so i listen to the    wind for an answer

She hasn’t been here as often as she might like. The Deep Forest still holds a special place in her heart. It was the first place she’d come in Helovia after the Threshold and the Edge. Inevitably, in a world that was foreign to her and with the dark cloud of sorrow hanging over her head, she’d found her way to a forest. This place was more densely populated with trees than her forest had been in Morham, the shadows bordering on spooky when the light hit just right. She finds the shadows comforting though, finds the low hanging branches to be friendly. Some might feel like they snag and rip, but she always feels like the branches caress her like an old friend.

Besides, this is where Apollo had found her. Where he’d shown her the pool that glimmered like blood from the rubies. The very same ruby he’d snagged from the water and given to her that day. The one she now wears on her neck.

And so she tries to come back sometimes. If only to see the trees, to thank this place for giving her hope when she’d had none. Also, secretly, to see if Apollo is here. But the Edge keeps her busy these days, and she finds herself here less and less. Still, today is a beautiful Orangemoon day. The weather is cool but not cold, the breeze light and not battering. And so she decides to slip out of the Edge and visit the forest. It doesn’t take her long to get there by air, and she arrives relatively early in the morning, looking forward to having the day ahead of her.

The effects of Tallsun are noticeable here; scorched bark and ash on the ground. Many trees already seem to have lost too many of their leaves, though she isn’t entirely surprised. As a whole, the forest doesn’t look as bad as perhaps it could. Still though, she finds herself slightly saddened by the sight of the ashes and blackened trees. Yes, she knows it’s good to purge the land and begin again sometimes, but still, she cannot help it.

Then, suddenly, the earth trembles. She nearly jumps into the air, but the trees are too dense here and there’s no real way to take off. So she does her best not to panic (being land bound when the earth is trembling is really not her favorite thing). But soon, the trembling stops. And if nothing else, Lyanna has learned that Helovia holds so many surprises. Particularly ones that start a bit ominously.

So she dives deeper into the forest, trying to pinpoint just what might be going on. Soon enough, she hears voices and smells an unusual number of horses for the Deep Forest. So she follows, until a thicket and a number of horses come into view. It’s easy enough to spot what they are looking at: a blue spruce with an egg nestled right in its base, safely ensconced in a bed of needles.

By now, she knows what an egg means. Some sort of companion. Though in truth, she finds herself almost more intrigued by the tree. The knots in the trunk seemed to have formed some sort of face. It doesn’t look kindly, but then again, it’s a tree, and she’s not even sure what kindly for a tree would look like. But for all her time in the woods, she’s never quite seen anything like that. So, as crazy as it might be, she says, “Hello.” Some might assume she’s just saying hello to the horses around, and in a way, she is. But mostly, she’s saying hello to the tree. 

lyanna