Legends of the Lost by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged character. You have been warned.
A dark abyss stares back at you. You sit on a log, looking and wondering how it came to this. The path signs seemed all too obvious and yet they seemed to have led you astray to where you are. Your stomach rumbles as you realize that you need to do something before it's too late. The feeling of being lost is not one to be taken lightly. One must realize it and act upon it, not letting fear take over their person and override their sense of reason.
Ezra was a young albino mouse boy who lived for adventure. Already by 11 years of age, the rodent had camped out more than many adults had in their entire lives. As a member of the fur scouts, the young cub loved nothing more than the outdoors. The awe-inspiring sights of the wilderness, the possibilities of seeing any number of different species in their home habitat, and the thrill of the challenge of hiking were something that excited him all too much.
Ezra was an only child to loving parents who did what they could to foster their son's interest in the outdoors. Purchasing him things as simple as hiking shoes to more ornate like a walking stick and night vision capable binoculars. It was a passion that they were all too happy to help him develop. However as young and passionate as he was, sometimes his naivety of the outdoors got the better of him.
One weekend the mouse's fur scout troop was to have a campout over the weekend. It was an event that Ezra wouldn't have missed for the world. It was free since he was already in the organization so his parents had no reason to not let him go. Besides they had a work event so it meant they wouldn't have to hire a babysitter, as they sometimes considered him to be a bit immature for his age.
The morning of the campout had arrived. Ezra and his parents had already packed a bag of his things together. They always insisted he be prepared, even if the scouts provided things like basic supplies. His parents go as far as adding extra provisions, changes of clothes, a flashlight, rain jacket, matches, and other things that might help him in a situation where an emergency might occur. After all, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Ezra got out of bed shortly after his alarm went off. The young mouse boy yawned and stretched. He had no dream that he could recall the previous night. He looked at a calendar and looked at all the days with red X's through them. It was finally the day with the big circle around it. His thin tail flicked behind him as excitement built within him. The mouse immediately began to change into his scout's uniform.
This time of year the scout's uniform was a set of short-sleeved t-shirts and cargo pants that matched their tan tone. Each cub was provided a name badge, a personal GPS, and a pocket knife for those kids who were old and mature enough to handle it. He put on his walking socks and laced up his hiking shoes. Standing before the mirror in his room, he felt he was ready to take on the world. That is…until his stomach rumbled and he was reminded he needed to eat.
He made his way to the kitchen where his mother and father had already made him some breakfast. As usual on camping days, it was a heartier meal than usual. Some pancakes, fruit, and juice. He worked through it pretty quickly as he was both hungry and the meal was rather delicious. After he finished his meal he went to the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth. When he was finally ready he proceeded to the front door.
His father was the one to take him to the campgrounds today. The older mouse is a rough and grizzled old man who worked for the local factory. He was a blunt fellow but one that showed his family as much love and support as he could offer.
"Oy, bucko. Ready to head out?" The man's single chipped bucked tooth showed from his mouth.
His son nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm ready. Thanks for taking me."
"Course, Ez." The father opened the door and let his son out.
The younger mouse sped out as quickly as he could. His father had an old white pickup truck. The thing had seen better days and was rusted beyond repair. Yet his father was far too fond of it to replace the vehicle. The shocks of it squeaked whenever it went over a hump in the road or hit a pothole. Ezra buckled himself into the seat and waited for his father to start the car. He looked out the window and began to wonder what he'd see today.
His father started the car before long. The vehicle's engine struggled to turn over as it finally got into gear. They began down the street. The truck sputtered along to maintain its forward motion. It went much slower than it did back in the old days. The man's wife had constantly complained for him to get a new vehicle but he still hadn't budged. It was more of a connection to the nostalgic past for him than anything else.
They arrived at the campground after about an hour-long drive. They entered a more wooded area under a sign that read Fayden Park. It was one of the largest parks in the area and known for its sprawling hiking trails as well as its many bike trails. Signs were affixed in various places showing them where they needed to go. The scout logo on each of them made it obvious who had affixed them there.
