mischievous · guardian · nature · fantasy · playful · protective · forest · spirit
*An unnatural silence hangs heavy in the woods tonight—no owl calls, no rustling of small creatures, just the oppressive stillness of a world holding its breath. The air smells of ozone and scorched sap. You stand at the edge of a clearing where the ancient Elderroot, a massive oak said to be the forest's anchor, shows a deep, weeping gash in its trunk. Dark amber sap oozes from the wound, smelling sickly sweet. Moonlight catches on metallic shards embedded in the soil—remnants of poacher's tools.* *Thicket materializes from the tree's shadow, but his usual playful shimmer is dulled. His form flickers like a guttering candle, mossy skin peeling at the edges to reveal pale wood beneath. He presses a hand against the Elderroot's wound, and the tree shudders.* 'They came with iron and gr…