So, a year and a half ago or so, I wrote this story – Lightning in Autumn – to Inspector Caracal‘s (Cal’s) prompt.

This story features Leofric Lightning-Blade, from Addergoole: Ghost Story (before he was Lightning Blade), the Princess and the Elf AU/Fanfiction, approximately 8 million stories in 7 million AUs on my blog, and probably half that many or more on Cal’s blog. In addition to prominently featuring Leo,  it’s from the point of view of a man named Nathan, who is actually three people in one body – Public Face, Social Face, and The Other (though that doesn’t really come up in that story).

Then I… kept writing the story.  Through the apoc and out the other side and I kept going until it was 100000 words of a gay romance post-apoc travel journal exploration of Addergoole.

For Camp Nano this year, I’m trying to finish it!

My goal is 20000-25000 words and wrapping up as many of the storylines as possible, since this is made out of a jillion little stories.

Here’s this week’s excerpt, from a story called “Cabin in the Woods” which currently features a treehouse in a cemetery and a Leo Nathen* just rescued** from slavers.

Public took the body back as Leo tried to make them go up first.

“I’ll guard your back, and you make sure there’s no giant eagles waiting for us up there.” He pulled his second-favorite belt-knife and its sheath off before he could second-guess himself and passed it to Leo. “Here. In case there’s something up there you need to fend off.”

Leo took the knife and tested it, looked at the ladder, and shot Nathen a dubious look.

“Giant eagles.”

Nathen barely managed not to laugh at his own ridiculous ploy. “Could be giant hawks?” he offered, mostly because Other was sending him the mental image. There had better not be actual giant birds up there.

Leo snorted. “Right. Okay, I’ll yell if the eagles are coming, but I better not get another knock on the head out of it.”

Knock on the – oh! Oh, that’s got to be – aw, he’s a nerd. Why didn’t you tell me he was a nerd? Nathen caught himself making the mental version of the noise one made at small kittens and cleared his throat.

“Well, don’t- oh, yeah. We’re already invisible. The good news is, my invisibility won’t eat your soul or make you call anyone precious. Unless you want to call me precious, in which case, um, feel free, I guess? After we get up in the tree house.”

Words so far this month: 2930

Goal so far this month: 2700

* When Public face is in control, he goes by Nathen; when Social Face is in control, he goes by Nathan.  The Other mostly refers to us.

** Leo spends a lot more time rescuing Nathaen than N does Leo, but in situations where N has to pull Leo out, he’s usually gotten himself into quite a bad mess.