The bird tweeted, ruffling its feathers. It was aware Nox was welcomed in the forest. It hopped from the branch and flew to the next tree, landing on a branch and tweeting again, waiting for Nox. It continued doing so with Nox following behind it, always checking to make sure she was there.

It took quite some time to get through the forest and into its heart. But once they were close to the clearing, the bird didn’t wait to fly into it and to Elvin, still resting on the ground beneath his tree.
“A visitor?”, he asked quietly, listening to the bird tweet to him. It had let Nox to him? “I told you to giver her my thanks, and not where I am. Naughty birdie.”, he chuckled softly anyways, not really minding it. He trusted Nox.

The clearing housed the crystal clear lake, where a lot of animals peacefully spend their time in the sun or water. At the edge of the clearing grew the oldest tree of the forest, under which Elvin laid.

shadowofthenox:

emptynarration:

The man scoffed, catching the pouch. He poured its contents into his hand, counting the coins roughly, before putting them back inside.
“Fine. If you’re so intent on protecting this wee tree.”, he shook his head, grabbing the handle of his cart and pulling it along with him, leaving the forest again. All the while, the animals kept a close eye on him, creepy in their staring, as the forest seemed darker than before.

A few of the animals left again though, going all in the same general direction: the heart of the forest. Elvin was hurt, and even he needed time to heal, just like the tree that had been cut. Until it had healed it with its resin, Elvin would be in pain as well.

Nox watched him leave and breathed a sigh of relief when he went out of sight. She looked around to see most of animals had left the area too. She felt the air grow cold and the forest was quiet again. She turned to the tree and felt the bark where it has been cut.

“I’m sorry this happened” she mumbled, sadly to the tree “I wish I could heal you”

Elvin was incredibly glad when the birds came and told him what had happened. He was safe, his forest was safe, and it was thanks to Nox. He let a little flower bloom in his hands, it’s petals resembling the same amber colours that were in his eyes. He gave it to the little bird, who quickly flew off again.

It flew back to Nox, landing on her outstretched arm. The flower held by its stem in the bird’s beak. It hopped up and down a little, before dropping the flower onto her arm. It trilled softly, before flying up and into a branch of the tree.

The man scoffed, catching the pouch. He poured its contents into his hand, counting the coins roughly, before putting them back inside.
“Fine. If you’re so intent on protecting this wee tree.”, he shook his head, grabbing the handle of his cart and pulling it along with him, leaving the forest again. All the while, the animals kept a close eye on him, creepy in their staring, as the forest seemed darker than before.

A few of the animals left again though, going all in the same general direction: the heart of the forest. Elvin was hurt, and even he needed time to heal, just like the tree that had been cut. Until it had healed it with its resin, Elvin would be in pain as well.

shadowofthenox:

emptynarration:

“I don’t believe in ghost stories, kid.”, the man replied with a huff. It was why he was here in the first place -people had warned him, had told him not to do this, but he didn’t give a damn about what they had to say. The forest could be as creepy as it wanted to be, he would get his wood.

“Now run off and tell your stories those superstitious townsfolk if it amuses you so. I don’t have time for this.”.

Nox stared at him. The animal watched silently from behind the trees, poised to attack.

She went to the tree and ran her hand across the harsh cut on the bark. Her father was indeed a woodsman but he highly respected this forest so she tried a different tactic.

“It’s very good wood and I can imagine you’d get a pretty penny for your labours” she detatched a pouch from her belt, jingling it loudly. “I know the value of this wood, this pouch has enough to pay for the tree. It’s yours if you leave. Think about it, you get gold for doing nothing. You can go home early and get the taste of ale on your lips before the sun sets” bribery wasn’t her favourite way to get someone to stop but she knew she had to try.

“You think you have enough to pay for the beauties I could make out of that wood?”, the woodcutter asked, not really believing her. “Let me count your coins and I’ll consider leaving it alone.”.

He didn’t much care if he didn’t have to do any work or not. But if she insisted on him leaving this forest alone, then he wanted enough money to indeed pay what he would’ve made out of that tree. He wasn’t even aware the people in the surrounding villages wouldn’t dare buy something made of wood of this forest.

“I don’t believe in ghost stories, kid.”, the man replied with a huff. It was why he was here in the first place -people had warned him, had told him not to do this, but he didn’t give a damn about what they had to say. The forest could be as creepy as it wanted to be, he would get his wood.

“Now run off and tell your stories those superstitious townsfolk if it amuses you so. I don’t have time for this.”.

shadowofthenox:

emptynarration:

Elvin smiled softly, eyes closed as he leaned back against his tree. His life, where he was bound to. It had grown to the whole forest, making him able to travel through it with ease. He had become the forest, and the forest was him, and he was happy as it was.

