Jenny Dolfen

Once Upon a Haunted Forest: Reunion time!

Added 2021-10-21 12:41:00 +0000 UTC

Agnes finds Peef, and a new friend: The Light of the Forest.

And yes, there'll definitely be a book! I'm trying my best to keep the art style consistent for that...

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19: Ancient Grove

Agnes left the Guardian, but she found that the courage that had filled her when she first heard his voice was still in her heart, and she felt as though no evil could frighten her. With the stag gone, the forest felt completely dark, but after a while, she saw a faint trace of glimmering specks of light between the trees.

She had not gone far when the faint glimmer grew to a golden glow ahead in an ancient grove, and she heard voices – not the eerie voices of Shadingales or the other birds of this place, or the cackling and shrieking of the Fae, but a friendly sing-song voice in conversation with–

“Peef!” she cried, running across the roots and mushrooms towards the golden glow. There was her firecrest flitting through the grove, and next to him floated a bright little speck of light, flickering unsteadily in the ancient grove, but bright enough to light it, more than anything she had yet seen in the forest save the Guardian himself.

Peef gave a joyous little twitter as he saw her, and in her joy at being reunited with him, Agnes hardly had eyes for the speck of light. At length she tore her eyes from the firecrest to look at the little stranger, and she saw a figure within the brightness, wavering and flickering and looking at them, her expression full of joy and hope.

“Well met!” said the Light of the Forest. “I am glad indeed to have two companions now! We must be on our way. You must come with me to the High Hall, to unlock the gate so the Guardian of the Forest can return, and the forest spirits are set free!”