Once upon a time, in a land far far away there was a village completely unremarkable in its way. Hidden in the ancient forests with only one road leading in and the same road leading out it sat. Twas a quiet place much like the rest of the small farming villages in the area. Thought the place was unremarkable the forest surrounding it was the farthest thing from it. Full of ancient ruins and hidden treasures as well as beasts of legend and lore and the warriors that hunted them.

This tale starts on a quiet spring morn with the grass still wet from dew and the light rain of the night before. A young maiden just now turned sixteen leaves one of the cottages a deep blue cloak over her shoulders with the hood pulled up to hide her face from the rain should it come again. She walks quickly through the morning mists and into the forest not on the path that most would tread but along on of the deer trails. Once the village is from her sight and she from its she drops her hood long blond hair spilling out in a cascade of gold. 

Her name is Eclair Oak. An orphan in the town raised by the local blacksmith and named for how she was found. During a storm and under an oak tree.  Her destination is the forest and it's cool dark as well as the companionship of the creatures there.



As she walks deeper the bushes stir small animals appearing between the leaves. A fox steps out into the path and with a smile Eclair bends to her knees opening her arms to catch the fox as he runs leaping into her warm embrace.

" Hello Roan! " She laughs as he licks her cheeks barking and yipping at her. To a normal person this would have sounded just as it should normal animal noise. But to Eclair the words were clear and joyful.

" Hi Eclair! I missed you! " The fox yipped happily as she stood carrying him in her arms. The rest of the forest had come now from rabbits to sparrows and the hawks that would hunt them both. The leaf covered ground rustled with the snakes that had come to visit with the mice by their sides. In any other part of the forest these creatures would flee or try to kill each other. But here in Eclair's presence they were family united by all the love that the young girl showed them.

As the maiden walked to her favorite tree sitting between the roots in her preferred spot the animals gathered eager for a new story or song for she always brought them another with each visit. With the rabbits, snakes and mice gathered at her feet the birds filling the tree above and the fox curled in her lap she started to sing the charming tune soothing them all into a kind of blissful trance.


Leagues away deeper in the forest another kind of beast stirred waking from where he had lain the night before and stretched claws kneading the earth and massive fangs showing with his yawn. He was a behemoth of a wolf large as a small bear and looking twice as deadly with his shining raven hued coat. Walking through the woods he sniffed the air looking for a meal and a new home to meet his needs.

Hearing the music carried on the wind he turned curiously heading towards the sound.

To be continued.....

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I know it starts off like a fairy tale but trust me when I say it's far from a child's bedtime story.