Outcast - Short Story (Part 2)

I woke up relaxed and satisfied. Mostly I was happy because I got on this wandering path, but sometimes I would remember that I am in this world alone now. Nobody will rejoice, nor receive me if I want to go home again. And the path leads me in the unknown world where nobody is my friend. I do not even know if I'll ever have a real friend. That moments of sadness came to me sometimes.

I got up and prepared myself breakfast while I was preparing for the next day of trip. The days after that were mostly the same for me, I walked while there was a daylight, at night I would carve the pieces of wood I gathered on that day. My inventory of items that I wanted to sell now was already big, some of them were really good ones. I have what to sell, and so I buy food, maybe some room where I will sleep. Just as the forest swelled and saw the gorge in front of me, on the right side of the old road I noticed a small clearing covered with black flowers of a plant. Never before had I seen such a flower, nor this color, although it seemed to me that the plant itself was familiar to me. I came closer and realized that the plant was exactly what I thought, the same species we had in our village, with only a little growth difference and different flowers. It was a very potent plant and its juice was poisoned in quantities greater than one drop. I studied for almost a year this plant back home and made some of the best medicines known to my people from it. I found the formula, and according to her, diluted with boiled water, so it enabled the first cure that could cure stomach illness. This stomach ailment has existed for centuries, and many people died from it each year. That illness have always fascinated our teachers, but no one has come close to discovering how to treat it, at least no one to my drug. We still did not know what the cause was, but at least we had ways to treat it.

I immediately noticed that this plant may even have a stronger effect, especially that poisonous. I noticed this because no animal, insect did not approach near that clearing. I put a scarf over my mouth, because even the pollen of this plant can have a lethal effect in larger quantities. I carefully cut a few plants, separated the flowers and arranged them in my backpack for later examination. It was a delicate process, but I succeeded. When I turned and prepared to get back on the road, the night was already falling.

The next day, the forest was replaced by a gorge, and instead of the ancient trees and rich life in the forest, there was now a stone around me in all directions. It climbed so much that I felt dizziness a couple of times when I tried to look up. Insects and rabbits, deer's have now been replaced by reptiles. Various caterpillars and snakes or lizards. Between the cliffs, the river flow so clean and quiet and it worked soothing for me. In it, fish of various colors were seen. It seemed that neither the slopes could see the end like the forest at the beginning of my journey. It did not worry me, because there was a lot of things a could explore. Changing the flora and fauna gave birth to a new idea in my mind. I'll stay here maybe longer, I'd like to study some insects and plants. Perhaps from their preparations I can make some healing potions. Also, I've seen some new plants that seem to me to have some extra use.

The thunder was heard from the west, from the direction of the forest I walked so long. As the embodiment of my people's wrath towards me, dark clouds were approaching me at high speed. I had to find an shelter, some hidden cave to hide. There was not wood here enough to carve it, but there are plenty of plants and animals and I have to deal with experiments. I had my own small lab in the backpack and I will have to find an appropriate place, and to be near the river. But above all to get away from the upcoming storm.

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