text: Once upon a long time ago, there lived a short creature in a dense and foggy forest. This forest was dangerous and full of wrong turns. Should someone get tangled in the web of paths, they will surely be lost for all of time but this small creature knew the way through. One day, a human in fine clothing journeyed into this forest and met the small creature. “Hello, good sir. I seem to be lost, would you tell me how to get to Hethrusa?” the human inquired. The small creature was not used to humans speaking to him so politely. A smirk sparked deep in his face. He could hardly hold his excitement. “Good human, my good human. I can, and only can I, guide you through this deep forest.” The creature replied. “In exchange for a sweetie and story. Only then, will I guide thee.” The human, being a merchant by trade, had many sweets to give. The creature was handed a small loaf cake and delighted with his catch, he sat down for the human’s story. “What is your pick of story, my friend?” The human asked. “Adventure, my human companion. I crave stories from the great outward, as I am stuck here for eternity.” The creature replied. The human thought, placing a thumb on his chin, and exclaimed with excitement that he had just the story. The creature waddled close to the human as he told a great story of a triumphant warrior who sought after the fountain of youth. This warrior did not find the fountain, but regained his youthful spirit in adventure all the same. The creature was delighted beyond the moon and stars to hear such a delicious story. The creature held the human’s hand and walked him through the ever changing paths. Safely, they both arrived at the edge of the forest. “I bid you my human friend a farewell. I shall not leave this forest, but safest travels to you.” The creature said. “I make a promise to you that I shall return every week. In my pinky, I hold this promise” Said the human. “Every week, I pinky promise to bring you sweets and stories. In exchange, you gently guide my hand through this forest.” Confused by such an odd practice, the creature hooked his small pinky around the humans. “Great promise indeed, my human pal. I shall see you in a week's time.” The creature promised. Over the course of many weeks, the human returned as promised. Bringing sweets and sweeter stories of the great outward lands, both old and new. From the mountains of Preshnua to the deep ocean depths of Trinhada. Each week, the creature gleefully listened to the humans tales as he ate the sweets given. There came a point in the simple promise that both danced and sang with each other. Sharing stories and sweets alike. Both the human and creature shared fond interest in each other. Each week, they both parted ways with the same pinky promise that started it all. On one particular week, the human did not pass through the forest. Waiting for his companion, the creature sat for hours. It seemed that the sky had changed many times and still the human did not show. Worried, the creature paced endlessly. Weeks passed, and still the creature paced. “Where, oh where is my human pal?” the creature pondered. Had he slipped in his great adventure? Did he get gabbed by the Grubabada Bears of Brunaladura? Was he swallowed in the deep dark depths of the Yuranga caves? Oh how the creature worried. These weeks of missing gave way to shaking months. These months were buried with misting years. The creature, still heartbroken of his missing friend, paced a large cavern in his worried walking. It took days for the creature to reach the very top of his sad and empty hill. Then, as if by a chase of a dream, the creature heard a familiar clambering. The trinkle trankle of a certain human’s thingy thangies. With perked ears, the creature peeked over his worry hill. His heart skipped every sixth beat. Holding a breath that was days old. There he was! “Oh what joy to see you, my fleshy pink faced friend! How I missed your presence.” The creature said. “My goblin faced complacent comrade, there you are still! I have great stories to tell of my journeys!” The human replied. “You say your... journeys? Had you not been turned purple by the Thrumping Vines of Enstera? Did you not get slip slopped by the rivers of mud in Frentu?” “No my friend, I have seen the world and most of its glory. I was on a long Holiday. And I have brought otherworldly sweeties, just for you!” The creature's heart was bent. “I do not care for the sweeties, I care for you!” The monster yelled. “You broke the pink-knee promise! I will not guide thee today or tomorrowday or next tomorrowsday!” The creature crossed his arms in protest. The human reached out but withdrew his hand. “I know, I have upset you. I did not mean for this to happen in such a way. Let me make it up to you. I have the best, most grandest, extra gilded extravagant story to tell!” The human said. “Let us dance and never forget to smile!” The creature turned away and thought. This was a most joyous day to see the human, but today should not be so joyous had the human kept their promise. The creature turned and danced with the human. The human was overjoyed and told the story of a great wizard who lost his glasses at the foot of a great mountain. “Tis such a great story so far, indeed.” Said the creature. “Pray tell, does it end in misfortune?” “It does not-” the human laughed. “It ends with happiness” “That is odd” said the creature. “Why is that?” said the human. “It is odd, because your story does end in misfortune!” The creature yelled. At the peak of their dancing, the creature threw the human in his pit of worry. Consumed by the vast darkness, the human’s screams were only heard but for a moment, and then gone. The creature felt sad, for the human had betrayed their promise. The creature felt even sadder now that the human was gone for sure. The creature wished not that they did not meet, but that the human never returned. In this way, the creature could have came up with his own story to fill in the humans sweeties and shoes.