Carved in Crescent

Once the dusk started to take over the sunny afternoon, the crackling fire at the woman's campsite started to become more bright, attracting more lost campers along the wide, dark woods.

Some were covered in dirt and dehydrated, obviously lost and clueless for more than just a day. Some are even injured, and clothless. The woman thought that the probable cause is that the boars went loose on these campers again, or worse, the divine above forbid, the giant eagle that everyone talks about came out of its nest and went food hunting.

Once or twice a week, campers and travelers from all around come inside the woods. They try to investigate, hoping to find and unfold a mystery that paints the woods as the center of fear from the residents that live near the area. Not to mention, the reason the moon shines brighter on the particular place more than any other area.

It's as if the trees forage for moonlight instead of the sunlight, as if it longed for this particular breeze that the night brings from the sea in the distance. Some say that demons reside in the woods, perhaps a moonlight fairy watches the place. The most rational explanation some people came up with is a rare gem that formed under the ground.

The woman heard all about it, that's why the campers didn't gain any kind of reaction from the woman when they told her their uncanny reasons for venturing into the woods. Well, except for a few nods.

When all the campers and travelers had settled, their wounds all taken care of and bellies full, she sat on the canvas chair that she brought along with the other camping materials.

She gazed up at the crescent moon above, and smiled once she saw the clouds circling it once again. It shined brightly and beautifully, it's similar to seeing the sun's surface at noon, with its light pleasant and cool to the skin, as if feeling the touch of the sea.

"Good evening, everyone. I am Selene." She began, all the voices faded together with the whispering winds. After a moment, the crowd once again said their thanks in chorus, the others tearing up while saying their gratitude to the woman who seemed to be the goddess of the moon above, granting them light in times of the cruel dark overtaking their morning hope.

"There is no need to thank me. I go here every week or so, this is practically my job. I am a herbalist from a nearby village. In hopes of rescuing a lost camper from a far place, I gather herbs, medicines, and other supplies to assist you in recovery and to guide you out of the woods." She said with a smile.

The wind blew once again, hoisting the leaves off the ground. "So, a mistake to ignore such warning from coming into these woods, huh?" she added, gaining a laugh from some.

"Well, I can't blame you. It's hard to just let a mystery pass you." she uttered. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, "Well, all of you should rest. We'll move in the morning. For now, let me tell you all a fascinating legend I heard from my grandmother before we all proceed to a nice slumber, shall we?"

An amused and excited gasps. Some shifted their seats and the others brought their sleeping bags and went near the woman. The image of them becoming identical to a bunch of children and a storyteller from a school or an orphanage.

"Take a look at the crescent moon," she told the campers, pointing at the moon above being surrounded by clouds. "Why do you think it's shaped like that?"

Silence once again conquered the safe place, seeming to ignite the fire in the center. Frowns plastered on the campers' faces, as they wondered if there's any more reason why the moon is crescent besides the most logical one.

"Uh," the injured man with a cast questionably muttered, "Because the clouds are covering the other part of the moon?" he said.

"Correct. But the clouds aren't exactly just covering it." Selene corrected, the frowns on the people's faces remained.