“And please, stack the wood neatly,” finished Dorr’s mom, Kaal. Dorr had already swept the porch. Now he had to stack the wood?  

Dorr leaned up against his family’s tall oak tree. Their small home was carved into its trunk. The tree was deep within the forest that surrounded the northern tip of Feather Lake in Eastern Weatherstorm. The only clue that anyone lived in the tree was the small hidden door in the base of the trunk.  

Dorr and his mom, along with his dad Rixx, were Wood Gnomes: small people who lived secretly in most wooded areas. Only a handful of humans had ever seen a Gnome. When they did, they usually mistook them for small animals that lived in the forest.  

Being only six inches tall could be hard. Dorr was just nine years old, but he would never get much bigger. He was tiny compared to most humans, who were between five and six feet tall. And then there were the Giants who lived in the South. They were 25 feet tall, maybe even taller! No one had seen one in a very long time. Like Gnomes, Giants were experts at not being seen, even though it was harder to hide when you were that big.  

Dorr was tired of what felt like endless chores. He’d rather play down by Feather Lake with his friends. He had heard stories about Giants living on Bloody Island, a land mass at the other end of the lake. The island was supposed to be full of gold—or so they said.  

I wonder why they call it Bloody Island? thought Dorr. His classmate, Jora, said it was because of all the hungry sharks around the island. But Dorr's dad insisted there were no sharks in Feather Lake.  

I bet if I had some of the gold on Bloody Island, I’d never have to do chores again! thought Dorr. He sat on a toadstool, placed his head on his chin, and looked out over the lake. For a long time now, he had considered running away from home. He had made plans before but he had never carried them out. Now, looking at the wood scattered about, he thought, I’m old enough…almost ten! Now is the time!  

That evening, he packed the small knapsack that he had hidden away, just in case. When it was dark enough, Dorr slipped out into the forest that surrounded his family's tree. He wiped away a tear—his parents would do well without him—and headed south, away from his home—forever! 

It was getting dark. Dorr’s mother, Kaal, looked around her small home and was surprised that Dorr was nowhere to be seen. Dorr had been moping all day, but his stomach always won out when it was time to eat. 

“Rixx!” called Kaal. “Have you seen Dorr?” 

Rixx put down the basket of wild greens and mushrooms that he had been picking in the forest around their home. “I thought he was inside getting ready for supper. It’s getting dark. We’d better look around.” 

* * * 

Dorr had left a note by the woodpile. It explained that he was running away from home.  

Mom and dad will find it, thought Dorr. Boy, will they be sorry they ever bothered me with so many chores. Do this, do that. Not anymore! If I can find enough gold at Bloody Island, I will be able to go all the way to Knollshore, far away to the south. 

Dorr had gone almost a mile down the side of Feather Lake before he realized he was tired and hungry. He sat down near a large tree and took out some of the blueberries he had packed in his knapsack. One blueberry was as big as a pumpkin to a Gnome. Two would be enough for dinner. 

He curled up inside a rabbit hole that he had found. The hole looked deserted, but even if there was a rabbit inside, it wouldn’t hurt him. Gnomes and rabbits had been at peace for years. A rabbit would be a lot better than all the other wild animals out in the woods at night. Dorr curled up in the bottom of the hole and was asleep in an instant. 

* * * 

The wind had blown Dorr’s runaway note off the woodpile and under their porch, which was hidden next to their tree by a honeysuckle bush. It was lucky that Rixx found it. A mouse dashed out toward him with the note in its mouth. He wrangled the note from the mouse and read it. 

Dorr was gone, but he didn’t say where he was going.  

“Kaal,” said Rixx, “I’m going to look for him. It’s late, but I’ll bring a cattail torch with me. You’d better stay here in case he shows up. If he does, sound your shellhorn three times so I’ll know. I’ll bring my shellhorn with me and blow it three times if I find him.” 

Kaal looked up into the tree to the second branch where they hid their shellhorns. Those were the universal method of long distance communication among Gnomes. Then she looked back at Rixx, already walking away down the path. Gnomes were good trackers, and Rixx was among the best. But Gnomes were also good at not leaving tracks. If Dorr didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’t be. 

Dorr was happy that he was moving down the lake so quickly. He woke up early to a beautiful morning. The air was warm and the lake was still. Running away from home seemed easy. He had a bunch of nuts and berries and knew how to find more. Staying close to the lake gave him enough water to drink. He was maybe only a day away from Bloody Island now. If he could keep away from any Giants, he might find enough gold to really be set for life. No more orders from his parents!  

His parents. Dorr missed them, but enough was enough! Soon he wouldn’t need anyone.  

Dorr moved through the thick brush and waded through several swamps. He grabbed and broke off a cattail that might work as a torch if he needed any light later on.  

He went up over Deer Hill, then down along Raccoon Brook, well on his way to the end of Feather Lake. He would paddle over to Bloody Island if he could find a lily pad big enough. And maybe a stiff thistle stalk to use as a paddle. It was all going so well. Then Dorr remembered the sharks. He was sure that his dad was right, that there were no sharks in Feather Lake. Right? 

* * * 

Rixx started to the north of their tree home, but found no trace of a trail. He sighed, worried that he had lost half the night searching for his son. Without Dorr’s trail, even the bright, three-quarter moon and his torch weren’t much good.  

Dorr is in so much trouble for this… Rixx took a deep breath, then circled back to the south, thinking that Dorr would stay near the lake if he was planning to go a fair distance.  

Rixx searched throughout the night to no avail. To make matters worse, he tripped on a slippery rock and fell on his shellhorn, shattering it. Now he couldn’t even send a message to Kaal.  

Still, Rixx continued on, looking for Dorr’s trail. He looked up trees and in bushes and around tall and short grasses. He found one trail, but it was too small, probably made by a mouse. It was early dawn now, and seeing was much easier.  

Up ahead, he saw a broken twig. It could be from a small animal, but it was the right height off the ground. He looked around very carefully. And...there they were! Footprints, about two inches apart! They were Dorr’s, alright—and they were going south, toward Deer Hill. Now at least Rixx had a direction. He continued over brush and through field and swamp, sometimes losing the trail, then picking it up again.  

Rixx looked up at the sun, once more getting low in the west. It was getting late and Kaal would get worried. What a fix this was.