Spirit of the Forest

Romelia walked back towards her tree-top home, letting her thoughts wander as she did.

She had noticed that her father, and all the animals of the forest, had been starting to act strangely. The birds sang less often than they would any other day, burrowing animals stayed in their dens, even the predators were more defensive of their territory. Ordello had even asked her to stay in her home at night, a thing which he had never asked of her before.

“Hey! Romelia!”

The silver haired teen looked up from her thoughts to see Tanisha walking towards her. She had more than likely just come back from her house.

A large smile appeared on the young teens face as she hugged her friend. “Hey Tanisha! I thought you were with Cyri! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was,” she answered with a smile, “but after I gave him that soup for pain, he fell asleep! So I decided to get home before it gets dark.”

Romelia nodded. “Okay then. I’ll get to my home too.”

She stepped to the side to continue on her way home, but Tanisha stepped in front of her. This confused the girl, so she tried to move past her friend again. Like the other time, Tanisha stepped in front of her. Only this time, she grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away.

“Romelia.”

Tanisha’s happy tone had disappeared, replaced with a tone that she hadn’t heard from the nymph before. This new tone was full of warning with a bit of fear in it. The new tone sent chills down Romelia’s spine when she heard it.

“Yes?” Her voice came out small, as if it didn’t quite belong to her.

Tanisha looked at her from the corner of her eyes. Romelia nearly fainted from fright. Her friends eyes normally large, happy eyes were now narrowed, making her look dangerous.

Sending more chills down her spin, Tanisha spoke in the same tone as before. “Be careful. Even here, the woods are not entirely safe at night.”

The water nymph’s tone scared Romelia down to the center of her core. So she quickly agreed to hurry to her home as quickly as she could and as safe as she could. Tanisha let her arm go and walked off, while Romelia continued along the forest path that lead to her home.

Her mind wandered again as she fast walked.

Tanisha’s mood and warning confirmed the teen’s suspicions about the forest animals acting odd. To Romelia, there was nothing sensible to fear in the forest. It was a haven for all animals: Predator or prey. Life had always been peaceful here, with nothing bizarre ever happening. So why would the animals be so scared or fearful? What was there to be afraid of?

Romelia was still lost in her thoughts by the time she made it to her home. The sun was gone and the moon had started to rise as well. Remembering her friend’s request, she hurried up her ladder and closed the trap-door behind her.

Once the trap door was locked for the night, she lit one of her candles so she would be able to see. The small light lit up most of the room in a warm gentle glow. Cyri was still asleep, sprawled out on the bed. Her quilt covered him up to the middle of his chest. One of his arms was laid at his side while the other was laid out across his forehead, making his hair sprawl across the arm on his head.

Romelia smiled softly to herself at the scene before her. Setting the candle down gently, she began to prepare for bed. Just as she was laying out her blankets, a strange sound could be heard from over the woods.

It started low, almost too low to hear. Then, slowly, the sound started to grow.

The silver haired teen thought it was one of the woods main predator, in the moor where they liked to roam, but it didn’t sound like any of the wolves she knew. The sound was filled with remorse, gut-wrenching guilt, and sadness deeper than the river that tugged at the young girl’s heart-strings. Soon enough, Romelia could hear the words that were being sung.

“Come one and all,

One the same,

Find us all in the dark,

Where lay the spirits of above!

Long ago, older than day,

Wolf pups were born

To a happy mother of three.

Their pack was happy,

the skies sung their joyous words,

and peace came to the Valley!

Come one and all,

One the same,

Find us all in the dark,

Where lay the spirits of above!

One late day, as the pups were playing,

The father’s heart began to wander!

He wanted to roam, he wanted to sing,

To howl to the moon his song of joy!

He left the pups in their clearing,

wanting to sing his heart out, but when he got back,

his heart did crack at the sight in the meadow!

Come one and all,

One the same,

Find us all in the dark,

Where lay the spirits of above!

The howling drew quieter and the words were drawn out.

The pack was dead, all slain by tooth and claw.

The father cried his heart out over his fallen family.

Until one morning, over the sun’s warm light,

He came to a sudden realization.

Come one come all,

One the same,

Find us in the dark,

Where lay the spirits of above.

What would he do?

He was alone,

no one to comfort him

during his time of grief,

no one to curl with

during the winter nights,

no one to talk to

during the long spring treks,

And then, as the moon came up,

the father found his purpose

Come one and all,

One the same,

Find us all in the dark,

Where lay the spirits of above.

To find the sinners was his goal,

to avenge his friends, his pack, his fallen family.

In the middle of the verse, it started to pick up again.

They would pay and rue the day,

they ever set foot on his land!

The father ran,

ran from his home,

ran from his friends,

ran from his memories,

But he held onto his rage,

his sweet bitter rage, to avenge his fallen friends

Come! Come!

Come on and all!

To play in the Light!

One! One!

One and the same!

Where we go to the hills of green!

Find us!

Find us in the dark!

Where lay the spirits of above!

And we all go back to the Great Mother’s warm, warm fur

By the time the song had faded out, Romelia was crying. It was just so sad... Her tears fell from her face and fell onto her hand. She sniffled a bit as a new song started up. This one with a much more familiar voice. This song was now from the wolves in the forest.

“Happy child, happy mother

Going as one happy family,

to the Great Mother’s warmth,

in the great starry sky!

Starry child, starry dear!

Your time has come,

but do not fret,

For the Great Mother’s warmth shall lead the way!

Happy child, happy mother!

Going as one happy family,

to the Great Mother’s warmth

in the great starry sky!

Starry mother, starry dear!

Follow your child through the sky!

Lift her spirit to the sky,

and bring her to the the Great Mother’s warmth!

Happy child, happy mother!

Going as one happy family,

to great mother’s warmth

in the great starry sky!”

Romelia gave a small smile when the song ended. “Thanks guys,” she muttered quietly as her tears dried up. She used the heel of her hand to wipe away the remaining tears. Strangely, Cyri had slept through both the songs without waking up in the slightest way.

She smiled a bit more as she looked at Cyri’s sleeping form. Before retiring to her makeshift bed on the floor, the silver haired teen walked over to Cyri’s bedside. Gently moving his arm to his side, Romelia kissed his forehead in a motherly way.

“Goodnight Cyri,” she whispered quietly. His only reply was a loud snore to which Romelia giggled at.