Wander Through the Woods

The blowing wind that flows between the trees almost guiding the leaves to their fallen destination. Fall is finally arriving and preparations for the Autumn Equinox is nearly complete. Tomorrow evenings festival will be the beginning of the season and height of the wilderness' beauty. The colors of orange, yellow, red, and brown somewhat enhance the majesty of the area. Today is not my time to admire such wonders. My current objective is to gather fruit. 

"I still need to gather another dozen before I can head book," I say to the chipmunk. Little bastard's holding another nut, then to upset me more the little fur all pushes the nut in their cheek. Slowly. "You know, if you weren't under her protection, I'd toss you so far across the forest it would take weeks before you would even find your region." We stare each other down. All I can do is stomp my hooves in frustration. I lower myself as I rub my horns to calm myself. "May you please at least point me in the right direction?"

Finally, the little bastard's running on my left directly ahead of me. The chipmunk stops a few feet away and sniffs the air. I pull out a cinnamon stick from my satchel and begin chewing.

"If I'm late for the bottling then the guardian's going to be really upset that she never received her wine," I said chewing on a cinnamon stick. "Do you really want to be the reason I'm late?" 

The little creature looks at me and points directly to the right. Little trickster. I might be a faun, but I still haven't figured out the woods and still really on the sneakiest of pranksters. Many of the trees are not so helpful either. After three Solstices and two Equinoxes I'm still too new to be trusted. My parents raised me to believe in the God of Wine, and I do like a good drink occasionally. I resemble a human to much as well.

My only true interference is the scent I leave around my territory. That's why this chipmunk is helping me find more wild fruit and nuts. I grow plants and fruits to cover the alcohol smell. I had a better talent with my flute.

My parents supported my choice with music over wine. Granted there's really only five things to do in the wilderness as a faun and satyr. Drunk, play, fornicate, eat, and sleep. I choose to play. When it came to mating, that's when the problems began. 

Phaness, a minotaura. Though my parents enjoyed her company, they seemed uncrtain. Both Phaness’ tribe and mine were slowly dwindling over time. We were becoming extinct. The clans of minotaurs were suffering the same fate as many others. Species were slowly dwindling. Most moving from this realm to the next, while some moved trying to relocate and start new clans. They were rarely heard from. 

When I came of age, I was given a choice to stay and mate with other fauns and satyrs. Help be part of the community or move on and find my own path. I choose my path with Phaness. She chose her clans future. A choice I still believe she did not have a say in. Before leaving she gave me a wooden flute for my birth-

"Damn pinecones," I yelled. "Way to go Rham. You leave your tribe only to get pranked by damn trees and shunned by chipmunks. I should’ve gone and mated with a damn…"

I stop myself only thinking of Phaness crying, telling me we can no longer be with each other. I shake my head. Pull out the cone and keep walking. The forest around me only bringing back memories, good and bad. My mind wanders as I trot between trees. In minutes I reach the edge of a familiar scent. I sniff the air and the smell slowly becomes stronger.

 I've been through this part of the forest a few times and still getting used to the rotating scents everyone leaves. Luckily I had permission to enter through this territory before sundown, but I have to avoid the ritualistic hunting grounds used for werewolves. The wolves help keep them roaming in certain areas. I needed a guide to venture through their territory.

"Where the hell can they be?" I look around hoping to spot any movement. I take a step forward and immediately stop. In my path sits a white fox. Their fur seems to glow in various colors from the rising sunlight. It's magnificent. "You're late."

They give a small gruff sound and low growl. 

"What did you say?" I asked stepping closer. 

The fox seems to glare, and finally turns heading deeper into the forest. Within minutes I nearly lose my guide. They become a white dot in the distance until I catch up. I try to make note of certain landmarks when I can. A rock that looks like my brother Theon. Two trees that remind me of a nymph orgy. Even a distinct scent that smells spoiled. The first time I did this myself I nearly lost my leg and was banned from the territory for three weeks. 

Traveling through the forest my mind once again wanders to the days I was back home. Since the day I moved away coming here I started to understand the new creatures that I believed to be in stories. Like Ralph the wendigo. The Bigfoot Yanto, the Moth-woman and her kids, and even a few werewolves. I met a few witches as well. Malia was the first witch to take me in before I was allowed to claim a territory.

