If there was any night meant to be plagued with nightmares, it was perhaps the one Katherine spent under the branches of the pine tree. However, when she blinked into the soft morning sunlight, filtering through sprill-filled branches and accompanied by the rustling of bird song, she woke to find her sleep had been undisturbed. She sat up against the tree trunk, the rough bark catching a little on the fabric of the mossy blanket still wrapped around her. Despite the chill in the air, nipping at her cheeks and nose, the blanket battled the cold even as she woke.

She closed her eyes against the sun and the unfamiliar scent of pine, earth, and an ever-present smell of dampness. Other than her walks to the cemetery, she'd never spent much time within the forest or even outside of the walls of Lakesedge. Despite its namesake, a forest-surrounded lake on the edges of the town, it lay nearly abandoned due to the same superstitions that kept the townsfolk from the forest. Katherine maybe didn't believe in lake monsters before, but she might after last night.

Against her eyelids, images of her swirling dance with the king drifted unbidden. Haunting silvers bled into thoughts of her flight with Samuel, her unexpected but not unwelcome hero. She was loathe to use the word, but it was true enough. Although, all the heroes she'd ever heard of never required anything in return. Wasn't that how it was in the bedtime tales? She scrunched her nose, her eyes still closed, before opening them with increasing curiosity.

Taking in the sight of the long-departed fire, its embers gray and blackened, and the rest of the small clearing they'd found refuge in, she squinted. The sun was higher in the sky than she expected, its bright rays giving off the appearance of midday more so than morning. After years of waking early to tend the glass shop hearth, run errands, and scamper to watch the baker's earliest works with her sister, she could feel the late hour in her bones.

Why hadn't Samuel woken her earlier?

As she looked around their makeshift campsite, the answer soon revealed itself and Katherine felt her stomach drop to her toes. Samuel was nowhere to be seen, and Katherine was entirely alone in the clearing, only the ashes of the fire, the fallen log, and the moss blanket remained to keep her company.

She surged to her feet, taking her covering with her as she went to where she last saw Samuel, by the edge of the fire. The place he'd claimed as his perch, the very end of the log, and as far as he could get from Katherine without falling off of the log entirely, lay abandoned. There wasn't even a single sign that he'd been there at all.

It wasn't that she expected it, but against her will she searched the bushes and the fallen leaves from the prior year's autumn for the tell-tale golden dust she'd now learned to expect to come with magic, fae, and all things unnatural. There was no sign of it, not a glitter, not a shimmer. The only thing magic was the memories of the night before and the gold hem of her day-old dress.

Spinning in a circle, Katherine took in the sight of the ancient pines and even older forest floor. If anything peered back at her, she could not tell, but she blinked against her rising panic. Had it all been a dream?

She looked down at the seams of her work dress, the trusty blue fabric, worn from years and years of use, and the sight of the gold dismayed and reminded her. No, it wasn't a dream.

But where had Samuel gone? Had he decided to abandon her to her journey and fate?

She shook her head, even as she continued to look, scanning the area behind the log and where she'd slept. No, he hadn't seemed like he'd abandon her. She still couldn't tell what his angle was, but she doubted he'd expend so much effort for a lost cause.

A shine of silver caught Katherine's eye as she bent over the log, and she crouched lower to rustle through the crackling leaves. She didn't have to search far. On top of the leaves, as if dropped there straight from the hand it had been on lay a silver ring.

If she'd found it three days before, she would've simply grabbed it, but something made her stop. Turning back around, she took up one of the remaining sticks from the kindling pile, taking it and looping it through the ring. Using a fork in its branches to hold it aloft, she peered closer at the metal and its shiny surface.

Scrawled across it, as if written with a deft hand, was a curling, cursive script. She squinted at it, bringing it nearer to her, the silver nearly touching the tip of her nose. She couldn't make out the exact words, but she suspected she wouldn't be able to read it even if she could.

Moving past where she'd found it lying on the forest's bed of foliage, she wrapped the blanket closer around her, holding the stick aloft as if it were a wizard's wand.

"Hello? Samuel?"

No one answered her. No birds chirped, and no person appeared between trees. She tried again.

"Is this your ring?"

