Entry: 2/004 - Into the Woods

Dear self,

The wild sprites seemed rather agitated today. You might note their distress when they are unusually well hidden. Distraught sprites will maintain their glamours even when dancing around in the open, which they will also do less of when feeling threatened like they seemed to be. Even the curious ones refrained from approaching me without the accompaniment of several other sprites.

The woods surrounding our house have naturally thick undergrowth, but clear paths are beaten between the trees where forest animals pass through, trampling and nibbling on the flora. The local breed of giant jackalope are also effective at ravaging the foliage.

This all means that you can easily get lost following the silvan trails while thinking them paths. The road to the nearby town is very deliberately marked with chalk rocks along its length. An enchanter’s shop is placed out-of-the-way for a reason and the surrounding woods have been known to occasionally enchant underprepared travelers. The chalk path helps ward off spirits who like entrancing people or sending them astray.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

I write you this because I found the carcass of one of the jackalope near one of the glades close to the house. It was not even a dozen paces from the clearing. There are not a lot of beasts nearby that might hunt the horny hares, or those that do would not leave one half consumed. It is possible that there might be a monster traveling through the region.

Happily I managed to gather several wild herbs in the woods. Magic is more pliable when using ingredients gathered by your own hand, so being too poor to purchase them might even help you improve your craft. I gathered a swath of Morrowgrim, a few Jolly Darlings, and enough Blithweed to fill a bell. I might be able to make something with all of it, but I can definitely figure out a way to make it worth selling.

Hope we fare well.

Regards,

Me.

~*M*~