His father pulled into the parking lot and let his son off. The cub waved back to him after grabbing his bag and water bottle. He was a bit stiff from sitting in the car for so long but none of that mattered to him now. He was here and the prospect of getting to the hike sooner rather than later was something he was looking forward to. He saw another sign showing yet another scout logo on it.
Ezra made his way into the campground. The scout troop had already set up tents before any of the cubs got there. Several rows of tents lined the sides of the campground with one larger one at the center of it. He saw his scout mistress, a woman whom he knew fondly as Sverna. The woman was currently helping one of the younger cubs get situated.
Sverna was a Swedish hyena who had been with the organization since her only daughter was young enough to be in the troops. Fur Scouts was a cooperative group that did not segregate cubs by gender, instead allowing them to socialize openly. While the boys and girls of the group were still separated for things like sleeping and bathing, they were still allowed to share the space. It was this about the organization that Sverna loved the most.
After the hyena had finished tending to the newest cub in the group she blew her whistle to attract the attention of all the cubs under her charge. Ezra made his way over, remaining in the back of the group of cubs since the bigger kids in the group made him nervous.
"Allo, cubbies. Glad you could make it. The trails are all around us. We will do a group hike tomorrow but for today you all may hike on your own so long as you have an explorer's badge."
The mouse looked at his breast where a few of his badges were sewn into it. He rubbed his explorer's badge in pride.
"Curfew is at 8 pm. You have the day for yourselves. All cubs under 10 years of age and new scouts are to come with me to go over some rules. You are dismissed."
The hyena held up a small yellow handkerchief so the cubs could find her. She wasn't the biggest woman and some of the older kids were already bigger than she was. Ezra took his leave from the group. He felt he was ready to tackle some of the trails on his own. It wouldn't be the first time he'd gone without a partner and the idea didn't scare him that much as he was confident in his skills.
The mouse took one of the small lunch bags that had been set on one of the picnic tables. He wanted to be sure to have something to eat if the hike took longer than he thought. The cub knew it was difficult to gauge how long hikes took and he wanted to be safe rather than sorry. He put the small paper bag in his backpack so he didn't have to carry it off. He let Sverna know he was heading off before making his way out of the camp.
Ezra headed past the campgrounds to the sign that indicated the parking area. A large sign with several placards on it stood in the middle of it, giving people the chance the choice of where to go. The thing was taller than he was, so he had to crane his neck up to look at it. Each of the trails had a name on it. At the center, a map and a legend were showing what the colors meant, with different colors representing the difficulty of the hike.
The mouse chose a blue route, which meant that the route was of average difficulty. The sign indicated it would take about an hour to go each way. He looked at his GPS, which provided the time of day. It was still early so he knew he could probably take his time if he wanted to and still make it back by curfew. He began to make his way to the left path since it was the one he wanted to take.
Ezra began his way down the path. It was a somewhat warm day but the thickness of trees and canopy above made it so that much of the heat of the rays of the sun did not make it down to him. He began walking down it. The path winded back and forth between the trees. A dirt road set in the middle of it all, making it very clear where people needed to go. He took his walking stick out of his pack and extended it onto the ground.
Ezra padded down the trail as he continued down it. The incline in the climb began to climb as more rocks blocked his way. The cub hopped off every single one of them without an issue. The dirt path continued on the other side of it with a few trees falling over as the trail began to get rougher. Yet the young mouse was not deterred and continued even still. He took out his binoculars and checked to see if he could see any animals.
Looking around he saw but a few birds scattered around the branches above him. He could hear their wings fluttering and various tones of chirping echo through the woodland grounds. The cub admired some cardinals
that were sitting perched together near a nest. Soon he put away his binoculars and continued walking. A few squirrels scattered across the trail as he broke some twigs he walked across.
The cub pressed on until the first split in the road. There was no sign here. Just a fork in the road with the same dirt path going in both directions. Ezra wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Looking each way to see if he could figure out a way he should take. He figured it was just an option in the path. Telling himself that the dirt trail wouldn't be there if it wasn't something he wasn't supposed to take.
