Bear was stood by the girl on the bank. Rowden began to stand. Bear must have pulled her off before casting it adrift. She was crying.

“Bear, why? How we cross? How?” Rowden saw the huge man sink to his knees to become level with the girl.

“we had to get rid of him Kiara. That was the only way.”

“but how we cross?” Rowden walked across and joined them.

“where were you headed?” he asked

“away,” the big man rumbled.

“pardon?”

“Anywhere, just away from the forest.” Rowden frowned at bear, and Kiara hiding behind him slightly.

“Would north do you? I'm headed that way myself and… I would like it if you would join me. I have been travelling alone. The company would do me good, and as you can see, I have the skills to protect you and your friend.”

“We know nothing about each other,” Bear pointed out.

“It will only take me a moment to go and retrieve my gear form the other side. Please, wait for me and I will tell you everything about myself, if that's what it will take for you to travel with me.”

"Very well," bear said. "We will wait for you, and listen to what you have to say." Behind him Rowden could see Kiara shaking her head. She didn't like nor trust him. He couldn't understand why, he had just saved Bears life, shouldn't she be glad? He nodded anyway to bear and set back across the rope to gather his things. When he got there horse wickered and nudged his shoulder. Rowden petted the beast's nose.

"It's all right boy, I'm fine" Horse gave him a look that Rowden took to mean that Horse was glad to see he was all right.

"Right well, I'm heading over that side now." Rowden told horse. "We've made some friends on the other side." With that he bent to retrieve his pack and coat and slung both across his shoulders for the journey back. Then a horrible thought occurred to him. what about horse?

"Horse," he said, "Come with me." the animal trotted alongside him as Rowden sought to find a suitable passing place. "Horse, do you think you might be able to swim across here?" the animal looked gave Rowden a quick glance, his ears flattened forwards, and his eyes wide in fear. "What?" said Rowden. "I thought all horses could swim." Horse wickered and backed away from the back and the water before giving Rowden the 'no way in hell' look.

"Look, it's not that hard." Rowden said. "This is the easiest bit ere. Look, I'm already soaked, I'll come in with you a little way. Horse gave Rowden a dubious look, as he shrugged off the coat and pack again. Rowden carefully lowered himself into the water, tugging at Horse's reigns again. Reluctantly Horse followed, and with a massive splash ended up in the water. Once he was in Horse was fine, he quickly and smoothly swam across to the other bank, and Rowden watched as Bear helped the beast out of the water. Quickly Rowden did the say, and hauled himself out, once again donned his coat and pack and set to hauling himself back across the river on the rope bridge.

Once safely back on the other side, he and bear found a suitable place to set under the trees, and Rowden started a fire, to try and dry himself out again. Bear laid out some food, and Rowden offered some of his dwindling supplies. Kiara wouldn't come near the fire, or near Rowden, but she did seem interested by horse, and horse interested in a new face as well, so as they got to know one another, Rowden told bear the story of how he had found out about his brothers disappearance, of leaving Chen and finding the farm, then of his seemly endless trek north to the forest. When he had finished, bear sat back and nodded to himself.

"You mentioned you were afraid of the forest of jack," bear said. "Why is that?"

"I've heard rumours about changed living there." Rowden said. "I'll not lye, those stories I heard frighten me."
Bear was quiet a long time then, but just as he was about to ask why bear was so interested in that part, the big man sat forward again.

"Then before you travel with us, there is something you should see." With that he stood and walked out of the shade of the trees into the bright noon-day sun. Rowden stood and followed him a short way. Bear just stood, as the sun dipped in and out of small clouds. Rowden frowned, his eyes roving over the huge man. Yes he was huge, yes he was overly hairy, but what was this about?

“I'm sorry,” he said, “I don't see-” And then he did see it. On the ground at Bear's feet, where there should have been a shadow of a man, was the shadow of a bear. Rowden Took a step back, the air catching in his throat, making him stutter.

“By Surtur's Hammer!” he said, wide eyes going back to bear.

“Do you still wish to travel with us?” Rowden looked over at Kiara.

“Is she also…” he couldn't bring himself to utter the word. Bear nodded.

“Do you still wish to travel with us?” bear asked again.

“I…” Rowden stopped. All the stories he'd heard were about Changed one's going insane and killing a lot of people. These two didn't seem so bad. In fact Bear had pulled him out of the water. He could have just let him drown. And Kiara, she seemed more afraid of everything than anything else. All right she'd hit the attacker over the head with a rock or something, but technically it had been self defence.

“I told you about my journey,” rodent said. “Now I'd like to know your story, if I may. And I have a few questions, for example, why that man just tried to kill you.” Bear nodded.

“And this will help you make up your mind?” he asked Rowden.

“Yes.” bear nodded again and once more they settled back under the trees. This time Kiara, tired of playing with horse, had snuck over and was eating. She scuttled away again as Rowden came over, but bear murmured a few words to her and she settled down, curled next to bear.

