“Bithi!” A hoarse voice called into the overgrown forest, a sight not uncommon to the residents of the grove. Standing at the edge of a clearing, a greying woman resting against an elegant staff sighed as the forest stayed silent in response.

  It was the fourth time this week she had stood at the edge of the grove calling into the dense foliage for a voice that dared not respond.

  “Bithi Vinend!” The woman yelled again, her voice stern and impatient. “If I don't see you in the next ten seconds, no more pies for a year!”

  The bushes to the left of the woman rustled in response to the threat. A frizzled tuft of dark brown hair poked out from behind the greenery. It hesitated for a moment before its owner begrudgingly stood from behind the leaves.

  “You don’t mean that…” The little girl pouted. Admitting her defeat, the girl walked through the bush; the leaves and branches seemingly alive parted to let her pass, and she stood before the older woman. “Sorry…”

  The older woman sighed, kneeling before the little girl and wiping at the girl's cheek with the sleeve of her blouse. “How many times have I told you the deep woods are dangerous, little leaf? I don’t want you to end up like…”

  The girl shrank into herself, hugging her own knees as she avoided the gaze of the woman. It was a sentiment the little girl had heard dozens of times before. ‘The deep woods are dangerous. ‘You could get lost.’

  ‘Don’t end up like your father.’

  “But…” The girl trailed off, already knowing the response to her protests. No matter how many times she tried to expin, the elders didn’t listen. As long as she could remember, the forest called to her, a yearning deep within her soul that she couldn’t put into words.

  Feelings she couldn’t expin, shadows in the trees that caught her eye and no one else's. Dreams and visions she couldn’t describe. None of it made sense to her except for one thing: something deep in the forest wanted her attention.

  Sighing, the girl looked up at the woman, her eyes misty and full of sorrow.

  The woman’s stern expression softened, and she gave the girl a warm smile. “Come now, little leaf, those pies aren’t going to eat themselves.”

  The little girl perked up, the sadness of before vanishing near instantly at the mention of her favorite treat. If there was one thing that could distract her from the yearning of the forest, it was her grandmother’s pies. A secret recipe the old woman dared not share with anyone except for the girl.

  Quickly standing, the girl held the woman's hand tightly, and the two walked towards the center of the grove. Looking up at her grandmother, the girl hugged her, despite everything; she knew how worried her grandmother got when she disappeared into the forest.

  They were all each other had left.

  “I’m sorry, Baba.” The girl said with her face buried in the fabric of the woman's dress.

  “It’s okay, my little leaf.” The woman responded, gently stroking the girl's hair.

  = = =

  Bithi sat atop the branches of an enormous tree overlooking the rest of the forest. A sea of greenery that rocked and swayed at the mercy of the winds. In every direction the forest seemed to stretch on forever. Sparse clouds id shade in patches over the overgrown woods.

  Leaning back against the trunk of the tree, Bithi smiled. Something about the freedom of the treetops always brought back memories of her childhood; perhaps it was the calming breeze or the soft sounds of the forest that brought her back to being a kid. She didn’t know and frankly didn’t care. Her younger self would have been jumping for joy if she knew the mission had been given.

  “Baba would be furious if she saw me now.” Bithi giggled to herself, holding tightly in her p a familiar staff. Caressing the staff, her expression grew solemn; it had been a few years since the passing of her grandmother. It hadn’t been a sudden departure; the signs had been there long before. But it hadn’t hurt any less.

  Bithi shook her head. She didn’t have time to dwell on the past, not when she was so close. She had left the grove just shy of a month ago, and her supplies were beginning to dwindle. Inspecting her pack, she took note of what rations she had left as well as triple-checking that package she had been given was secure.

  “I’ve rested long enough.” Taking one st look over the forest, Bithi stood, bancing perfectly on the swaying branch of the tree. Despite the forest seeming endless, she knew she was only hours from her destination. For the forest only seemed endless, as that was part of the illusion.

  Bithi lifted the staff, the sunlight catching a jewel inid near one end and sparkling a brilliant emerald glow. Had she been anything other than a Druid of the Forest, she might have struggled to climb down from such a tall tree.

  As, that was not the case.

  Swirling the tip of the staff, Bithi drew a circle in the air, faint green lines of pure energy tracing her movements. A simple circle etched with runes appeared before her, the intensity of the energy growing with every movement.

  “[Vines] “

  Bithi spoke the word with an ethereal tone, the power of her tone reverberating through the air. Vines erupted from the staff, tightly wrapping themselves around the branch of the tree as an anchor.

  Bithi checked the stability of the vines before gripping the staff tightly and leaping from the branch. Her fall was cut short by the vines only for a second before they began to gently lower her to the forest floor.

  Once she had reached the floor, the vines shrank back into the staff, disappearing with a gentle sparkle of green light. Satisfied, Bithi looked around, a small shadow near the base of the tree catching her interest.

  “Fmb, come on.” She called out to a shadow. Prancing out into the light with explosive energy was a small orangish-red creature with small ears and a long, wiggly tail. A Freweasel. The creature perked up, tilting its head to the side before scurrying up Bithi’s leg and resting on her shoulder.

  Without another word, the pair began walking through the dense forest with ease. Hours passed without so much as a peep; the only sounds filling the air were the rustle of the wind blowing through the leaves and the occasional creature scurrying in the underbrush.

  As the two continued their journey, the forest began to change; the tall oaks of the forest gave way to more exotic foliage. Vibrant flowers began to repce the uniform greenery. Moisture in the air began to wick against her skin. It was a sign that she was getting closer.

  It wasn’t long until the forest she had grown up in was gone, repced with a wilder, denser jungle.

  Eventually though, as the sun began to set and the jungle was baked in a warm orange glow that filtered down through the canopy, they reached their goal. A wall of sorts, where the jungle appeared to be painted rather than real.

  With a grin Bithi pced her palm against the fake wall, the scenery on it rippling in response. As if responding to her wishes, the wall began to glow, a doorway of light just big enough for her appearing against it.

  As she stepped through the doorway of light, the scenery took a drastic change, the jungle teeming with life and greenery, the forest she had called home for nineteen years.

  Became concrete.

  = PROLOGUE END =

  Cynthell