The Last Howl Of The Silver Guardian

Chapter 4 : A Stranger In The Wood

The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the forest floor. Fenris moved silently through the Silver Woods, the soft glow of his silver fur reflecting the moonlight. His mind was racing after his encounter with the mysterious girl by the river. She had told him that together they could stop the Nightmare, but Fenris was still unsure of what to make of it all. He had been alone for so long, relying only on himself to protect the forest. Now, suddenly, this girl had appeared, claiming to be the key to saving the woods.

As he walked, Fenris couldn’t shake the feeling that something was changing in the forest. It wasn’t just the growing threat of the Nightmare—it was deeper than that. The air felt heavier, and the trees seemed to watch him more closely. The whispers he had heard in the trees earlier still echoed in his mind, telling him to find the child, that she was the key. But now that he had found her, what came next?

He glanced to his side, where the girl walked quietly beside him. She hadn’t said much since their meeting by the river. She moved with surprising ease through the forest, her small form slipping effortlessly between the trees and over roots. It was clear that she knew the forest well, almost as if she were a part of it. Yet, despite her calm demeanor, there was a deep sadness in her eyes, something that Fenris could not ignore.

They hadn’t gone far before the girl finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence between them. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

Fenris paused for a moment, considering her words. “It’s not that I don’t trust you,” he replied, his voice low. “It’s just... I don’t understand. Why now? Why are you here, and what makes you the key to saving the forest?”

The girl stopped walking and turned to face him. Her eyes, dark and full of mystery, met his. “I’ve always been here,” she said softly. “I’ve lived in these woods for as long as I can remember. The forest raised me, and I’ve been listening to its whispers all my life.”

Fenris tilted his head, curious. “The forest raised you? How is that possible?”

The girl smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I don’t know where I came from or who my parents were. One day, I was just... here. The forest took me in. The trees, the animals, the wind—they’ve always spoken to me. They told me that one day, I would have to protect this place. And that day has come.”

Fenris listened carefully. He had heard stories of children who were born with a connection to nature, but he had never met anyone like this girl. She seemed to be a part of the Silver Woods in a way that even he, the guardian of the forest, was not. There was something ancient about her, something beyond her years.

“And the Nightmare?” Fenris asked, his voice cautious. “What do you know about it?”

The girl’s expression darkened. “The Nightmare has been lurking in the shadows for a long time,” she explained. “It’s always been there, waiting for the right moment to strike. But now it’s growing stronger, and it’s trying to corrupt the heart of the forest. If it succeeds, everything will be lost.”

“The heart of the forest,” Fenris repeated, his mind racing. He had heard legends about it, but no one had ever seen it. The heart was said to be the source of the Silver Woods’ magic, the very thing that kept the forest alive. If the Nightmare reached it...

“We can’t let that happen,” Fenris growled, his determination hardening.

The girl nodded. “That’s why I’m here. And that’s why you were chosen, Fenris. The forest needs both of us to fight the Nightmare.”

For a moment, Fenris didn’t respond. He had always been alone in his fight to protect the forest. The idea of someone else sharing that responsibility felt strange to him, almost uncomfortable. But as he looked at the girl, he realized that she wasn’t just any stranger. She was connected to the forest in ways he couldn’t fully understand, and if the forest had brought them together, then perhaps it was for a reason.