Time lost in the misty forest never rests and memories placed in these branches never tell the passerby the things it knows. The green is a brilliant shade amongst the brown patched dirt with the lighter and darker shades blending to make a blur to the eye. The sky above the taller trees is a beautiful afternoon's orange, the sun barely peaking through the greens and the vines that hung from branch to branch. Days like this seemed to go on forever for me. I never wanted them end, given that; however... Nothing ever changed, either. This was my place of residence.

Some people called me the guardian of the forest and some called me a bum that had no home. But none of these things were true. I was of no residence, but it was only because I did not find belonging in places like homes. I am a lone archer that does nothing but search for something more in the palette of the skies and greens. This had not always been this way, but it was a growing feeling of urge to explore that had called me here. It was as if the place knew my name, as of every bone in my body felt alive here... And thusly, where I previous had found belonging in no longer became relevant.

Today I was wandering amongst the southernmost region that was known in my memory by certain caving spots that lead to a mess on your boots. As I had stopped and looked up at a noise, I saw a curious bird looking at me. It tilted it's head at me, it's large beak and colorful feathers catching my eye. I held out my arm as I smiled at the bird's direction. It cautiously flew down and landed onto my arm as it examined me closer. I was not afraid of the creatures in this place, as I knew that if I meant no harm to them they meant no harm to me. 

"You're an odd creature, aren't you?" I asked the bird, making it wiggle a little on my arm. It made a noise on response as I chuckled at it's curiosity.
"My name is... What am I doing? You're a bird." I said, laughing at my own idiocy. It seemed to be amused by my actions, staying still on my arm. 
"Well, I might as well tell you. You're my friend, aren't you? My name is Xan," I said, the bird looking at me with it's big eyes.  It seemed to be entertained enough by me, as it had flown into it's tree and shook gently as it then seemed to perch and watch me fondly.

I waved and nodded at the bird as I continued on my walk. I shivered a little and pulled my hood closer to my arms. As it was becoming late in my time passing, I took the walk back to my base as I sat down against the tree where I relaxed. I prepared a turkey I'd shot earlier with an arrow, skinning and cooking it over a fire I made as I started preparing for dinner. As it slowly roasted the smell was a wonderful one that came through the air. I finished cooking it and started to dig in on the meat, eager and admittedly rather starving.  When I finished my meal, I took to keeping my light and making a few arrows with supplies I kept in my base. I tended to a wound in my leg I had obtained by a nasty branch and cleaning it to avoid infection or sickness. I stored away my newly made arrows and yawned as it had finally gotten rather dark. And then, I rested; tomorrow was another day.

I woke up to the sound of birds as they called to each other. I sat up straight and adjusted my hood. My red hair was a bit of a mess from the rough night's rest spot, so I fixed it with a brush in my bag. I grabbed an egg from a collection I'd luckily stumbled upon as I began cooking it over a fire lit by a match. When breakfast was done cooking and I finished it, I mapped my day out in my head.  Today was a special day, because I was going to explore the unknown area that I'd been putting off. And this meant... relocation. In a place like this, you never had a permanent place to stay.

I packed my stuff in my base and carefully put my small bit of food in with it, making sure the last bit of fire was out. I made sure to thank the creatures who let me use their spot for a few days by giving a bit of my food to them. I slung my bag around my shoulder and made sure to grab my bow and arrows. And then, I began off to the unknown with my almost finished map of the forest.

The walk was always an exciting one as I learned from the sounds and sights which animals and insects were around. As I found out about the area, I also found the dangers in it. There were a few dangerous animals that lurked this area; as was the entirety of the places I had been before in this forest. I found there were nasty spiked plants in this one (which weren't poisonous, as I had checked carefully) and hollow spots that had lead to caving into holes for animal's homes. I was careful to avoid them, however. The only hole that I had caved in was a rabbit's, which I felt horrible for. 

But as I had found a base, I was able to cook a small catch I had gotten before deciding that today was one of importance, as it was my last day in these green woods. Since I had promised myself I'd move on somewhere else to find something more the day I'd seen every bit of the forest; I had to move on to something more. My map was filled now.

And the next day I woke was a dark day. As I woke to the sound of raindrops and the feeling of the wet, cold water that hit me I knew that the forest knew I was leaving. The darkened skies and the saddened earth seemed to beg me to stay, and yet... My time here was done. And in result, I felt the gravity and finality hitting me. The feeling of loss was heavy as I stood and prepared my leave. I felt the map's paper in my bag as I touched the edges. I carried my bow and arrows to the next place that would call my name as I spoke a silent resounding sadness to the branches and blowing greens that I may never see again. I was moved to cry with the sky as I found my way out, but I found no tears in it.

Today, the days that had felt like forever and the memories were of the past. And on the outside of the entrance to the place I had called home, I placed a flower I had found in a place near it as I smiled fondly. And everything had seemed to change overnight.

And as I prepared to turn, the sound of a bird was loud. I turned to the noise. It was the curious bird I had seen before, it's same head tiled at me. It waited silently for me to do something. And then, I... decided to continue after a silent goodbye to it. However, it had followed me no matter how far away I had gone. Soon, it was flying beside me. I chuckled quietly.

"Do you want to come along?" I asked it, smiling. It seemed to nod in a way of communication shared between us. And then, we walked together to the next place where we could find something new.

The only difference this time was that I was no longer a lone archer.