The old man was tired, his cloak was muddy and the bottom tattered. At his side bounced an ancient scabbard with and equally old two-handed sword. Yet even with his clothes in such a state the man's hair and beard were immaculate, white and shiny. The long mane of white hair flowed down his back and was tied back with a simple piece of leather. His long flowing handlebar mustaches, his pride and joy, were combed and flowed down his chest. The old man trudged along, one foot in front of the other. Plop, Plop,Plop. A gust of wind blew his mustaches infront of his face, he looked up and beheld a beautiful try, it stood right outside the forest. Thanks be to the Godess! It was an apple tree. The old man all but bounded up the hill, grabbed an apple and bit into it, the juices mingling with his mustaches. After a few moments the man slumped against the tree, exausted. I like this tree, he thought to himself. I will make it my tree, and I shall name it... the old mans's creativity deserteded him... Tree... He smiled a warm, tired smile, Goodnight tree... he whispered before falling asleep.

Felicia was sleeping right in the same tree the old man came to. She overheared his mumbling but obviously could see anything with her blind eyes. The eyelids fluttered to open as she was going to say something about his mumbling as he slumped against a tree and made it to vibrate. Felicia fell from a tree hitting the ground painfully and scowled slightly. "God damn it....!" she mumbled getting up rubbing her butt. She was offended that after a hard day of unsuccessful treasure hunting she couldn't get any sleep because of this old man.

Zhan bolted right up, but fumbled with his sword latch, shrugged his shouldered then, turned to his visitor. "Why were you in my tree? he demanded angrily It's my tree, and I didn't tell you that you could fall out of it. You know what this boils down to, young lady? Respect, and your lack of it. I am sixty..." Zhan memory failed him "[B]....uh...plus years old!" He ran out of steam and trailed off into a small huff.

"Blah blah blah...." she mumbled at his words." Your tree? I slept in it before you came and climed it as yours......tree is no one's!" she scoffed some at him. " And respect must be earned.." she crossed her arms on her chest half closing her black blind eyes.....Felicia was angry but couldn't hold anger for too long at an old man.....after all she still had a sence of respect...just showed it only to those that she trusted......to those who proved been worthy trusted...." This tree is NOT yours.....besides it's a free land......i do what i want, old man"

Zhan pursed his lips like a little boy. You need to be nice Then he got serious And you shouldn't sound so belligerent right of the gates...You do what you want? So you kill people when they make you angry, you steal sweets from babes? His eyes narrowed then then widened again, " I don't want to share my Tree with you anymore."

Yes I am......was a thief once...so what? But i do kill only when it's it's important, old man"Felicia got realy angry at him.The old man didn't know anything about her and thus he dares to judge her. What a childish behavior. Other wise - old ones often brhaves like little kiddos. He was no exeption."Do not judge people if you do not know anything about them, old man or you will be judged yoursel......"she mumbled at him walked off gtabbing her staff from under a tree.

" You told me you did what you want. What did you expect? That I would think you were an angel sent to my tree? What you say, often times creates an impression of you in someone's mind. Speech is powerful, it can be a stinging sword or a soothing salve. Be careful of your tounge, young one Zhan said softly " it could destroy you, or raise you up"

She pretended to not hear his spech but stoped in her tracks to his last words. "Destroy?....There is nothing left of me....i am already destroyed....can't you see?..." she scowled at him...."There's nothing left to destroy......nothing.." she said looking away. When she turned to walk away again, Felicia seemed to notice a snake in her path and steped onto it.....she felt as was bit in the leg froze where she stood. Slowly she took a step backwards and lifted her hand to strike the snake with a lightning but felt weak in few secounds...." Damn it!" she scowled stumbling slightly.." What kind of snake that was.." she scoffed and fainted falling to the ground.

Any sense of senility left Zhan's face as she feel. The old man sprinted to her side, and saw the snake. "Godess have mercy!" He knelt by Felicia's side, and leaned over to the bite on her foot. It was already swelling. Zhan looked around for any herb that might slow the poison or the swelling. Scrambling on the ground he found a sprig of Arrowroot to reduce swelling. " Where is it! Zhan shouted as his hands moved along the ground, his hands came to rest on a small cluster of leaves with blue flowers. He ripped it out. Grabbing two nearby rocks and his canteen, Zhan ground his two plants into a poultice. Drawing a small eating knife from a pouch Zhan cut a line inbetween the two tiny bite marks and stuffed the mixture in. Tearing a relativly clean part of his cloak off he wrapped the wound carefully. Gently putting his arms under Felicia's body, Zhan grunted once then lifted the young lady off the ground and brought her under the tree. " Fine," Zhan said grumpily, " You can lie under my tree" He smiled softly and caressed a cheek, now that she was unconscious the pain Zhan had noted earlier was gone. He plopped down next to her, under the beautiful apple tree on the edge of the woods.

Few minutes later her body became wet, Felicia got a fever thought she was shivering. The grounded plants slowed down the swelling. Gladly the poison but it will make lots of troubles for Felicia. Few more minutes she opened her eyes slowly feelijng slight pain in all pog her body. "Damn.....it hurts..' she muttered softly trying to get up but only sat up leaning against a tree. She didn't feel very well because of the poison.

"Whoa now, young lady," Zhan said has he helped her sit up. "You just got bite by a nasty little critter, and I..." he pause, as in regret, "I had to use a crude herbal poltice to counteract both the swelling and the actual poison. You'll be fine but it my take an hour or two before the antivemon in the poltice really begin to take effect." Zhan though she looked cold, for she was shivering mightily so he took his tatter old traveling cloak and covered her with it. "Not much, smells funny, but it's better than nothing!" He said cheerfuly.