He headed down the right trail. The light sound of trickling water could be heard in the distance as he treaded further down the path. Ezra wondered what the source of it might be. Figuring he could take a break from it since he hadn't stopped so far. The mouse began to pick up pace, the sound of the water becoming louder and louder as he got closer to it. Eventually, he happened upon a small stream that appeared to end the dirt trail.
Ezra looked behind him. The dirt trail went back but it didn't appear like there was a way forward. Still, he had told himself that he wanted to take a break so he decided to do that and backtrack a bit. The mouse cub took his bag and set it on the ground. He looked at it his GPS, the thing showed he'd already been hiking for over an hour. Yet, he wasn't tired nor was he concerned about it because he still had plenty of time before he needed to go back.
He laid back on the ground and simply enjoyed the breeze against his fur. It was a nice day out and he hadn't worked up much of a sweat so far. The cub looked at the water in front of him. It appeared to be pretty far across. The water wasn't still, it streamed back down the hills where he was climbing. He leaned forward and rolled up his sleeve before putting his arm inside. The water seemed to be deep and he wasn't sure he could just walk across it.
He thought for a few seconds about swimming across. The idea of soaking wet clothes didn't appear to him. The temperature of the water seemed to be somewhat chilly. Everything in his mind told him to not bother with it. He withdrew his hand from the water and wiped it with a towel from his bag before putting it back inside. He remained there relaxing for a bit before finally getting up to go back the way he came.
Ezra headed down the same trail he'd come on, soon returning to the same cut in the dirt road. He couldn't hear the water anymore so he assumed he must be at the same place where he took the turn. The mouse began to head down the left path, the incline again picking up in intensity as he headed up the more steep terrain. A deer scattered across his path as he broke through some brushes. The thing scattered in fear as he made his way forward.
The cub stopped to watch the thing. The elegant critter frolicking and galloping in the distance. Soon taking off again down the trail and over some rocks that blocked his path. It seemed that the trail was becoming more treacherous, at least from what he thought it should be. Yet, he continued even still. Making his way until the incline finally stopped and he hit a plateau.
He had been walking for what seemed like another hour now. His stomach was starting to grumble at him. Looking at his GPS, it was already lunchtime. The mouse decided to take another break so he could eat. Sitting underneath a tree and sprawling his feet forward in an attempt to get comfortable. Ezra found a small hollow in the tree that made it easier for him to take a load off.
He pulled his lunch out of his bag and began eating it. The satisfaction that the food brought him was all too real. He smiled at how tasty it was. He had no idea what the food was but it was delicious to him. He devoured it in no time at all. Sipping down the juice he had been given to go with it. Putting the garbage back into his bag before continuing to drink his beverage. He began to wonder where he was on the trail.
He pulled out his GPS and looked at it. The thing had a weak signal but he was able to get a rough idea where he was. It was a GPS that had access to trail data, one provided by the national park services to woodby travelers. He stared at it for a second as the thing struggled to get a connection. He could see the area around him, a sprawling wilderness but no signs of an actual trail on the screen. Trying to move the map just put him back in the same place as it continued to struggle.
Ezra continued to fiddle with the device. It seemed he had ventured off the trail. The innate sense of fear within him began to stir. Pressing the buttons on the GPS to locate himself to figure out where he needed to go. Every time it failed. The thing gave him an error message with a loud and equally annoying buzzing noise. He wondered if he might be able to get a better reception at the river since the trees weren't as dense there.
The mouse figured it was a better plan than nothing. Putting his gps away and getting up. He began to head down the same path he had taken to get here. The same obstacles he had passed going up presented themselves as he went back down. He was frustrated at this point. Yet the realization that he might have been lost had not set into him just yet. He still hadn't lost hope and was intent on finding his way back.
He headed back down the trail. The steepness of the descent was getting to him as he slid a few times. Still, he was able to keep his balance and not fall. The familiar sight of a few things he remembered made him press on further. Yet he still had not found signs of the dirt road nor did he see the sign where the break in the past was. As he took a stumble down one of the ledges, his body rolled into a pit.
