Fate of the Forest (A KaoEarth Story)

One: Kao

《Author Note: Thank you to @reallyrevil for giving me the idea for this story! He threw the ball, I just caught it and ran. 😊🥰 This is my first adventure into the world of FanFiction so I hope you like it! ENJOY!!》

The sunlight filtered through the canopy, perfectly illuminating the fallen tree below.
*CLICK*
Kao pressed the shutter button on his DSLR camera, capturing the perfect image. He smiled, his dark eyes sparkling, and clicked the camera off, swinging it to his back.

"I should head back," he said aloud, glancing at his watch. He almost startled himself with the sound of his own voice in the quiet woods. He turned and headed toward the direction of the setting sun, the leaves on the forest floor making a soft crunch under the soles of his hiking boots as he walked. Kao didn't need a map; he knew these familiar trees like the back of his hand.

After months of traveling, taking photographs and writing articles for his travel website, he always made a point to visit these woods that he grew up in. It helped him reset and remember why he loved his job. From the time he was a child, he would visit the forest, playing games among the trees, writing stories and, finally, finding a love of photography. When Kao got his first camera, his first subjects were the tall sentries of the forest. He always felt at home in these woods. Safe.

Kao pulled his camera out again and took a few quick photos as a light mist started roll in around him, a phenomenon that wasn't surprising to him in these woods. But what did surprise him was the fallen tree he came to a stop at.

Huh. He looked around, puzzled. Lost in his thoughts, he must have gotten himself turned around and ended up back at the tree. No matter. He would pay more attention this time. Kao turned back toward the sun and started walking, not letting himself get distracted by his thoughts. But soon, the twisted roots of the fallen tree showed themselves through the mist again.

What the -?
Kao had gotten lost in these woods before, but not since he was very young. He ran a hand nervously through his dark hair, looking around. He was sure he had been heading the right way this time. Maybe it was a different tree? He clicked his camera on and quickly scrolled back a few pictures. No. It was definitely the same tree. How did he get turned around again?

Kao stood silent for a moment, trying to listen for any sound that would point him in the right direction. He listened as the familiar noises filled his ears; the scurrying of various animals, the calls of the birds, the wind rustling the leaves...or was that...water? From where he was, or should have been, in the woods, the river was several miles away; too far to be able to hear it. He listened closer to make sure his ears weren't deceiving him, but Kao was sure it was water.

His curiosity got the better of him and he decided to follow the sound which lead him deeper into the forest. The sound grew louder the further he walked until finally he saw it. A...waterfall?? Kao scratched his head. He practically lived in these woods his whole life. Where the hell did a waterfall come from??

He walked closer, taking in the magnificent view. It wasn't an enormous waterfall, but it gave off a steady flow that ended in a small lagoon at the base of a rock wall. There were large boulders all around the lagoon and more plants and flowers than he could count spread throughout the little grove. Hydrangeas. His favorite flower. There were so many colors: pink, blue, lavender, white. Kao had never seen so many hydrangeas in his life!

He pulled out his camera and snapped a few shots, awed by the beauty of the scenery. Looking through the viewfinder at the waterfall, Kao had an idea. He could see a steep path running up the side of the cliff next to the waterfall. If he could get to the top, maybe he would be high enough over the trees to see which direction he needed to go to get out.

Kao made his way over to the wall and very gently placed his camera on the ground by a tree, away from the water. He started to make his way up the rocky path, one step at a time, taking care not to slip on the damp rocks. He was only two feet up the side of the cliff when the root he was using as a hand-hold broke away, smacking him hard on the forehead, making Kao lose his balance.

"P'Kao!!" he heard, just before he landed flat on his back on the damp ground below, knocking the wind out of him. Kao couldn't breathe, but he didn't know if it was from the fall...or because of the face that came into his line of sight.

The boy's hair was the color of sunlight reflecting off of auburn leaves and his pale skin had a slight flush on his cheeks. His full lips had a peach hue to them, but it was the boy's eyes that made Kao take a breath in.

"P'Kao! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
The boy looked over Kao with eyes the color of molten chocolate and it left Kao speechless: he had never seen anyone more stunning and he had seen so many people all over the world.

"Can you move at all? Say something, P'Kao!"

Kao slowly sat up, shaking his head to make his brain work again.
"How...how do you know my name?" he asked the boy. He knew he had never met him before so how did he know who Kao was?

"My name is Earth. I am the Spirit of this forest and we have known each other for a long time, P'Kao." The boy placed his hand on Kao's arm and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"You...you're the boy I used to play with in the woods as a child...aren't you? But I thought you were just a dream! An imaginary friend!"

Earth flashed a dazzling white smile that made his eyes sparkle and it made Kao's heart stop. "That's me! And I'm definitely real."

"But...but how??" How could Earth be old enough to be that same boy he played with as a kid?

"I have been watching you since you were young, P'Kao. You have grown up to love these woods as much as I do." Earth stood up and held out his hand. "Now, come here and let me clean that wound on your head. It's not bad, but we should still get it taken care of."

Kao could finally get a good look at this boy standing above him. Wearing a simple outfit of a flowy white shirt and tan pants without shoes, Earth was still stunning.

Kao reached up and took his hand, feeling a tingle down his spine, and as the boy, who was stronger than he looked, pulled Kao to his feet, he couldn't help but wonder if he had hit his head harder than he thought.