Springlock: Springlock

After a long walk through the forest to get back to his home for a visit, Otello sat down and let himself have a moment of rest. All that had happened lately was swirling in his head. Being accused of rushing and causing a mishap in a routine mission and being sent back to home. He was still needed to attend with other elves that were fey-touched, but for now, his presence was not needed. No, he was sent back home for a week or two to get his head straight. All the pressure, his mentor was saying, is getting at you. 

 

Otello shook the image of his disappointed mentor out of his head. That old prick would see what he was made of. Otello stood up and got to his bow, Springlock as he had named it. It was dear to him. It was not the best bow, there were lighter bows, larger bows and some of what he had tried and even liked to use, but Springlock was different. It spoke to him. Not with words, but they had a connection. And sometimes, Otello was sure of it, Springlock moved, sprouted and was alive. Otello took care of the bow before placing it back leaning to the tree. It immediately seemed happy about the brushing up and hymned, as far Otello could explain. No one would believe him back home of course. Trees were important, but you couldn’t talk to them. 

 

One day his mother took him to the backyard. 

“We planted you a tree”, she said. His mother had a stern expression usually, was never in ease with others and loathed the fey that took her kid away. But nevertheless, Otello knew she loved him. “So, one day you can make it part of your bow.”  

It was just a small branch trying to lift itself to the sky and Otello could hear its struggling voice as it was trying to expand its roots underneath all the dirt to the giant veins of Great Woods. 

“It is going to be part of the Great Woods just like it is going to be carried with you on all of your travels. So you remember where your roots are. “ 

 

And there it was, leaning against the tree happily unaware that Otello had probably screwed up.

“What I am doing?”

There was no one to answer the question and when the sun had dropped all of the sudden from the sky, he noticed that time had passed without telling him. He had completely been stuck in his own mind. Flashing through all his past mistakes, but also through all nice memories like a silver bullet. Maybe… If he didn’t need to go home yet, as they didn’t know he had been sent away, he could see the city. 

Knowing very well his dad had been studying there for a long time before leaving to be with his mother. So it was part of his roots as much as the forest.