Wonderful World

[Neku]

Neku hadnt ventured outside the forest. Though she had heard the Humans refer to a Hoagsmed. No.. It wasnt Hoagsmed. Hoags.. The a was in the wrong place, she was nearly sure of it. Well whatever the place was called it seemed to raise the spirits of these young and wild things. It was different coming out of the forest, she was becoming more and more curious now she was left alone with no tribe telling her what to do or where to go. She'd grow out of it though soon enough.

She had taken the forestry way to Hogsmeade, to prevent unwanted attention. She was still walking through the forest, heading right to the back of it. It was certainly a huge place but she could tell she was heading in the right direction. She knew nobody would be around as it was too late for the students to be outside. The only concern now were the professors and other creatures. She didnt worry though about that.

She eventually broke through the back of the forest and found herself in unknown land and terrotry. She could see the lights of the streetlamps burning in the distance. She could see her destination. She began to walk at a much slower pace. Her hooves making no noise at all on the barren land that she suspected used to be covered in grass.

She stopped, a little way from the villiage itself and just looked at it. Why did this place get those Humans so excited? She didnt understand. It looked like nothing special. Neku put her hand to her head in concentration. She would never understand this species so long as she lived.

[Gregory Greenwich]

Patrolling Hogsmeade day in day out was a bore, even though it held treasures beyond belief and excited students and professors alike, why could these treasures not be unlocked? Simply because Greg had a job, no a duty to accomplish his patrolling. He himself wasn't bored by the duty as many others would have been, as he did as instructed, to the letter, that was one of his oh so many faults, loyalty without question, if he was ordered to jump from a cliff he would believing his superiors knew precisely what they were doing. Alas so often they stumbled about in the dark too.

He had chosen 'The Three Broomsticks' as his headquarters and base of operations, its central location allowed him easy access to most areas, within a few minutes walking distance of the forst itself, where he was set to patrol from day to day. It was where he lay he his head for the evening, catching a couple of hours sleep in between his rigorous study.

Awaking afore the break of dawn, Greg had eaten a simple rustic breakfast of toast and marmalade washed down with tea. Then his day had begun, the patrolling was a menial task, he wasn't usually part of the search parties scouring the forest, a fact he was rather glad of, as he had no love for it. He simply detested the eerie nature, though steadily living so close he had become more accustomed to it, and mastered his fears.

Greg's hawk eyes pierced the perpetual gloom of the forest, yet he saw nothing for hours on end. Until he viewed some tracks making their way deeper into the forest, a cloven hoof had made a dull imprint which was now half-hidden by a fallen rock, no wonder Greg hadn't seen it before. Stooping Greg smelt the earth, picking a clod of soil and crumbling it between his fingers. Old, days old in fact and yet they ran no further along, how very strange? though Greg quizzicaly. Little did he know that he was soon to be watched...

[Neku]

The world of humans, though it scared her, fascinated her all at the same time. She both hated, and loved these creatures. It was a stange combination of most things inside her mind, and her heart. Though she knew her old Elder would not understand her interest, she couldnt just stop, not now, she had come to far in her understanding.

This place seemed to attract many a visitor, day in and day out. Occasionally, you would find Neku watching them in the shadows, so they were completly unaware. Though at night, she sometimes ventured outside of the forest to wander the town and see what made it so interesting. And asides from the strange glowy things that lit up the street, Neku couldnt see the thrill.

Times were running into dark places, and she knew she needed to move in a direction herself, or be caught in the tide and drowned in the incandescent waters of the darkness. She had been lost to it many a time, and had now found solace inside her heart, and forgiven herself for the crimes. Though she would never think on this again.

She had become curious once more, a few nights later and ventured outside of the forest. It was once again a cool night, it wasnt humid, it was just right. However, she did not expect to see what she saw.

A human was viewing her tracks left the other night, she knew she should have cleaned them, staring at the guy, transfixed by his interest, she stayed to the shadows, just watching. Waiting.

[Gregory Greenwich]

Crumbling the soil between his fingers Greg hunched over the track he had found taking it in with minute detail. Crouching low to the ground he brushed aside bracken in his path searching for more tracks, yet there were none, how very curious indeed. Some bracken had been dislodged with a few leaves broken and quashed into the earth, but a smaller animal, even a bird could have done that, those disturbances could be weeks old, it was very difficult to tell.

Looking around with now perked interest he imagined how the centaur, as he was now quite certain they were centaur tracks as a horses hooves were somehow subtlely different, they tended to leave a larger imprint and of course they were usually shoed too, had strode through this area, curiously towards Hogsmeade itself and not away from it as he would have expected.

Standing Greg viewed the surrounding landscape, the forest was reasonably close to Hogsmeade itself, there was only a slight rise where the trees began, so close they seemed in fact to confine the small village. Tales, foolish tales he knew, had been told of when a newly wed couple had wished to start a home here, by pushing back the boundaries of the forest, work had begun without setbacks with trees decimated to make room for a grand wooden hut, more of a palace, until the third night of construction, when they had set up camp to view the stars in their new home. They had been found the next morning stone dead, locked in each others embrace, with not a bruise upon them.

Some said the trees had suffocated them, others that a spirit had stolen their very souls, none knew and the Ministirial inquisition had led to a bootless inquisition; their cause of death had been explicable, but none had dared push back the forest boundaries, it was said the haunted wreck of the beginnings of the newly weds home could still be seen; overgrown and consumed by the forest.

The stories sent a shiver down the spineless Greg, he was afraid and would openly admit it, but of course he didn't believe such stories, that was all they were, tales to scare children.

