When Asterix awoke he was met by darkness. On his tongue were a taste of damp wood and a chill ran down his spine. He felt cold.

"Obelix! Wake up! It's night! We must go home!"

Obelix grunted disapprovingly in his sleep, before slowly opening his eyes.

"Have we caught it?" was the first thing he said, still not quite awake.

Asterix turned his gaze towards the trap again. In the pitchblackness he couldn't really see it, but he knew where it was. It was all quiet. No rumblings of an angry boar or other beast trapped inside. He thought he could make out the contours of the grass and branches that rested upon the net, but he wasn't sure.

"I… I don't think so… Wait here."

On his small, light feet he jumped over the fallen tree and headed for the hidden hole. He did so very carefully. The thought of actually having a beast inside, twice his own size and in this darkness, didn't actually sound too inviting.

"Asterix?"Obelix called after him, his voice trembling. From the cold or fear, was hard to tell. Maybe both. "Asterix, come back…"

Asterix tip-toed, all the while searching the ground with each foot before taking another step. Where exactly had they dug?

One step more… there. Another one, there. And-

"Aaagh!"

The earth gave in under his weight as he fell prey to his own devices. Spikey twigs entagled themselves in his hair and belt, the branches scratched his bare arms and wet dirt slipped inside his tunic and trousers.

Down at the bottom he nearly started to cry. This was not according to the plan at all! This was not how things were supposed to go. For a brief moment he felt an shameful longing for mum.

"Asterix!"

In the moonlight, Asterix could barely make out the silhouette of Obelix standing of the edge of the hole, reaching his hand down to him. Asterix gratefully took it and Obelix pulled him up.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just… soiled", panted Asterix. He brushed off his knees and arms and then glared back at the trap. He could almost imagine it grinning back at him.

"I want to go home", said Obelix.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

As they stumbled upon roots and rocks, trying to find the original path, Asterix mumbled thoughtfully:

"Perhaps it was just as good that I fell down the trap. What if somebody else had? Like Getafix, when he's out to pick mistletoe."

"Yes, that would have been embarrassing", Obelix agreed.

They recognized the huge rock by which they had tried the ground earlier, but besides from that, everything looked different at night. They couldn't find that beautiful clearing or the brushwoods where Obelix had been searching for berries. None of them were really afraid of the dark, as they were quite used to it. During the autumn and winter nights when the fire had gone out back home in the huts and clouds covered the moon… it was always like that. No, the darkness itself didn't scare them. But being alone in the forest at night when you were supposed to be home in bed, were still not a very pleasant experience. Especially since they seemed to have no success in finding the path.

"I'm so hungry I can hardly feel it any longer…" Obelix said miserably. "I just feel… empty."

Asterix didn't answer. It was strange, he thought. Had they really walked that far? It hadn't felt like it. They had only marched through some brushwoods and found a clearing. That was it. But then of course, they had had to find a new clearing…

"Asterix, where is the path?"

"It should be somewhere here!" He was probably in the same state as Obelix; so hungry that he couldn't feel it anymore and it was taking its stoll on his brain. He knew that could happen and Obelix knew it too. He couldn't think straight and Obelix' talking were starting to bother him. Although the fact that he was unable to give Obelix a proper answer bothered him even more.

"Asterix, I'm tired. Can't we sleep under some oak?"

"Do you actually want to do that?"

"No, but I don't know if I can take one more step…"

Asterix heard a gentle thump behind him as Obelix' body sank to the ground. He turned around. Obelix sat right on the grass, legs spread out and arms crossed to show that he wasn't moving anywhere.

"Obelix! You know we can't stay here! Our parents will worry! We have to keept going!"

He bent forward and began trying to drag Obelix up, but Obelix refused to cooperate.

"I'm hungry and I'm tired and it's all your fault!"

"Well, I think your nap was longer than mine!"

"That nap wasn't very nice, you know. I dreamt about-"

"Onion sauce, yes, I know. You talk in your sleep!"

Obelix changed his track. He went on:

"You and your traps… You always decide what to do and not to do."

"I don't!"

"Yes, you do!"

Asterix straightened to his full height and imitated Obelix with crossing his arms.

"If it was such a bad idea, then why did you come with me?"

Silence. To that Obelix had no comeback. He grimaced in discomfort and picked absentmindedly at the high grass surrounding him.

"There you see", said Asterix. "It's not my fault."

"Yes, it is!" Obelix rose and came closer so that he towered to over his smaller friend. "Because it was your idea!"

"You agreed to it!"

