After the creature had gone, Aislene spent a long time thinking about how things were going to change if she survives this forest. Fiadh had disappeared again, and staying in place was a useless defense to avoid getting lost. To make sure she wouldn't lose the tree, which she was sure was important, she kept her hand on one of its many thick and rough roots. As time began to pass, Aislene's patience was beginning to run low again. It was rude to scold another for not having an endless supply of grace while constantly exhausting it to maintain an air of mysteriousness. Seeing the tree in its rightful place each time she looked away provided a steady river of relief to her. She'd become accustomed to the always-changing atmosphere. Since there was nothing else to do, she thought that getting a higher view of the world around could help find either Fiadh or the moving door. She began to climb, grabbing onto each branch and pulling herself up while putting as little pressure on her damaged limbs. It was astonishing what she could still do even after such a gruesome attack. She felt her limbs were better off unattached back then. Only yesterday. Whatever Fiadh did to her, it wasn't normal or possible. Her skin scraped against the smooth bark as she went, still not having clothes was uncomfortable, but it wasn't as important as finding Fiadh or getting out of here. It felt weird knowing she'd spent much of her life dreading baths or laundry day, to normalizing it in a little over a day. Branch after branch, the tree could've kept going up forever. The only indication of a peak was the slowly thinning sticks and trunk. She did her best to focus on climbing but couldn't help daydreaming about what she would do once she'd get back home. Not long ago, she renounced (TBD) and its residents, but her life there wasn't finished yet. To recount her growing list of mishappenings, she still didn't know who her kidnapper was. She couldn't tell where this place was, her body aching in pain, trapped in this Stone House or whatever, her only guide missing, the location of the door was unknown, a terrifying monster suddenly appeared and then vanished, and she's not wearing as much as societally decent. Various holes of logic showed everywhere in her story thus forth. She had so many questions rolling around her head, pinning down an answer felt like attempting to catch butterflies with the hooped end of a needle. Frustrating as it was, it proved the perfect distraction to the pain of her multiplying scratches and bruises. Nearing the top, she paused to survey the world around. Other than stunning beauty and colors, there was no sign of a giant elk frolicking around or a maneuvering stone door. Biting her bottom lip, she proceeded to descend when she felt hot breath hovering at the back of her neck. Memories of the bear attack swam through her head instantly, and she squeaked in fear. "What's with you? I'm just jesting." The warm air backed away while a relief, sadness, and irritation took hold. She wanted to yell at Fiadh angrily but knew no good would come of it. "Where'd you go?" She almost asked calmly. Hints of aggression peered through her stone face. Fiadh could tell but didn't react. "We were almost there when I looked back, and you were gone, couldn't tell where you went. Been looking for you ever since." It was a pretty easy answer, but even though she tried, Fiadh couldn't completely hide the vague underlayer of something she didn't Aislene know. Aislene caught it but kept the stone expression. She thought that pressuring for an answer would result in more lies, or she would snap. Looking away from Fiadh's body, she tried to hide her embarrassed expression before subconsciously wrapping her arms around herself. "No use delaying any longer." Fiadh murmured. Smiling out of view, she closed her eyes and strained her facial muscles. To Aislenes's surprise, the branches and leaves all around them began moving slowly, twisting and turning to form a greater expanse around the trunk. Sticks closed in together, weaving in between one another to strengthen the durability of its new shape. Four rectangular walls closed in around them to block the light, and the roof above was also swimming with wooden snakes. When the tree's movement stopped, Aislene and Fiadh were now standing in a small room with no exit and minimal lighting. Cracks and holes let in small beams that barely made seeing any easier, but enough to be manageable. "What do you think?" Fiadh's voice rang over Aislenes amazement. The question didn't reach her head yet, so Fiadh repeated. "It's amazing, but this shouldn't be possible." She paused for a moment to admire the monolithic pattern the leaves had formed during the transformation. The silence went on long enough for another question to rise to her lips. "Why?" From gleeful pride and gratification, Fiadh's face turned a darker shade of emotion, contempt, arrogance, a hint of sadness, but most of all. Disdain. Aislene felt the chilly hands of unease hug tightly around her shoulders. "Welcome to your new home missy," The temperature noticeably dropped, goosebumps rose over Aislene's arms and legs. Her eyes widened in confusion and disbelief. The realization of the danger finally settled in her heart. Trusting this stranger was a mistake. Realizing everything now, Aislene felt the primitive survival instinct take hold, and she rushed at Fiadh. A hands length away, she noticed Fiadh smirking just before she disappeared. The momentum sent Aislene crashing into the walls, it hurt, but she stood back up to search for Fiadh. With no sign of her, she walked around the small room to verify her disappearance. Once she concluded that she'd gone, Aislene began clawing at the sticks and branches. The light seeping in through the crevices was slowly fading until Aislene couldn't even see her feet. Nevertheless, she kept tearing. She clawed, dug, squirmed, attacked, gouged, scratched, raked, mauled, and ravaged the sticks. But the only difference it made was her bloodied fingers. Somewhere along the way, she'd lost four fingernails. In there, the place was blood and white-colored glucose that bled where she'd torn through the sticks. Tears streamed down her face as she resumed her endeavor. Through will and desperation, she went on for as long as she could. By the time exhaustion overcame her broken body, her hands were painted black, and only a thin layer of boughs remained. Tear stains painted her face like a clown, and her puffed red eyes could no longer open to see the darkness that awaited. Whether they were closed or open, the ugly nothingness was all she could see. She hated Fiadh. She hated that creature, hated the bear, hated the ripper, hated the dead Cybien, hated the Stone House, and hated the world. But even still, something more than suffering awaited.

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