Big Kids Break The Rules

Okay, so Mama was definitely going to be mad at him if she found out about this. But that wasn't gonna happen, right? Nope. Definitely not, because he had been extra stealthy when sneaking out of Dauntless' borders. He hadn't gone far! It was just, the world seemed so big and the area Mama wanted them to stay in was stupid and small! Plus, Jupiter wanders off all the time so why can't I? Orion thought with a sullen sigh, and then told himself that he was absolutely as brave as Jupiter and Aerndis.

So he'd crossed the stream Artemis had forbade him to cross and wandered towards the strongest smell he could find. Over the pack scent and over the damp, musty smell of the nearby stream, he detected something sharp, crisp, and sweet. Wandering north, the boy eventually came up a forest of towering trees. They clawed higher into the sky than any living thing he had ever seen. Mouth agape, he walked amongst their titanic roots and wondered if this part of the world was huge, or if maybe he was just obnoxiously small. He hoped not!

His hackles rose suddenly, wondering if maybe the animals that lived here were as big as these trees. He would be a like a squirrel to them! He took a deep breath as a wave of panic nearly engulfed him, fur standing on end and bioluminescence flaring. No, no, that was no good. He could always go home, but that would feel like running away and Orion could not, would not run away. He grit his tiny teeth and squared his paws, trying not to let his legs wobble. Or... maybe he could stay put, and stay hidden. The idea came to him suddenly, and his fear began to ebb away as the lad started seeking somewhere snug and secure to bunker down, excitement beginning to fill in the gaps.

The roots around him offered a plethora of nooks and crannies for him to choose from, and Orion finally settled on a long-abandoned burrow of some sort. Whatever animal made it must have been about his size, but for all he knew that could be a chipmunk in this weird, gigantic forest! Whatever it was, Orion wanted to stay until he had proof! Then he could tell Jupiter, and he bet his brother would be super jealous if Orion found monsters before he did! A sprig of withered partially obscured the burrow's mouth, and Orion peered up until just the tips of his ears to his eyes were showing, and commenced waiting as patiently as a pup is capable of waiting. This had better be worth it!



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