She asked this to no one, but if she could give gifts to a forest and have a king receive them instead, then certainly someone could hear her. A sudden thought occurred, freezing her in place.

Could the king hear her? Could he see her where she stood?

The bubble of anger and fear from the night before reappeared like unwanted indigestion. If he were king of the woods as he was king of the fae, he could watch her from his kingdom, wherever that was in its nestle of folds. He probably sat laughing at her from the comfort of a cushy throne, wine and delights sprawled in front of him like he watched a court entertainer.

She stomped her foot, channeling her energy into a motion more childish than she would normally allow. Frustration rolled off her in waves.

"Is this all a joke to you?" She yelled, her voice echoing off the trees and scaring away a cluster of birds. "Is this just a game?"

No one answered. Of course, they didn't.

Making a decision, she pulled at the blanket, wishing it was a cloak instead, and trudged away from the campsite. It likely was a horrible decision. She could be eaten by a bear or a dragon. Samuel could've wandered off to get a delightful breakfast of forest bird egg and wild mushrooms and would return any moment.

But it was high time she stopped relying on things to simply right themselves without her trying.

She journeyed into the thicket of trees, pushing aside branches, aside berry-laden bushes, and jumping at every twig snap and caw of a disgruntled crow or chatter of a squirrel. The trees surrounded her, taller than any of the buildings in her town. Could they be higher than even the palace of the very human king farther afield from Lakesedge?

Whether she meant to or not, she could recognize she climbed higher. It was a steady and slow incline, not at all like the steep climb usual to the path to the cemetery— the extent of her hiking and adventuring experience.

Without meaning to, her anger began to burn away, replaced by a wish to see more. More of the woodland creatures, more of the dainty forest flowers she passed, blooming in beds of violet and vibrant green. As always, her grief came unbidden. She spoke to her sister; she was alone after all.

"You would've loved this."

"Indeed, I do." The reply came from behind her.

Katherine whirled around, eyes widening into saucers. In front of her, a majestic and sturdy beast sat, a coat of tawny gold and wings shining in the mid-day sun. The scratching drawing, shown in flickering flames from the night before hadn't done the creature justice. It watched her with intelligent eyes and a coy smile, if you could call it that, on its snout. It had the head of a mountain cat, but the talons of an eagle to match its wings and feather-laden and tossled back.

"What are you?"

The animal huffed at her, tilting its head up in distaste.

"You're a rude one." The creature took a step closer to her, snapping a branch with its hefty claw. "What are you doing in my forest?"

"Your forest?" Katherine's mind went unbidden to the fae king. Surely, this wasn't also the fae king?

"Yes, my forest. This is my domain. Mine to hunt, mine to tame, and you are trespassing."

"I'm so sorry, I do not mean to trespass." Katherine thought quickly. "If you can point me in the direction of the way out, I'll be on my way and out of your—" she fumbled for the right of the words, drawing a blank, "your way," she finished lamely.

Honey-hued eyes squinted at her, and the creature huffed again, not amused with her suggestion.

"What would I get out of it? Hardly a good example to set."

"Example to set?"

"Yes, for the others. They would never take me seriously if they knew I simply let a human leave the woods."

Katherine's mind spun, going a mile a minute as she began to form a hesitant plan. She arranged her face in an apologetic, if sorrowful expression, pulling her mouth into a sorry frown.

"A good point if I've ever heard one. I'm not sure I would do any differently if someone broke into my home."

"Precisely. Now hold still and don't scream too much." The creature took another step, starting to open its large mouth. Rows of perfectly pointed teeth met Katherine's wide-eyed gaze. Her stomach rolled and she rushed through the rest of her thrown-together act.

"Except, how will the others know you dealt with me if they never see me?" The creature cocked its head but didn't cease its movement. "Wouldn't it be more impressive if you ate me in front of them?"

The creature snorted. "I'm not going to eat you, simply maim you."

"Yes, wouldn't it be better to maim me with an audience?"

Katherine really could not believe herself. This was the most stupid thing she'd ever attempted. Even more than trying to make a deal with a fae king. Maim her with an audience. Honestly. The creature, however, seemed to think she had a point. Sitting back on its haunches, Katherine imagined if it were a human it would be stroking its chin.

