I had my usual stop at Storms River, enjoyed the view and had some oranges. That was rather droll compared to what happened next.
Thankfully, the rain stopped long enough for me to check out something I have been wanting to see for years: The Big Tree. I am not to sure why, I just always have. The many days of rain had brought out the rich colours of the forest, with all its deep greens and dark browns; cloaked in shade. Much of the soil on the path had been washed away, exposing a network of roots that seemed to connect the whole forest. They looked like the veins on the flexed forearm of the forest floor, with shimmering pools of water between them.
The Big Tree itself is only around one kilometer into the forest. The boardwalk around it makes it easily accessible, but it was not as insanely epic as I had build it up to be in my imagination for years. There were a few more trees on the longer trails so I decided to take the 2.6km trail to see more of the forest. But half way through the trail my whole body froze with a primal fear the moment I heard a loud and distinctive growl. With all my senses on high alert my eyes darted through the thick foliage and caught a glimpse of something moving in the shadows. The steady falling droplets made a constant but disconcerting background to the forest. With adrenalin still thick in my veins I wondered if perhaps my senses were lying to me. As I stepped backwards I heard the rustling again. I was very afraid. I had just spoken to my mother, assuring her I was fine. Eventually when I got control of my body again I took my knife out of my bag, opened it (like that would do any good against what ever might be eyeing me) and started to back away slowly. After half an hour of careful backtracking I indulged myself in a good old fashioned 'run away'. I dared not do it earlier lest I looked to much like prey.
By the time I got back to the entrance, where had I paid to go in, I had calmed myself down enough to start thinking rationally. "There is no way that could have been something like a leopard out there in the woods, I must have been imagining things. Perhaps it was something completely harmless and I got scared for no reason", I told myself. Yet when I asked the people that worked there they told me that it was very likely that I had in fact encountered a leopard. Maybe it just wasn't that hungry.
Thankfully, the rain stopped long enough for me to check out something I have been wanting to see for years: The Big Tree. I am not to sure why, I just always have. The many days of rain had brought out the rich colours of the forest, with all its deep greens and dark browns; cloaked in shade. Much of the soil on the path had been washed away, exposing a network of roots that seemed to connect the whole forest. They looked like the veins on the flexed forearm of the forest floor, with shimmering pools of water between them.
By the time I got back to the entrance, where had I paid to go in, I had calmed myself down enough to start thinking rationally. "There is no way that could have been something like a leopard out there in the woods, I must have been imagining things. Perhaps it was something completely harmless and I got scared for no reason", I told myself. Yet when I asked the people that worked there they told me that it was very likely that I had in fact encountered a leopard. Maybe it just wasn't that hungry.
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