Neverwinter Forest i'll do my loving in the winter

this was it. this was when he left the forest behind.

cam stood in the heart of it, near the gently-flowing stream; the water had just broken through the remainder of the ice and it flowed freely. spring was coming, but this place was always green. a haven, shelter from the storm of his life.

he'd grown up here. found himself anew. he'd been a scared little boy when he had first arrived, and mal had taken him in despite his grief, despite his fear. left a few times. . .but always returned. one could not go without their heart for too long.

this was the only place he had ever felt comfortable enough to call home. the willows had belonged to his mother, the wilds to ziggy. 

neverwinter forest was his—his, and the others who had lived here. mal, aibreann, kyr. . .even simmik, damn her. they had made it into what it was, had transformed mere trees and soil into something alive, an indelible part of themselves.

had they mourned the departure, too? he wondered if any had lingered.

if he hurried, he could catch up with the remnants of his pack before they reached the island.

so onward he went, taking note of every leaf and stone, all of the landmarks he had taken for granted over the moons. he drank it all in, enough to suffuse him for a lifetime. every memory, burned into his mind.

and when he finally emerged from the shadows of the forest onto open ground, cam allowed himself one last look back.

steady, stalwart green on the horizon. it would remain, even if he didn't.

thank you, whispered the boy, 

and then he turned toward the sea.