Once upon a time in a remote village in the middle of a dark green huge tropical jungle, there resided a sloth called Sloane.
Sloane, like all sloths, was not in a rush to do anything. His days consisted of constantly sleeping in trees while grabbing food occasionally and taking siesta in the trees. His universe was rather green and quite isolationist too, since he seemed to lead a slow life as much like the surrounding environment.
But for one day, something new occurred. A strong stench suddenly came to the scent of Sloane when he was swinging at his favorite tree.
This was the first time in his life, at least, the first time he could remember that he smelled something like this: a scent that angered the serenity of his existence and was as sharp and smoky as the wrath of God. It was like the smell of the fire that is burning in the middle of the woods.
The Intriguing Scent of Smoke
-asSuch attention drawn to the smell, Sloane motionlessly issued a snout around the way of the odor. It is worth mentioning that sloths are definitely not curiosity creatures or fast-moving ones, but somehow the smoke in the picture interested him.
belief What could be responsible for such a smell in an environment that is otherwise very calm for him to be in? He had a strong belief that this was something of which could not normally be found on the internet, something that might be worth exploring.
cautious, Sloane began his journey. There was no quick one as Sloane was a sloth and it was a slow affair as expected. Every move was slow and cautious but he was focused and clutching the branches as he descended from the trees.
Getting down to the forest base was a hard task that took hours, though Sloane was very persistent. As all hunters know, one has only to continue walking in order not to lose the trail and, finally, discover the source of the odour.
As he advanced further into the shrubs, the smell of smoke began to permeate the air. The air became warmer, and, in what is normally a symphony of bird songs and insect buzz, it was all surprisingly still. Once I felt that even the spirit of the forest was waiting for something to occur, and it was indeed silent.
The Discovery of the Bonfire
Sloane continued walking forward, and it seemed like he would walk forever before he came out of the tall grass and found himself in an open field. In the middle of it, he saw something he had never seen before: They lit a bonfire. They swirled and snapped, long tendrils of fire stretching out orange and yellow.
Beside the firepit were a group of humans. They laughed and spoke to one another as they threw the sticks and leaves into the fire. Sloane himself observed them from behind the trees in order not to be seen since it was still daytime.
He was seeing how the fire was keeping the humans together, providing them with light and warmth. But he began to observe how the fire devoured everything that was on its way, converting the wooden materials into ashes and the ashes into smoke.
Sloane knew fire was strong; it was energy born from man but independent and free, as well as making the fire a force that could shape things and even eliminate them if it wanted. It’s quite interesting that such simple and yet so fundamental elements could evoke such feelings in him: fascination, fear, and respect for something that he considered to be alien.
The Return to the Canopy
In the middle of the night, the people who were dancing left the open ground and put off the fire that was crackling there. The forest gradually began to get as quiet as before, but the sound of nocturnal animals could be heard from time to time. With that, Sloane realised that he needed to go back to his world on top of the trees.
His return was equally a slow process, if not slower, as that which he embarked on when he went down. He was tired, but his brain was overflowing with ideas as to what he had just witnessed during the journey. He queried me about the bonfire and the experience he had that had left a deep impression on him.
This is a realisation that sinks in with Sloane; he lives a rather ordinary life, a life of obscurity, and yet out there, there are things that he has not seen and that could even scare him.
After starring at the sky until he could finally go to sleep for the night, Sloane breathed a sigh of relief as he finally laid back on his tree. That had made him a little nervous to come out of his comfort zone, but he saw something really cool. The forest still holds his home, a haven for him, but he realized that there is so much more out there than what he knows.
Thus the picture of the dancing flames being last in his mind, Sloane falls asleep and leaves for a new day, a new adventure and the discovery of new mysteries of the great unknown wilderness.
ASH CK