It rained quietly. The drops softly tapped on the faded leaves. Some fell and became part of the russet blanket which started to cover up the cold, hardened soil of the forest. The trees, as grey columns of an endless hall, got lost behind each other in the distance. Dense fog lingered above the dead leaves, slowly, as if time itself wanted to stand still. It silently embraced the roots of an old tree, which was waiting, cracked and gnarled, to pass away.239Please respect copyright.PENANAFyDpD9bCFi
Its balding branches lent a poor roof to a lonely sparrow, browning bushes found their home at its foot. Time carved a rotten dry hollow into its thick trunk. Silence slept in the monotonous sound of the forest.239Please respect copyright.PENANA1RjL0EkMWF
The shrubs rattled loudly. The sparrow shook off the water from its feathers and flew away. A man stepped out of the decayed hole, worn sack on his back, sword sheathed at his side. Holding his hood he bowed his head, carefully, not to hit it against the thick bark of the tree. His grey-brown clothes were covered in dirt, his faded vest, shirt, and cloak were torn by the branches and the past, his rough pants were fragmented. He swept off the muddy leaves from his cracked leather boots, straightened up, threw back his hood and looked around.
He stroked his shaggy stubble thinking. The forest looked exactly the same in one direction as in the other and it stood still. The man ran his fingers through his messy dark brown hair then scratched his head. He looked around again. The rain fell around him quietly. He took off his sack of one of his shoulders and pulled it in front of him. He groped through its countless pockets and nooks, checking that they were all buttoned, tied and knotted... depending on how each of them was covered. Everything was according to order. Acknowledging it with a pat, he threw it to his back and, after adjusting the straps, he started off to the left. Fallen leaves rustled loudly under his feet. With a couple of long steps, he went up a gentle hillside, stepped over some moss-covered stones and disappeared among the trees in the thin mist. The forest fell silent again.239Please respect copyright.PENANAZEeKyK3sYi
239Please respect copyright.PENANAArYPIlUTP4