vv
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      vvvvvvvvvvv^^^^^^^^^^^^^vvvvv^^^vvvvv
  vvvvvvv^^^^^^^^^vvv^^^^^^^vvvvvvvvvvv^^^vvv
vvvv^^^^^^vvvvv^^^^^^^vv^^^^^^^vvvv^^^vvvvvv
vv^^^^^^^^vvv^^^^^vv^^^^vvvvvvvvvvvv^^^^^^vv^
vvv^^^^^vvvv^^^^^^vvvvv^^vvvvvvvvv^^^^^^vvvvv^
vvvvvvvvvv^^^v^^^vvvvvv^^vvvvvvvvvv^^^vvvvvvvvv
 ^vv^^^vvvvvvv^^vvvvv^^^^^^^^vvvvvvvvv^^^^^^vvvvvv
   ^vvvvvvvvv^^^^vvvvvv^^^^^^vvvvvvvv^^^vvvvvvvvvv^v
      ^^^^^^vvvv^^vvvvv^vvvv^^^v^^^^^^vvvvvv^^^^vvvvv
vvvv^^vvv^^^vvvvvvvvvv^vvvvv^vvvvvv^^^vvvvvvv^^vvvvv^
vvv^vvvvv^^vvvvvvv^^vvvvvvv^^vvvvv^v##vvv^vvvv^^vvvvv^v
^vvvvvv^^vvvvvvvv^vv^vvv^^^^^^_____##^^^vvvvvvvv^^^^
  ^^vvvvvvv^^vvvvvvvvvv^^^^/\@@@@@@\#vvvv^^^
       ^^vvvvvv^^^^^^vvvvv/__\@@@@@@\^vvvv^v
           ;^^vvvvvvvvvvv/____\@@@@@@\vvvvvvv
           ;      \_  ^\|[  -:] ||--| | _/^^
           ;        \   |[   :] ||_/| |/
           ;         \\ ||___:]______/
           ;          \   ;=; /
           ;           |  ;=;|
           ;          ()  ;=;|
          (()          || ;=;|
                      / / \;=;\

“Welcome to the Valley” was written on the package that lay on my doorstep this morning. Within was a hand-drawn map showing the paths to each of my neighbors, where clean water and sustenance could be found, and loose notes on what crops readily grow on the mountainside where my new home is carved into. This map was tucked under a large baked cake, replete with snow white icing and a crown of flowers rimming the edge. The package had no other markings other than the heart-warming message, written in flowery delicate scrawl.

I layed my head on the table next to the cake and let the tears roll down my face. I never met my grandparent’s neighbors, they were too far to travel to when I was that young. I’m not sure how they knew I arrived at the then-empty bungalow being so far away., but I will certainly repay the gesture in time. The cake was delicious, herby with a background of lavender and vanilla, slight nutty which I assume is a hand-milled flour from the valley forest. Might be a good starting point to thank my mysterious new friend.

The house is exactly how I remember it, considering how long it has been since my grandparents passed I’m assuming this benefactor has been looking after the place. Pots and pans are polished but still show the wear of decades of loving use. I get water boiling in the fireplace for some tea to help digest the cake, and head out in the yard to select the teas and herbs. That’s where I found a feather then length of my forearm, resting over the mint and basil. A bird this size would have to have the wingspan of at least two hundred feet, not sure if I should be outside on a cloudy day lest I get swept up by a roc. Maybe I have not left my adventuring days behind me after all.