The sounds of the rushing streams and rivers from the near by mountains was so loud he could hear it where he was walking. The sound of woodpeckers pecking sent a melody to his ear. He put all the sounds together; they all seemed to be one song in unison, so he started whistling along with the melody. He had been walking on the trail for hours now, and had thought it best if he went home. He turned, still whistling the melody, and with a slow pace began walking back to town.

His town, Windelton, was a small, prosperous town located in the northern most part of Southerland. It was a peaceful town, not much happened there. All the people knew each other. And Ned was especially well known. He often offered his services to anyone who needed it. Ned’s adopted father, Gordd, owned Gordd’s Book Keep, which was the one of the most popular book keeps, because of the rare books, in all of the land. Ned often manned the front desk there and so he got to know a lot of people. Often he went out on journeys to deliver books for his father and goods from the next door smithy, and so he knew people from all over the land of Zimmer. He had befriended numerous people, and they offered him stays at their houses whenever he needed. Who wouldn’t like Ned, though; he was such a kind-hearted man.

The woods were not as safe; however, filled with nimmers, beasts, and odd creatures of the woods, so he had to learn how to fight. Nimmers were the thieves who lurked in the woods waiting for weary travelers to come by then jumping them unexpectedly, pilfering them of money and possessions worth selling. His father had warned him of the beasts and nimmers, and had trained him in fighting. Whenever he traveled he carried weapons with him, primarily his four daggers, which he carried two slung from each side of his belt. He had trained numerous days with his father along with his brother learning to slash and practicing his aim of throwing the daggers. His brother had always been better than Ned in daggers, but lately Ned’s skills were beginning to surpass his brother’s. Ned was a rather large, built man, unlike his brother, giving him an advantage of controlling large swords, which his father had also trained him in, with splendid ability. His long sword he had only carried along with him when he had to v enture far from his home delivering goods. He had been able to take out the innumerous beasts and wild creatures along the dangerous trails of the woods. He had never encountered a nimmer although he had heard many stories of attacks by them. It was known that nimmers only stuck to the main trail. Ned knew this too, and was not raveling on the main trail, but rather on a small one. In fact, Ned had never even encountered a human enemy.

He was heading for home when he heard a sudden rustling in the leaves. It sounded like footsteps. Ned peered slightly over his shoulder, noticing that only a squirrel was there, picking up acorns from the ground. The rustling didn’t sound like a squirrel, not even a pack of squirrels would have made that heavy a sound. He was certain it sounded like rather weighty foot steps. There came the sound again. He turned once more, nothing but the squirrel, which was this time also looking around. When Ned noticed the squirrel looking around he knew it was something else. He shrugged off the idea of it being a person and continued on his way.