Day 14

I am back at N'Ras' inn. It was a long journey back across the top of the mountain, made to seem twice as far by the lack of food in my stomach, but I made it back safely. Even better, my leg has fully healed! Now all I have to remember my first encounter with a dau'kelaq is the huge scar. N'Ras told me that "dau'kelaq" is the name the local people gave to the fercac-like creatures.

N'Ras was very interested to hear about what I found in the mines. Apparently in my absence he had grown more and more curious as to why the mountain Dwarves died out. But, despite my disappointing story of not finding so much as a clue, there was a huge meal made for my supper, followed by a berry pie made from the berries I had collected on my way back over the mountain to the inn. At the time I had been so hungry that I could have eaten a sack full of the berries, but in my mind I knew that they could be dangerous so instead I held on to them. I would have eaten them if it was my last remaining option but I was back before it came to that. N'Ras, recognised the local fruit and baked it into a pie for us to share.

I don't know what I will do now. It was nice to spend a lot of time on my own after living in Teeluw for all of my life (it is almost impossible to get time alone in the trees). I had as much time as I wanted to just think. I thought about a lot of things. About a lot of people. But those thoughts have been thought and no more good can come from thinking them again.

I suppose I'll see what's going on in the village tomorrow.

  A tree without its leaves.