"Your point has merit." It peered at her. "But I could simply maim you a little bit and then bring you to them." Katherine held in a splutter. Maim her a little bit! Oh no.

"It's hardly a show of strength if you maim me and then bring me to them." Again, she still didn't know who this "them" was. "It's not very honorable to entirely maim someone who is already partly maimed. Not very sporting of you. They may think that's even worse."

The creature said nothing, taking in her argument to Katherine's utter disbelief. She grew bold, taking a step of her own and doing her best not to grimace at the wave of the creature's breath that wafted over her.

"They may think you're not fit to rule the forest. If you go around maiming the half-maimed, are you a—" she searched for a good word, beast? No. "Good ruler or are you simply a carrion? Picking off bits of others' catches. You don't seem like a vulture to me."

The huff this time was even louder, and the creature rearranged its wings to flutter indignantly in front of its two front legs.

"A vulture! I am no vulture."

"Well, you better show them." Katherine smiled prettily, giving her best attempt at simpering. "I promise not to run. This seems very important for your continued rule of the forest. I'll even say how regal you were when you appeared from the bushes." Admittedly, she was pushing it and maybe laying it on a little thick. The creature didn't seem to notice, spluttering itself, if a mountain lion's mouth can splutter.

"I did not appear from the bushes! I've been stalking you for an hour."

Katherine blanched, her carefully laid plan slipping for a second. She could've been maimed in her sleep.

"Exactly!" Katherine said, her voice wobbling. She cleared her throat. "I've never known a better hunter. Any other beast would've had me up and screaming at the first move."

"Indeed." The creature peered at her again with a thoughtful, analyzing look. "Very well, but you will walk ahead of me. And do not attempt to stab at me with your wand."

Katherine's brows furrowed. "Of course." She walked on shaky legs in front of the beast, to where it motioned with a large wing. Could it hear her knees almost knocking together?

"Continue, human."

The unexpected pair began to trudge through the forest together, with Katherine leading the way against her will. She could feel the watchful eyes of the creature on her back, burning a hole, maybe even literally in the mossy blanket.

She readjusted it as she walked, her fingers rooting around in the folds of the moss tendrils and ripples. How it stayed together through her wavering movements, she did not understand, but as her right hand patted for something to hold onto, she stilled.

Where there was not before, a pocket, deep and empty had formed. Another careful pat by the base of her neck revealed that a hood of questionable size had also appeared. Earlier she had wished for a cloak, and the blanket had provided it for her. If she did not walk in front of a blood-hungry— although apparently not truly hungry, since she was to be maimed not eaten— creature, she would've removed it and inspected it closely. Instead, she felt around it more with her free hand, as she still held the branch and ring aloft.

Another thought struck her.

She looked at the branch closely, surprised to find that the ring had melded with the wood, twisting to match the forked branch with a silver one of its own. It formed a "t", and a subtle but steady white glow lit the end.

Was it a wand?

She tried to grapple with the possibilities. How had the cloak and the stick and ring responded to her wishes, her thoughts? The forest around her seemed normal enough, save for the creature at her back and the ring she'd found. Could it respond to her wishes?

Could anyone else hear them?

The creature certainly couldn't, or else it would've realized that Katherine had fibbed her way into a long walk before the end of her life. She wasn't sure what she expected to happen, and even now her eyes trailed and jumped to the edges of their path, trying to alight on something, anything that would help her.

Could she ask the creature? Would it tell her what it all meant?

She opened her mouth to ask but stopped herself as the forest thinned and revealed a clearing. This one was larger than the one she'd slept in, spilling with sunlight and scattered with trees and stones. Yet, it wasn't the landscape that caught her attention the most.

Within the clearing, a gathering of creatures stood, some like the one that had caught her and some entirely different, mimicking the other shapes from the dirt drawings. Not a single one noticed her and the creature, their full attention on something else. Dread filled her stomach, filled her veins, overtaking her and making her stop walking even as the creature behind her huffed.

At the edge of the clearing, a pond sat, and in the center of that pond and tied to a lone tree was a blot of yellow, silver, and blue. Samuel. 

How were they going to get themselves out of this?

-0-0-0-

Thanks for reading! How do you think they'll get out of this one? Any predictions? The next chapter coming next week on Tuesday!