The Lost Boy | ONC 2024

4 - The Enchanted Forest

"Place your axe on your back," I ordered. "You don't want to seem threatening to the plants."

I noticed Tom's hesitation as he looked around. "This place is worse than tha village we just left," he muttered.

"Probably," I agreed.

Around us grew tall trees, and flowers just as tall as them. They were of different colours and shapes and looked identical to the smaller versions I was used to in my part of the world. But these had been magically grown to sustain the population of pixies whom much like bees lived off their nectar. Pixies were tiny, quite fierce, but peaceful creatures - if you let them be. But very territorial and protective of their home. The enchanted forest was a calm oasis for all types of different animals and birds, in contrast to its more brutal surroundings. The pixies grew to the size of a sparrow, with wings that looked similar to a dragonfly's and had elven-like bodies similar to my own, but much smaller, and their eyes were big and faceted to observe the world around them. They lived high up in the trees and foraged nectar and fruits to survive. They themselves could not use magic, but the spirits of the trees could. Some called them the ladies of the forest, but they were Nymphs and their calls and songs could lure men to them and they would trap you inside hollow trees to starve to death if you didn't respect their lands.

"We need to state our business here,"I tell Frank, "will you bring them a message from us?" Frank took to the air and seemed excited. "Tell them we only wish to pass through and we won't harm anyone or anything. We won't make fires or cut branches. We won't pluck any fruits and only eat what is offered to us," I told the dragon who seemed excited to be here. I watched him fly off, then walked to sit down in the moss by one of the trees. This place was heavily guarded and I did not want to be challenged by their female protectors.

I watched Tom roll his eyes but eventually he decided to sit down next to me. "So we wait for Frankie's return," he muttered, 'and then?"

"We'll see if they let us pass," I sighed.

He nodded, "and if they say no? We need a plan B."

I sighed again and leaned my head back against the bark. "We have no ill intentions. Our weapons are not used to kill for pleasure or for cutting trees, only for our protection," I said loudly in case someone was listening. "We only wish to pass through."

Tom snickered as he listened to my plea. "Who are ya talking to?"

I shrugged, "anyone who is listening, wondering why we are here."

I watched as Tom picked up his pipe from his pocket, but I instantly placed a warning hand on his arm. But I realised I had to explain myself as he gave me a grumpy starre, "No fires, we promised."

He huffed and put it back in his pocket. "So ya got a map with ya? I want to have a look meself and see what ya have been planning." He gruffed. "I'm tired of always being the tagalong."

I snickered as I pulled out the map from my bag and spread it out on the lush floor in front of us, pointing out where we were. "See, it's only a day's walk if they allow us to use the main path through the forest."

"And plan B, Illon Light Foot, what's your plan B?" he asked, peering at the piece of parchment.

Ignoring his constant flow of new nicknames I tilted my head and examined the map. "We have to walk back into troll territory, walk our way around the mountains."

Tom nodded. "Aye, cus we don't want to anger the sleeping giants now, do we?"

"No, we certainly don't." I sighed to myself and looked around. I felt worried for my small companion, he was only a baby, what if the nymphs thought it was disrespectful of us to send a youngling with our message? My hope was they felt the opposite because dragons were a respected species within most races.