"Yes, maybe…" Obelix took a brief pause and thought, before he repeating the same thing all over again: "But it was still your idea!"

Asterix tilted his head and gave Obelix a doubtful, confident look. It turned out to be a little more than what Obelix could take at the moment. He shouted:

"You deserved to fall into your stupid trap!"

He stomped off without another word. Asterix nearly panicked. They couldn't seperate! Not now!

"Obelix! Come back! Where are you going?"

"Away!" came the simple reply.

Asterix hurried after him.

"But we have to stay together! Don't you remember what Getafix said in school once? About how to act when you get lost?"

"No, I don't!"

"Please, Obelix! If we keep walking, we'll just end up even more lost!"

"Out of my way!"

Obelix pushed Asterix aside. Asterix was a little shocked by the action, but quickly came to senses and got back on his feet. He followed Obelix quietly, careful to keep a little distance. At least he was going to follow Getafix' advice.

Luckily, Obelix didn't walk very far. After only a couple of minutes, he settled down under a big, old tree. Asterix made an attempt to sit down beside him, but Obelix body language clearly told him that he wished nothing of the sort, so Asterix decided to climb the tree instead. It felt more safe, anyway. No boars, if they even existed, would come grunting in your face. He made himself as comfortable as possible on a broad branch, his back resting against the trunk. Being still, he felt the chill and the stinging scrapes on his body. There were still parts of twigs in his hair and damp dirt inside his clothes. And that wasn't all. Above everything he smelled like rotten fish.

How could things be so miserable?

He felt a sudden urge to climb down to Obelix even if he liked it or not, just to have his company. It was so lonely on the branch. Stupid Obelix! Stupid trap! Stupid boars that wouldn't show up and stupid forest with vanishing paths!

He was just about to start crying, when he heard a distant, but familiar voice coming from among the trees:

"Asterix! Obelix! Where are you?"

Down by the roots, Obelix stumbled to his feet.

"Getafix!" he shouted, looking up in the direction where Asterix sat. "It's Getafix! Getafix, we're here! Getafix!"

He began jumping up and down and waved his hands in the air.

Perhaps Getafix could notice something moving, Asterix thought, as he watched Obelix. He could barely see him from where he was, so how would Getafix? He didn't dare to call out himself. With that burning feeling in his eyes, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to speak without letting it get the better of him. And he didn't want that.

A white-dressed figure finally revealed itself like a saving light. Getafix carried a flickering lantern that lit up his long, usual robe. Obelix couldn't help himself, he rushed forward and threw his tiny, chubby arms around the druid's waist.

"Oh, Getafix!" he wailed, looking up in the old, wise face of his teacher. "Please tell me you aren't lost too?"

Asterix covered his ears. Why did Obelix have to tell him that they were lost?

Getafix chuckled a little at the comment. He smiled tiredly at the boy before him, gently holding him back for a while, before letting go.

"No, I can assure you that I'm not." Then he turned serious. "How are you, Obelix? Are you alright?"

"I'm hungry… and tired."

"Well, that's no wonder. Now, where's Asterix?"

Obelix gazed up to the crown of the tree. The worry shone in his brown eyes. Why hadn't Asterix come down or said anything?

"Is he up there?" Getafix asked. Obelix nodded. Getafix walked up to the tree, almost to the same spot where Obelix had been sitting before. Asterix saw him.

"Asterix?" Getafix called out. "Are you there?"

Asterix didn't reply. He couldn't stop it any longer. The tears had started coming. It had all been too much. But he wanted to go home so badly he peeked his head out between some branches to make himself known.

"Thank Toutatis!" Getafix sighed in relief. "Asterix, what are you doing up there? Please, come down!"

"He's there because I was angry with him…" Obelix admitted quietely.

"It's alright, Obelix", Getafix assured him, patting his little shoulder. He turned back to Asterix.

"Asterix? Won't you come home with us?"

Oh, yes, he would. He writhed at the inevitable scolding from his parents once he saw them, but yes, he wanted to go home. He wanted the warmth of his bed.

Carefully, so as to not miss a branch, he climbed down the big trunk. In the dark it was hard to see where to put his feet. He nearly slipped at one point, but managed to hold on and find another branch. Getafix waited patiently at the roots, with Obelix standing close behind.

Obelix glanced at Asterix as he reached the ground and his eyes widened in shock when he noticed the glistening tears on Asterix' cheeks.

"Are… are you sad?" He looked horrified at the apparent state of his best friend. "Is it because of what I said before?"

