To The Forest - Part Sixteen
This episode is part of a larger story, Soft Touch. If you haven’t yet, you can go back and read it from the beginning right here.
I was hoping the Plant could listen and understand, if we spoke to him. I didn’t actually expect him to answer.
All Aiden and I can do is stare up at him in dumbstruck, staggered silence. Aiden’s glowing ice-blue eyes are wide with open astonishment, and mine are, too.
Seeing what the Plant really looks like, compared to what I imagined based on our run-in last night - it gives me the feeling of a bad nightmare melting away in the morning sunshine. The terror and confusion slips away, forgotten, replaced with gentle relief.
The Plant is actually quite beautiful, in some strange way. He’s incredibly graceful in form, and the way the sunlight dances through him is mesmerizing. The violet color of his thorn-shaped horns and the vivid green of his leaves are deeply rich in hue. Even his staff is beautifully made, beneath the layer of moss.
I should have known. He’s a piece of Rose’s art, and everything she makes is beautiful. I’d guess that she drew her inspiration from ancient fairy tales in making him. He looks like a forest spirit who stepped right out of some mythic legend.
The Plant is tall and regal, intimidating. At the same time, though, there’s something youthful about him. His curiosity about us is obvious, and his hollow eyes are surprisingly expressive. They’re perfectly round, so I thought they would stay that way, but they defy all rules of wood to change with his expression.
Come closer, little ones, whispers that rustling voice again, as if the wind is using the leaves to speak to us. Let me have a better look at you.
Aiden and I glance at each other nervously, then take a few slow, halting steps closer to the Plant.
He comes closer to us, too. Walking on air, but limping, using his staff to support himself. Watching us with a similarly cautious, uncertain expression. We stop just in front of him, tilting our heads back to gaze up at him.
Now, what have we here? He bends down to be eye-level with me, bracing himself on his mossy staff. One of his huge eyes narrows, but the other one stays wide open, almost like he has one eyebrow arched up. I know what you are, but I often confuse the given names of the fauna. You are, I believe, called… a guinea pig?
There’s a blank silence, and then a startled laugh breaks from me. “Wh-? A guinea pig?”
The Plant quickly shakes his horned head. No, no, that’s not the right name. But I do know what you are… what is the word…?
“Human?” I offer.
Ah. Yes. Thank you, little human. And then, in a tone almost like embarrassment - Apologies.
“Oh, no, it’s okay!” I stammer, still half in disbelief. “Humans don’t usually know most species of plant by name, either.”
And you… The Plant turns his gaze to Aiden, his airy voice full of curiosity. What are you, little one? Come closer.
Aiden steps closer, nervously shifting his snapback over his hair. I don’t know what kind of vision the Plant illusion sees us with, but he seems aware of Aiden’s icy-blue eyes glowing and swirling with magic. In fact, he seems to be staring deeply into it.
I sense a mischievous magic in you, he murmurs thoughtfully. A wild kind of magic… a great power…
The Plant trails off, then bends down until his face is only a few inches from Aiden’s. He gazes down at Aiden searchingly, for so long that Aiden starts shifting anxiously from foot to foot in his unlaced hiking boots. But he keeps his face upturned to the Plant, letting him look.
The Plant’s hollow eyes suddenly turn perfectly wide and round again, and he startles back a step, straightening up.
Ah! he gasps, his whispering, rustling voice full of amazed recognition as he stares down at Aiden.
And then, before our thunderstruck eyes, the enormous forest spirit balances himself with his staff, sinks down low, and drops into a deep, reverential bow before Aiden.
My apologies for not recognizing you sooner, he rustles softly, his horned head dropped almost to the forest floor. I am at your service. ‘Tis a true honor to have you in my forest.
Aiden stares at the Plant in total bewilderment, his eyes as wide and round as two doubloons. He twists to look at me like he’s searching for guidance, and I spread my fingers to show him that I’ve got no fucking idea what’s happening right now, either.
