Secrets of the Forest Copyright 2012 Elsha Hawk Photo by: Nikko Russano Smashwords Edition This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book, please link to this book’s webpage. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This story is purely fictional.
“What time is it?” Katie asked. Ron glared annoyingly back over his shoulder. They were hiking deeper into the forest than Katie felt comfortable with and it was getting darker. “Isn’t it time for us to go back?” She thought about the animals that hunted at night and wondered if they were waking up yet. She thought she saw eyes up in trees and in shadows. Hair stood up on her neck as she felt them follow her. Ron continued on his mission to find the stream he knew he heard just a few yards ahead. It seemed to be getting louder as he approached a clearing. They stepped into a field of clover; no stream, no trees, nothing. “What now, fearless leader?” Katie furiously spat. “Oh ye of little faith, follow me.” Ron turned around to go back into the forest on the same path they just came out of, but abruptly stopped. “What is..” Katie started but was interrupted. “Hush!!” Katie focused on the forest that was now quiet. No small breeze rustling the leaves. No movement whatsoever. Nothing but dead silence and increasing darkness. Ron pushed forward, feeling exposed with the clearing at his back. They carefully trod through the silent forest, every step forward slower and more precise than the last. They waited eagerly to hear something, anything other than their own heartbeats in their ears and leaves crunching underfoot. Katie screamed as she thrashed her leg. The roots of a big oak tree were wrapping around her ankles. She tried shaking her leg to free herself. “Help me!”
Ron began to grab the cable thin roots to loosen them, but as he worked to free her, other roots wrapped around his legs. “Watch out!”Katie screamed. Pulling his camping knife from his pocket, he cut the roots free from Katie’s leg and yelled, “Run! Run back to the clearing!” She started to run but after getting a few yards away, turned back to see if Ron had managed to free himself. Both frozen in fear, she watched as Ron disappeared into the earth. ~*~ Ron landed at the bottom of some sort of hole on a pile of leaves and who knows what else. He sat in the pitch black, assessing the situation. He was bruised, but nothing was broken. It didn’t seem like Katie was coming through after him, nor did it seem he was going out the same way he got in. He knew Katie was stubborn, but smart. If she took the time to think, she’d come up with something. Ron began to notice sounds bouncing off the earthen walls of the cavern. He must be in a large space. It was hard to judge how far he had fallen. He stood with his hand raised above his head to see if he could find a root to climb up. He reached as high as he could. Nothing. “You can put your arms down, you look ridiculous,” a voice said, making him jump. His heart skipped a beat. “Who are you?” he searched blindly all around, unable to make out any figures. “I am Silas, you can call me Sly.” Smoothly, two over-sized, pearly eyes became visible, staring milkily at him and glowing faintly twelve inches away. Ron gasped and stepped back instinctively. “Oh, that’s right, you topsiders need light to see.” Sly struck a match. Sly’s skin was as equally alabaster white hidden under a brown wrap. He carried only a satchel tied at his waist and the torch he just lit. The top of his bald head came up to Ron’s chest, and he was terribly thin. Sly turned his back to Ron and began walking away down a dark tunnel. Ron’s initial shock wore off and he realized Sly was his only hope for survival now. He jogged to catch up. “I have a friend, Katie, on the outside…” he told Sly. “She will be fine as long as she doesn’t run into the bogswallows; or the catswhips for that matter.” Ron couldn't imagine something worse than the carnivorous trees, but instead of arguing with Sly, he focused on getting out and getting back to Katie. “Where are we going?”