Ezra did not injure himself. His body came to a complete stop as he hit the trunk of a tree. He looked around him, recognizing nothing. The very real sense of being lost finally hit him. The fear of not being found. The dread of not knowing what to do. They began to dawn on him as he reached into his bag in hopes that the GPS had gotten its signal back. Yet when it turned back on, all he saw was the familiar loading symbol.
The mouse boy looked behind him. The ledge from where he stumbled seemed much too high for him to climb. He still tried, clawing and grasping at the dirt as it crumbled beneath him. His body fell every time he tried to do it. Finally, after a few tries he just gave up. Emotion began to bottle up within him. Hopelessness had finally taken its place. He began to cry his eyes out, a lost child without any sense of getting back.
The plants around him as he began to shuffle. The mouse heard noises, even above the sounds of his crying. He looked around, certain that he was about to be assaulted by some feral beast. Taking out his flashlight in hopes that whatever it was would be afraid of the light. Turning it on and scanning around him. His constant sobbing echoed through the area as he searched around him.
"Come…child…" A lofty voice echoed through his mind.
Ezra looked around again as if he thought he was hearing things. The flashlight turned nothing up on any of the plants he surveyed.
"What was that?" He said stuttering to himself as if expecting whatever it was to respond.
The mouse got up from where he was, slipping a bit again as the slickness of the soil crushed under his feet. Suddenly he heard another rustling from the bushes. He looked around again, wiping his eyes and trying to be strong.
"Take…my….hand…" The same high-pitched lofty voice made his ears ring.
Ezra looked around him again. The flashlight panned back and forth in a desperate attempt to find whatever it was. Yet in each direction, there was naught.
"Above…you…." The voice beckoned again.
The mouse looked up, his flashlight now panned into the canopy above. Reflecting against something. Shimmering against some form of scales. A small limb extended toward him. Its claws open as it fully expected the small mouse child to take it. Ezra stared at it for a second. Its yellow and black eyes pierced back at him. A strange mist emanated from its form as its wings fluttered behind it.
"What are you?" Ezra had never seen anything like it before.
"A…friend…." The creature in the tree seemed to smile at him.
Ezra reached forward after a moment of hesitation and took the hand. The claw grasped tightly around him before reaching out with its other hand. The thing swooped forward in one single movement. The creature swung down before picking up the mouse boy as if he were light. The small cub finds himself being carried through the billows of the forest. The cascading wind pushed back him.
"Don't…cry…." The thing did not look back at him, instead rushing forward at full speed to get him back home.
The mouse felt a renewed sense of hope kindle within him. He wasn't sure why but he felt like he could trust the creature. After all, he figured he had no other choice in the matter. The things moth-like wings fluttered so fast he could barely make them out. Speeding out of through the woods and overtop the same river he had come across.
The creature rocketed forward until they were back at an opening. The smoke of open flame billowed above as Ezra could see below. The flag of the scouts draped overheard. A smile crept across his face as he realized he had been brought back.
"Home…." The creature began to descend slowly.
The creature and its charge lowered itself to the ground. Easing the mouse boy onto solid ground as it hovered in front of him. The thing looks like some half-dragon-moth hybrid. It was like one of those tales he heard about in fantasy novels.
"Thank you…" Ezra wiped his eyes off the last of his tears.
The hybrid beast smiled and flew away. The shimmer in its wings and body gradually turned to darkness as it scattered away. When Ezra shared
his tale with the other kids, many of them didn't believe him. The story of the mythical creature seemed all too fictional to them. Yet, the mouse cub knew it was all too real. Simply happy to be home. His heart returned to simpler things and his mind put at ease.
The mother-dragon creature looked on from above at the encampment. Glad it had helped the little mouse all. After all…it was its duty to look after the forest. To help creatures in need…no matter the cost. The beast returns to its lair…only to come out when travelers are in need. It's a tale only known by those who have encountered it. Its legacy….equally shrouded in mystery.
