The Whispering Woods lived up to their name. As Elliot stepped beneath the canopy of ancient trees, he could hear faint whispers all around him. It was as if the forest itself was alive, murmuring secrets to anyone who would listen.

  “Creepy,” Elliot muttered, gripping his dagger tightly. “Definitely creepy.”

  He followed the path, keeping an eye out for anything that might be a will-o’-the-wisp. The last thing he needed was to get lost in a magical forest on his first quest. After about an hour of walking, he came across a small clearing. In the center of the clearing was a tree with a hollow trunk, and inside the hollow was a glimmer of gold.

  “The necklace!” Elliot exclaimed, rushing forward. He reached into the hollow and pulled out the necklace, holding it up to the light. It was a simple gold chain with a small emerald pendant, but it sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Well, that was easier than I thought,” Elliot said, grinning.

  Just as he was about to tuck the necklace into his pouch, he heard a rustling sound behind him. He turned around slowly, his heart pounding, and came face-to-face with a large, snarling wolf.

  “Uh… nice doggy?” Elliot said, taking a step back.

  The wolf growled, its eyes locked on the necklace in Elliot’s hand. Elliot realized with a sinking feeling that the necklace might not have been “lost” after all. It might have been stolen—and the wolf was its guardian.

  “Okay, okay,” Elliot said, holding up his hands. “You can have it back. No need to get violent.”

  He tossed the necklace to the ground and backed away slowly. The wolf sniffed the necklace, then looked up at Elliot and let out a low growl.

  “Right. Running now,” Elliot said, turning on his heel and bolting into the trees.