A Deep Dark Wood
Authors Note: Just an idea I had, I seem to keep getting these stroke of inspiration just lately I swear I'll get the next chapter of "The Lake" up soon but I had to write this first.
It's dark here, wherever here is. She cannot see more than a foot in front of her as she walks the ancient dirt track through the thick, tangled forest. How did I get here? She thinks to herself the last thing she remembers is crawling for the door, clutching her stomach as bright red blood flows over her too pale hand. Then nothing just blackness at first she called out for him "Ward! Grant! Robot!" but the only answer is the echo of her frightened voice. She's not alone though that much she knows; something follows her through the deep dark woods. She can feel its eyes on here though she cannot see or hear it she knows it's there prowling just out of sight.
The wolf pacing back and forth, watching and waiting for her to wake, the beautiful young girl he could not protect.
She looks down at her stomach the wound is still there but the blood has stopped flowing. It should hurt, she should be crippled with agony but she's not. So she walks on in the hope that she can find a way out of this frightening place. They must be fraught with worry, she has to get back to them has to tell them that she is well. How does one navigate such a place, then it occurs to her look up find the star. The one that points north maybe then you can find your way. She raises her eyes to where they sky should be but the tree's are so tall, their canopy's thick with lush leaves that would be emerald green in the sunlight. They cover the night sky giving sanctuary to the darkness that presses in all around her, maybe the forest has its own agenda, perhaps it doesn't want her to leave.
And still he paces back and forth, watching and waiting for her to wake, but still she refuses her lids fanned by dark inky lashes don't even flutter.
Its hopeless there is no way to anticipate what lies ahead; there is no light in this lonely place that can guide her. All she can do is trust her fate to the path she follows. On and on she walks through the deep dark wood, hopelessly lost with no way back to those she loves. Will she always be doomed to walk this path alone, is she alone? It's easy to feel that way here for she cannot see or hear the one that peruses her but she knows he's there, she feels him. Her mind tells her she should be afraid, she should run away from the creature that follows her but her heart is comforted by his presence. He means her no harm, he only wishes to guard her, protect her in this dark and deadly place. Many people fear the wolf, they see his hard eyes, his deadly grace and brute strength but that is all they see. A killer honed by nature and circumstance they do not stop to look deeper. They do not see his loyalty, his gentleness, his vulnerability but she does. She looks into his eyes and she sees all of him, the good and the bad and she accepts him for the creature that he is. Loves him even.
Back and forth, back and forth in a never ending rhythm and still she sleeps on. Her lips blood red and set like stone do not smile at him now.
Through the endless night her feet carry her on, never tiring, never faltering following the path that winds its way through the deep dark wood. A gentle wind rustles through the leaves of the tree's that surround her like a thick blanket blocking out everything but the darkness. She should be cold here her only protection against the elements a white gown and a ruby read cloak that she pulls around herself for comfort not warmth. Her feet are bare but they are not cold and the ground beneath them a springy carpet of moss and dirt causes her no pain. She comes to realise there is nothing here that means to cause her physical pain, no-one that wishes to hurt her. All of a sudden she hears a rustle in the tree's a head, it is not the gentle wind nor is it the creature that follows just out of sight no this is something else. Her guardian growls, though she cannot see him she feels his anxiety he does not like the thing that approaches. She follows the path this time with caution as the thing ahead makes himself known.
His paws do not tire; he focuses only on his pacing, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slumbers on. He growls as they lead the one who harmed his precious charge past the room he guards.
A man steps out of the thick tree's ahead, he is tall and handsome with eyes as blue as sapphires they twinkle even in this dark place. An axe hangs from his belt gleaming malevolently at her as she approaches. The stranger smiles but it does not reach his eyes, though he looks friendly just like the creature that follows behind she can see through his appearance. He is a man of tricks and cunning a slave to the demon that controls him. "What do you do here young one?" he asks his voice cold steel.
"I'm lost in the deep dark wood sir, I mean to find my way back to my family" she replies.
"This is a dangerous place for such tender beauty, I wonder at your family for they must love such an angelic creature. Why would they send you to the deep dark wood all alone?" a cruel smile curves the huntsman's lips, she is afraid.
"They did not send me alone sir, I came here for something important. I don't remember now what it was, they wished me to wait for them but if I had it would be lost forever. I could not let the demon take it" her memories are clouded by the darkness that surrounds this place but she knows what she says is true.
"Impetuous youth, such a tragedy the demon meant you no harm young one. Until you tried to take what was not yours to take" he shakes his head sadly, as though he really were saddened by what he had done.
"He means all of humanity harm, all he touches turns to dust" her eyes spark with life at her declaration.
Relentless that is what he is, his pacing is his penance and he does it gladly, her sleep is as never ending as his torment. Her skin is pale as ivory and he watches and he waits but still she will not wake.
"I am but his servant child it is not for me to question his wishes but perhaps when death follows you so closely, you should not make such declarations" he states.
"You mean the creature that follows me?" she asks.
"The wolf dear child, he is cruel and he is cold, he will consume you if you are not careful. He will change you beyond all recognition and you will not be the innocent that stands before me" he is wistful perhaps he regrets his affiliation with such a vile demon.
