Quincy almost wished he had taken the lantern with him as darkness closed in. He hadn't thought Adelaide's house was so far away; was it possible that he was completely lost? Nothing made sense in this strange place- animals that spoke and wore clothes, people turning into trees... Could it all be real or had Quincy... lost his mind?
He shook the thoughts away. His brother was in danger and he had to do something. He turned to the tree beside him and made notch in the wood with a sharp rock he'd found. At least he had a trail to lead him back to where he had started, but he was beginning to think he'd never get out of this forest.
"Come on I've got to keep going. I've got to find Adelaide," Quincy muttered to himself.
"WHO?"
"Adelaide," Quincy answered absentmindedly. "Wait, w-who's there?"
"WHO?"
An owl swooped down from higher branches, alighting in front of the boy. Quincy relaxed. Of course, it had only been an owl. He felt foolish.
"WHO IS THIS BOY LOST IN THE WOODS? WHERE CAN HE BE GOING?" the owls booming voice echoed through the trees.
Quincy took a step back. "I-I'm Quincy. I'm looking for Adelaide's house. I thought she lived around here, but apparently I was wrong so I'll just leave and stop bothering you now." He wasn't quite sure what, but something about the owl bothered him deeply. It wasn't unusual for animals to talk in this crazy place, but there was something else...
"YOU'LL NEVER FIND HER. YOU'LL NEVER SAVE YOUR BROTHER."
And with that the owl flew away ahead.