freezing during the nights?
- Hehe, oh no, I make a fire and keep myself warm.
- I see... Well, I have to get going now.
- Sleep well.
- Ehm, Adam?
- Yes?
- Do I get... to see you again?
- O-o-of course! Yes, I mean... Yes you may see me again.
- Wonderful!
They stared at each other a short while. Maria smiled, and Artemis felt all warm inside.
- Well, I'll see you again soon I hope. Goodnight Adam.
Maria turned to the city and began to walk home.
- Goodnight, Maria Darwin.
He turned around and went back into the great dark forest."
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