I do believe this is my entry for the Forest Setting Contest, but not totally sure. Tell me what you think? Would love to have some reviews.
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~*~ The Awakening~*~
~*~By Keira~*~
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The night was young, the moon barely peeking over the tree tops. Its light cast grim shadows over the rough terrain. It almost seemed to make the earth breathe as the silver strands filtered through canopy of leaves and hit the pine needles covering the ground. But the girl barely noticed for her mind was troubled. The dilemma that she faced controlled her thoughts. Swiftly she ran through the forest but with an odd gait. Her long black cape flew behind her, the ends trailing into the shadows of night. Cascading blond curls tumbled from the pins that held it in place, catching leaves and twigs. She was scared her enormous hazel eyes searched the surroundings; the forest was off limits to her people at night. The only thing that frightened her more than the forest was the loss of life but not her own. She leaned against a tree cradling the tiny bundle she clung to so tightly. Her daughter, her sweet, innocent child, born only two days past her life was all that mattered now. Once again she shivered. The forest, so beautiful in the daytime, was daunting at this time of night. The trees groaned, sounding like the dying. Owls that lurked in the thick canopies of leaves, staring at her with menacing yellow eyes, called out in their chilling tones. She wished she could hide her eyes, cover her ears, but the safety of little Ava depended on her bravery.
A rustle from one of the many head high bushes made her jump. She blew out a grateful breath. It was only a small nocturnal bird startled from its perch. Her heart beat was pounding in her head and the wound on her thigh from a villagers arrow hurt mercilessly. The pain was almost unbearable but she couldn’t stop now. She must protect her child.
Then through the pulsating voice of the wild forest, the clamor of man, she struggled to stand upright. She had hoped they wouldn’t follow her into the forest this night. As superstitious as they were, but no her crime as they called it must be punished. She felt like swearing for her only crime was being the farmers pretty daughter. To them, she was a witch. How else would she get the prince to lie with her, without bewitching him? What they wouldn’t believe was the prince had raped her, she hadn’t wanted this, but they wouldn’t see it that way. Even though Ava was the sinful fruit of that horrible night, it hadnt been her fault and she deserved to live, not to be burnt on the stake along with her mother for crimes they had not committed.
She began to run again, slower this time; she tripped over exposed roots that seemed to reach out of the darkness to bring her down. A small strangled cry passed through her lips as she was struck in the face by a branch. She knew she had to keep going, and she did shielding baby Ava from the woods, gaining cuts and scrapes, bruises and dirt. But she struggled on to an unknown goal even as she heard the mob behind her.
All this time the ancient forest watched in silence. Not often did it stir itself these passing days. Those times were long past, but something had woken it this night. Slowly it reached out from its center. An enormous tree that had survived many centuries, it was taller than all the other trees, with branches that stretched on for miles in every direction. Its base was a day’s walk around it and many of the forest animals called it home for there were many places to hide with cavities and hollow openings. The floor feeders like the rabbits, mice, and others made burrows under some of the roots that the dark dirt did not cover completely. Along one side, a gap between the bark, almost undetectable, and it lead to a large room like space near the center of the trunk.
It was amazing and breathtaking to gaze at this tree. The deep root system connected the entire forest and the tree felt the disturbance, it made the forest-tree angry. Slowly the wind began to pick up, and the wild things bolted from their dens with fear.
The woman noticed wearily that the forest seemed to be waking up, the wind howled through the hollows and birds cried out in distress. Limbs that hung weakly crashed to the earth’s floor, and the ground shook. She held her baby tighter as the trees bent and the wind screamed at her, terrified she burst out into a clearing.
Looking up she saw the Eternal Tree, the people called it, the place they came to seek wisdom. She remembered playing here as a child, she also remembered all the hiding places in the tree itself. She staggered to the tree leaning against it for strength, closing her eyes.
The tree was angry at the villagers as they trampled through its woodland killing things under their feet and burning their way through the brush. But as it raged, it felt another presence, a small weak one, but pure and filled with love. The love was so intense that the tree stopped its violence and searched for the cause of it. It listened and felt the magnificence of the feeling. It made the tree happy, and when she leaned against the trunk, it let some of its measureless energy flow into her body.
The clearing was filled with torches, and shouts. Her eyes fluttered open, and she hid her child’s face hurriedly.
“We have you now witch!”
Were the echoed shouts, cruelty dripping from the words.
“You three gather the wood. She burns now!”
Hearty yells went up from the crowd; they were cheering for her death!
“NO. Please no, I have done nothing wrong!”
She screamed as two men came toward her eyeing her greedily. Their well built bodies shiny with sweat. Her heart gave a leap as she recognized the hungry looks the prince had eyed her with.
“Maybe we’ll have a bit of fun with you before you…”
A third said as he paused glaring at the helpless baby she held protectively against her.
“Before we burn you…both.”
She screamed as they grabbed her, clawed at them with her free hand and kicked at their groins. One finally managed to jerk Ava from her arms; he tossed her to the ground before turning back to her. He laughed, as she called out to her baby who now cried, she prayed Ava was okay. Tears rolled down her cheeks splashing to the trunk of the tree.
Then suddenly he was gone with his screams lingering in every ones ears.
Both men that had been holding her released her as though they had been burned stepping away. She fell to her knees crawling to her daughter. She was thankful that miraculously Ava had landed in a bed of large curling ferns.
“I am the Voice, I am protector of the forest; I am the center of life. Who are you? What right do you have here in my woods? Who are you, to destroy my family, and why do you hunt the innocent?”
Everybody shuddered, even the baby stopped wailing, as the voice almost as old as time itself reverberated through the forest. A million whispers combined into one powerful voice.
The men stood shocked as though they couldn’t believe this. The young woman leaned against the tree, her eyes shifting uneasily from each of them.
“WELL?”
It echoed, chilling everyone. One of the braver ones mumbled as he searched the tree tops.
“She is a Witch!”
And then he was gone, a huge hand like branch snatching him into darkness.
“Who else among you hideous humans wish to harm a mere child?”
All was silent.
“THEN BEGONE!!”
The villagers nearly fell over each other as they scrambled in their haste. But the girl stayed, too tired to run anymore.
“Please, mighty one” she murmured, nodding her head in respect
“May I stay here and rest?”
The opening in the tree became visible and a branch helped her gently to her feet, pushing her to the gap that had light flowing from it mysteriously.
“Small one, your love for your child awakened me. I thank you. For I have been asleep for too long, they will remember now why the forest is to be respected. FOR I AM A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.”
She nodded not caring that she was speaking to a tree,
“But you are also merciful. You saved the one thing that matters most to me. My daughter, for that I will serve you. And if it pleases you make my home in this forest.”
She knew she would because suddenly the forest wasn't scary to her. It was a haven from evil.
If it could have the tree would have nodded as she disappeared into the trunk.
“And so begins the line of the Keepers of Life”
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