@dot_Sp0T The trees were over four kilometers away. Bremdag pulled up panting at the edge of the forest and waited for this companions. It was un-advisable to be caught too long in the plains under the searing white sun, and by the time he had gotten to the trees, he could already feel sun-burn starting to form on his shoulders and ears.

It was a harsh sun, providing meagre heat, yet painful burns to the skin, even through a thick garment. That was why his people lived in the vast underground Arcologies. But here among the kilometer high spire-trees, the harsh sunlight was blocked and the thick trunks warmed and scented the air, deliciously.

@kingledion The forest floor had dried out over the long, summer and the group made quick progress, laughing and joking as they went. In the forests edge there was no need for navigation. They had spent many days here hunting and gathering fuel. Bremdag knew this pace wouldn't last. Soon he would reach the deeper woods where paths were no more than gaps in the undergrowth and what maps they had were patchy and useless. He knew that there he would encounter his first challenge.

@Bellerophon The five challenges were faced by every individual who traveled the path Bremdag traveled now. The first was always the challenge of Stone, but the exact locations of the challenges tended to change. All he would have to do was go as deep as he could into the forest and the challenge of Stone would find him.

@Gryphon. The challenge was the first test of a tradition that existed since The Arrival, and the beginning of the dangers that those who took the challenge must endure. There were rumours that this dated back to an Old Earth tradition dating back to before the Great Scattering, but most these days dismiss tales of the homeworld as just "nothing but kid's tales". Whether it was an Old Earth tradition or not, now it was his turn to take the risk or die trying.

@FutureHistorian He unpacked opened his bag and pulled out his water skin. Several streams were known to flow through the forest, and he could afford to drink now and refill it later. He was thirsty and tired from the heat - and he would need his energy very soon. The challenge of Stone always required agility and stealth, and fatigue was conducive to neither. As he carefully sipped, he saw his companions emerge from the dust of the plains they had just crossed.

@dot_Sp0T Hemdul said "She was making too much noise around the lip of the burning stone pit then the lip gave way. Lucky she didn't fall too far or there wouldn't have been anything to save....Still might not have been worth the effort." They laid her down on a pile of moss, propped up against a tree.

@Green "The challenge of herbs is supposed to be the 5th challenge." Said Bremdag. "Still, I don't think we will be able to get her back in the state she's in without stabilizing her. Start a fire and heat some water, lets see what we have to work with." He got up and surveyed the forest. He recalled seeing some fire root a short ways away, and headed in that direction. Once boiled the broth would begin soothing the burns and fight infection. It would also give them time to build a litter.

room topic changed to Story-go-round: Lets write a story together. Meta: worldbuilding.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/5678/… [4.0] [attribution] [creative_commons] [international]

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