~Yes, you are hearing a voice in the darkness, stranger. Don't bother spinning in circles, you won't see me, besides making yourself dizzy, you'll look the fool for the action. I have no body, no real voice but the one in your mind, for I am but a spirit, forever tied to this stand of trees. I was once as you are now, and for that reason, I offer to travel with you for a ways.~

~It has often been remarked that a lonely, dark wood is the most frightening place in the world. The most harrowing fictional accounts occur on deserted roads, lonely stretches of uninhabited byways, and of course, the deepest, darkest reaches of the forest.~

~Are you really sure you meant to go this way? Don't you want to return to the safe path?



~My, but you are a brave sort of soul, aren't you? Don't say you weren't warned.~

~There is a snap of a branch overhead, did you hear it? If you glanced up, you might have caught a glimpse of a light shadow, of something moving in the trees. Suppress that shudder, intrepid traveler, and keep moving, there's real danger in staying in one place without a fire to ward off the denizens of the darkness.~

~What's that, you wish to stop and light a fire? Foolish mortal, I did that, and look where it got me. No, no, stranger, the best course of action is to push onward.~

Snap! ~Almost out of your skin on that one? Careful, you'll pull a muscle if you keep twisting your neck about to look behind you like that.~

~Ignore that growling, it's only the wolves, you should be through their territory before they gather the courage to attack. Oh well, light your tourch if you must, it will help keep them at bay. Don't run too quickly, you'll mistep.~

~Don't step there... or there... drop that stone over there onto the patch of sand, you'll see what I mean. Quicksand, an ignoble end for one as courageous as yourself.~

~Oh, sheath your weapon, there's nothing to fight, it was the wind rushing through the boughs above you.~

~Can you see the blue light ahead, wary traveler? See how it flickers and dances? Follow the light, stranger. There, that's it, yes... wait, why do you halt? Sometimes, we must leave the path to achieve our goals, stranger. It is but a few steps to the right of the path, come, follow the beautiful fluttering light.~

Crash! "What's the matter with you?" A pixie female delivers you a slap upside your head as she climbs off your chest, having flattened you to the ground a few steps off the path. She stands, hands on hips, glaring at you in the light of the torch you've retrieved from where it had fallen when she leapt on you.

"Stupid human! The signs clearly say 'Stay On The Path!' for a reason. You were following an imaginary voice and a light, weren't you?" At your nod, she sighs, grabs your arm and drags you back to the worn path.

"That was the "mad one", imprisoned beneath the bog where she can do no harm. Occasionally, though, she is able to tempt a traveler to come to her. That is how she remains alive, draining the life force of those who are foolish enough to wander off the path."

Properly chastised, you follow the haughty pixie as she traipses along the path before you.

"Go that way, you're safe from the mad one's spell now. And for pity's sake, stay on the path." As she turns on her heel, she adds, "And don't talk to strangers! Didn't your mother ever tell you that?" With that, she's gone, leaving you to follow the path alone once more.

~by MinxElf's writer

Maybe you should consult your

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© 1999 Stormpoint Writers Guild

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For Nicole, friend to the fae