He sighed, looking at the unfinished final sentence of his final journal entry. He was irritated it wasn't quite enough to finish recording his mind, but he knew it didn't matter. Simba wouldn't find this journal anyway. His last thought wasn't important. He needed to get ready to leave. There wasn't many possessions in the forest. He took his extra pair of clothes, any food he had left to bring, and the dagger and money Simba had gifted him. All together, Hari realized his collection of personal items was small and for the most part insignificant to his journey to the big city. He remembered streams and rivers on his way back from the campsite so he knew he and his horse would make it at least a few days, but he didn't know how far the city was. He heard the knights with Simba at the campsite say all they needed to do was follow the trail all the way home, so that's what Hari would do. But he did have a few things to settle before he left it all behind for good.

The spring was the part of the forest he would miss the most alongside the desk. Clothes folded on the rocks, Darwin sat on the linens waiting for Hari to re emerge from behind the falls. Hari stayed in the water longer than he normally would. He let all the parts of the spring soak into his memory. The way the smooth rocks felt against his feet, the way the mist tickled his skin, the colorful air that shone through droplets over his head. The water was warmed by the sun, making the glass complexion that swirled around his waist glow orange and sparkle. He kept thinking a voice would come and call to him, like it did the last time he was here. But Hari knew better than that. He knew Simba wouldn't have been so nice to Hari, but he still enjoyed the conversation they had whether Simba knew he was talking to him or not. He tightened the straps of his gloves as he sighed. He couldn't stay here much longer.

He let the water drip from his body as he stepped out from the falls. Darwin flapped gleefully around his feet, hopping from stone to stone with a little song. Hari dried off, sitting in the sun and waiting for the water to roll off him. Darwin waited on his clothes, seemingly falling asleep as he waited. Hari looked up at the sky. It was still filled with color from the mist and the light that caused them. He remembered that when Simba was here, the same light hung over them. He wanted to feel his back against his again, remembering the warmth of his body against his. Perhaps if he had a better reference for what good company was, he wouldn't be remembering his time with Simba so warmly. His skin was dry now. It was time to go.

With all he could muster, Hari equipped his horse with everything he needed to get by for at least a few days. Luckily, the horse was very well behaved; he expected as much for a horse that was part of the royal family and Simba's quest to become king. Hari took his reigns and easily guided him towards the fields. He looked back at the opening he spent so much of his life in. The tower in all it's glory stood tall among the shadows of the tree canopy, the warm light pooling in the opening of trampled grass seemed so familiar and welcoming. The pollen flickered like embers in the air, wafting so gracefully about like fireflies- but Hari knew such creatures never visited.

It was as if the forest knew he was leaving and dared him to stay a while longer with magical scenery. For the first time in a while, the forest didn't seem like a graveyard. Only now that he was leaving could he see what Simba saw as a beautiful place filled with magic. Even the darkness of the place would seem bright to someone walking away for the first time. The slumped body of the old carriage unraveled this illusion the forest projected towards him, bringing himself back into the moment. The metal ribs that clawed against the air and the shredded fabric that flapped lifelessly against the rotten wood reminded him that he would end up the same if he stayed. Darwin perched himself on his shoulder, reassuring him that he must leave. He took in a deep breath, taking in the last breath of the forest before he embarked.

"Darwin, it's time to go." he said quietly, standing up as straight as he could manage. Standing defiantly against a horde of trees seemed foolish, but he turned his back to it feeling better than he ever did.

Walking his ride to the fields, he came face to face with the pegs. The slumped over, corroded wooden spikes that rose from the grass seemed so frail now. He never got to face them the first time he left, but he had to now. Wrapping his fingers around the base of the peg before him, he ripped it from the ground and tossed it aside and watched it bounce in the grass. He smiled as he looked out to the windswept field with pastel flowers that danced in the breeze. He recalled the gentle wind was often blocked by the trees around him. He liked the way the wind felt against his skin. It felt as though he was experiencing the touch of another person. It made him feel alive.

The sun was just above the horizon, meaning he had a whole day to travel along the dusty trail that twisted between the rolling hills. As he took his first step towards his new future, Darwin sprung up into the air, pivoting to rest on the cross that marked Nanna's grave. He chirped, flapping his wings defiantly as if to say he wasn't going with him. Hari looked back at the cross, forgetting it was even there. The weed had grown since he last took note of it. He recalled how Nanna was the reason he stayed here for so long; now that he had no reason to stay, Nannas' resting place didn't have much of a meaning anymore. Hari had stayed here so long for her. He had stayed alive this whole decade for her sacrifice to keep him safe. Now he was staying alive for himself. Nanna was gone. She couldn't stop him from being selfish.

But Darwin still sat there, unwilling to part with the forest. Hari's disappointment that his most loyal friend wouldn't follow him past the pegs showed on his face, but he managed to smile knowingly. He himself couldn't leave the forest for years, he couldn't expect anything but the same from the bird without a reason to leave his only home.

"So long, Darwin." he said, wiping a tear from his cheek. "I'm sure you'll leave when you have a good reason to."

The wind rushed past his face, tossing his long hair across his cheeks as he turned away. Darwin looked on as the boy managed to get himself on top of the horse, and rode down the trail into the horizon while kicking up dust that caught the light of the sun. The bird stayed there even when the dust settled and the sun rose to the top of the sky. The broken pegs weren't enough to get him to leave. He needed something else to take him away. So he sat, waiting alone as the day dragged on, waiting for his reason to arrive.