They continued to explore the forest, the trees growing darker as the sun dipped below the canopy.
"It's getting dark. What should we do?" Sollene asked, glancing around warily.
"We should camp," Thane replied without hesitation.
"Is it going to be safe?" she pressed, her voice laced with concern.
"Cael and I will take turns standing guard," Thane offered.
"Why just me?" Cael whined, frowning.
"You're a man, Cael. You should act like one," Thane reprimanded. Cael grumbled, crossing his arms with a low "hmph."
"Uhm, you guys," Cress piped up, her voice small. "Look over there behind the trees." She pointed toward the shadows.
The others followed the direction of her hand. In the darkness, they saw lights small, steady glows that floated silently in the air like lanterns trapped in place.
"I'm going to check it out," Thane said, already striding toward them.
"Thane, hold on!" Sollene called after him, but he didn't stop. "God he's frustrating"
A moment later, his voice rang out from beyond the trees. "Guys! I think you should come see this!"
They hurried to catch up. As they stepped through the trees, the forest opened to reveal something completely unexpected.
There, nestled within the trunk of a massive tree, was a small home. A wooden door and windows were seamlessly built into the bark. Soft golden light poured out of the windows, bathing the area in a calm, warm glow. A wishing well sat beneath a slanted wooden roof, moss covered stones circling its base. The scene looked like something from a forgotten fairy tale.
Before anyone could speak, Thane walked straight up to the door and knocked.
"Why would you do that?" Sollene complained, exasperated.
"We were going to knock anyway. I don't see why we had to waste time talking about it," Thane replied with a shrug.
Sollene sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
They waited, the forest unusually quiet around them.
"Maybe there's no one home," Cael muttered.
"Try again," Sollene said. Thane stepped forward and knocked a second time.
This time, they heard movement soft clinking from behind the door, like glass touching glass.
The door creaked open, revealing a figure standing in the warm glow of the home.
An elvish, spirit like woman stood before them, radiant with a gentle, ethereal white light. Her long blonde hair flowed like moonlight down a gown that shimmered softly with its own glow. She gazed at them with kind, timeless eyes.
"What can I do for you?" she asked, her voice gentle and melodic. Something about it made their hearts slow and their fears ease.
"We were wondering if we could stay here for the night… if that's okay with you, of course," Sollene asked the gentle spirit.
"You wish to stay the night here?" the spirit repeated, her tone touched with worried surprised. "Do you not know who I am?"
"My apologies for not introducing ourselves sooner," Sollene said quickly, dipping her head. "I'm Sollene. This is Cress, Cael, and Thane. May we know who you are?"
The lady's expression brightened with sudden realization. "Ah… you must be new arrivals," she said, her voice lifting with excitement. "It doesn't matter who I am. It's been so long since I've had company. Please, come in make yourselves at home."
She stepped aside, holding the door open with a warm, inviting smile. "Does anyone want to have a bath?" she asked, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
They nodded eagerly, grateful for the offer.
As they stepped inside, a soft, diffused light greeted them, glowing gently from the very walls. The air was still, yet held the light scent of wood and blooming herbs subtle and comforting. The walls were made of smooth, living wood, etched with delicate carvings of vines and leaves that seemed to shift ever so slightly in the light, like they might start growing again at any moment.
The floor beneath their feet was polished and warm, as if it remembered the sun. Woven branch seats curved around polished stone tables, their surfaces decorated with neat bundles of dried flowers and fragrant herbs. Cushions made of soft moss were arranged with quiet care. It felt like nature had folded in on itself to create a sanctuary peaceful, timeless, and untouched by anything cruel.
None of them spoke at first. They were too busy soaking it all in, the way it eased something in their chests they hadn't realized was still tense.
They followed the woman, who left behind a trail of softly glowing white butterflies. Each one shimmered in the dim light before fading after a few steps.
"Come in, take a seat anywhere. I'll prepare some food while the water warms," she said with a smile, then disappeared into another room.
"She's strange," Cael muttered, watching the butterflies vanish.
"What if she wants to eat us?" Thane said with a grin.
Cress's eyes widened in alarm. "Don't joke like that!"
"Stop it. She's just really nice," Sollene said firmly, though she glanced toward the doorway, a little unsure herself.
"Here's the food!" the lady announced, stepping back into the room. She carried a tray with several bowls and cups, setting them carefully on the table. Then she picked up a steaming cup and walked over to Cress.
"Here you go. This should help with your leg. Take it, then try to stand."
Cress accepted the cup hesitantly and drank. The warmth spread through her, and when she stood, she blinked in surprise.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," she said, testing her weight on the leg that had been aching.
The others stared. Even Cael looked stunned.
"What was in that tea?" Thane asked.
"It's a leaf I found some time ago," the spirit answered calmly. "I discovered that when it's brewed just right, it can heal minor injuries."
She smiled and gestured to the table. "Now, come on eat before it gets cold."
The food looked delicious. The soup glowed with a rich, vibrant red hue, sending up savory steam laced with the scent of sweet vegetables and fragrant herbs. Beside it sat a thick slice of bread with a deep golden crust and a soft, airy inside.
"I tried my best to replicate something from your world," she said kindly.
"What do you mean?" Cress asked, her spoon pausing halfway to her mouth.
"Oh, dear. I know you have many questions," the lady replied gently. "But you should rest for today. I'll answer your questions in the morning."
They ate in silence, the soft clinking of spoons against bowls the only sound in the room. The warmth of the soup did little to comfort them. It looked delicious the broth shimmered with a deep, rich red, and the bread had a golden crust that crackled under their fingers. But the moment it touched their tongues, something felt off.
It didn't taste like food. It tasted like memories.
Sollene chewed slowly, her brow. Despite how delicious it looked, she recalled bread that was dense, dry, the kind that turned to paste in your mouth. The soup felt watery, with no salt or depth. And yet it was familiar. The orphanage. The dull ache of hunger. The same meal every night under flickering lanterns. She glanced around. The others looked like what they tasted was different.
"Why does the food taste like this?" Cael finally asked, lowering his spoon.
"Like what memories?" the spirit replied gently, standing by the doorway with her hands clasped. "That's what it is. If you've noticed… I'm not like you. I feed on stories. And many others you'll meet will be different from you too..." She paused. "But that's a story for tomorrow morning."
No one argued. The weight of her words settled over them like a blanket.
After the meal, she let them wash up. A small washroom had been carved into the tree's side, fragrant steam rising from a basin warmed by soft glowing stones. Towels made of mossy fibers hung from delicate hooks, and water flowed with the sound of wind through leaves. When they were done, she showed them to their rooms girls in one, boys in the other.
Cress looked around their room in awe. The beds were made of intertwined branches and lined with thick, woven vines. Soft moss served as pillows, and a canopy of leaves above them shifted with the faint breeze. "She seemed really nice," Cress said as she slid under the blanket, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Yes, she did," Sollene agreed, pulling the blanket over her own legs. Then her voice dropped. "But don't let your guard down."
Cress turned to look at her. "Okay."
In the boys' room, it took a while before either of them spoke. Thane lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of gently waving leaves.
"Cael. Cael," he whispered.
There was no response.
"Cael," he repeated, a little louder.
"What?" Cael finally grumbled, half-asleep.
"I can't believe you're already asleep," Thane said, shifting to his side. "You know, you could die from letting your guard down too much."
There was a pause, then Cael mumbled into his pillow, "Thane… please sleep. Besides it won't matter I'll be dead."
Thane snorted a laugh, but said nothing more. The tree creaked softly around them as the wind blew outside, and soon, the whole house settled into silence.