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Description

(Above picture acts as reference). One writing and half a dozen rewrites later, I have my short story finished. I now have an entire story figured out for this, and zero motivation to write the whole thing, so apologies if information appears to be missing or is just vague, I tried to come up with other ideas as well, and made little progress, and for me this was fun to experiment with.

Enjoy!

The Great Forest: A region where the real meets fantastic mystery and wonder. A region where the rules of nature are bent, blurred, and sometimes even lost altogether, allowing for the seemingly impossible to manifest. It is truly an anomaly of itself. It can open gateways to other realms, and possibly, other worlds.

I guess that's how I got there.

Panther Cap, now a little more than a year old, has journeyed beyond the toads' and toadlets' sanctuary of Toad Hollow, in search of the source of a strange energy that only he had the capacity to feel. It came sudden, and in the late dark. Word of mouth claimed it was some kind of creature, but wasn't hostile. With his past journeys now memories, Panther Cap was no longer the same timid, shy toadlet that he was in his first adventure. Mostly. There was a connection he could feel with this creature, and Panther Cap found himself having an urge to find them as soon as he could.

The thick white that had blanketed the forest had all but melted, along with any traces that the cold season ever occurred. The forest was now re-wrapped in green, and the life had returned to it. Flowers blossomed, and the water once again flowed on its top. It was as if the forest itself had been revived.

Panther Cap hoped that the journey would not last long. His pointer never failed him before, and its point now seemed to change direction slightly, indicating that whatever was attracting it was on the move.

“Why... if it isssn't the little toadlet from long ago.” a menacing voice hissed from the tall grasses. Out slithered Erebus, the Toad Patrol's first enemy. A long winter of hibernation had left him hungry, and he was ready to feast.

“Erebus...” Panther Cap backed away slowly.

“Hello... Panther Cap.” his long body slowly coiled its way around him. “Funny how our pathsss cross at a time like thisss. I was just wondering what the first thing is that I will eat thisss ssseason.”

“Let me go! I have an important thing I have to do!” For all he squirmed, Panther Cap couldn't get himself loose.

Erebus laughed. “Oh, but Panther Cap! For me, eating is important, and I haven't eaten since before the cold! I will not fail to get you this time! This time, I have-”

“Gangway!” a voice called out. “Comin' through, sorry!” A creature sprinted towards the two, leaping over both of them in a flash. Close behind it, an owl was in hot pursuit. Eyeing the snake, the owl changed its target, and grabbed Erebus instead.

“Let me go, you feathery oaf!” Erebus bit the owl, and both careened back towards the ground, far from Panther Cap.

Panther Cap sat in confusion as to what had just happened. He breathed a sigh of relief when he knew he was safe.

“Woo! That was close, huh?” the creature asked. He extended a hand to Panther Cap. “You alright, kid? Looks like I managed to save you from that snake, unless that was a hug.”

“No, he was going to eat me...” Panther Cap said.

“Figured. Tell me, does everything around here want to eat small guys like us? That's the second owl today!” he helped Panther Cap back to his feet.

“Well... pretty much. Thank you for saving me. That snake is named Erebus. He eats poor, defenceless animals, and he's been after me and the others for a long time!” Panther Cap explained. He now wondered what the creature was that stood before him. The creature had two, large eyes that sat side-by-side atop the equally large snout. His black hair was messy, and he had faint scars covering his body. The materials his clothing were made of were unlike anything Panther Cap had ever seen. “Who and what are you?”

“The name's Adven! I'm whatchya call a leaper. We're credited with being pretty brilliant. We can create all sorts of things out of scrap supplies. I thought we were also fairly spread out, but obviously we haven't migrated this far. You're sure there's no other leapers around here?”

“A leaper? I've never seen a leaper before. Are you some kind of toad?”

“Toad? No, no. I'm not from around here. I'd tell you I'm from far away, but I don't know where I am, as usual. What part of the world is this?”

“This? This is the Great Forest. Now that I think about it, I believe you're the one I'm looking for.”

“Oh really? For what?”

“I don't know, but it's weird. I could feel that you were nearby.”

“Hmm...” Adven thought for a moment. “You aren't the first whose been able to do that. Let me guess: You're gifted?”

“Gifted?”

“Yeah, you know, this.” from his hand, Adven spawned forth an orb of light that hovered around him for several seconds. Panther Cap only watched in awe as soon after Adven spread his arms out and huge gusts began rushing through the forest. Finally, tiny frozen glints surrounded him, which quickly grew into large chunks that fell to the ground. Panther Cap's mouth hung open in amazement.

“How... how do you do that?”

