Need a little nudge to get started on a chapter? Sometimes the only way for me to move the story forward to write other things that I have no intention of including. Sometimes it things end up in the backstory. Other times, I toss it on the junk pile so if its needed later I can pull it out again.
We/I’m safe here for now, but…
This picture from a trip to Atlanta in 2015. We have visited Sweet Water Creek twice now and each time that has been, the highlight of the trip. I had just started writing and imagined my characters visiting this old mill in the hills. We had to hike up 500 feet to get to this spot. I am a flatlander, so its not all that easy for me. After going up Stone Mountain, this is a hill.
Update:
Kaja and Wolfsbairn
The water chattering over the rocks almost drowned out the voices that constantly filled Kaja’s head. She loved the sound.
Wolfsbairn jumped off Ember’s back giving him the command to relax, “Go, play, but stay close.” The dire wolf waited for Pitch to let Kaja down, then the two wolves bounded into the stream. The blonde Orrish man smiled as the wolves played like puppies. “I think we will be safe here, but only for a few days. We should move on soon.”
Kaja stopped looking at the water and watched Wolfsbairn. His eyes were bloodshot and his movements were slow. The pair had left their last hiding spot in the middle of the night. For dayside had driving them hard into the woods and mountains. They were both tired.
She walked to the edge of the creek and turned around to look back up at the old mill. The trees had long ago started growing inside and the cobbled floor was lifted and broken from the roots’ prying like fingers. Kaja took a deep breath, getting her bearings through her acute sense of smell. The Forest floor was damp and rich and she could already smell the wet wolves. She could set a snare near by and catch rabbits for a meal.
“I’ll keep watch while you sleep for a while.” Kaja looked away out over the stream again when he looked at her.
He let a deep breath out through his nose. “Is it that obvious, gariadin, my intended?”
She was not yet his mate, but she knew him well enough to know he would wear himself out protecting her. She took his hand. “You have been snapping like an irratated wolf. And you do not sleep enough. The wind tells me nothing of our pursuers. I will keep watch, and those big pups can go hunt. Rest.”
Wolfsbairn turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “You are right. I cannot serve as your guardian if I am to weak to hold my swords.” He pulled out his bed roll and looked around the ruins. Kaja followed him to a spot where she did not feel trapped, but could see most of her surroundings.
Kaja watched him settle and moved where she could watch stream and the Forest. She tried not to let the serinity lower her awareness.
He called to her and held out his hand, “I cannot sleep any more with out your hand in mine.”
Feel free to put what you come up with in the comments. Share a line, or a few hundred words. I want this to be a safe encouraging place and will not allow nastiness. (My house, my rules.)
