Beneath The Full Moon {TMT #1}

Chapter 1

"There we go..."

My camera lights flickered the second I captured the enormous yet complicated-looking tree that stood before me.

Curved similar to a witch's hat, thick branches from different trees fastened to other smaller ones, making the sight appear as if they had all originated from the same seed. Sunlight peeked through the leaves and partially blinded me while I strained my neck to get a better view.

At that precise moment, Miguel, my three-year Spaniard partner from the D.N.B. – Displaying Nature's Beauty – Company, nudged my shoulder. 

"Apúrate chica, or we'll get lost."

"Just one more," I muttered, my eye focused acutely behind the camera lens before capturing another photo.

"Alright, that's enough." Not caring whether I was done or not, Miguel grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the group before I even had the chance to take another shot.

Scowling behind him as we drew nearer to the tourists, I didn't miss the tour guide explaining how the name of the forest had come about and how they'd discovered actual werewolves lurking there for many years before they had migrated to avoid the hunters. And how they believed that a handful of vengeful werewolves remained to fight and kill for their land.

In truth, I was hearing the words that spewed out of his mouth, but I wasn't really listening.

"Do you think these people buy this stuff about werewolves?" Miguel asked curiously and I shrugged, eyeing the fascinated people around us.

"They might," I answered, watching a man and his wife take a selfie in front of a complex tree trunk. "But what do we care?"

He looked at the couple for a moment before agreeing, "We don't." 

If it wasn't obvious enough, we weren't actually there for the history, and I certainly wasn't interested in any of it. So I diverted my attention to the beautiful intricate trees and on the little stream just in front of our groups' lane.

Rocks, littering the ground in a diagonal pattern, permitted water to gush out of them like a kid gliding down an uneven water slide.

There were other amazing views that I wanted to capture, but then the group began to move again.

The whole point of this trip was meant to discover nature and capture the beautiful creations it brought out. Miguel and I travelled almost everywhere around the globe to capture various weird and fascinating scenes of nature. Animals included.

And this time was no different.

The Black Woods showcased a fantastic view of some trees that were crooked and some that had complicated alignments with the others. Some others were huge with small leaves poking out of their branches whilst other trees were tiny and had broad leaves with long branches that were either attached to themselves or to other trees. Thick vines hanging from the horizontal stems made the appearance even much more appealing.

The air was fresh and humid, just as I'd expected. And unlike the congested and polluted atmosphere in the city, everything in here was refreshing and natural and I loved every bit of what nature had to offer.

Subsequently, I took in a deep, satisfying breath to prove my point. Ah, beautiful.

One could see the morning dew still clinging to the plant leaves even though it was in the afternoon, and I couldn't help but take more photos of them and the other beautiful trees before moving on with the group.

The minute I caught the outline of the dusty road before us, I sighed in disappointment. I didn't want this adventure to be over, much less go back to D.N.B. and be stuck in an office organizing photos, reading requests and signing documents. I wanted to be free. To roam around and absorb all the colours that nature reflexed on the environment.