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Jesper scrunched his nose as a bright light flashed across his eyes. The sound of ori feet beating against the ground rang in his ears. His eyes felt tight as he worked on opening them, imagining himself snuggled up in his bed. Maybe Alma had made breakfast?

Kachunk!

The cart hit a rock, knocking Jesper’s head against the floor, and sending him back to reality. “Oww,” He groaned, shuffling his body loosely to get a grip on his surroundings. He tried rubbing his head but failed- his arms wouldn't budge.

Huh?

Jesper opened his eyes and stared dumbfounded at the coils of rope bound tightly against him.

His stomach dropped at the realization that he was being held hostage by bandits. All of the horrible events of last night came rushing back: his dad, the nova tree being stolen, and worst of all, being surrounded by darkness.
Like a stain, he couldn’t wash the thought of not being able to see out of his mind. It was so dark. Jesper remembered not even being able to see the ground he walked on. Waking up to see the light of day did little to ease his mind as he came to. His breathing picked up, and he could feel his chest tighten. He needed to get out of there. He needed to run.

As best as he could manage, Jesper started inching his way towards the opening of the wagon. “Ahem,” A disgruntled voice coughed, “What do you think you’re doing?” Jesper looked over. There, sitting crossed-legged, was one of the bandits he ran into last night. Jesper recognized him as the one who had carried the nova tree. Covered in a black cloak, the purple man's antennae twitched in what Jesper perceived as annoyance.

The bandit glared, “Don’t even think about trying to squirm away again. You know how the boss was going to kill you? I guarantee you won’t get a second chance from death twice.”

“Kwee!” A small beeb chimed in, scowling at Jesper from the notch in the nova tree. He never knew a beeb could seem so intimidating.

Jesper stopped in his tracks, obeying the bandit. What could one scared little wyngling do against a whole troupe of criminals? Last night he was practically swung around like a sack of potatoes, unable to do anything for himself except dig himself deeper into this dark hole. One wrong move and he knew he'd bite the dust. The cart hit another bump, and a whimper sounded from the back. Over to his left, he spotted a familiar bandit coddling her arm with a look of self-pity.

“Yeah! You gnawing buttcake!” She moped, “This was my favorite arm….”.

Jesper didn’t pay her any mind; his gaze was trained on the front of the cart. A slight breeze whipped the curtains of the wagon aside and gave Jesper a glimpse of two figures manning the cart.

Ba-Dum.

His heart skipped a beat. Jesper’s eyes grew wide as he felt a sense of dread well up inside of him. He recognized the back of the boss’s head, and a chill ran down his spine. By some whim, he had managed to survive, but the other bandit was right- he wasn’t lucky enough to survive two brushes with death.

With a swoop, a new wyngro landed near the front of the cart. Jesper didn’t recognize him. Maybe he was another bandit? The blue winged wyngro exchanged a few nods with the boss and flew off again. The boss turned towards the other bandit in the front of the cart and began to talk.
He had to squint closely, but it dawned on Jesper that the other bandit was the one who argued to keep him alive. Curiosity got the best of him, and he perked his ears up to listen. His magic glands began to glow as he tried to piece together their words over the clanking sound of the cart.

Yoink!

Jesper felt his ears being tugged on and he quickly turned around. Inches from his face, the once moping bandit stared directly at him, smirking widely.

“Are you eavesdropping again? That’s cool.”

Jesper jolted back.

Her counterpart growled, “It is NOT cool. You really want to die, don’t you?”

Jesper gulped and lowered his ears. He glanced to the front of the cart, solemnly looking down at his feet. He thought of Alma, and the advice she would give him. He needed to come to terms with the fact that it was better for him to behave and wait this out. Looking at the nova tree, he realized something that made him feel a bit better- this was an invaluable asset to Wynsiph. They'd be looking relentlessly for it, maybe even blocking the roads out! Yes, of course! They'd come for the nova tree, and in turn, save him too!

Suddenly, the cart lurched to a stop, jostling Jesper from his hopeful thoughts. Flung to the floor, his chin thunked against the floorboards. With the number of times he had been hit, it felt like his head was splitting open.

As he laid there, groaning, he felt the weight of reality smashing into him again. What if no one was coming, and this was it? Even if he managed to escape, what was he to do then? Wander for help in the night, avoiding spites and predators? He didn't have any survival skills. His whole life was over, all before he could even live it. His dad was a loser, and so was he.
He wanted to cry. He wanted to go back home to Alma. To go home to his mom.

The shouting of voices grew louder and louder, distracting him from his lament. It wasn’t until they were right outside the cart did Jesper recognize one of the voices. It couldn’t be, could it? He shot up, grinning from ear to ear.

It was Russell.

He was saved!

We're getting this ball rolling again, whoo!