“Well first, I have an errand to run across the river for the Godswallops, nice race, though a bit snobbish at first..” Sly trailed off in thought. “Then will you show me the way out?” Sly did not respond. Ron followed him. Hopefully Sly would lead him out of this hole and he could find Katie again. They came to a riverbank, which surprised Ron because he hadn’t heard it silently slipping by. He thought rivers were noisy and fast. Sly handed him a second torch from a rowboat tied up on the shore, and lit it. Ron looked into the water illuminated by the torch and saw an albino fish dart away from the light like a ghost. “Are you coming?” Sly asked, perched in the boat a few yards away. Having no other choice, he climbed in the boat and sat. Sly steered them as they lazily floated down the slow current. Ron began to pick out details around them, pocks, divots in the rocky wall, cavern entrances, stalactites and stalagmites, even some colors. The light was not as strong, the flame burning low in the moving air as the boat cut through the cavern, but Ron could still see purple, brown, and gray layers in the rock. They came to a shallow pool and pulled the boat out onto a shelf of rock, a shore in this underground labyrinth. They went up steps carved into the cave floor to an opening that Ron had to duck to get through, but Sly glided neatly inside. They walked along the twisting, narrow pass until it opened onto a huge cavern spread below them. It was like a crater, and things moved along the walls. This must be what being inside a beehive felt like. The movement came from tiny inhabitants going about their tasks. There was a dull light here, rendering the torch useless. Sly left it beside the entrance. “Come.” The trail down inside the crater zig-zagged across the face of the cliff. At the bottom was a large pool. Above their heads sprawled the indigo and gray rock of the cavern and little creatures suspended on ropes chipping into it. They passed row after row of pueblo-style homes cut into the rock containing tiny creatures that stopped what they were doing and stared. They had large, almost colorless eyes, sharp pointy teeth in two neat rows on the bottom jaw that you could see when they forgot to close their mouths in awe. Their skin was mottled purple and gray like the rock and they wore the same style of brown toga that Sly did. At the bottom was a garden of sorts, near the large pool, and a lone structure, oddly hut-like compared to the pueblos they'd just passed. A small group of tiny villagers huddled together near the pool, all eyes on them. Sly, meanwhile, approached the hut and a taller, light skinned creature like Sly came out. The villagers scurried off. This creature could have been Sly's brother, only fatter and slightly taller. His head came up to Ron’s cheekbones. He inspected Ron, making him feel vulnerable.
“Not bad, Silas. Nice to see you again. Would you care to come in?” Sly answered with some caution. “Yes, thank you for inviting us. I think you will be most interested in his story.” The cloudy eyes flickered a moment with something that made Ron's hairs stand on end. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel good about going inside this new creature's hut. Sly entered the door. Ron stood still, afraid to follow. The creature saw the fear, or smelled it, and turned up the charm. “Oh, do pardon my ill manners! We haven't met! I am Elrond! And you are..?” “Ron.” “Oh how interesting! We both have Ron in our names! That must make us kindred spirits.” He smiled, showing his own set of pointy teeth, which was not comforting, but having had introductions, Ron felt obliged to enter the hut. He sat beside Silas at a low table. It was set for tea. Ron wondered how they had come upon it and where he had picked up his human etiquette. He slowly lowered himself into a too small chair carved from a single stump. Elrond sat across from them. “So what's this story, eh?” “Tell him how you came here.” Sly prompted. So Ron told him about Katie and the trees. Elrond listened intently. His eyes glinted and glowed, milky white like Silas' but there was a faint blue ring of iris and a yellow pupil. “Is this Katie friend of yours going to come looking for you?” “Yes.” “Well, you should wait here. We have plenty of room and plenty of scouts. They will find her and bring her to you.” “Really, I think I’d rather go..” “Oh, I insist! Please stay. We know the caves better than you, all the exits, have ties to the forest dwellers above, besides, it would be my pleasure to help reunite you with your friend.” Elrond’s smile was too large to be good. Ron felt a sickening sensation that there was more to Elrond’s insistence. Perhaps he thought two humans would make a better meal. He glanced at Sly, who looked ashamed. Alarm made adrenaline course through Ron’s veins. Ron decided he’d take his chances with the caves and bolted out of his seat. Elrond stuck out his foot, tripping him, and causing him to catch himself on the flimsy table. It tipped, and the
teacups assorted there crashed to the floor at the same time as Ron. Elrond got up as if to assist him, and using a sharp bone knife concealed in his toga, cut his arm ever so slightly. “Ow!” “Oh dear! You are bleeding!” “It's just a scratch, but I think I need to get this looked at. I’m sure my mother..” “Nonsense! I have just the thing. Besides, if you go, the river piranhas will smell the fresh blood and they are vicious. Just put on this unction.” Elrond produced a green and brown ceramic jar and opened it. It smelled earthy, like mud and green herbs. Ron allowed him to slather it on. “Thank you, you are really too kind, but I think I'd like to speak to Sly outside, alone.” It was a last ditch effort to leave and the two creatures knew it. They exchanged glances. Elrond nodded. Ron led Silas out of earshot of the hut and away from the crowd of the tiny lavender eavesdroppers outside. “I don't like the look Elrond has in his eyes. I'd like to stay somewhere else or get out of here.” “Well, I know these caves even better than Elrond, though he is wrong about the piranhas, he is right about having lots