When Astrid finds a big boulder, she sits down to tie up her laces. As she does so, she realizes that there are many things that have been forgotten. Socks. There’s only one pair that she brought and it’s on her feet. If Astrid follows the tree line there’ll be more houses and most of them hang their clothes to dry. It’ll be easy enough to take a pair of socks. They may even think that the wind blew them away. No, Astrid thinks, stealing won’t help. But neither will getting wet feet.
Are the neighbours still the same? Did they begin guarding the forest line? If Astrid gets caught, then there is no way of finding Arkane. It feels as though her feet have turned to lead. How will she get anywhere after being in the institution for so long? There’s a shroud over her mind and it’s difficult to find confidence in herself. Birds flit above her. Eyes watchful and cautious as Astrid stands there intruding into their home.
Taking a deep breath in– she starts moving again. More self-assured since she has an idea of where to walk towards. Tears well in her eyes as the very real possibility of not finding her brother or being caught grows in her chest. An anchor of worry weighs her down, but she continues. Tripping on roots and pushing low-hanging branches out of her way.
The deeper Astrid gets into the woods the darker it is. Even though the sun shines brightly in the valley–the canopy swallows the light whole. Astrid trips on a root once more but it slides over the top of her boot, travelling up her ankle towards her calf.
“What is THAT!?” She panics and kicks her foot around. Her hand grips the handle of the dagger, and she swings it at the thing. The blade must have nicked it because it slides away.
Astrid stumbles backwards watching the thing slide deeper into the woods–so completely locked on it that she slips backwards onto her butt. Dirt digs under her nails when trying to catch herself. Astrid digs her hands into it in frustration. Pulling up a clump of dirt to stare at. Her eyes squint and her breathing steadies. Focused on trying to turn the dirt into fire. The same way she used to as a child. The dirt sparks and then turns to mud. Immediately frustrated, Astrid throws it at the tree across from her.
Its roots push her over onto her side. Astrid’s eyes grow wide. She scrambles up onto her feet as the ground begins to pulsate with movement. Looking around the dark woods she struggles to find which way she is meant to go. Her feet take her forward and away from the roots climbing out of the ground. They are darker than the shadows themselves.
As a child, Astrid came into these woods day after day. This never existed. This sentience in the trees. Further into different Kingdoms her father once told her stories of whole forests being alive with ents. That if you attempted to cut them down, they would strike. Astrid can’t think of anything she may have done to upset an Ent. Was it her tripping over so many roots in the darkness? She glances back at the roots and watches the root grasp the handle of the dagger lying on the dirt.
“No! No! No!” Her body turns back around–running–to try to get the dagger back. The bag slaps against the tender bruise on her back.
As Astrid dives to grab the dagger from the root it slips away faster, and she falls on her face. Crawling on her hands and knees she follows it. It slips under a bramble bush and Astrid pulls the cloak over her head in hopes that the spikes don’t pierce skin or pull hair. Losing her father’s dagger means she loses all hope of surviving. Clearly, the powers she had have now diminished. Weak and fragile in the woods that are more alive than they have ever been. How can Astrid compete when she is just a shell of a person?
Astrid pushes through and keeps crawling. Determined to get the dagger back. Angry that for two years of her life, she spent it in an institution that is merely a foggy memory now. She’s 18 years old and has nothing to show for it. The world around her keeps moving forward and she is lost. What exists that she understands anymore? The forest, these woods, were her place of comfort growing up. Now what are they? Dagger stealing–watchful woods.
The bramble opens up to a small clearing. The dagger nowhere to be seen. The roots gone. Standing up swiftly and panicked– Astrid tries to take a step forward, but both her feet are literally rooted to the ground. Black roots tighten around her ankles, and they climb slowly upward. She pulls at them and tightens her fingernails into the roots. Nails, weak and brittle in comparison, break under pressure. Astrid flinches in pain as the roots keep climbing upwards. It tightens under her diaphragm, and she fights to keep her arms free. Astrid loses the battle with ease–back bruised, body aching, and weak with hunger. The roots drag her body forward, causing her to fall on her bag–pain stinging as it presses against the bruise. Astrid is dragged forward with no ability to fight, or energy left in her to try.
As the roots pull her forward the small meadow transforms into a giant tree as Astrid passes the threshold. The tree shuffles branches around so that dark brown eyes look upon her.
“Why is the creature in your mind?” The large Ent booms at her. “Where did you see it?”
When her father spoke of ents, all he had told Astrid was that they were straight to the point. They’ve spent many years watching and observing so they know how people speak. Too long. Too many words. A lot of niceties that mean nothing. Though they expect respect in the little words spoken. He never told her why he spoke to ents or even if he did it or simply heard of these conversations.
“What creature do you mean?” Astrid asks gently. A tremor in each word as fear shakes her bones. Were there more creatures in the woods she did not notice?
“The one in this forest. With the kuyon.” The Ent loosens its grasp on her chest and Astrid coughs trying to get more air in her lungs.
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“How do you know?” Astrid looks into the ents eyes, but it unnerves her. Each blink showcases how the eyelids camouflage as knots in the wood.
“So, you admit that you’ve seen it!” The Ent swiftly lifts her up into the air with the roots to meet the wide eyes. The Ent inspects her with each eye. “Answer me.”
