The ominous trees craned over my head to get a good look at me as I cautiously navigated the uneven pathway through the forest. Although Father had not given me much instruction as to how I should reach my destination, a deep intuition took me further into the dark recesses of the forest. Strange noises echoed through the darkness, bouncing off the trees and serving to disorient me. I could have been walking in circles and I wouldn’t have known.

       Frantically trying to gain my bearings amidst the foreign landscape, I came upon a short stump, cut jaggedly and covered with bright green moss. Eager to rest my aching legs, I sat down to rest. My fingers rubbed the hilt of Father’s old sword comfortably, as if they were made to be there. ‘But why does no one else know of his heinous beast in the forest? They all think him crazy,’ I thought to myself, splaying my hands on my lap.

       Suddenly, a sharp cawing erupted from a nearby tree making me jump to my feet. My eyes darted up the side of the ragged tree and landed on a fine black bird resting tensely on a thin branch. I sighed deeply. ‘Just a measley, little crow,’ I told myself. ‘Nothing to fear.’

       My legs regrettably still shaking, I returned to my seat on the stump. And that’s when I noticed the shadow. It was fairly late, so the dark outline was barely visible between the tree trunks; yet I watched as it moved gracefully between the tall pines and drifted nearer, observing me. My fingers slowly found their way into Father’s--my sword hilt and tightened around the ornate silver with frantic strength.

       The figure stopped. I swore that through the darkness I could make out a pair of beady red eyes glaring at me, but I was quite surprised when the shadows faded away and revealed my stalker. It appeared to be an old crone holding a bucket in one hand and clutching her thin shawl close to herself with the other. A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and I drove the point of my sword into the ground.

       “Who are you, young man?” The woman asked, her eyes shining in the moonlight. “A young boy like you should not be wandering the woods this late at night.”

       I nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” my voice sounded small in comparison to the woman’s, whose presence commanded the utmost attention despite her diminutive stature. “My Father sent me here, yet it seems my journey was all for naught.” I scoffed, crossing my arms over the hilt and resting my head atop them. I yawned deeply, my mouth stretching wide.

       “You poor thing, it seems you are tired,” the woman clicked her tongue at me. “Please, come with me to my home. I have plenty of room to accommodate you.”

       I stared at her blankly. ‘Even a fool can see that you shouldn’t take that offer,’ my brain told me. ‘This woman appeared out of the foliage, in night no less, and offered you lodge...something is wrong. Do not--’

       ‘But I am so tired, and this is no place to be sleeping with the wolves and other dangerous beasts that lurk in the night,’ I fought, eyes grown so heavy that it was close to impossible to keep them open. ‘Besides, I will still have my sword with me. It will serve me well, as Father said.’

       “Thank you so much for your kind offer, ma’am,” I replied, stretching out my legs before awkwardly getting to my feet. Although I was yet to reach my height’s potential, I towered over the woman by almost three heads. My simple logic concluded that such a small, old woman could never have the strength to harm me. Turning slightly, I reached my hand back to yank my sword out of the ground. It didn’t budge. I yanked again. No difference. Using both hands, I pulled against the silver blade and prayed that it would finally give way. 

       I could feel the woman’s eyes boring into my skull with impatience and something else indistinguishable from my own frustration. With a slight jolt, the sword finally slid out of its earthen trap and glinted in the moonlight like an earth-bound star desperately crying out to the heavens. I let it glide into the leather sheath I wore loosely around my waist. The woman coughed, and my eyes drifted up to meet hers.

       “I am sorry to make you wait,” I said, bowing my head slightly to her. Her lips raised into a weak smile, revealing her yellowed, crooked teeth. She quickly shut her mouth and turned toward where she had come from, walking straight into the shadowed forest. No matter how persistent my brain was, my feet followed the woman closely.

Next Chapter: The Woman’s Abode