It was night. Darkness flooded the world, the only light cast from the stars, the moon, and the devastating festival behind Velen. Sounds of people walking around and talking faded in the distance as she walked deeper into the woods, away from the place that used to be her home. She knew that she was doing the right thing for lives other than her own. Velen could almost smell the clean air of the place she headed to and she could hardly wait. Her only worry was if she had chosen correctly. She knew the consequences if she chose wrong and Velen was ready to take that chance for a nice future.
She finally arrived to her destination, a large cliff that towered over the forest to Camp Half blood. Slowly she took out a small, silver leaf that would be her key to the land of the forest spirit. Velen gripped the woven handle of the basket she carried at her side which held her choice. In logic, what she was doing was just giving her life away, but in her heart, she knew she had made the right choice.
Velen carefully held up the leaf and pushed it against the stone. "Please, please, please", she prayed, hoping that all she had believed in was real. The rocks in front of Velen made a satisfying crack and it crumbled, revealing an arched tunnel with darkness ahead. Velen looked back at the firelight of the camp behind her before she stepped away from all of the people she knew, and also its danger. She thought positive as she walked away from the woods and the wall pieced itself back together behind her. No more annoying monsters trying to kill her, no more annoying pranks, no more people that could make fun of her family and her beliefs.
After walking in the darkness for a long time, she finally saw the silver light of the exit up ahead. Excited for what she might find, she ran straight toward the light getting closer, and closer.
Velen suddenly burst into the open, taking in all of the freshness of everything. The sky was so open other than the tree limbs that stood in the way. The sky was no longer ordinary black, it had patches and gashes of blue and purple with the stars almost completely covered in stars. The moon looked bigger and brighter, lighting up the forest like silver day. She was on a small piece of green land in what looked like a swamp with giant trees towering out of the water or on green patches of land submerged in the water. The water was clear as liquid glass allowing Velen to see the bottom where colorful koi fish swam around in the vegetation. In the trees she spotted cup sized white human figures in the trees. Their heads were different sizes and shapes and they rattled when the creatures moved.
While Velen admired the world around her, she didn't notice the boulder behind her close the tunnel to Camp Half Blood. She stopped as she heard heavy footsteps of multiple giant animals. To her right, moonlight danced along the smooth, brown fur of boars. These weren't ordinary boars, they were bigger than horses with tucks as long as Velen's forearm. Leading the massive group was a huge silver boar that stood bigger than the rest, staring at Velen with clouded eyes.
To her right, Velen heard the silent footsteps. Turning around she saw a giant silver colored wolf with two tails and calm red eyes. Unlike the boars, it was alone, but it stood in pride and majesty. Its massive ears perked up and it looked to the sky.
Velen followed her gaze and gazed in awe as the biggest, most majestic haron landed on a branch above her head. The feathers were the heron shade of silver and they sounded like strong wings whisking away the sound of thunder as it landed.
Velen turned away from the sight at the sound of splashing water. Looking below its glassy surface was a giant silver koi fish that swam carefully and slowly through the water.
She had no idea how to react or announce these great beasts of the forest so she did nothing. The silver boar's cheek widened into what looked like a smile and his mouth moved slowly, but no sound came out. Its voice spoke telepathically in Velen's mind saying, "Welcome to the pool of the forest spirit. What is your soul offering", the boar said in a deep, ancient voice.
Velen understood what the boar meant. He was talking about a dead creature that a person gives to the forest spirit for judgement. If the heart of the animal is pure or useful, the forest spirit would give its life back and the one who brought forth the animal could live in the forest in peace and harmony. If one brings a dead creature who deserved to perish, that someone would be taken by the forest spirit and the creature would not come back.
Velen put down the woven basket and lifted back the sea green blanket covering what she brought forth. Laying under it was a dead baby with light colored skin and a head of black hair. The eyes were closed and it didn't move and there was a knife wound in his chest, poor thing.
One of the boars in the crowd stood up and squealed in amusement, "A worthless human. You are just throwing away your life stupid human, the forest spirit will not find any use of that human". The boar was smokey brown and a little bigger than the others and a slilver streak running down its side. The other boars squealed and snorted in agreement. The giant silver boar half roared, half squealed for silence. "You boars never learn. The forest spirit only chooses humans that have a pure soul. We have a small village with some in there. That proves that if this woman's judgement was right, the forest spirit might bring back this human cub", the giant silver wolf growled, speaking telepathically out loud. "Silence, its coming", the heron spoke. Her voice was smooth like soft rain whisked away by a howling wind.
Velen expected to see a giant deer with silver fur or something like that, she was surprised to see the the sight. The forest spirit had the body of a yack, short and hairy, with chicken feet. His face was red and striped with yellow with goat eyes and it looked like he was smiling. The only majestic thing about it was the horns that looked like a whole ton of branches growing out of its head. The forest spirit trotted up on the water and stopped ten feet away from Velen.