of workers to look for Katie. We should stay and let them look in many directions at once. Perhaps we can go to her when they find her?” “Why can’t I just leave? I’m sure I can find her myself!” “Because the trees do not attack unless there is unrest. You do not understand the ways of the forest!” Ron growled with frustration. “It seems like you are making up stories to frighten me into staying here!” Sly sighed. “There are certain forest dwellers that feel humans are a threat and will do anything to eradicate them. You should not go bumbling off into the wrong parts. You’d better hope Katie doesn’t bump into them. If she is out there, we will find her.” He decided it would be faster to have help, and against his judgment, conceded to Silas' plan. He watched helplessly as Elrond called groups of little creatures to him and sent them out in different directions to look for the human girl. ~*~ Katie had trudged back to the clearing and sat down to think on a fallen log. Ron had been swallowed by the forest. She could go try to find help, but who’d believe her? They would look for a hole in the ground, or something like quicksand, but she was sure the trees would just move
their roots back into place like nothing happened. This was a force much bigger than adult humans could handle. Exhausted, bewildered and alone, she broke down and cried. Her tears fell on the moss of the log she was seated upon. A voice startled her, speaking quietly between her sobs, “Are you lost?” She jumped up and spun around, looking for the source, eyes fierce and fists clenched, fear flaring her nostrils. “Who said that? Show yourself!” “I’m right here!” the voice declared in a pitch barely above a whisper and a little glow appeared on the log. Katie had to inch closer to see. The tiny creature had a mushroom hat that was luminescent, wings, and delicate human-like features. “You’re a fairy?” Katie’s eyes squinted. “I’m a sprite. Are you lost?” the illuminated sprite repeated and hovered closer to her face now that it wasn’t in danger of being squashed. “No, I’ve lost my friend, Ron. He was taken by the trees.” “Oh dear, that is bad. Do you want him back?” the sprite’s voice breathed. “Yes!” “Then you’ll have to hurry. Follow me!” She zipped off into the woods. Katie trotted after her, losing her more than once, but she always flew back to find her. “What’s your name?” Katie called to her, “so I can call you when I get lost.” “Call me Verdant.” “Verdant, where are we going?” Katie was out of breath. “To get help, we might still have time!” Verdant flew off at top speed. Eventually they made it to another clearing along a stream. Katie did not remember seeing this area at all before with Ron. As she looked at the slow moving water she heard Verdant softly speaking to someone. Katie turned to see more than a hundred sprites with the same mushroom hats and wings as Verdant's. "How...what...when did you all get here?" "No time for that, tell them the story you told me, especially the part about the trees." Verdant insisted. Katie told her story again and had to repeat the part about the tree roots a few times at the insistence of the sprites. When they were finally satisfied with Katie's tale they looked to Verdant for their orders. "You know what we must do!"
All the tiny sprites swarmed her. Katie was soon cocooned by them and started feeling lighter and lighter. They were lifting her from the ground! She closed her eyes, hoping it all was a dream. When she opened her eyes, she could see the tops of the trees. No sooner had she come to terms with what was happening, she and the sprites were in a nose dive back down through the trees and into the thick forest. Branches whipped past, dangerously close. She held her breath. The ground loomed closer every second. At this speed, she calculated that the impact would kill her. Katie closed her eyes as tightly as she could and braced for contact. For a brief moment Katie thought of her circumstances and realized she was trusting a group of flying mushrooms. She wanted to laugh hysterically but remained in control nearly convincing herself this was all a dream. The nose dive suddenly stopped. Katie opened her eyes to find herself standing once again on the ground. The hundreds of fairy mushrooms all around her but no longer on her. "Wow! I didn't even feel..” "SHHH!" whispered Verdant. Katie looked in the direction Verdant was concentrating on to see the very spot Ron had disappeared into the earth. She gasped. Verdant again sternly whispered, "SHHH!" Verdant slowly got down on the ground and lowered her ear to the dirt floor. In silent response, all of the other sprites also lowered their ears to the floor of the forest. Katie felt inclined to do the same but knew it was useless. Before the thought left her, Verdant flew into the air and disappeared into the forest. Seconds later the others followed. The ground trembled and the tree roots parted to make a hole. Katie gasped and scrambled backwards. She stared wide-eyed into the dark hole watching for what she hoped would be Ron. Instead a swarm of purple and gray skinned beings emerged. Katie looked around for the sprites, but they seemed to have disappeared. The tiny creatures advanced, their large eyes trained on her, eerily non-blinking. She continued to back up, and they slowly marched an advance. Looking over her shoulder she realized she was being herded into a thicket of trees. “No.” She stopped. The creatures paused. This had never happened before. They took their eyes from her for only a second and she jumped sideways, taking off at as fast a run as she could. For several strides, she imagined them right behind her, but in between heartbeats she heard forest sounds. She slowed her pace, and ventured a look behind her. She was alone. Through the branches she saw a sudden flash of green light. Curious, she made her way back. Peering ahead, she came upon a fantastic sight. The sprites were assembling in groups of four and building a charge they then fired at the purple beings. The beings had grown in number and angrily swatted at the sprites, but they were ill prepared for battle.
