Enzo awoke to the sounds of a pine forest. Trees grew close together in organized rows, with minimal brush scattered along the forest floor. A cool, gentle breeze that smelled of the ocean rustled through the trees. Birds chirped overhead and two squirrels chased each other through the upper branches. At least, Enzo thought they were squirrels though they seemed to have an extra pair of limbs.

Enzo looked down at his body. He’d awoken in this forest wearing a rough, canvas-like tunic and a pair of matching pants. He seemed to be of an average build young man, maybe twenty years old. At his waist, he found a thin leather belt with a small hunting knife. His shoes were basic leather moccasins, well-worn and flexible.

Well, guess this is it, he thought. I’ve really been reborn here. Who was it that I was talking to? Fire… I remember fire being important. He shook his head and dropped the thought. May as well explore the area and see what this new world is about.

Enzo stood and began to wander through the forest, keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings. The way the trees formed up in neat rows felt like they were planted and farmed that way intentionally. Surely there is a town nearby, he thought.

Occasionally, he found small bushes with blackberries on them. On closer inspection, Enzo found a small paw print in the dirt around one such bush. Small animals seemed to be fairly abundant, and the berries seemed to be a popular food source, so he made a mental note of where to find the bushes and continued along the trail. He hadn’t seen any animals larger than the squirrels yet, but Enzo didn’t lower his guard. He moved through the woods with light steps, and attempted to keep from disturbing the area.

The smell of salt on the breeze led Enzo down, following winding animal paths along the decline in the land. Soon, he pushed past the last of the trees and found a long beach that extended several hundred feet before being met by the waves. The sky was a bright blue, with few clouds blocking the high midday sun. Enzo took a deep breath and relaxed. Something about this place felt so peaceful to him, but he couldn’t quite place why.

Rocky terrain rose up to his right as he faced the ocean, and as the beach ended all together, the steady ocean waves crashed against steep, black cliffs. To his left, hills rolled and flattened into a wide, grassy plain. The coast curved further into the ocean, creating a large bay. He stood on one tip of the bay, as the cliffside rounded out of view. On the far side of the bay, he could see what looked like a port. As he walked further on to the beach, Enzo could just make out several large ships, their masts and sails slowly pushing the vessels into the bay.

Enzo removed his moccasins and walked out into the waves. The water was surprisingly cold for the middle of the day. It must be fairly late in the year here, for the midday waves to be this cold, he thought. He stepped away from the clear blue water, turned and looked back the way he’d come. Pine forest seemed to stretch quite a way through the lower hills and flat lands. Off in the distance, mountains rose. The trees fought their way two-thirds of the way up the slopes before giving way to snow-capped peaks.

The port city looks like it’ll be a full day’s hike from here, Enzo thought. I’ll need to find some food, water, and shelter here before I make the trip that way. Don’t want to risk getting caught in the woods at night.

Enzo retrieved his moccasins and headed back into the forest. He followed the path he’d used earlier and stopped at several of the bushes. As he picked, he tried a few of the berries and was delighted to find they had a sweet tang to them. His pants didn’t have any pockets, so he took off his tunic and used it as a bag to carry off as many berries as he could. Once he had a full load, he returned to the trail and continued in the direction of the mountains.

Water is the most important thing to find, I won’t last long without some fresh water, he thought. With all the snow up in the mountains, there must be some streams somewhere. As a worst case scenario, I could climb up and use snow but I’d rather avoid that.

As he hiked further from the ocean, the roar of the waves lessened and Enzo was able to hear more of the forest. At first, he only noticed more of the breeze but over time other sounds became more pronounced as well. As the sun fell toward the horizon during his hike, Enzo noticed the landscape was changing as well. More large rocks and boulders were in the area, and the trees weren’t arranged in neat rows any more. The further he followed the trail, the more the wilderness took hold.

Eventually, he began to hear flowing water on the wind. He continued to follow the trail, and the sound became louder until he stumbled across a small brook. It wasn’t big enough for fish, but the water was crystal clear. Paw prints gathered in the mud on one bank. This’ll have to do, he thought.

Enzo sat on a flat rock near the bank of the brook and ate several handfuls of berries. These are delicious, I just hope they aren’t dangerous. Not really in a position to be picky though, I guess, he thought. Same with the water, but if the animals eat and drink this stuff, it's better than starving.

After his brief rest, Enzo continued to explore the area. The terrain continued to shift, and the black rocks that formed the cliffs were becoming more abundant. The gentle slope near the beach was becoming much more steep, and soon he began to spot small cliffs. As Enzo continued deeper into the mountains, the trees and forest foliage thinned out. The air lost its salty taste, and became lighter and colder.

Enzo rounded a large boulder, and found himself on a small plateau. A hundred or so feet across, the plateau was ringed by much taller cliffs. Enzo paused and looked to the sky. The sun was dipping low, nearly completely beneath the treeline. Darkness was quickly approaching. I’ve got to find somewhere soon to bed down for the night, he thought. I can always climb a tree, but it won’t protect me at all from this chilly wind. I’ll give it a few more minutes exploring this area, it looks like it’d be a good place to make a little camp tomorrow.

At the opposite end of the plateau, Enzo found what looked to be a cave. He grabbed a small rock, tossed it into the darkness and waited. Nothing happened. The long shadows around him faded into the darkness of night but he continued to wait. Two moons rose into the sky, one about twice the size of the other, and bathed the plateau in dim, pale light. When his eyes finally adjusted enough to see, Enzo tentatively entered the cave.