“Ah! Well...” Adven paused. “I'm actually not sure how it works. It has something to do with being gifted, and the light element, or if you prefer, mystical stones. The wind and ice came from others. I can tell you're gifted as well. I can sense it, just like how you can sense me. Have you not unlocked your other abilities?”

“I can hear voices... of the Ancients, and the Thunder Trees. But I haven't heard them in a long time. They used to guide us.”

“I've heard my share of voices, believe me. You become thankful when you can sleep after moon cycles of none. Anyway, I wouldn't mind learning about this place. It's so radically different from the forests by the city and town. All the animals is that region respect us.”

“So how did you end up here?”

“Again, I'm not sure. So far I haven't seen anything too odd. It's probably bad that occasionally when I fall asleep I wake up in new places. So far though? I'm not waking up with fatal wounds, in a different dimension, or in a prison, so I guess it's alright.” Adven's words were lost to Panther Cap. “I think I know how I can find out where we are though. Do you know where the nearest city or town is?”

“A what?”

It was clear to Adven that patience would be necessary with this one. He seemed to bear little knowledge compared to the leapers. “You know? A city. Where humans lived a long time ago? Tall buildings, cars, what I've been told is incredibly false advertising.”

“I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about. What are humans?”

This was the first time Adven encountered another intelligent being who had never heard of humans. “Really? You don't know? They're really tall creatures, they wear clothes, they invent incredible machines. Any objects you find that aren't apart of a plant or animal probably came from a human.”

“Do you mean stompers? Shaggy Mane called them stompers.”

“I guess when they walk, they stomp compared to us, but why would you call them that?”

“We didn't know what they were called, and they nearly caught us and almost crushed us!”

“They... you what? You almost got stepped on by a human?” Adven stared blankly at Panther Cap. It was an awkward stare that lasted far too long.

“Are you okay, Adven?”

“Show me!” he burst.

“Show you what? The stompers?”

“Yes! The stompers – I mean humans! We thought they had all disappeared a long time ago!”

“No? We've seen them before, and they're dangerous! I can't take you to them! What happens if they catch us?”

“My kind has spent generations trying to find what happened to them, and now you're telling me they're alive! Please! I have to see them for myself! I have to be able to go back home and tell everyone!”

“I... I'm not supposed to travel across the big black trail, it's not safe! That's where the rumble crushers are!”

“Come again?” Adven asked. “Rumble Crusher? What is that, like an avalanche-prone area?”

“Big heavy things that stompers move in!”

“My second guess was mineral smasher.” Adven said sarcastically under his breath. “Do you mean “cars” though?”

“That's a weird name for them... cars? Look, maybe I... uh, maybe I can take you to the big black trail, but no way can we cross it!”

“I have travelled across many roads in my life. Of course, they've all been abandoned. If you would, please take me there! I have to see them, meet them! Maybe they know why we're so much like them! I promise, Panther Cap, I will keep you completely safe! It's my responsibility.”

Against his better judgement, Panther Cap reluctantly agreed. This creature seemed honest enough. “Okay... but Fur Foot isn't going to like this. He's my oldest brother, and he's the leader of our group.”

“We're going to make the biggest discovery in leaperkind's history! Why don't you bring your group along? Safety in numbers and all that.”

“They're back at Toad Hollow... can you enter Toad Hollow?”

“I've entered a metaphysical world stuck between dimensions where the laws of nature don't even exist, and I managed to overpower the beings that live there and their leader.” Adven took a moment to catch his breath. “I'd wager I can enter a hollow.”

“Okay... well, I'll get my brothers and sisters, and we'll help you there, but I doubt we'll go farther than that.”

“That'll be just fine. Besides, once you see the pure majesty of the city, I doubt you'll want to turn back. It's a sight you need to behold.”

Panther Cap lead the strange new visitor through the Great Forest, eventually arriving at the waterfall that would lead them back to Toad Hollow. Adven passed through the gateway with no issue, and they arrived in the paradise known as Toad Hollow.

“I knew other worlds existed... but I never expected them to ever be this nice.” Adven said as he gazed at his surroundings.

“Yeah, it's really nice here. No bad creatures, no cold, only safety and fun!”

Needless to say, what ensued would be the adventure of a life time, and I had already been on a couple of those. Wherever it was I had ended up that day I met Panther Cap and his Toad Patrol, it wasn't the same time or place that I was from. I wasn't even sure what world this was. There were no mystical stones, only Thunder Trees, but they seemed to do the same thing. Grant and effect powers. The Great Forest itself holds plenty of secrets and discoveries that even humans aren't aware of, and they aren't aware of us for that matter. But before that, there was another, more prominent question:

When did humans return to Earth? If they hadn't though, then where was I?

