"Well... So long!"
My hand flickered in his direction and I gleamed a toothy triangular grin.

His stocked figure slouched and wheezed a sound that went perfectly with his gaping mouth. I turned my back and cock-walked to my own path of destiny--
a path away from his.

Stupid soldier boy, there's no wars around here... It was fun though!
I smiled at a quick reminiscence then never thought of it again.


...


Items of importance: Place to spend the night... and food!
I walked all afternoon and still hadn't caught sight of an end to the forest. Nothing but walls and walls of clumpy greens and a dark brown path that couldn't go five steps without losing its way.
Best start looking for some makeshift shelter. Or better yet... a cabin!
No really! I just spotted a cabin! Hope quickly swelled up in my throat and I immediately cut through the bushes. Just a short distance off the trudged path, lightly blended into the saplings. Just a few steps, push past a few stingy branches and- EEEW! SPIDER! Hop. Skip. I'm at the door!
"HELLOOO?

Does anybody live here?"
My neck forced itself as far as it could through the doorway of the two story wood cabin. My voice was quickly swallowed by the emptyness of the room. No one was outside either. There looked like a larger empty area behind the tall, pointed cabin but it didn't seem to expose any evidence of life.
An active fireplace, the typical sign of occupancy.
...
Yet no one around.
The polite thing would be to wait outside, but that's so boring!
Wait!
My foot halted and hovered above a gritty, sloshy welcome mat resting lightly on the well polished wood floor. The mat didn't say welcome, but something that used automatcally invites more dirty feet. I pulled my focus from the entrancement of the warm room and thought to myself.
I'm not anywhere near my old hometown, strangers might not be welcomed here. People this far out into the country probably don't take kindly to tresspassers. I could be shot! Eww, what if a dirty old man tries to rape me? ...What if he's not bad looking? No, be realistic! Nobody this far away from cilivilization would put a priority on apperances. Hmm... I haven't looked in the mirror for a while either. I wonder-
"Can I help you?"
A gruff yet polite voice interrupted my thoughts.
I pulled myself back as my eyes widened and I let out a slight "eep!" when I realized that a sturdy, short man had suddenly appeared in front of me.
"You're letting in the misquitos."
My mouth hung open as I gathered the situation. I was still standing only halfway into the house.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" I jumped in, threw the door shut with my foot, and bowed slightly to the man. "eh- did you just say moskwitos?"
"I don't think so."
"So sorry!"
I felt my face burn with embarrassment and I bowed deeper. Then slowly raised my shoulders and worked up to looking the man in the eye.
Short. Hairy.
Not my type. Not that I haven't adapted in the past, or couldn't adapt again, but he's just plain too old for me.
...
Hairy. Short.
"A Dwarf!"
"No!"
"Aw, but you look just like one." I couldn't hide my disapointment.
The non-dwarf old man, with hands at his hips, stretched his back and *ahem-ed* his throat.
"What is a young lady like yourself doing in the stoop of my humble abode?"
Stoop? He's right! He's standing on a step, he's even shorter than I thought! I could poke him in the eye without even lifting my arms!
"Young Lady is hoping to abode here herself." My smile compressed my left eyelid as i tilted my head to the right. My eyes grazed the upper levels of the building. Everything was wood. Including the fireplace!
Strange. Fireproof polish?
It's glow did make everything golden. "That is unless you know of any other suitable shelters in the local forest?"

The old man looked surprised.
"Haven't been out of the nest for very long, haven't you, lass?"
My bottom eyelid quivered. "Lass..." I haven't paid attention to talking old men in a long time.
"Hehh." I smiled politely. That is, forcively. "May I please stay here for the night?" I was aware that it was an awkward question. How often do you go to random houses and ask to spend the night? But this was the middle of a forest! I'm a poor defensless girl! Why should I have to sleep outside?! It should have been obvious that I would never accept a "no" but I was putting out an aura to say I was ready to fight for his approval. Or at least sneak in the back after he'd gone to bed.
"Hah! Very well." The old man grinned through his thick whiskers. "I'll go get my things."
"Huh? Things?" I squeaked. The old man clunked his way to a couch, grabbed a few blankets and a pillow.
"There is a toolshed in the backyard, it certainly isn't fit for a lady, so I'll go there myself! In fact, I might be the lucky one. It's much closer to the outhouse." He wobbled over to the porch and bundled his blankets all under one arm. I dodged to the right and entered what I assumed to be the Living Room. Carefully, with two fingers, he picked up his mucky boots and held them in front while he nudged his lower half down to sit on the step.
"You know, I'm not worried about spending the night with a feeble old man."
"Good on you, lass, but I live out here as a lonely man and it's my wife whom might get worried."
"You have a wife?"
"I'm quite sure I still do. 'Aven't seen her in a number of years though." In the stoop he tugged at his boots then sprung from the step. Hoisting the blankets above his head to avoid the muddy welcome mat, he opened the door and looked back. "I'll be set up in a jiff, then I'll be back to cook us some supper!" His smiling wrinkles disapeared behind the shutting door.
K-lnk. I heard the door latch into place.
I stood hands weighted at my sides, legs apart, knees bent. I looked like I was just slapped with someone's sweaty sock. I was in.
"Okaaay." His acceptance and generosity were almost worrisome. Supper did sound pretty good though.