Their job eased the farther north they pushed. Many of the packs close to Spiral City had already been evacuated and, with their recon group growing larger with each gray wolf sentry re-gained, they were covering more ground in less time. Soon they’d be done with their side of the forest and then, after a quick report at Spiral City, they could start on the forest’s other side.

One recon pack was not enough to canvass the east Broomgap woods, so much larger than the western edge. Codiai’s team would not be enough; so they would work from the southeastern edge and head northwest while Thalaea’s group started at the northwestern edge and headed southeast.

Eventually they’d safeguard all the packs. She was sure of it.

For now, their recon group rested in the northwestern edge of the forest. They had almost finished: only one pack to go. Likely, that pack had already moved on towards Spiral City.

The massive capital and only city of Thaen lay due east. At night, it glowed on the horizon. Thalaea changed into her Minae form to get a better look at it. False dawn in a crater in the earth; an imaginary sun waiting just over the edge. She kept expecting it to rise up, above the edge of the world, but of course it never did. Soon she gave up and went to sleep.

The next morning they found the northernmost pack, and ran into a snag in evacuating them.

They didn’t want to go.

We’ve stayed here for centuries, and we’ll stay here for centuries more, their pack leader said to Thalaea, civilly enough.

She affected a submissive pose. What if your pack is in danger? War is on the horizon.

We are aware of the war, came another voice. Older, but not weaker. Another wolf stepped forward. Thalaea could immediately tell he was the Lorekeeper.

She bowed to him. Wise one, we cannot guarantee your safety here in the woods. Thaen has already evacuated its citizens to the northern islands and can offer you the same safety. Will you not take it?

The Lorekeeper made a sound that may have been a laugh, and shook his head. You smell of wolf and look wolf, stranger, but you do not know the ways of the Broomgap. Our pack has always stayed here and will always stay here, for we guard the Tree at the behest of the Lady. It has always been so.

Thalaea felt the ground drop from under her paws. The Tree? she said, barely breathing, the edges of her vision fuzzing out so that only the Lorekeeper remained in focus. She thought she heard the pack leader say something about allowing them to spend the night in the den, but it didn’t matter.

What tree?

The Lorekeeper’s look turned shrewd, and he smiled privately as he answered her. Rest in our den today. I will show you this evening.

Thalaea had no argument, though every bone in her body screamed to go look at the Tree right now. It was the same one from her dream; it had to be! She knew it was.

It was connected to the True Woods.

Perhaps this was the True Woods. How can the True Woods be one tree? she asked herself but did not have an answer.

She had to find some way to pass the time until evening or she’d go insane; so she and her pack of wolves went out to find food. They were lucky enough to fell a deer, which they dragged back to the den to share with the other pack.

They ate and chatted with the wolves, forging friendships and trying, subtly, to convince the pack to evacuate. Nothing doing on that front; Thalaea could tell that from the get-go. She stopped trying and instead focused on etiquette while her entire mind buzzed with thoughts of the Tree.

She’d finally quieted her brain down and was starting to enjoy herself when the Lorekeeper came and nosed her on the shoulder. She looked up, and he gestured for her to follow him.

The tree stood on top of a mountain.

Perhaps not quite a mountain. Not like the mountains of Eronenia Pass. A hill, definitely. A big hill.

Thalaea padded after the Lorekeeper dutifully, concentrating on making it up the rocky path that wended its way around the hill. She wanted desperately to look ahead, to see the Tree before they reached it, but she forced herself to pay attention — it was growing dark, and she had no wish to slip and fall down the hill. The trail was steep enough to raise a valid concern.

As they crested the top of the hill and reached the end of the path, Thalaea changed form. She wanted to see the tree as a Minae, with all the colours her humanoid eyesight could give.

The sun stretched out across the water to her left, slowly sinking down as it prepared to rest for the night. Its light hit the tree and lit it like a fire.

The tree was massive: three wolves, nose to tail, stretched around its base would not close the circle. It towered above her. How had she not seen it from the forest to the south? How had she not seen it from Spiral City?

All around the hill, she could see the tops of trees. They stood above the forest and the white Tree towered above them all. Far above her, she could see long branches stretching out, sheltering the hill and the forest with their leaves. What colour were the leaves? Green? No. Blue. Husky blue. Scalaelli flower blue.

Thalaea felt her breath had left her and filled her at the same time. She did not know if she still drew air into her lungs. All she knew was this tree, this giant, white Tree, was what she’d been looking for.

She’d found the True Woods.

A chuckle made her jump. She’d forgotten the Lorekeeper from the northernmost pack was with her.

So. As I thought. You are as entranced with the tree as a servant of the Lady would be.

She almost corrected him, almost said I am not the Lady’s servant, but it didn’t seem worth it. She turned and smiled at him. “May I go nearer?”

He shrugged and padded around in a circle a few times before lying down. If She calls you, who am I to say no?

She stepped forward as if in a trance. The witch barely felt the bare soles of her feet touch the ground below her; barely felt the transition from rocky path to soft grass. She barely noticed the cold on her Minae skin, barely saw the mist her hot breath made in the chilling air. The Tree filled her vision and she stretched out a hand, fingers reaching, grasping at truth.

This was it. She could feel it in her belly; she paused, trembling. Touching the Tree would change her again. Would she get her godhood back?

Oh, Woods, she hoped so.

She stepped forward.

Her fingers were inches from the bark when an ear-splitting scream broke through her concentration. She stumbled backwards and looked up, toward the source of the sound.

Barreling through the air above her was a shooting star, a ball of flame twisting and spinning in the northern air. It screamed and the earth shook as it drew nearer.

She jumped back, reacting on instinct, just in time to see the star land on the Tree, destroying it.

Comment on this chapter in the Stranger Skies forum.