Then there was another rumble and another hole opened in the earth at the foot of a large maple. To Katie’s surprise, Ron emerged! But holding tightly to him was Elrond and holding tightly to him was Silas. “No!” screamed Elrond, his eyes were squinting in the dusk, his arms grappled around Ron’s waist. “You can’t go! You must stay!” Silas dropped off of Elrond and cowered, covering his eyes. “Elrond, don’t anger the sprites! We have a treaty!” “Katie!” yelled Ron when he spotted her. He bolted out from Elrond’s grip toward her. Forgetting all formalities, they hugged each other. Before either of them could speak, the forest trembled. Elrond was glowing a pale blue and pointed a long finger at the humans. “You must stay in the forest, FOREVER!” he screeched, the trees again uprooting themselves and sending strong vine-like appendages towards the children. Ron’s eyes glazed over, he went slack in Katie’s arms. “Ron! What’s wrong?” Katie saw the same glow in his eyes that Elrond had in his. She grabbed him by the forearms and shook him. She felt something on his arm. “What happened to your arm?” Katie pushed his sleeve up. The back of his arm was covered in bark! She tried to scratch it off, but he yelped. “Look at your arm!” Ron’s eyes remained glowing, his posture slack, leaning on Katie for support. Vines wrapped them together, held in place. Katie heard an evil laugh. “You can’t fight it!” screamed Elrond, “He is slowly becoming one of us!” “Ron! You’re turning into a tree!” Katie stared at him, then turned to face the sprites, who were peering out from behind leaves and logs. “Help him!” she pleaded. Ron groaned as he felt the changes inside him. “Ron, wake up!” Katie could not stop what was happening to him. “And you are next!” declared the taller of the two figures. She felt herself becoming entrapped now up to her waist, but still Katie pleaded for her friend, “Please!” Then a thought occurred to her, “Take me instead!” The terrifying sound of bark splitting made her cower, burying her head in Ron’s shoulder. Elrond slowly began growing a birch-bark skin. He rose, growing taller, his arms elongated into branches, his head sprouted twigs and leaves. “Dryads!” gasped Katie. Verdant flew up to eye level of Elrond, in danger of flailing twigs should he desire to flick the tiny sprite away. “You have gone too far, Elrond!” Verdant shrieked. “Did you hear what she said?! She is willing to trade! Is not one enough for you?”
The sprites flew into a swarm, flying faster and faster until they became a ball of light. They floated over to Ron’s arm, encasing it. A sweet song floated toward the heavens, mesmerizing all who heard it. The enchanting melody soothed the frazzled nerves as the spritely magic reversed the effects of the salve. The light dimmed and Ron stared at his newly healed arm, turning it this way and that. He laughed out loud, a short titter of amazement. Elrond shook his branches in anger, pale leaves fell to the ground. “You violated our contract, Verdant!” “You violated the laws of the universe! Enough is enough, Silas, will you witness?” she looked at the smaller pale creature. “We break the contract.” Immediately, a gathering of trees behind the two dryads began to move. Branches reached down as roots sprang up even as those holding Katie and Ron in place loosened. Silas and Elrond screamed. Katie closed her eyes and Ron threw a protective arm over her. The sprites rushed in, too few to carry two humans, so they pulled hair, prodded, poked, and did whatever they needed to do to encourage the two humans to move as far away from the scene as possible. “Ow! This is why you have a terrible reputation!” Katie frowned at the magical helpers who had become stinging pests. “Go, and forever hold your tongues, or the sprites will steal your dreams and haunt your days!” Verdant hissed at the humans, hoping to scare them from this place forever. The two ran until they left the forest behind. Breathless, Ron looked at Katie. “You okay?” “Yeah. Just.. winded,” she wheezed. The two panted until their breath came easier. “I’m glad you are okay,” she finally said. “We’ll be okay when this night is over.” “You think she was serious?” “What?” “Verdant, the sprite, about haunting us?” “I just want to forget it ever happened.” Ron started marching away determined to end this night in safety. Katie turned back. Though the green lights of the sprites were far away, she almost wished she could have captured one. She peered into the trees. The nearest one swayed ominously towards her and a cold gust made her shiver. She frowned up at it.
“Come on Katie!” After a few more seconds, she jogged to catch up.