Chapter 5

Miriam followed Gazaelle through the winding, twisting forest. She could barely keep up with Gazaelle's swift feet, and at times, she felt as though she were being drug through the wood. But, at last, they came to a place where the ground was smoother and Gazaelle slowed her pace.

"We are safe." She said. "They would not dare to follow us into the borders of Havillah."

Miriam said nothing, just held Gazaelle's hand as they walked among the trees. There was grass underfoot now, instead of moss and stones. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and reached the ground in random shafts. The trees were different here, too. They were bigger and taller. The trunk of the smallest sapling was too large for Miriam to put her arms around, and the largest could have held an entire army in its ancient hollows. The trees had no branches until they were hundreds of feet into the air. The forest was solemn. Miriam felt as though she had entered a castle or a beautiful church. The place was both lovely and sacred. Gazaelle stepped lightly from tree to tree, speaking softly. She would reach out her hand and touch a trunk, or spin around another. It was as if she and the trees were dancing. They were dancing to the silent, powerful, tragic music of life.

The moment passed. A long time after the dance, Miriam voiced her query in a whisper. "What was that? That place back there, I mean. It was almost like you and the trees were dancing."

"This forest once held many tree-dances." Gazaelle looked into the wise eyes of the little girl and smiled. "You see much for one so young. Those trees guard the borders of our fair land. They have for many an age." Her voice grew softer and sadder. "Many of them were dear friends."

"What do you mean?"

"There was a time when the trees moved about as freely as do you and I. They spoke to every creature and sang the old world songs." Gazaelle sighed deeply. "It has been long indeed, since I last heard a tree-song."

"Why aren't the trees moving around, now?"

"The trees, like so many of the other good things in Aeral, have gone to sleep."

Miriam cocked her head to one side to think for a moment. "Well then, let's wake them up!"

An eager light filled Gazaelle's eyes, "Do you know the words that will call awake the trees?"

"Um, well, no."

Gazaelle shook her head sadly. "Well, who knows? Perhaps you shall still be the one to awaken the trees from their slumber."

By now they had come to the edge of a wildly rushing river. It leaped at the two figures that stood on its shore as if it would drag them into its savage depths. Gazaelle of the Wood didn't flinch. She turned smiling to the little girl, whose eyes had grown large at the sight of such an untamed river. "This is the Great River of Aeral. Into it flow all of the other rivers. They join together in their race toward the sea." Miriam stared at the water, mesmerized. "Come," said Gazaelle. "We must cross the bridge." With that she stepped confidently off of the bank onto the swirling water. Miriam let out a terrified scream, sure that her new friend would be drug along with the water. Gazaelle took another step, then peered back at Miriam, "Come," she repeated, "We must cross the bridge."

Miriam gasped out shakily, "What bridge?" but at that exact moment, a shaft of sunlight hit the water in such a way that she could see the bridge. But no bridge like it could ever be found in our world. It spanned the Great River from shore to shore. It swayed majestically in the breeze. The bridge sparkled like a spider's web dipped in morning dew, and that is exactly what it appeared to be. The bridge was made of some type of rope, rope that was fine and fragile. It was delicately wrought so that it was very beautiful to look upon, but, to cross on so delicate a bridge over so fierce a water! Miriam felt for a moment that she would rather face all of the Relations than to cross this bridge, but she had no choice. She took a tentative step onto the bridge and felt it sway with her weight. Gazaelle was walking in front of her and in a moment had reached the other side and was motioning for her to come on. Miriam closed her eyes tightly and ran over the bridge as fast as her legs could carry her.

"That is the bridge of Tar-Nesh. It has hung over the Great River for thousands of years."

Miriam snorted, "Well, I'm jolly glad you didn't tell me that before I stepped on it!"

Gazaelle smiled happily, "Welcome to the Fair Lands! You have entered Havillah!"

And the first part of the journey was over, and the adventures were about to start.