Forever Forest

Chapter 5

The next day, and the next after that, for months Terra did not return to those woods.

Out of fear or uncertainty, perhaps a mix of both, she would never admit or truly understand the reason.

But there came a day when Terra found a sudden pull in her heart towards those same woods. She looked to the grandfather clock by the stairs which was left by previous owners and discovered to be still working when Terra and Triton first arrived in the forest.

It was raining outside. Triton had just brought home a large rabbit for a dinner stew. He had her pet it goodbye and gave thanks for its service to their dinner. The soup was delicious, but Terra grew impatient with herself. She looked to the window where a rather large looking leaf fell with the rain just below the windowsill.

In a matter of seconds Terra was up and unlatching the door. red rain boots were on her feet, black raincoat around her shoulders, and a patchy worn black umbrella raised above her head as she exited the cabin.

Her father had already headed to bed.

Terra couldn't stop hearing a strange nagging whine coming from the woods.

Her father told her she was hearing things.

But Terra found she could not live without not knowing what it was.

An injured animal she figured, but she'd have to find out herself.

Grabbing a bow from the cupboard, Terra went outside and picked up the oddly large leaf that had fallen by the window as though using it to comfort her on her small adventure.

Though it didn't say a word, she could hear its reassurance like a small whisper in the wind

So she strapped her bow to her back and held the leaf by the stem in one hand, umbrella in the other as she made her way into the pitter patter of the forest

The whine droned louder as she drew closer

All other forest noises seemed to cease besides the soft pitter patter of rain.

A stick cracked.

She caught sight of something in the corner of her eye: Blue hair.

Drenched in rain.

But vanished as soon as it came.

"Blue haired boy!"

She called loudly though her voice shook either in cold or fear. She did not want to know.

The whine stopped and became silent with the forest around it.

And somehow that made her jump more than the sound of a stick cracking loudly. Even the thunderous clouds seemed to cease their grumbles.

She gripped her leaf and felt it shrivel under her palm.

The reassurance it once brought her became nothing but silence.

And finally she found she was afraid.

Perhaps the creature had been eaten up.

Perhaps there was nothing she could do.

She turned to make her way back to the cabin, rain pounding against her shabby old umbrella

And as she began pick up speed, she tripped.

Though she had seen every inch in front of her feet she tripped. The umbrella flew from her hands. The leaf stayed grasped between her fingers.

"Ow." She snarled and rolled to rub her muddy knees.

"What on earth did I trip on..." she growled under her breath and crawled to grab her fallen umbrella.

A root