To The North

Ed had shape shifted and started running in the morning. He had to run through deep and dark forests to get to the north. He had informed Howard about his visit, and Howard had informed him of the difficult path to the north.

As he entered a dense area of the jungle, the sky almost completely vanished. Only a few fragments of the sky could be seen as if they formed a jigsaw puzzle. The ground was damp and the fresh fragrance of the leaves lingered. It seemed that the rain had wet the ground a few hours before, making the soil wet and covering the forest in heavy fog. He ran across at a high-speed, hearing only the sound of his paws treading and the cracking of twigs beneath his paws. There was fear lingering in the air… He had no clue as to what laid ahead. The chill increased, and he kept moving forward.

Howard had told him that as he headed deeper into the forest, he better not react or talk to anything or anyone. He should remain focused on treading ahead. The forest was charmed. It had beasts and trees that talked. There were beasts that had fallen to its charm, and they would trick passersby into talking to them. If the people who traversed through that area talked to them, they would also get sucked into that world and never be able to leave it.

Ed could hear voices closeby, someone was whispering. As he got closer to the sound, he found that some trees were chatting with each other. Amused, he slowed his pace and looked at them. However, as he walked along, they became silent. He didn't stop and kept walking. The jungle was becoming more mystical with every step. He followed the path traced by Howard. He remembered that it would soon become dark, so he increased his speed.

He must have run a few miles when all of a sudden, a strange creature came in front of him, making him break his run. His paws slid into the ground and he almost tumbled.

The strange creature with a deer's body and a bird's face talked. "Ed, take me with you. I want to come with you to the north. I will serve you as your loyal servant…"

Its voice was so enticing that Ed looked at him with wide eyes. He was about to open his mouth to say something when a twig from above fell on his head, making him snap out of that charm. He looked back at the now crying creature, but he simply walked away.

As he walked, suddenly, a voice came from below… It was an old hedgehog that was laying down with its body curled. It murmured, "Hello Ed."

Ed quickly realized that this area was the trickiest part of the forest and that he had to be careful. Without thinking much, Ed ran out of that part, ignoring all the cries and pleas of the creatures in the jungle who wanted him to take them with him. Some welcomed him while some swore at him. He must have traversed through that part for an hour before he arrived at the hilly area. He felt relieved and smiled at his small victory of willpower.

He had embarked on this journey with a destination. He was curious to meet the council members.

The hills turned into mountains and he started climbing them. He wasn't as adroit as he was in his young age, so he climbed them carefully, keeping each paw in safe place. The mountainous path grew wide and the soil became soft. The path became narrow during the rocky passes. There were places where there was barely any path, just lichens, fungi, and some dirt. But it all led upwards to the north, the only destination he had in mind.

Soon, he reached a high altitude, after which he would encounter only snow-covered peaks. The chill had gotten even colder. He grew tired, and had to find a cave to take refuge. As he traveled further, he saw a very dim light far away atop a peak. Curious, he turned in that direction, detouring a little.