Suddenly a sharp pain went through him, making him gasp and clutch his chest. One second, two seconds, and another sharp pain struck him, and he cried out in pain. Someone- someone was trying to cut down a tree. And it hurt, it hurt his very being, until he was screaming in pain.

The woodcutter was unaware of the forest’s deity. Of the legends surrounding it. Or rather, the man didn’t believe in it. And such old trees, big and sturdy, were bound to give him great material.

Nox heard a cry in the distance, the forest had suddenly become eerily quiet at the sound, as of the whole area had stopped to hear the voice. She sprang up, forgetting about her pack and running towards the cry, jumping over the muddier parts of the path. Whoever it was sounded like they were in terrible pain.

Deer rushed past her as she ran, turning a sharp right and going out of sight. The birds screeched together and the din drowned out the cries. They looked to see rabbits bounding towards the same route the deer took. She followed them until she came across their target: the wood cutter.

She rushed forward and grabbed the handle of the axe as he swung it back.

“STOP!”

The woodcutter looked unimpressed as Nox turned up, even as multiple animals gathered, threateningly. Staring at him, his axe, his cart. Fully prepared to stop him, attack him if they needed to.

“What do you want?”, the man scoffed, yanking the axe out of her grip, but setting it on his shoulder. He had heard the screams, but he didn’t care. Coincidences, nothing more.

Elvin had fallen onto his side, curled up, clutching his chest. Taking deep and shaky breaths, as the pain only lingered. He hoped it wouldn’t return, that none of his trees were cut down. He knew the animals would try and protect him, the forest, but… he was always afraid when this happened.

Elvin smiled softly, eyes closed as he leaned back against his tree. His life, where he was bound to. It had grown to the whole forest, making him able to travel through it with ease. He had become the forest, and the forest was him, and he was happy as it was.

Suddenly a sharp pain went through him, making him gasp and clutch his chest. One second, two seconds, and another sharp pain struck him, and he cried out in pain. Someone- someone was trying to cut down a tree. And it hurt, it hurt his very being, until he was screaming in pain.

The woodcutter was unaware of the forest’s deity. Of the legends surrounding it. Or rather, the man didn’t believe in it. And such old trees, big and sturdy, were bound to give him great material.

@shadowofthenox

Nox walked slowly through the forest. It was her favourite place to be. She listened to the wind make the leaves whisper and watched the sunlight scatter through the shadows of the trees. The grass was shining from the morning dew and she little out a quiet chuckle as a drop of last night’s rain dropped onto her nose.

She knew of the legends of this place and recalled when she had been lost as a child. She was scared as I got dark but a voice on the wind told her not to be afraid and a track appeared in front of her which guided her home. Ever since then, she came back to this forest to offer her thanks by planting a new tree.

She carried the sapling carefully, trying to find a good spot.

---

Elvin smiled where he was, at the heart of the forest. The lake no one had ever found before -people either not daring to wander too deep into the forest, or afraid of getting lost. It was where the oldest tree resided, and with it the life of the forest’s deity.

He knew Nox was in the forest again. He was accustomed to her presence by now, able to tell it was her easily. The forest was always light for her, easy to walk through. Paths clear, and animals content with her presence. They knew she was safe, as did the forest.

Elvin had often thought of showing himself to her. He never had, though. The only thing he did, was visit the new saplings she brought once she left the forest. Talking softly to the new parts, the growing trees that would soon become a part of the forest, a part of him.

shadowofthenox:

emptynarration:

“Would you like to go eat out?”, Markus asked, curious. He could imagine it was already a lot to take in, so he wanted her to decide if she wanted to eat at home or somewhere else. He wouldn’t mind cooking, though he did need to buy some groceries if they wanted to stay home.

Nox’s shyness was building as she sensed more people looking at her curiously when they greeted Host. The bear on her shoulders did her best to comfort her but she was withdrawing more every minute they were out in the open. This was still very strange to her.

“Could we go to your home for…for dinner tonight? I’m…um….”

She looked away, ashamed of her introversion. “….it’s just….a lot to take in right now” she mumbled

“It’s no problem at all.”, Markus replied softly, offering Nox a hand to hold if it’d help her feel better. He knew Nox stood out against everyone else, and that everyone would look at her, so it was understandable.

“I can understand how overwhelming this must be. Let’s just go home for now.”, he’d get some groceries after making sure she was safe and okay.

“Would you like to go eat out?”, Markus asked, curious. He could imagine it was already a lot to take in, so he wanted her to decide if she wanted to eat at home or somewhere else. He wouldn’t mind cooking, though he did need to buy some groceries if they wanted to stay home.