I feel a sharp pain at my ankle and I jump back. The fox is growling at me baring her teeth. I'm about to yell when the wind blows and a strong scent hit me I nearly vomit. Lost in my thoughts I wasn't paying attention. In the distance I see three wolves sitting upon a river bank staring at me. There's a growl from behind. I slowly turn to see the fox barking at me. I look back to the wolves and slowly back away. I pull out another cinnamon stick and begin chewing. I can't remember when I dropped my first one.

Before the sun even reaches its peak, we arrived at a hidden lake, our destination. The area has a high cliff that leads into the mountains. Surrounding the edge of the cliff leading down is a large hidden lake. The edges slightly higher making it feel closed off. A small opening with sand as though trying to open. Various trees surrounding the entire area shadowing most of the water. There's a sad beauty as though it tries to draw you in then keep you trapped and hidden, forever.

I lose track of time for a moment as my satchel is nearly full. Looking around I spot an owl perched on a tree near a cliffs edge. The head swivels facing me. There’s a soft laughter followed by a sharp clicking sound. 

"Hey Malia, I had heard you moved closer to the mountains," I yelled waving my hand. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

The owl spreads their wings wide and glides down towards me. The body slowly changing as it becomes longer. Legs cracking as they grew longer. Black curls of hair growing from her head as it nearly triples in size. Large eyes but still barely visible through the hair. As she lands the wings become larger covering the entire body, making them look as though they’re wearing a large, feathered cape. Malia's face is mostly covered leaving a large orange beak that stands out and takes up most of her face. She clicks her beak.

 Malia the owl witch. One of the few left within the forest. She started rumors of eating children and people, keeping them away for quite some time. Until the last few decades. 

"Hello Rhamn," Malia says clicking her beak. "Good seeing again. You not-click-disturb. Stay up late. Saw-click-Aika through trees-click. Want say hello."

"Aika? Who the underworld is that?" I said looking around. 

Malia turns her head to the left side of the lake. The fox looks around with her tail whipping back and forth. As this happens her tail seems disappear behind the fox and reappears with a second tail. Then three, five, eight, until there's nine tails moving back and forth, almost flowing.

"That's a kit-sunny," I yell a little too loudly. 

"She kitsuni. She prefer fox-click-form. Must-click-earn her trust. She-click-friend. She future mate," said Malia.

"Congratulations. So that's why you moved your nest?" 

"Better hunting grounds.-click-But yes. Trying new-click-home." She scratches my head with her beak pulling out some insect as she chews. "You will earn-click-trust."

"You said that twice."

"Very important."

Malia walks to the outer edge of the bank as she nestles next to the fox. Aika slowly transforms into a naked woman, most of her tails covering both Malia and her. I spend the remaining morning picking up various plants, herbs, and nuts. There wasn't much to find by the time the sun reaches the peak. I wait near the edge of the lake until Aika turns into a fox and we begin heading leaving in the opposite direction from where we began. It was a longer path around the wolf territory. Returning to the Sanctum. It's never good to double back in the area.. 

Near the end of midday Aika sits at the edge of the treeline. Beyond is a large meadow, and a large tree nearly three times wide and encircled by the surrounding forest. The Spirit Tree.

Above ground it was a large tree in the middle of a meadow. It's roots however touched every edge of the clearing and beyond, connecting throughout the entire forest. Something called a "nets working" system. You learn a few things around humans. Apparently "Kosplai" helps with going into town in case of emergencies. Even though towns seem loud, I hear cities are even louder. Nothing against humans, but I prefer grass beneath the hooves instead of that flat rock. The sound of a raging storm instead of the sound blasters they have on those dark paths. 

"Hello, Rhamn? Hello?"

I look up to see a young naked woman. Her light almond skin covered by her long hair. They were made mostly of leaves and a few twigs, yet somehow it outshined brighter than any leaves. Her legs ran down into the ground as they slowly formed into bark at her feet.

"Madame Haldi," I said standing before her. "I gathered some nuts and plants for your 'spreading' on the edge of the forest." 

Madame Haldi smiles as she places a hand on my cheek, then above my heart. "Thank you. You have earned my trust long ago Rhamn. When you saved Aika from that wretched wolf." Even though her body is made from the plants, her voice is sweet smelling and soft.

"I tripped over a branch and fell down a hill landing into the wolf." I said chewing another cinnamon stick.

"The guardian has told me of the great things you've done for the little ones in helping them. You have shared enough with Malia and me. You should share with others to earn their trust and learn to trust them." 