Description

(Above picture acts as reference). One writing and half a dozen rewrites later, I have my short story finished. I now have an entire story figured out for this, and zero motivation to write the whole thing, so apologies if information appears to be missing or is just vague, I tried to come up with other ideas as well, and made little progress, and for me this was fun to experiment with.

Enjoy!

The Great Forest: A region where the real meets fantastic mystery and wonder. A region where the rules of nature are bent, blurred, and sometimes even lost altogether, allowing for the seemingly impossible to manifest. It is truly an anomaly of itself. It can open gateways to other realms, and possibly, other worlds.

I guess that's how I got there.

Panther Cap, now a little more than a year old, has journeyed beyond the toads' and toadlets' sanctuary of Toad Hollow, in search of the source of a strange energy that only he had the capacity to feel. It came sudden, and in the late dark. Word of mouth claimed it was some kind of creature, but wasn't hostile. With his past journeys now memories, Panther Cap was no longer the same timid, shy toadlet that he was in his first adventure. Mostly. There was a connection he could feel with this creature, and Panther Cap found himself having an urge to find them as soon as he could.

The thick white that had blanketed the forest had all but melted, along with any traces that the cold season ever occurred. The forest was now re-wrapped in green, and the life had returned to it. Flowers blossomed, and the water once again flowed on its top. It was as if the forest itself had been revived.

Panther Cap hoped that the journey would not last long. His pointer never failed him before, and its point now seemed to change direction slightly, indicating that whatever was attracting it was on the move.

“Why... if it isssn't the little toadlet from long ago.” a menacing voice hissed from the tall grasses. Out slithered Erebus, the Toad Patrol's first enemy. A long winter of hibernation had left him hungry, and he was ready to feast.

“Erebus...” Panther Cap backed away slowly.

“Hello... Panther Cap.” his long body slowly coiled its way around him. “Funny how our pathsss cross at a time like thisss. I was just wondering what the first thing is that I will eat thisss ssseason.”

“Let me go! I have an important thing I have to do!” For all he squirmed, Panther Cap couldn't get himself loose.

Erebus laughed. “Oh, but Panther Cap! For me, eating is important, and I haven't eaten since before the cold! I will not fail to get you this time! This time, I have-”

“Gangway!” a voice called out. “Comin' through, sorry!” A creature sprinted towards the two, leaping over both of them in a flash. Close behind it, an owl was in hot pursuit. Eyeing the snake, the owl changed its target, and grabbed Erebus instead.

“Let me go, you feathery oaf!” Erebus bit the owl, and both careened back towards the ground, far from Panther Cap.

Panther Cap sat in confusion as to what had just happened. He breathed a sigh of relief when he knew he was safe.

“Woo! That was close, huh?” the creature asked. He extended a hand to Panther Cap. “You alright, kid? Looks like I managed to save you from that snake, unless that was a hug.”

“No, he was going to eat me...” Panther Cap said.

“Figured. Tell me, does everything around here want to eat small guys like us? That's the second owl today!” he helped Panther Cap back to his feet.

“Well... pretty much. Thank you for saving me. That snake is named Erebus. He eats poor, defenceless animals, and he's been after me and the others for a long time!” Panther Cap explained. He now wondered what the creature was that stood before him. The creature had two, large eyes that sat side-by-side atop the equally large snout. His black hair was messy, and he had faint scars covering his body. The materials his clothing were made of were unlike anything Panther Cap had ever seen. “Who and what are you?”

“The name's Adven! I'm whatchya call a leaper. We're credited with being pretty brilliant. We can create all sorts of things out of scrap supplies. I thought we were also fairly spread out, but obviously we haven't migrated this far. You're sure there's no other leapers around here?”

“A leaper? I've never seen a leaper before. Are you some kind of toad?”

“Toad? No, no. I'm not from around here. I'd tell you I'm from far away, but I don't know where I am, as usual. What part of the world is this?”

“This? This is the Great Forest. Now that I think about it, I believe you're the one I'm looking for.”

“Oh really? For what?”

“I don't know, but it's weird. I could feel that you were nearby.”

“Hmm...” Adven thought for a moment. “You aren't the first whose been able to do that. Let me guess: You're gifted?”

“Gifted?”

“Yeah, you know, this.” from his hand, Adven spawned forth an orb of light that hovered around him for several seconds. Panther Cap only watched in awe as soon after Adven spread his arms out and huge gusts began rushing through the forest. Finally, tiny frozen glints surrounded him, which quickly grew into large chunks that fell to the ground. Panther Cap's mouth hung open in amazement.

“How... how do you do that?”