Velen put the basket on the water and pushed it towards the forest spirit. All the animals watched in stone silence. The basket slowly floated along till it bumped into the forest spirit's leg and stopped. The forest spirit didn't move or even look at the baby, he stared right at Velen with those goat eyes. He seemed to be asking her something, but Velen didn't understand. The absolute silence was weird, even the giant koi went silent. "Um… Hello I am Velen and I hope my choice was alright". Still nothing.
Velen glanced at the wolf for guidance, but she just stood there, still as a statue. She then looked back at the forest spirit who still stood there, absolutely motionless. Maybe she chose wrong and it was trying to kill her, no the thing would have killed her by now. She was beginning to get annoyed with this silent, smiling beast that just stood there and stared at her. "What do you want from me", she asked and then something she never expected came out of her mouth, "The boy is named Kateo". She didn't know why that came out. It was the child's name, said just like that. His mother was very creative when it came to names.
Apparently that was all she needed. The forest spirit stretched his neck down to the basket and gently touched the baby's head. The wound instantly healed, leaving a huge scar all the way across his chest. Kateo's sea green eyes flew open and a look of confusion popped on his face. Then feeling the pain in his little chest he cried as loud as he could for his mother whom he might never see again. Velen knew that his family would have been overjoyed to hear him again and she was tempted to hold the screaming boy in her arms.
The forest spirit lifted his head and stared at Velen again, but This time she got the memo more clearly. She walked away, leaving the baby with the animals and headed towards the village of the chosen.
After the woman left, all of the animals just stood there in silence. The only sounds came from the baby, just making the situation more awkward. Then the forest spirit nudged it towards the shore and walked away. The baby's basket bumped into the grass and Werikati, the giant koi, pushed it on the shore with his mouth "So, who takes the human", Okkoto the giant boar spoke up. "I will, I am a great guardian", said Imaki, the giant heron of the sky. "I don't think so Imaki, you'd probably drop it. If not it will die of getting too wet or its head will explode from the altitude", Werikati thought out loud. Some of the boars snickered or grunted in amusement. "Maybe Moro should have it, she knows what it is like being brought back from the dead", cackled one of Okkoto's boars. "Your leader was brought back also so don't make fun of us", the great wolf snarled, causing the boar who spoke to step back
"Maybe it will satisfy that cub of yours. I bet he wants a little friend", Imaki taunted. Moro growled at the bird, causing the her to fluff up in fear. Moro was older than the heron so Imaki showed more respect for Moro. Although the bird was right about the cub thing, that feathered sneak. Moro's little cub was the only one who survived in his litter and he had begged her for a brother to sleep with. He was still too young for playing, but he would need one in the future so he wouldn't drive her crazy.
"Alright, I will take the human. Now the rest of you, get out of here", Moro growled, mostly at Imaki who flew away, spraying water droplets everywhere. The animals all left as fast as they could except for Werikati who moved slowly and calmly. He must not thrash too much or there would be an earthquake somewhere in the world. His earthquakes usually destroy things that didn't have to die and they couldn't have that.
As soon as all the animals were gone, Moro walked over and looked at the baby in the basket, who was still crying. The wolf sat down with him and began licking his hairy head. It seemed to calm him down and Moro liked that fact that his head tasted like salt.
She did that till Kateo stopped crying and fell asleep in the basket. Moro felt like she could just stay there forever with the human, but she had to get back to her own pup. Using her nose, she wrapped the baby up in the green blankets inside the basket. She picked up the blankets with Kateo wrapped in them and walked home.
Moro carried the bundle up to a cave made out of massive stones next to each other. Inside was just stone walls and a pile of leaves that she occasionally slept on so her cub wouldn't get cold. Sleeping in the middle of the pile was her little black cub, right where she left him. Sensing her presence, the cub woke up and looked at his mother with neon green eyes. "What's that mother", she heard him think. The guardians of the forest only spoke telepathically since they didn't have vocal cords like humans did. "Just someone to keep you company. I have to warn you, he is human, not a wolf". "A brother", the black cub thought happily and toddled over to where Moro set down the baby. Kateo didn't wake up as Moro's son sniffed his hair. The human child wined in his sleep and clasped the blanket tighter. The little black cub curled under the child's head and rested his head on Kateo's chest. He instantly fell asleep and Moro could see a future where they would make a great team.
Aww! I always love cute endings, but this is just the introduction. The fun is only just beginning. I just wanted to get this out there because I had a great time writing it. Or I could put it out there to make you all wait, Muhahaha( lightning flashes behind author). Joking. I will post the next chapter soon. If you didn't like the intro, than just please check out the next chapter, it might just be a little more intresting. In the mean time, keep dreaming my friends.