“It was a vision. My brother sent it to me.” Astrid admits out of fear for her life. “I’m trying to find him.”
“Well. Goodluck.” The Ent puts her down. Roots unweaving itself from her body. “I’m sorry to bother you then.”
“That’s it?” Astrid’s exasperated at the Ent now. The large eyes are closed. The roots have disappeared, and the branches begin going back to their position. “Give me back my dagger.”
“Leave the woods and you will get it back.” A lazy response.
“Give me back my dagger!” Astrid screams now. There’s anger bubbling in her. This Ent dragged her all the way here into a part of the woods she has never seen just to tell her to leave. “How do you think I’ll leave this place when you’re the one that dragged me here.”
“You followed my roots. Leave.” Roots fly up from the ground and smack at her ankles causing Astrid to jump and dodge them.
“Why are you doing this? Just give it back to me and I’ll leave. I promise.” As Astrid says this, she sees a glint of the dagger in a branch of the tree. If the Ent won’t give it to her then she will just take it herself.
“The same reason that you are in the woods.” An eye quickly opens and looks at her. Checking for a response.
“You’re also here to find my brother?” Astrid says with doubt dripping through her lips.
“Arkane came around a lot. Made a lot of noise. His presence always known.”
“So, you know where he is?” Astrid astonished that this Ent is not getting to the point.
“Why don’t you go home and relax. This isn’t something you can fix.” The branches come low to sweep Astrid away.
“Wait. How do you know his name?” Astrid moves towards the Ent. Unsure of how to get the Ent to work with her instead of making this harder for her. “Let me help.”
“Why? This has become a problem that nature must fix. You people have done enough to us.” Astrid is swept up by a branch and pulled back to the Ent’s eyes.
“I haven’t done anything! I have been alone for 2 years! I have to look for my brother! I have to find him!” Astrid pulls at the leaves. Enraging the Ent. “I can’t go home! I don’t have anyone there! I need to keep moving forward and you are in my way! Give me my damn dagger back you stupid Ent!!” Immediate regret flashes in Astrid's heart.
“You dare to call me a stupid Ent! I have been sent here to look over these woods. That creature is eating up everything! It’s destroying the balance of the woods.” The whole tree begins to shake, and the dirt shifts around.
“You're playing games with me! That creature is my enemy as much as yours! If you know my brother or where to find him then tell me now!” Looking directly into the ents eyes with no care left.
“Very well then.” The Ent looks pleased. “I needed to see that fire come alive in you again to know if you were truly here to help.”
Astrid is fuming, staring at the Ent-the thing is smiling at her. Playing games just to get her angry? It didn’t make sense. She shifts her hands over to push away branches that are getting dangerously close to her eyes. The wood where her hands have been is singed black. Guilt bursts in her. Another thing hurt because of her.
“It’s okay. I’m not hurt.” The Ent states softly as though it read her mind.
“I didn’t mean to, I swear. I was angry but I didn’t want to burn you down.” Shame and guilt dance inside her chest.
“Ah, we ents are not like normal trees. We can be burnt down but it would take more than a little heat from the likings of you to do it. If you had an outburst like at the institution, then I might be gone by now.” The Ent chuckles. Astrid pulls her arms over her head as branches shake with the movement.
Astrid nods her head in agreement. Then it dawns on her. How does the Ent know everything?
“I’ll let you in on a little secret. We ents are connected to all life. I can feel your heart pulsing as I hold you. The second you stepped out of the carriage I felt the steps of your feet through the dirt. There are whispers in the trees and even the wind will carry something new to us from far away lands. Places we wouldn’t dream of going to. We rarely ever move since we know enough about the world from where we are.” The Ent sighs and moves Astrid to sit in the crook of two thick branches. “I hope that’s more comfortable. Anyways, there were murmurs from the birds that a young girl did disastrous damage at an institution for the wicked. Of course, we ents know that places like that hardly hold anything bad, they hold what they cannot control. Though the birds did not know if you were good or bad. It all lined up far too conveniently if I’m honest. The creature comes into these woods. Takes a few children. Then you show up as though you were called here. In a way, the vision called, and you answered.
That creature you saw in the vision has been lurking for a while now, but it gets braver each time it takes a life. Many woodlings are scared and they are leaving their homes which is why your people are getting taken now. There are few strong woodlings that have stayed to follow it home but when it gets dark in these woods, those wicked creatures disappear. The woodlings lose them.
I only tell you this because you seem determined to find your brother. He was determined to find the girl as well. I’m not sure where he went. I felt him enter the woods but then his steps stopped. I wish I could tell you more.” The Ent sheepishly brings the dagger back to Astrid. “I wish you luck on this journey. I’ll be watching you, so will the birds and the other woodlings if ever you need help.”
Astrid bows her head in response and whispers a gentle, “Thank you.” That is a lot of information for her to ingest. It is all so confusing as well. Why is this creature here and why now? How come Arkane thought it was his mission to find the missing girl? The Ent gently lowers her to the ground, and she slides down the rough bark.
“There is a purple snake that will guide you where you need to go. Don’t fear her for she shares the same enemy as you.” The snake is already at Astrid's feet, weaving through them in anxious repetition.