After running a decent distance from the town Gael stood still and listened. The silence confirmed that he was not being followed. It seemed the inhabitants of Yeavinkhall were true to the stories told about them: they did not enter the forest at night. Gael took a deep breath in relief. He recognised the familiar soft smell of the wet forest floor. This comforted Gael. He was no stranger to scouring the forest at night but normally he would take a lantern with him. Now, still partially hidden behind clouds, the moonlight shone its light through the leaves. The full moon reminded him of his task here and it doused his doubt as to whether he did the right thing by escaping Yeavinkhall. 

  Gael walked through the forest for a while until the trees made way for a clearing. With held breath he set foot in it. Mostly tall grass filled the clearing. He started to search for white flowers. He saw whistling weed from which the stem could be turned into tiny flutes and even some white clover, which cows seem to like a lot and made a very poor tea. None of them had petals shaped like hind’s ears. At least he should find some hindwhites Gael thought. After having almost circled the clearing he stopped and scratched his head as he started to doubt his theory.

  Then the full moon came from behind the clouds. The bright moonlight cast harsh shadows as Gael again wandered around the newly lit clearing. He saw a flower with closed buds and kneeled beside the flower. Carefully he peeled away the bud to see white petals, shaped like a hind’s ear. Like a weight was lifted from his shoulders Gael jumped up and started to look around. He found another hindwhite, but to his surprise he saw that the flower had already partially opened. As he kept searching more and more of the white flowers reached for some moonlight and filled the clearing. Moths, butterflies and other insects got attracted to the white flowers that reflect the bright moonlight. Gael could not enjoy the spectacle as he frantically searched for a flower with blue flowers.

  He didn't find any and the light began to fade again. Big dark clouds had started to hide the moon and the clearing became dimmer and dimmer. To his desperation he saw that the hindwhites started to close again.

  It wasn't long until Gael stood in the dark clearing. Without the moon the forest was pitch black. He had found not a single trace of the little hindblue here. To make himself feel better he decided to search for another clearing and wait for the clouds to pass.

  With luck Gael had found the path, but walking it was more difficult. The dark made him listen carefully to his surroundings. Sometimes he could swear he heard some animal flee in the foliage and he regularly got his face full of leaves. Gael grumbled to himself as he finally realised how stupid he was not to take his backpack and other belongings with him. With those he could just stay in the forest until morning, and travel to another town. Now he surely had to face Yeavinkhall’s hospitality. It was unlikely that he could break into the village he had broken out of. As he made his way through the dark, disaster struck as Gael tripped over a root. He hit his head on the ground hard.

  Spots of white blue light shot before Gael’s eyes as if the stars danced in the sky. They made constellations Gael had never seen. Then the light got more intense as if the moon joined the dance. Gael covered his eyes with a hand as he was welcomed by an immense headache. There was a burning pain on the side of Gael's head. When he reached for his hair he felt that it was soaked. The smell of blood filled his nose. He laid on the forest floor, thinking he had not lost consciousness. The lights returned but quickly dissipated when Gael opened his eyes again. He was met with the darkness of the forest. He rolled over and rose to his knees, his head pounding painfully. When he moved his head he could still see the spots of light flashing in the corners of his eyes. Gael decided it was not wise to go on like this. It was probably not wise to have left at all, he thought. Gael sighed, slowly pulled himself further upright and lent to the tree that tripped him. The night was completely overcast and he could still barely see.  

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  While holding his head he left the tree. With every step the spots of light flashed in the edge of his vision. After a while one of the lights stayed in Gael’s corner. He pressed his eyes closed but whenever he opened them the light returned. This wasn't a flash. When he noticed it was a small blue light that shone from the corner of his left eye he looked. There was a clearing, and in the middle it was as if a tiny blue fairy had landed on a blade of grass. Gael’s heart started pounding. With a speed too great for his newfound pains he ran to the light. He knelt by a plant with blue flowers, and had petals in the shape of hind’s ears. To Gael the flower glowed faintly, but he wasn't sure he could trust his eyes yet. He clenched his hands with excitement, but the immense headache made it hard for him to truly appreciate the joy he felt.

  Without losing the plant from his sight Gael searched the forest floor for a stick and the largest leaf he could find. With the bud of his knife he beat the stick in the ground next to the plant and pricked the large leaf on it.

  Trying to keep his thoughts straight he observed the flower. The plant had another, smaller blue flower lower on the stem. After a moment of hesitation Gael used the hook on the end of his knife to cut it off. He got out his notebook and put the flower somewhere in the back of his notebook. He rose to his feet, for which his head thanked him with a painful throbbing that was synchronised with his heartbeat. After taking a last look at the flower he put the notebook back in the shoulder bag. As he made his way back through the clearing he noticed the moon had come from behind the clouds.

  Gael made his way back to Yeavinkhall, which was easier with the moonlight, but the pain in head still made it tiresome. As he reached the town wall the village was as silent as the grave. Without light the walls looked like ruins. With the shoulder bag held firmly under his arm Gael thought about what a nightmare it would be to climb the walls in his state. Gael walked along the wall for spots to climb. In vain, he thought as he came up on one of the gates. The gate’s braziers burned no fire, and they looked like they hadn't for a long time.

  ‘Hello!? He yelled, regretting it instantly. He stood in front of the gate, one part still in disbelief of his find, the other part tired and in pain. He crawled up against the corner where the gate met the gatehouse. He pressed the shoulder bag containing his notebook against his body and wrapped himself tightly in his cloak.