“Ah! Well...” Adven paused. “I'm actually not sure how it works. It has something to do with being gifted, and the light element, or if you prefer, mystical stones. The wind and ice came from others. I can tell you're gifted as well. I can sense it, just like how you can sense me. Have you not unlocked your other abilities?”

“I can hear voices... of the Ancients, and the Thunder Trees. But I haven't heard them in a long time. They used to guide us.”

“I've heard my share of voices, believe me. You become thankful when you can sleep after moon cycles of none. Anyway, I wouldn't mind learning about this place. It's so radically different from the forests by the city and town. All the animals is that region respect us.”

“So how did you end up here?”

“Again, I'm not sure. So far I haven't seen anything too odd. It's probably bad that occasionally when I fall asleep I wake up in new places. So far though? I'm not waking up with fatal wounds, in a different dimension, or in a prison, so I guess it's alright.” Adven's words were lost to Panther Cap. “I think I know how I can find out where we are though. Do you know where the nearest city or town is?”

“A what?”

It was clear to Adven that patience would be necessary with this one. He seemed to bear little knowledge compared to the leapers. “You know? A city. Where humans lived a long time ago? Tall buildings, cars, what I've been told is incredibly false advertising.”

“I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about. What are humans?”

This was the first time Adven encountered another intelligent being who had never heard of humans. “Really? You don't know? They're really tall creatures, they wear clothes, they invent incredible machines. Any objects you find that aren't apart of a plant or animal probably came from a human.”

“Do you mean stompers? Shaggy Mane called them stompers.”

“I guess when they walk, they stomp compared to us, but why would you call them that?”

“We didn't know what they were called, and they nearly caught us and almost crushed us!”

“They... you what? You almost got stepped on by a human?” Adven stared blankly at Panther Cap. It was an awkward stare that lasted far too long.

“Are you okay, Adven?”

“Show me!” he burst.

“Show you what? The stompers?”

“Yes! The stompers – I mean humans! We thought they had all disappeared a long time ago!”

“No? We've seen them before, and they're dangerous! I can't take you to them! What happens if they catch us?”

“My kind has spent generations trying to find what happened to them, and now you're telling me they're alive! Please! I have to see them for myself! I have to be able to go back home and tell everyone!”

“I... I'm not supposed to travel across the big black trail, it's not safe! That's where the rumble crushers are!”

“Come again?” Adven asked. “Rumble Crusher? What is that, like an avalanche-prone area?”

“Big heavy things that stompers move in!”

“My second guess was mineral smasher.” Adven said sarcastically under his breath. “Do you mean “cars” though?”

“That's a weird name for them... cars? Look, maybe I... uh, maybe I can take you to the big black trail, but no way can we cross it!”

“I have travelled across many roads in my life. Of course, they've all been abandoned. If you would, please take me there! I have to see them, meet them! Maybe they know why we're so much like them! I promise, Panther Cap, I will keep you completely safe! It's my responsibility.”

Against his better judgement, Panther Cap reluctantly agreed. This creature seemed honest enough. “Okay... but Fur Foot isn't going to like this. He's my oldest brother, and he's the leader of our group.”

“We're going to make the biggest discovery in leaperkind's history! Why don't you bring your group along? Safety in numbers and all that.”

“They're back at Toad Hollow... can you enter Toad Hollow?”

“I've entered a metaphysical world stuck between dimensions where the laws of nature don't even exist, and I managed to overpower the beings that live there and their leader.” Adven took a moment to catch his breath. “I'd wager I can enter a hollow.”

“Okay... well, I'll get my brothers and sisters, and we'll help you there, but I doubt we'll go farther than that.”

“That'll be just fine. Besides, once you see the pure majesty of the city, I doubt you'll want to turn back. It's a sight you need to behold.”

Panther Cap lead the strange new visitor through the Great Forest, eventually arriving at the waterfall that would lead them back to Toad Hollow. Adven passed through the gateway with no issue, and they arrived in the paradise known as Toad Hollow.

“I knew other worlds existed... but I never expected them to ever be this nice.” Adven said as he gazed at his surroundings.

“Yeah, it's really nice here. No bad creatures, no cold, only safety and fun!”

Needless to say, what ensued would be the adventure of a life time, and I had already been on a couple of those. Wherever it was I had ended up that day I met Panther Cap and his Toad Patrol, it wasn't the same time or place that I was from. I wasn't even sure what world this was. There were no mystical stones, only Thunder Trees, but they seemed to do the same thing. Grant and effect powers. The Great Forest itself holds plenty of secrets and discoveries that even humans aren't aware of, and they aren't aware of us for that matter. But before that, there was another, more prominent question:

When did humans return to Earth? If they hadn't though, then where was I?