chapter 5

They get their things and set off. The two walk alongside the edge of the cliff for a while, Lilly's hips sway as she walks through the grass.

"So what's with the sack on your head? Is that normal for robots?"

"Well at first I thought it would make me more approachable to people but now I may have just grown accustomed to it. I don't know, we 'robots' are not very common as far as I know."

"What do you mean more approachable? I'm sure your face is perfectly fine. Show me your face."

"If you insist."

He pulls off the sack and hat to reveal what appears to be a human skull and some vertebrae with tubes, wires and metal meshed into them. In his eye sockets are two orange lenses. There's no lower jaw, just some form of speaker behind a few remaining teeth. Lilly is a bit taken back but manages to hide her reaction for the most part.

"That's not so bad, I think you're approachable. Though the sack was kind of cute." She says with a laugh.

"Yes, I too prefer the sack. I got the idea from a rather dapper looking fellow who was standing in a field. He was very quiet though."

"I'm not sure that was a person you're talking about -- oh hey, I think that's a trail down the cliff!"

The two head for the trail and upon closer inspection it appears to be very narrow. Both of them can only fit about one foot on the path with their backs at the face of the cliff. Getting down would be a challenge even for someone of Siegfried's gaunt stature. Lilly's belly blocks her view of the ground at her feet, with every side-step her thighs clash together, sending slight ripples across her protruding tummy with each collision.

"I'm not sure I can do this! It's still a long way down." Yells Lilly.

"You could use my walking stick, it might help. I should have thought about that in the first place." He hands her the staff.

"Thanks. Yeah this helps a little. Man, I almost wish I was so fat I couldn't see how high up we are. This sucks."

"I don't think you'd be able to do this if you were that large."

"It was a joke."

"Oh, I see."

After a good bit of effort and a few minutes they make it a little over half way down. A few rocks at Lilly's feet loosen and tumble down the cliff. Her body heaves forward but before any sound is made, Siegfried grabs her arm, the wood in his arm whining quietly from her weight. With her other hand on the staff that's planted firmly in the ground the two manage to pull her back upright.

"Thanks, can you hold my hand the rest of the way down?"

"But of course Lilly."

After a few falling rocks and stumbles they make it safely down to the valley; its dense forest towers over head, casting a dark shadow in its midst. The trees of the forest grow closely together with interlocking branches covered in jagged thorns.

"I'm definitely not going to squeeze though there. I'd bleed to death before I made it ten feet through that."

"I wouldn't fare much better myself. I could perhaps dismantle myself... But then I wouldn't be able to move."

"Could you throw another fireball and maybe burn us though?"

"Perhaps, it's not as strong as it looks though, it's barely more than a parlor trick. And if it did work it may not be worth risking getting trapped in a forest fire so -"

"We keep walking." Lilly sighs. "Too bad all this exercise doesn't do me any good."

"For what it's worth I think you look splendid."
"Thanks... that's worth something."

They continue meandering alongside the edge of the seemingly unchanging forest. Every root and bough appears nearly identical with their dark wood and briars, their stark, barren limbs. Few noises can be heard except for the wind moaning through the branches and the occasional snap of a twig. The two carry on with no hint towards progression, then a faint melody can be heard from inside the forest. It grows ever slightly louder as they move forward; the sounds of flutes, lutes, lyres and drums as well as noises indiscernible. Their pace quickens as the music gets louder, though the trees show no sign of loosening their grasp. A tunnel through the wall of wood appears abruptly in front of them. Either side of the path similarly guarded by trees. Down the passage, deeper in the forest, a bunch of lights of various colors and hues radiate.