Visibly shaking himself Greg pushed the memory of the old hag telling him that tale of misery and woe, around the comforting 'Three Broomsticks' fire it had seemed far away, yet now far too close for comfort.

Gazing into the trees Greg thought he saw the merest hint of movement, it must have been his mind playing tricks upon him. Striving to find more tracks he made his way closer to the forest itself, perhaps there the centaur would have lowered his guard, as he presumed it was a he, were there actually female centaurs? Or were they just a fable? But how did they reproduce? Idle questions he could ill afford to dwell upon.

Straightening his robes Greg levelled his breathing and stepped over the threshold, it seemed to his vivid imagination that the forest darkened instantly once he crossed that invisible barrier, but was it his mind playing tricks once again?

[Neku]

She found it hard to tell what the man was searching for as she watched him, despite the many things in her mind telling her to go back and leave him be. She couldnt, her curiosity always got the better of her no matter what she did, and could often end in a way which wasnt good, usually with Neku announcing her prescense. Not this time, she had too many things on the line.

Did he know what made those prints? Of course he did, he didnt look stupid, which made her all the more wary about what he was doing, and what he was looking for. The bigger question was, who was he? But she wasnt going to get close enough for him to be able to answer that question. What if he was with them?

Surely he couldnt be, or if he was he wouldnt exactly be ranking very high considering the mediocre job in which he seemed to be doing. What sort of human, spends his time, crouching low over tuffts of mud, looking at imprints on the floor, figuring out what had done it? she found herself thinking. No matter, it wasnt her business.

The forest itself was a dark and ominous place, few dared enter, only the brave and foolish. Even the brave were considered foolish when entering the forest, it was not a friendly place, even to her, things still tried to hurt her in there. Though Neku had no choice but to live with it, deal with it. Even other centaurs were not fond of her presence, this she knew. Though it would not deter her, it would not make her leave. She had unfinished business, and as soon as it was done, she would go.

She had heard many a thing since her time here, yet she had never had any cause to believe such ridiculous things. Ghost stories, mindless games, idiotic theories. All of which, made her laugh even suspecting any of them could be true. She would not be made to be scared of a place she had grown accustomed to.

She brought her attention back to the man, in time to see him shake, but whether it be through cold or fear she could not tell. Either way, again, it was none of her business.

She felt herself sieze up when he looked directly to the forest, directly to her. HAd he seen her? Well whatever the cause he was heading to the forest, she went further back into the shadows, she must keep an eye on him. He stepped into the forest, breaking the boundary between the town and the forest, he was now in her home, in her terrortry. He seemed nervous, but she was not. She had all her wits about her, and the guidence of the trees and stars. What did he have? A wand and a scared little mind.

[Gregory Greenwich]

Greg stumbled over a root, even looking down at the ground searching for tracks he had somehow missed the offending inanimate object; leastways to his mind it had no real lifeforce. Yelping in pain he clutched his foot hopping about quite comically. The pain really was unbearable but he didn't give in to the urge of kicking it; that would only double his hurt and woes.

Scanning the forest now more warily, apparently even the trees were out to get him, Greg breathed deeply trying to regulate not only his breathing, but his feverish thoughts and feelings. Now feeling refreshed and happier; to a small extent he walked on into the forest, stooping now and again to search for tracks. He was a brilliant tracker, none could doubt that fact, so there were clearly no traces of other beings to be found, or else he would have found them. Knowing it was simply his duty to patrol the boundary of the forest and not go searching for possible tracks or the powerful item everyone was looking for, Greg thought it best to turn and go back before any harm befell him.

Too late already, whether the trees had closed in around him or he had lost himself so very easily; he was lost. Cursing his misfortune and quivering slightly in his shoes, Greg pondered over what to do, instead of simply turning one hundred and eighty degrees and setting off back, he went about it the hard and long way round. By constructing a makeshift compass; all he needed was the metal needle and water bottle he always carried for just such an emergency and a broad leaf for the water to settle in, with simple magnetism it would point towards north; unless his calculations were incorrect.

With such concentration he set about this task he didn't at first hear the approach of a creature, but hear it he did eventually, before it was too late. Going for his wand he looked up into the eyes of a terrifying beast and was struck quite dumb with fear.

[Neku]

Neku followed the male absent mindedly. Keeping her distance, treading carefully and quietly. She saw him trip over what appeared to be a tree root. Humans... They are the clumsiest race i have ever known she thought to herself. She curved easily in and around the trees, hidden carefully by the shadows. Neku had to raise a hand to her mouth as she supressed a laugh, watching him bound around like a kangaroo.

Though he appeared not to be giving up very soon either, well Neku was not going to let him walk around her home univited. How rude was this human? Trespassing in her home. How would he like it if she kicked down his door and treaded all over his home without invitation? Not much, she could assure herself of that. What was he looking for anyway? bending down to the floor as if to see something? Didnt he know if a centaur did not want to be found, she wouldnt be? Especially Neku. She was more wary and careful than any centaur she herself had ever known.

He seemed to be turning back, so doubling back herself, making sure this halfrod left her home. Though, now it seemed, he had gotten himself lost. Of course this would happen. An amateur bent on following something that wouldnt be found, and yet not marking his way back out? Idiot. Now he was following something else. What was this human doing? Curious now, she followed him a little closer.

This is getting us both nowhere she thought angrily to herself and bounded over the tree roots coming up fast behind him. He hadnt heard her until it was too late. Face to face, hardly away from each other he looked at her, as though in fear. She narrowed her eyes at his wand, much good it will do him. Centaurs were quicker than humans and if she wanted, she could have it off him within a second.