But Asterix shook his head and wiped his tears away, only to make room for new ones.

"Oh, dear me! Where have you been?" Getafix felt the smell of bad fish as he approached Asterix and then saw his dirty clothes, the twigs stuck in his hair and scrapes on his arms. Gently, he tried to untangle the twigs, but found it useless.

"It's too dark. We'll do it back in the village. Obelix, would you mind carry the lantern?"

"No", said Obelix and felt very important for being asked. He took the lantern from where Getafix had put it on the ground.

"Thank you, Obelix." Getafix offered him a quick, approving smile before bending down and picking Asterix up. The little boy looked so devastated.

"Now, I will need you to lighten up the path for me."

Obelix were eager to assist and Getafix showed him to the path. The same path from where they had begun. Was it only today? It felt like days ago.

Held against Getafix' chest, Asterix thought the same. The white robe was warm and soft to his cold body. He could feel the calm rise and fall of the old man's breathing.

"So", said Getafix. "What have you been up to all this time?"

"We wanted to catch a boar", Obelix explained.

Asterix closed his eyes and hoped that Obelix wouldn't reveal that the whole thing had been his idea. Though he guessed that either way, Getafix was able to put two and two together. Obelix weren't really a child to come up with those kinds of initiatives.

"To catch a boar? Really?"

"Yes, we made a trap and everything", Obelix went on. "But there came no boar. It was Asterix who fell into the trap."

"What kind of trap?" asked Getafix.

"A hole in the ground."

Getafix looked at Asterix' messy hair and stained clothes.

"That explains a lot. But did you, by chance, catch any fish in that trap?"

At first, Obelix burst into peals of laughter at hearing that.

"That's silly, Getafix! You can't catch fish in the forest!" Then he shut up immediately, realizing what the druid meant. He glanced down at his feet.

"Oh, no… there was no fish… no…" he mumbled.

Getafix gave him a long, curious look, but didn't ask again, as he felt Asterix squirm slightly in his grip.

"What's the matter, Asterix?" he asked softly. "Why are you sad?"

Asterix had stopped crying now. Just a sniffle now and then escaped him.

"Is it because you fell down the hole?"

Asterix squirmed again. Did Getafix have to remind him?

"He's sad because I shoved him off", Obelix cut in, but Asterix quickly shook his head again.

"It's not?" said Obelix.

"No", whispered Asterix against Getafix' shoulder.

"What is it then?" tried Getafix.

Asterix let out another choked sniffle before replying:

"Everything's just stupid."

It was as if the sky would fall down any minute, the Earth going under.

"Oh, come now, Asterix. Surely that can't be the case?"

"Yes, it is."

The village came in sight, wonderful and welcoming even in the night. Obelix jumped with joy.

"I hope mum made some food tonight! I could eat an elephant!"

Getafix adjusted his grip around Asterix, who simply hung there, making no sound of joy at being home.

"They've been searching for you all evening, but I don't doubt that she'll prepare anything for her boy now when he's back."

Obelix beamed up at Getafix and ran towards the gates. He practically danced, despite how tired he really was. The lantern flew around him as he waved his arms and Getafix would shout at him now and then to take it easy.

"And you, my friend, will need to take a bath", he said, feeling the odour of fish coming from the figure in his embrace. "Let's find your parents."

Getafix watched Asterix, slightly worried that he were so quiet. It was unlike him. Getafix had gotten the feeling that he were ashamed. Another of many factors that pointed to the matured mind inside the tiny boy, in difference to, for example Obelix. Getafix didn't need to think twice to understand who initially had been behind the cause of this adventure. A part of him wanted to scold Asterix for running away like that, while another part was very understanding. Either way, Asterix without doubt felt guilty already and he didn't want to increase that feeling in such a young human being.

"Asterix?" he said. They were almost by the gates now. "It wasn't a bad idea wanting to hunt boar. Hunting is an important part of life as we live here. And the trap was a creative solution, which could have worked, mind you, if the pit were deep enough. None of the grown men use traps since they all have access to the magic potion. But you don't, and with that in mind, your idea with the trap was clever. Although", he added, more sternly, "you shouldn't have gone off by yourselves. The boars are too big for the two of you to handle alone. You should have asked your fathers to go with you."

"But… but we wanted to catch it on our own", Asterix whispered. "That was well… part of the fun. We wanted to surprise you."

Getafix put on a fond smile.

"And I bet you will. One day."

(Sorry for any errors in language. I'm not used to write stories in English, but hopefully this will do!)