She slowly settles down into the dirt as the ground takes her. It's somehow disturbing being consumed from below. Knowing she's the one capable of doing it somehow makes it comfortable. My mind wanders thinking about trusting other creatures. 

My tribe had lived in isolation for so long that when the first humans came they had but white cloths. So the stories have been told. I'm a few hundred years old myself but even during my time I lived in isolation from humans for a long time. When I made my travels, I was given assistance with the help of druids and witches. From what I’ve witnessed on my travels, the humans that I know see today, makes things complicated. I see the good and bad, their ways of love and their reasons of hate. I can only imagine as to why the animals can be afraid of someone that closely resembles human.

Near the edge of the tree line, I find nice spot that makes it easy to lean against. Nearly forming to my body. The rustle of the leaves blows overhead, and I still have some time before I begin bottling. My mind wanders again. I think of home, my family, the festivities, and even the humans that walked near our fields. My mind always came back to Phaness. 

I take out another cinnamon stick. I bite hard hurting my teeth. Phaness' flute is in my hand. I never played it, not once. I thought I had, but due to a strong batch of potato liquor I apparently tried to make a flute from pine wood. There was so much sap on my body that it took nearly three days to wash it out of the fur. It might be the reason for the pinecones.

This style of flute I've never played. It looked like a hollow stick with six holes. Around are two carvings, one a satyr and the other a minotaur holding a Lilly. The flute is much smoother, to the touch, more than I realize. It takes in the color of the Autumn leaves. I never understood why I stopped playing. I hold it in my hands and already I feel as though I know what notes are needed. Every song I've heard has always been joyous and uplifting. But there was a sadness behind it all. Trying to hide the disputes. Looking away from the decline. Fear of disappearing homes. In this land I’ve heard and seen differences in so many ways that I now see living life as a strange challenge.

Somehow, I think of a woman that came to a mountain cliff once. My first month in the new land. She sat at its very edge with a blanket beneath her. Hair a mixture of black and silver. She pulled out a flute very different yet similar. Hers had feather near one end. She played, and for the first time since I heard that flute I could only cry. I've haven't played since that day. Wishing to tell a story through my sound almost seemed impossible.

I grab another cinnamon stick and place it behind my horn. I close my eyes, wet my lips, and place the head peace at my mouth and blow. The melody almost seems like a mixture of notes. A story is being told of someone who struggles, but never conquers. Lies told believing their true. Family lost through time. The ways of old and never changing. The notes seem to instantly change. I think of loved ones and the tone seems to deepen. The pace quickens, and it seems to increase. I feel as though I'm hiding behind something, behind the music. I open my eyes.

During this time animals have come out surrounding me. Listening to the music. Even Malia, in her owl form, has perched atop a tree. Aika at the bottom. I didn't realize any of them. 

Phaness. We stare at each other as she stands at the Spirit Tree. I pray I'm dreaming or have gone to the underworld. She wears a ragged skirt and top, made from mismatched cloth. A large satchel to her side. She has a smaller snout than I remember, but I remember the jade nose ring she wore. I feel so many emotions at once I wish to pass out and start this day over. In the end I can only feel a since of empathy. 

One of her horns is broken. The symbol of their pride and dignity. If they don’t lose it in battle, then they can be shunned from their tribe. I pray that she lost a fight. I move closer taking a step forward. She does the same. I do it once again, and she follows suit, matching each step until we are but a few feet apart. She's still taller by a head, or two as she puts it. Closely seeing her I begin to see bruises, and scars still healing. I pull out a small herb and place it in a thin bag. 

"I've start becoming an herbalist," I said adding a few other ingredients. "This will at least numb any pain for a few…"

I know that we're both scared. I just can't keep talking at this moment. 

Phaness looks down and grabs her arm. I know the same feeling of disappointment. The feeling of uncertainty. 

She looks up at me. "How have…this is lovely…I'm sorry-" 

I grab her hand and take her to the tree I had been sitting. She sits down in the spot I was in earlier. It seems to fit her perfectly. Her satchels at the edge of her feet. I give her the bag and tell her to put it under her lips and swallow the saliva. I sit down next to her. The tree roots seeming to lower as we lean in close together. 

"How did you find me?" I ask in between playing the flute. The wind seeming to match the melody. 

She looks to me and brushes my beard as I play. "Your music always guides me." 

I this is a dream then I'm happy to never wake. If I’m truly awake, then tomorrow's Equinox well be… 

"I can't wait for tomorrow's name day."