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the Canebrake

In every direction, trees. Trees, bushes, vines, moss and more trees. You feel like you've been walking for days, but you can't seem to find a clear place to rest in, and you don't dare settle down here. There are creepy, crawly bugs and who knows what else. It feels like you should have gotten there by now, but then again, you've changed direction so many times you could be half way around the island by now. You wonder if it's even a good idea to visit Merana now...you've kept her waiting for quite some time now, surely the sea witch won't be pleased.

An hour later, you find yourself faced with yet another obstacle and no choice but to turn around again. The brush is so thick you can't move through it, and the dense thorny bushes amongst don't encourage you to try. Now more frustrated than afraid, you decide to climb a tree and see if you can figure out where you are that way. Surely you'll be able to see the ocean from here. At least then you'll be able to heard towards to beach. You choose an old, sturdy looking tree, grab hold of one of the lower branches and haul yourself up. It gets easier as you go, and you're feeling confident until something slithers across your hand. You scream and, without thinking, jerk your hand away. For one terrifying moment, you're falling.

Something's wrapped around your wrist. You'd like to think it's a vine, but you can feel the strength of it...and the scales. It hefts you up onto a thick branch and when you're settled securely, lets you go. It appears to be a serpenth...though not quite like any you've ever seen before. Must be some strange island species, you decide. More importantly, you wonder what it's intent was in saving you; did it save your life or save you for lunch? Before you can make up your mind though, it slithers away. For a minute this seems ideal...then you wonder if you could've asked for directions.

A little more cautious of where you put your hands now, you continue your climb up the tree. Nothing else interrupts your journey, and soon you're looking out over an impressive view of the canopy. Impressive, but not very motivating. You seem to be pretty far inland, not terribly far from the base of the mountain, but so far from the docks that you can't even see them from here. You look around a bit more, but reluctantly begin to climb back down, the gradually setting sun a reminder of your limited time. The very idea of being stuck here after dark makes you shiver, and once your feet are back on the ground, you set off hurriedly in the direction of the beach. At least if you get there you can follow it until you find the docks.

Twenty minutes, forty minutes...maybe an hour. You're not sure exactly how long you've been walking before you start to get a sense of being followed. Occasionally, you stop, listening for some sign of life, some evidence beyond instinct, but there's nothing but the ambiance of the forest.Suddenly, not more than a few inches from your face, something drops down from the canopy. You stop in your tracks and barely suppress a scream. It's the serpenth from before. You hadn't realized quite how...huge it was. It's easily two...maybe three times as long as you are tall.

"Come with me. It's near sun down, and you won't last the night out here on your own." it hisses. It sounds almost exasperated with you, and you feel a little offended. It's not as though you've asked for help! Still, you don't want to be out here alone all night, and when he drops to the ground and starts off through the trees, you follow. After all, if he was planning to eat you, he'd have done so by now, right? ....Well, hopefully.

After a while, you notice the path looks more well traveled, and soon you are lead to a slightly more open area. There looks to be a small pond or bog just beyond the shrubbery, and just in front of it, a sort of small camp. A fire is burning in a stone fire pit, and when you look up, some of the shade seems to be coming from a little tree house. It seems crazy to you that anyone would live in a place like this, but you're just grateful for the relative safety.

"You can stay here the night, and in the morning I'll take you to the ports. If you want to find passage back to where ever it is you come from, you won't speak of me when you get there." he says, and you can't help but find that a little unnerving, but you nod and take a seat by the fire anyway. What else are you supposed to do? A new serpent slithers over the log just inches away and you congratulate yourself for not jumping right out of your skin.

"Oh, don't mind Lucas. He's harmless enough. Are you hungry? I'm sure he can find you something." you hear from somewhere above you. A conversation of sorts seems to take place in a raspy language that you don't understand, and the small serpent wanders off without your reply. Well, smaller, anway - it's several feet long.

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