“Well this is just lovely” muttered Unferth to himself as he slowly limped through the outskirts of the forest. He had left his village with a week’s provisions, and they had already run dry. The forest held the promise of food to scavenge, but Unferth had no idea what dangers could lie within. He paused for a second to scan the underbrush with his sullen blue eyes hoping to make out anything that lay beyond, but the forest was too thick. “Well Unferth, you idiot, if you’re going to turn back, now would be the time” he said aloud. He thought about returning to the village where he was hated, they would be able to see him from far away awkwardly dragging his left leg behind him. They would see his distorted face and his awkwardly bent nose and they would laugh, and call him a failure, and start chanting “Scarecrow.” It would be better to die than endure that humiliation again.<br/><br/>Unferth patted the bow at his shoulder, reassuring him of its presence. As long as he had that he was sure he could endure what was ahead. Without looking back, he marched deeper into the forest, hoping he was ready for what the future might hold.<br/>