Murmurs soared around the mess hall at the news of war. Joseph who at this point began creeping in the entrance where the men were packed like salmon in a tin.

The thought of war though frightening seemed also like an exciting adventure at the same time, reflected off the faces of the new recruits. The older men gave no reaction. War was almost second nature to them. They stood stone faced some with battle scars evident from previous conflict as they waited for further information.

Joseph, though expecting this exact predicament still wanted more information but to do this meant squeezing his way to the front. The looks dished out as he bumped and pressed his way through the hoard of men made no impact on him.

Before long Joseph successfully made it to the front shortly followed by Austen and a few others. From his viewpoint he could clearly make out the very much aged general, the medals on his chest reflecting the sunlight that beamed through the flaps of the mess hall. He was left standing on one of the tables that was cleared to make room for the men in order for himself to be seen by everyone.

“SILENCE!” The command was boomed out by the second- in- charge as the general no longer had the ability to do it himself.

Everyone went silent. It was the quietest Joseph has ever heard an army barrack in his many years of experience.

“Now I all know that you all are waiting for the rest of the information.” The hoarseness of the General’s voice indicated his lack of sleep.

“The truth is that I cannot relay that information at this very moment. Spies are all around us trying to gather information and knowledge of what they are facing and to give you all what I know is a massive risk that can end in disaster. I want you all to know one thing. You are fighting for your homeland and no matter how uncertain you are about the leaders and people around you, you will all have to persevere and push through in order for us to keep our freedom. The proper information that you will receive will be given to you only when necessary.”

“Good luck to you all, and let God be on your side.”

At this, the General was helped off the table and left through the kitchen exit of the mess hall where a carriage of dazzling proportion was waiting for him. No sooner had the General left, the mess hall erupted with questions aimed to all the men with a powerful standing in the Ranvarian military.

As all the men crept forward, Joseph found this opportunity to slip out before he would get trampled on. Austen did not catch on oblivious to what was happening until it was too late and he was stuck in the midst of the happenings.

Thunderclouds rumbled in the distance as Joseph trudged his way back to his cabin. It was just the beginning of spring so the all the plants were on the verge of flowering. It had been a while since Joseph could just walk and think. Everything was moving so fast and it is at times like these when you have to just breathe.

“It’s going to rain.” Joseph muttered to no one in particular.

Joseph made a sudden decision to take a walk into the woods that surrounded the barracks. He could think of no better time to do it as it was unusually quiet and no one was there to bother him.

The trees were only just beginning to grow their leaves back. It was one of the very rare times where someone can see a great distance through the woods as at any other time it would be a dense habitation filled with life and colour.

It wasn’t long until a clearing appeared in the eye view of Joseph. It would make an ideal time to write a letter he thought but upon feeling his pockets for a pencil and paper he came up empty handed.

He mind was divided between going back to get them from his knapsack and write a letter home or staying at the clearing and rest in silence for a few hours.

Joseph slumped down under a giant oak tree decision clearly made. Before long his eyelids began to droop and he was out cold.

A sudden chill brought his body back to life. The air was considerably cooler than before and as Joseph wiped his eyes he made the realisation that it was night. Shuddering from the cold, he began his trek back to the barracks. There was only one problem.

Without light to guide his way, he was completely unaware of which direction to go. It didn’t bother him that much though and he began walking in one direction.

Five minutes passed before he stopped and began making his way back to the clearing again after failing to see the light of the barracks. There was also another problem. In his drowsy state of just waking up he had been walking in an angle therefore losing his bearings of the clearing all together.

“Hello?” his voice now had a hint of worry in it.

Now wide awake Joseph made a determined effort to stick to a direction until he found any sign of life. The bats in the tops of the half-naked trees began making shrieking sounds piercing the night sky with sound.

A sudden thought crossed Joseph’s mind. Wolves. Wolves were notorious in the woods of Ranvar and they gave no mercy to anything that stumbled into their line of sight man or animal. The shrieking of the bats began to become more frequent and louder.

Joseph suddenly remembered one of the army’s very few useful tips. Animals and birds alike call out to each other when trouble looms. As the shrieking continued Joseph knew that there was only two things that can cause this much anxiety in the bats.

It was either him or a wolf. Seconds after this thought a twig not too far from where Joseph was standing snapped. Its distinct sound made joseph freeze.

He remained frozen as the rain began to fall. It got heavier and heavier and before long all other noise was drowned out.

Joseph took this opportunity to run. As fast as he can in no direction in particular. He zig-zagged between trees and jumped over large sticks.

Joseph decided to have a peak behind him aware that in the lack of light he probably won’t see anything.

He didn’t as he plummeted to the earth due to a large stick that caught his foot. Now he really was in trouble.

Whatever was following him had a free strike.