Saving a hedgehog and a talk

Tommen wondered about the streets of Era. He was planning to stay in the city for a while and then move on to Crocus or perhaps fate had a different plan for him. He would see it once the time had come. Tommen is a free spirit, always moving and never living at the same place for more than a few days. Where ever he was, his home is. For as long he got his suitcase. He wore two mismatching types of leather shoes; one was a few shades darker as the other. His brown pants had a couple of patches, as well as his blue coat of heavy fabrics. His waistcoat was tawny and had at least three different types of buttons. Around his neck, he wore a scarf with alternating yellow and brown stripes. His suitcase was old and worn.

He walked around like a chicken, bobbing his head left and right as he trotted down the pavement. Curiously looking around at the small bits of nature within the city. Even in cities, you could find nature, if you could look passed the asphalt, concrete, and glass. There were weeds growing out of cracks, small gardens in front of houses that were only a foot long. But among the flowers buzzed bees and butterflies. Tommen enjoys looking at the dances the bees make to signal their fellow bees, it was mesmerising; only fireflies toppled them. There were of course also parks within a city, and they too were full of life. From tiny insects to rodents and homeless cat and dogs. When there are ponds, you can also be sure to find different water birds, amphibians and sometimes reptiles as well. Tommen could stare at ponds, creeks, and ditches for hours. To see the little tadpoles and fish swimming around, the dragonflies and damselflies flying and the frogs croaking.

But this part of the city was near void with the little patches of nature. But he did spot an animal. Hidden among some trash laid a creature. Tommen saw it was a hedgehog, but hedgehogs did not have a red colouring. He went on his knees next to the trash. Hopefully, it was ketchup, but his hope was unanswered It was blood. ”Hey little fellow, what happened to you?” he asked softly, he didn’t want to scare the creature. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and used it to pick the hedgehog up. Opened his suitcase and placed the hedgehog inside. ”I will help you in a moment, I need to find a safe place,” Tommen figured he had enough time to help the creature as the wounds weren’t too terrible and the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

He picked up his suitcase and looked around. He needed to find an alley or something. Last time he left his suitcase on the street, someone took it. He had passed an alley not to long ago, so he turned on his feet and quickly passed towards the alley. The alley itself was mostly empty except for some garbage bins and garbage laying next to it. He placed down his suitcase and was about to open it.

Tommen shrunk when he heard a voice behind him. He opened the suitcase as he turned his head. There stood a woman with purple hair. He stood back up on his feet, but he did not stand straight. He twisted his upper body somewhat, to curl in front of the elbow in which the hedgehog lay. His eyes looked at the ground beside the woman. ”What… what cup,” Tommen said as his eyes quickly glimpsed at the woman, before staring back to the grey pavement. ”No.” Tommen shook his head, ”Leave… leave me be. You got it wrong.” But before he knew it she got a hold off him. He reared back instantly, tripping over his suitcase and fell into it together with the purple-haired woman.

He managed to quickly make a patch of plants grow beneath them, breaking their fall. The space within the suitcase was huge. The view was blocked at one side by a forest that grew ever darker the deeper you looked into it. Another corner was blocked by a crude barn, held together by twisted ivy. A meadow with calming hills as far as the eyes could stretch out for miles was on the other side. Above them, from where they fell was a square opening in the sky, it revealed the outside world. A tall ladder of twisted vines stood beside it, the normal route to enter this suitcase world.

Tommen looked at the hedgehog. He seemed fine. He scrambled to get back on his feet and walked with large steps towards the barn. Away from the woman that attacked him. With a gesture of his hand, the doors of the barn opened. Revealing hay, stables and a large collection of herbs and flowers. Tommen walked to his desk and gestured once more, the ivy from his wall grew and formed a shallow basket full of tender leaves in which he placed the hedgehog. He then stumbled through the barn, collecting all kinds of herbs. A leave from this, a petal from a yellow flower, flagons filled with fluids and solids. Alle he placed inside a basket he had picked up.