The Winter kingdom

Version 2.0

The quartet ventured from the outskirts of the village; their footsteps muffled by the layer of snow beneath their boots. With Brandon leading with a skip and a jump he dragged them to the forest. Halvar tried to lead the way, following his understanding of the area that he had traversed both as a man and a boy, through Brandon always made sure they were going the 'right way'. As they ventured deeper, the snow-covered ground gave way to a dense carpet of pine needles, creating a softer path beneath their feet. 

Brandon couldn't contain his excitement. "So, Halvar, what's Acorn like? I mean, aside from the obvious."

Halvar chuckled. "Acorn is ancient and wise, knowing much of the mysteries of the world, but she's got a playful spirit. Always in tune with the forest and its animals, she's a guardian of this part, ensuring the balance is maintained. Remember, though, treat her with respect. She isn't someone you can just run to go and see magic from; she is a living and breathing person just like you and I, as she has a duty."

At their destination, the towering trees, which yesterday seemed tall and proud, had become more hunched and sniveling. The air hummed with energy as it felt saturated, and heavy, in their lungs and body.

Halvar gestured to the surroundings. "Here we are. Acorn's territory. The spirits and the land will tell her of our arrival."

They waited in the quiet hush of the forest, the only sound the occasional rustle of leaves. Brandon's eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of their companion.

Suddenly, a soft voice echoed through the woods. "Halvar and you bring your mischief back."

The quartet turned to see Acorn emerge from the forest, her figure blending seamlessly with the trees. Her eyes regarded them with interest.

Brandon couldn't help but grin. "Hello, Acorn. We've missed you."

"It is good to see you return; however, now is not a good time. You will not be welcome here. It's best you leave," Acorn said with a harsh scowl etched across her face.

"But, what? Magic," Brandon stumbled out, his eyes wide.

"Apologies, Acorn, we will leave," Halvar exclaimed, quickly grabbing the back of Brandon's clothes.

"But. But Halvar. I want to see magic," Brandon protested.

"You want nothing, Brandon. Apologies, Acorn," Halvar said, almost bowing to the enigmatic guardian.

"Please, I will do anything, just let –"Brandon began to plead.

"Anything?" Acorn interrupted, her piercing gaze boring into Brandon.

"Ooh, that sounds ominous," Edric remarked.

Jon gave Acorn a side-eye look. "Yeah, and totally not child-touching creepy," 

Acorn moved swiftly through the woods, leaving little trace behind, only an ephemeral outline of her passage.

"Well, I, um, like not-" Brandon stammered out.

"Do your words not have meaning, child? Why say something that you are not willing to repeat?" Acorn demanded as she bared into Brandon, looking straight through him, connecting dots in her mind. "Well, so be it. Come. Your words might not have meaning to you, but they do to us."

With surprising strength for her size, Acorn grabbed Brandon and dragged him deeper into the forest.

"Um, Acorn, you can't just-" Halvar started, but he soon realized that Acorn was already leaving, forcing him to run after them. Not wanting to leave their friend to fend for themselves, Edric and Jon chased after them as well.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the trees grew taller and more robust, their bark dark and weathered. The air thickened as the trees gathered around them, closing in, as the ground beneath their feet felt rich with life. Moss clung to the trunks and rock, and ferns unfolded their delicate fronds, coated in a thin layer of pristine snow. 

The forest floor, adorned with a myriad of plants, sparkled like a winter wonderland, each step revealing hidden worms and minor insects. The symphony of their footfalls mixed with the gentle rustle of leaves overhead, was melody as they rushed deeper into the forest following the image of them.

Acorn moved through the forest with an ethereal grace, as if she were gliding between the towering trees. Her lithe figure wove an intricate path, seamlessly navigating the terrain with a dance-like elegance. It was as though the forest itself responded to her presence, parting and bending to accommodate her every movement. 

Her steps were deliberate yet effortless, leaving behind only the faintest trace of her passage—a mere whisper of disturbed snow and a subtle rustling of leaves. Acorn moved with a connection to the woodland, a silent dialogue with the ancient trees as she asked for their parting. The winds followed leaving her image behind her.

The trio of companions, struggled to keep pace, their eyes wide with awe at the ease of Acorn. As she led the group deeper into the forest, they stumbled upon a hidden clearing bathed in an eerie, silvery light. At the center stood a massive Heart tree, its gnarled branches reaching toward the sky like an open palm. The colossal Heart tree bore a face carved into its trunk, its eyes weeping tears of red sap. The air in the clearing pulsed with wind, that carried all the life of the forest from birds to saplings.

Surrounding the Heart tree were the oldest and largest trees of the forest. Towering obelisks of time, with twisted branches intertwined like a winter-bound couple. These arboreal giants stood quiet, witnesses to the passing centuries, each ring on their weathered trunks a medal to the history they held.

Nestled amidst the colossal trees were dwellings seemingly integrated with the forest itself. These homes of the Children of the Forest were concealed within the ancient trees, appearing as part of the natural landscape until one moved in or out of them. 

Each ray of sunlight carried with it a subtle enchantment, infusing the air with a soft, glow that heated the air as it passed over the group, tickling the skin to bath it in warmth. Light filtered through the leaves overhead, casting a gentle glow upon the hidden abodes, which were interconnected by woven pathways and bridges formed from living vines.

Paths woven from living vines crisscrossed the clearing, forming a network that connected the dwellings of the Children of the Forest. These pathways were concealed, blending with the undergrowth and branches. To the untrained eye, the intricate web of trails remained elusive, only revealing when needed.

Bent over, Edric, Jon, and Halvar caught their breath, both from the run and also from the beauty before them. Not far away from them was Brandon, who was sitting on the ground next to Acorn, who was talking with five children of the forest. They chanted to one another through Brandon still looked confused, the air flowed around them brushing up against their skin as birds fluttered around them, landing in their hair and twittering to them.

As they just started to catch their breath, the children of the forest seemed to come to a decision and turned to the three of them.

"Come, humans, there is much to talk to you about," the most ancient child said, leading them towards the heart of the grove.