Nestly and I collaborated on this bad boy back and forth, so a huge thanks to her in letting me indulge in fun plots

Description
Next

Previous

Jesper scrunched his nose as a bright light flashed across his eyes. The sound of ori feet beating against the ground rang in his ears. His eyes felt tight as he worked on opening them, imagining himself snuggled up in his bed. Maybe Alma had made breakfast?

Kachunk!

The cart hit a rock, knocking Jesper’s head against the floor, and sending him back to reality. “Oww,” He groaned, shuffling his body loosely to get a grip on his surroundings. He tried rubbing his head but failed- his arms wouldn't budge.

Huh?

Jesper opened his eyes and stared dumbfounded at the coils of rope bound tightly against him.

His stomach dropped at the realization that he was being held hostage by bandits. All of the horrible events of last night came rushing back: his dad, the nova tree being stolen, and worst of all, being surrounded by darkness.
Like a stain, he couldn’t wash the thought of not being able to see out of his mind. It was so dark. Jesper remembered not even being able to see the ground he walked on. Waking up to see the light of day did little to ease his mind as he came to. His breathing picked up, and he could feel his chest tighten. He needed to get out of there. He needed to run.

As best as he could manage, Jesper started inching his way towards the opening of the wagon. “Ahem,” A disgruntled voice coughed, “What do you think you’re doing?” Jesper looked over. There, sitting crossed-legged, was one of the bandits he ran into last night. Jesper recognized him as the one who had carried the nova tree. Covered in a black cloak, the purple man's antennae twitched in what Jesper perceived as annoyance.

The bandit glared, “Don’t even think about trying to squirm away again. You know how the boss was going to kill you? I guarantee you won’t get a second chance from death twice.”

“Kwee!” A small beeb chimed in, scowling at Jesper from the notch in the nova tree. He never knew a beeb could seem so intimidating.

Jesper stopped in his tracks, obeying the bandit. What could one scared little wyngling do against a whole troupe of criminals? Last night he was practically swung around like a sack of potatoes, unable to do anything for himself except dig himself deeper into this dark hole. One wrong move and he knew he'd bite the dust. The cart hit another bump, and a whimper sounded from the back. Over to his left, he spotted a familiar bandit coddling her arm with a look of self-pity.

“Yeah! You gnawing buttcake!” She moped, “This was my favorite arm….”.

Jesper didn’t pay her any mind; his gaze was trained on the front of the cart. A slight breeze whipped the curtains of the wagon aside and gave Jesper a glimpse of two figures manning the cart.

Ba-Dum.

His heart skipped a beat. Jesper’s eyes grew wide as he felt a sense of dread well up inside of him. He recognized the back of the boss’s head, and a chill ran down his spine. By some whim, he had managed to survive, but the other bandit was right- he wasn’t lucky enough to survive two brushes with death.

With a swoop, a new wyngro landed near the front of the cart. Jesper didn’t recognize him. Maybe he was another bandit? The blue winged wyngro exchanged a few nods with the boss and flew off again. The boss turned towards the other bandit in the front of the cart and began to talk.
He had to squint closely, but it dawned on Jesper that the other bandit was the one who argued to keep him alive. Curiosity got the best of him, and he perked his ears up to listen. His magic glands began to glow as he tried to piece together their words over the clanking sound of the cart.

Yoink!

Jesper felt his ears being tugged on and he quickly turned around. Inches from his face, the once moping bandit stared directly at him, smirking widely.

“Are you eavesdropping again? That’s cool.”

Jesper jolted back.

Her counterpart growled, “It is NOT cool. You really want to die, don’t you?”

Jesper gulped and lowered his ears. He glanced to the front of the cart, solemnly looking down at his feet. He thought of Alma, and the advice she would give him. He needed to come to terms with the fact that it was better for him to behave and wait this out. Looking at the nova tree, he realized something that made him feel a bit better- this was an invaluable asset to Wynsiph. They'd be looking relentlessly for it, maybe even blocking the roads out! Yes, of course! They'd come for the nova tree, and in turn, save him too!

Suddenly, the cart lurched to a stop, jostling Jesper from his hopeful thoughts. Flung to the floor, his chin thunked against the floorboards. With the number of times he had been hit, it felt like his head was splitting open.

As he laid there, groaning, he felt the weight of reality smashing into him again. What if no one was coming, and this was it? Even if he managed to escape, what was he to do then? Wander for help in the night, avoiding spites and predators? He didn't have any survival skills. His whole life was over, all before he could even live it. His dad was a loser, and so was he.
He wanted to cry. He wanted to go back home to Alma. To go home to his mom.

The shouting of voices grew louder and louder, distracting him from his lament. It wasn’t until they were right outside the cart did Jesper recognize one of the voices. It couldn’t be, could it? He shot up, grinning from ear to ear.

It was Russell.

He was saved!

We're getting this ball rolling again, whoo!

Nestly and I collaborated on this bad boy back and forth, so a huge thanks to her in letting me indulge in fun plots