“Ah, where shall I start,” bear said. “Suffice it to say that just one day I woke up and I had been Changed from a bear to a man. I went out into the world seeking… I don't know what. I went too find a place I suppose. But I was shunned by every person I came across, and so I came to the forest of jack in the green, and I felt at home here. Then one day Kiara came to the home I had built and she decided to stay with me for a time. Then a few days ago, I… have shall I put this. I felt something in the leaves of the forest.” Bear looked over to Rowden, expecting to see the boy looking at him like he was insane. Instead he found him gazing back in rapt attention. Bear continued, “So I went to see Jack. It is a might tree in the heart of the forest. It is the one, I think, that welcomes those like Kiara and myself, and the one that makes the forest a safe and sacred place. Anyway, jack told me that there was something approaching that would do me hard. He counselled that I should leave, and so we are.”

“And her?” Rowden nodded towards Kiara.

“I don't know. It's only recent it seems that she has learn to speak and to understand the world around her.”
They sat for a while in quite then, Rowden staring up through the trees to the blue sky with it's small fluffy white clouds, thinking on his decision. Kiara seemed to have gone to sleep, and horse stood nearby nibbling on the trees. Even bear seemed some what at ease, sat on the edge of the river, dangling his feet in the water. Eventually as it entered early afternoon, Rowden stood and walked over to bear. He squatted down next to the giant.

“I would like you to join me in my mission northwards.” Rowden said. Ear turn to him.

“Even after what you have seen, and that you know how we will be treated by others?”

“Yes, even then.” Bear looked back across the water.

“Very well then.” he paused for a moment. “I do not think we would get very far were we to set out now, so I propose staying and making camp here for the night then starting out fresh in the morning.”

“I agree,” Rowden said. “The merits of this pace as a camp site outweigh any other we might find in the few hours before sunset. Also there is a fresh water source and plenty of food in this area.” Bear nodded.

“Kiara and I will go hunting just before sunset. That is when the creatures of the woods leave their burrows and nests to go hunting themselves. I will also explain the situation to her then.” Bear glanced behind him at the girl in question. “I do not think she will take it well. She still has much distrust of you, because you are a Man. But for now, we will let her sleep.”

Rowden nodded. “I understand.” with that he rose and went back to the tree line and began to put an edge back on his knife. Strangely, any doubts that might still have been loitering in his mind, seemed to have been dispersed. The day passed quickly, and at sunset Bear took Kiara off into the forest t hunt. They came back sometime later and Rowden prepared the rabbits they had caught. He then cooked them over a prepared fire on a spit he had spent the early evening making. Soon enough the food was cooked and eaten and they were preparing to sleep. Rowden noticed that Kiara hadn't spoken to him once since she and bear retuned, and that now she slept on the far side of th fire to him, as far as she was able. Rowden sighed. E knew she would be watching him throughout the night through the flickering flames. This journey might be tough with her, but the three of them together would make a better team that one and two alone. As he drifted off, he thought maybe he might be able to convince her he wasn't the bad guy here, that he could be trusted and even liked and respected maybe. But all that could wait till the morrow and a dawning of a new day.

The next day dawned bright and cheery again, and for a brief second Rowden thought he could like it here. Maybe one day he would come back to this beautiful land. If, the green god Jack would accept him that was. As they prepared to go, Kiara wouldn't go near him, staying by bear or horse all the time. Not that he found this odd much, but it made trying to win her over and convince her that he wasn't the bad guy that much more difficult. He was just finishing saddling horse when Bear came over, Kiara in tow.

“We are ready to depart, if you are,” bear said.

“Sure, just give me a sec,” Rowden replied, checking over horse's trappings. “There, all done.” he said, after a moment. “Hey Kiara,” Rowden continued, turning to see her studiously ignoring him.

“Kiara,” bear said gently, in a 'you have to talk to him now' tone. With a huff, she finally turned towards Rowden and tilted her head in a 'what?' motion.

“Would you like to ride Horse for a bit?” Rowden asked her. Kiara's eyes went wide. Rowden stepped forward.

“It's okay,” he said. “Horse won't hurt you.” Kiara frowned. She had been confused at first when Horse hadn't been afraid of her. But now Horse might let her ride on him? The idea seemed a little preposterous to her, but still she went and sniffed at Horse and tired to ask him if it was true. She wasn't sure if he under stood, but he seemed to be willing enough. With a quick glance back at bear, Kiara scrambled up on Horses back. He wickered a little and shifted under her, but Rowden came over and calmed him.

“Put your legs either side of him,” Rowden told her. “and hang on to the knobbly bit of the saddle.” Kiara glanced at bear to check it was all right and then did as Rowden said. It was much more comfortable, and she felt a lot safer than she ha a moment ago. Rowden took some leather string things from that had been lead on Horses neck and with bear in the lead they moved off.

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This is the story Dark and I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2008. All the chapters we've written thus far are up, if you want to start helping go for it. Planning wise, the rough idea here is that after 'showdown' the party follow their away along the Lancaswich mountains, passing over the Malachite Empire. Somewhere along the way Mordekai spot them and sends the Elite Math Wariors after them. Sooner or later they get to the place called sendari and from then [after chatting with the locals] head up into the lava fields. They get to the top of the world, mordekai is waiting, all hell breaks loose and something happens with Kiara and the shard. We both suck at endings... For more background into the world, we made this site:http://stoneoftides.wikidot.com/ Try to ignore the ramblings and stick to what makes sense ;)

updated May 3 '09 by Druidx