I woke up in a haze confused and lost. I look around and see my reflection. I was sitting in a quiet little brook flowing throughout what seemed an endless wood. I sit up with an intense throbbing in my head I look around once again and see a pack and a beautifully made bow and a quiver of arrows. I crawl over just making the throbbing worse to see the pack had a survival guide with a list of edible plants and berries. I see a strange animal sitting staring at me.





This strange animal has the antlers of a deer but the sleek body of a cougar. Zebra stripes covered its body, but these stripes are a blood red and marmalade orange. This animal moves gingerly toward me as I try to scoot away in fear. Soon I hear a calming voice like that of a misty rain falling on a tent telling me “don’t be afraid, I am Rexora and am here to guide you through the land of impossible tasks. “Where are we? How did we get here?” I questioned sternly. “Don’t be afraid” it repeated, “I cannot answer all your questions, I have an oath to tell you only what I have been instructed to.” Its voice was stern but its eyes were gentle. “What kind of tasks? ”I wondered aloud? “These will be tests to see how well you can survive.” It said calmly. It nodded with its head, “for the first test. Walk through those trees to begin.”

Once I walked through the trees I was surprised to find a bright clearing filled with targets. This was going to be fun…


I look to Rexora and he notices my questioning looks. “This is the first test. First you practice shooting, then you practice on moving targets, then you will move to game.” instructed Rexora. “Why have I been sent here?” I questioned. He just stared blankly at the targets and I knew I needed to start. Rexora was dumbfounded by my skills of shooting. He watched and would give me pointers. I thought I heard steps behind me. I whipped around bow drawn and ready but there was nothing there. “You may fetch water if needed I noticed you were uneasy to sounds so that will be tomorrows lesson.” Rexora demanded, “And maybe how to sneak upon game, maybe a hare or wood mouse.” I was excited by the thought of it but I just felt my hunger stab my stomach like a dagger. Rexora noticed my twinges and ordered me to find an edible root and look for it. I found one called a katniss root. The picture depicted it in the muck of a pond with big tubular roots. “Rexora where is the nearest pond” I yelled? “There is no need for yelling but it is about one hundred yards from the archery thicket on the right” he replied. I got to the archery thicket and started off to the right. I came upon it and stripped off my shoes and socks I first went and cleaned my foot in the spring then I stuck them in the pond. It was ice cold on my skin and I immediately got chill bumps. I started thrashing my foot in to the bottom and touched something at first I about jumped out of my skin then I felt it and knew it was what I was looking for. I ripped it out and grabbed many of them. By the time I got back Rexora had a pile of wood almost five feet tall and eight feet wide. “Now you must cook them or die from poison” Rexora retorted. “How am I supposed to cook them you haven’t started a fire” I exclaimed! “You are the one going through tests not I” he shot back with a fierce glance. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. Why would you bring me to a god awful place like this when I was perfectly fine at home” he screamed to Rexora. “like I said before I am obligated to tell you only what I have been instructed to and to direct your lessons nothing further than that” he replied calmly. “Fine if you would just be quiet I will just try to catch a hare” he said defeated. I walked away leaving the katniss root sitting on the ground. I stalked a hare and thought I was silent until the hare darted off like a bullet. After about 45 minutes I stalked back to camp tired and defeated. “Fine are you happy now I’ll make the fire” I snapped. “Do you at least have a piece of flint or matches” I questioned. “Look in the book it will tell you what you need” answered Rexora. “Will you shut up about the stupid book I’ll find out how on my own” I said in a sour mood. I sit down beside the fire and start doing all I can but nothing happens. I rubbed two sticks together, I beat two rocks together I even rubbed a rock against the medal tip of one of my arrows. Nothing worked. I then remembered the book and see it sitting beside Rexora. I walk over to try and grab it when Rexora pulls it away towards him. “What are you doing I need to know how to make a fire,” I complained. “You said you would do it on your own,” he retorted with a smirk. “But I need to know I’m so hungry,” I begged. “Okay,” he sighed. I look through the book and noticed a stone. It looked vaguely familiar. “Ahhhhhh beside the pond that’s where it is,” I thought out loud. “Did you say something,” Rexora asked. “No,” I called over my shoulder. I got back and made the fire and ate but Rexora was gone so I slept.