The moonless night surrounded the forest as a cloaked woman darted between trees, baby in hand. Often the woman looked over her shoulder to look for signs of pursuit, but found none. Still the woman never relented as if seeing some unseen specter giving chase.
After hours of running the woman's legs gave way as she fell forward losing her grip on the child. The child flew forward skidding along the ground as the fall woke the sleeping infant. Despite the pain the child did not cry or give any other indication that it had felt the impact.
The woman scrambled over to the baby hurriedly as if afraid, grabbing the baby quickly before searching the area. The woman stood and circled as if looking for something, until her eyes finally rested at the trunk of a nearby tree.
The tree that lay before her was old by any standard. It was as wide as she was tall and as tall as tower. At its base was a hollow a large as a watermelon.
The woman ran to the tree and kneeled at its base. She kissed the baby on the forehead before further wrapping it in the cloth that covered it. The woman gingerly placed the baby into the hollow and looked up into the tree.
"Mother please hear my plea, and watch over this child. I leave her now in your care that she may live to bring better days to this world. I ask that you protect her and nurture her till someone comes who would be able to raise her to be what she was born to be." She spoke shakily "This, I ask of you for the good of all the world. I now lay my life before you so that you may know who may be worthy."
The lady produced a knife from her cloak as if by magic. She brought her hand before her as she proceeded to cut her palm. She placed her bleeding palm to the tree which caused the tree to glow.
Moments later the glowing ceased as the woman's body fell lifeless to the forest floor.
The hollow closed to the sound of the tree's groans. Thus sealing the child from the world until the right one should come along to care for the child.