"Is that what he is?" she smiles so my guardian is the wolf "you are wrong sir for he is not a bringer of death like your demon, he is chilling to behold but within him there is a bright light. It protects all that it touches. Say what you will but he means me no harm he wishes only to watch over me" she feels the truth of her words wash through her.
"And what of his brothers the ones that follow closely behind him? The ones that covet beauty and magic, you are different young one, your light is blinding and they want it for themselves. Will your wolf protect you then?" he asks her knowingly.
She is confused "I know not of what you speak sir, I am just a girl there is no magic in me"
"That is where you are wrong child, you do not know yet what you are worth but you will one day. If I have one regret in my time as his servant, it is that it was I that brought you here" a tear like liquid diamond streaks down from his sapphire eye. As wicked as he has become she can see that the huntsman was not always this way, there is still a dying ember of light in him, a fading hope that may soon be extinguished. She should hate the huntsman for bringing her to such a dark place as this but her heart will not allow her too, not whilst there is still a chance at redemption.
"I am sorry for you huntsman, I hope that one day you will find your light again" she says sadly.
"I am a lost cause dear heart, do not waist your kindness on me, follow the path before your feet. It is dark and full of shadows but it will lead you back to those you love" he bows deeply before retreating back into the deep dark wood. She welcomes the silence that comes with his departure but she knows that their paths will cross again. She wonders at his warning, only her wolf follows her here. She does not sense his pack once again she has only the tree's and the darkness for company. She wishes that her wolf would walk beside her instead of lurking in the shadows behind.
His eyes are heavy with fatigue, he has lost count of the hours since she fell into this deep sleep and still his guard goes on. They have used their magic, healed her wounds and still she will not wake. His heart is heavy with regret,, his hope fading fast but still he will keep watch, he will wait.
It is endless night here in the deep dark woods, the sun does not pierce through the canopy and the birds do not sing. There is nothing in this place only the path that she follows and the tangled, twisted tree's that surround her. She looks down again at her stomach the gaping hole that was once her wound that had oozed ruby red blood onto her otherwise pure white gown has slowly disappeared. Now it is an angry red line held together with twine. This place is healing her she is drawing life from her shadowy surroundings; she does not dare to hope when she sees the tree's ahead begin to thin. These are not the ancient, gnarly tree's that lie behind her but young green shoots. She runs full pelt towards the young ones, her feet kicking up dirt and moss as euphoric joy pulses through her veins. Her wolf is running too following her, always following she can hear the thundering of his paws as he gives chase. Soon it is not just the young tree's she see's but the sky, it is still stained with the inky blackness of night but the pink glow of dawn kisses the horizon. Her hair whips behind her and the red cloak billows in the breeze, she is a sight to behold, a passerby would be forgiven for thinking he had stumbled upon an angel. She slows up as the edge of the forest comes into view, she knows not what lies beyond it the path she has followed winds on through lush green valleys and tall rocky peaks. There are patches of blinding light and one of dark shadows, the wolf that had been absent and present all at once while she roamed the endless forest came to stand at her side. He was a beautiful majestic creature, his coat a handsome light grey, his eyes a mahogany brown full of love and concern as he looked up at her.
"Hello dear wolf" she whispers.
His pacing stops as his hope resurfaces, perhaps he has spent so long pacing that he is hallucinating but he could swear he heard her voice. Slowly he approaches the place where she lays, her hair is fanned out beneath her in long chestnut waves, her skin is still pale as ivory. Her chest still rises and falls but it is a natural rhythm now, the blood has gone from her lips they have returned to their rosy hue. A small contented smile pulls at them, the thick dark lashes that fan her doe eyes flutter and slowly they open to look into his. This time he does hear her greeting "Hello dear wolf" her voice is a horse whisper but the sound is like an angelic chorus.
"Is that a new nickname?" he asks.
She blinks as though she's trying to take in where she is "but...where am I?" she's confused.
"You're in the hospital Skye, you were shot but it's OK you're OK now" she can hear the sweet relief in his voice, see the tears shining in his eyes. It must have been a dream, the deep dark wood, the winding path, all the tall, tangled tree's they're all gone. Replaced by a sterile, modern hospital room.
"How long was I out?" she winces as she tries to sit herself up, her hand naturally clasping her stomach. She can feel the thick dressing through the pure white hospital gown, he rushes to help her his strong hands a reassuring pressure on her shoulders.
"Just over a week" he replies, she can see he's exhausted.
"Have you been watching over me all this time?" he nods slowly as the tears he's been holding back escape. Her heart clenches for him "Please don't cry for me" her voice thick with emotion.
"I'm sorry...I thought...I thought you'd never wake up" he explained.
"And still you waited for me?" she asks deeply touched by his blinding loyalty. He nods his head because really what more can he say? She hold her arms open for him, he does not hesitate. He allows her to pull him into her embrace, an embrace he feared he may never know. He pulls her close being careful not to cause her pain; they stay that way for a long time. She strokes his hair tenderly using the gesture to reassure herelf that she is once again in the land of the living; he relaxes into her absorbing her warmth, her blinding light.
"It's ok dear wolf, I'm here now" just like you have always been here with me even if I couldn't see you, she thinks. She does not know where her path will lead her or what shadows lie in wait but she knows that her wolf will always stand watch over her a constant guardian, a constant love.