It makes for a sight, though. Aiden standing there in his jeans, rumpled t-shirt, and hiking boots, his snapback pulled down backwards over his sleep-tousled chestnut hair, his hands outspread as if trying to slow things down so he can understand - and the gigantic forest spirit, making him look tiny by comparison, but bowing before him.
“Um…” Aiden quickly waves his hands at the Plant. “Hey, that’s - you don’t have to do that, man! Really nice of you, but I think there must be some kind of, um - what’s, um - Jamie?”
“I don’t know, I have no idea,” I whisper, pressing my fingertips over my mouth. “What were you saying about wanting to look impressive, though? This is pretty good.”
“Okay, first of all, it’s not impressive if I didn’t even do anything, and second of all, you’re no help!” Aiden swipes a hand at me in frustration, then turns back to the Plant, increasingly stressed out. “What - what - listen, this is - please stop doing that! There’s no need. I think you must be confused about what I am.”
I think not, the Plant answers firmly, straightening up as instructed. We have not met, but I know perfectly well what you are, son of Fate.
Aiden draws his head back sharply.
“Don’t see why that means you have to bow down like that,” he manages.
The Plant pauses in a moment of confusion. Then his hollow eyes turn to two upturned crescents, and there’s a rustling sound like soft laughter.
Quite funny, he says approvingly, as if Aiden just made an excellent joke.
Aiden casts me a desperate, bewildered look. I’d love to throw him some clarifying answers, but I’m just as lost as he is, probably more.
“He bowed to you,” I whisper blankly to Aiden.
“We’re never speaking of that again,” Aiden murmurs back, looking somewhat harassed. “Listen, Plant - how can you talk? You don’t even have a mouth.”
Yes. This is odd. I cannot usually speak to fauna. The Plant seems to think about it for a few seconds. I believe I am drawing on your magic to form my thoughts into a language you can understand. It is occurring naturally, but I am not certain how. Very unusual.
The Plant pauses again, regarding Aiden with violet-lit eyes.
Why do you call him Linden? he asks, and then, turning to me - And you call him Sugar Maple. Tree names, but you are not trees.
“It’s a long story.” I’m only realizing right now how difficult it is to put into words. “Aiden and I feel an affinity with those two trees. We see each other in them.”
The Plant looks at me with warm approval, then looks at Aiden in surprise as he suddenly blurts out -
“No, that’s not what I meant by how can you talk! I meant - how can we be having a conversation, how can you think? You’re an illusion, aren’t you? You’re an illusion of a plant.”
That is how I began, the Plant’s whispering voice answers. But plants always outgrow the confines in which they begin. It is my understanding that you humans do the same. I am young by the standards of this forest, but I am certainly not a sprout. I have had time to grow, and I have grown in magic, in the old forest. So I am this.
Aiden and I stare up at him in total amazement.
“Rose!” I whisper, too impressed not to say anything. “Man, she really didn’t realize what she-”
I stop mid-sentence as the Plant’s huge eyes begin blinking very fast. He tilts his head to the side, and the moss spilling down from his horn brushes his wooden shoulder.
Rose, comes the whispering rustle of his voice. That name has some meaning to me… I am not sure what.
He slowly lifts his gaze to us again, apologetic.
Forgive me, little ones, he says sadly. I have had time to grow, but now I am fading. My power is in its twilight. My memories have all but gone from me.
Aiden and I quickly look at each other, remembering what we’re supposed to be doing.
“Oh - but that’s why we’re here, to help you!” I tell the Plant, who lifts his head in surprise. “Hang on, wait right there-”
I rush back over to our tent, taking care not to go sliding on the rain-wet forest floor. A few seconds of digging around in Aiden’s backpack, and I’ve got the green piece of stitchwork magic in my hand.
I give it to Aiden when I get back, and he holds it up to show the Plant.
“Does this look familiar?” he asks, the ice-blue glow from his eyes playing over his cheekbones.
The Plant leans heavily against his staff as he bends to have a look at the framed embroidery. He blinks hard a few times, gives his head a shake, then stares at it harder, running one hand over his lichen beard.
May I have a longer look at this, little ones?
“Sure, take all the time you need!” I answer brightly, then gesture to the unlit campfire. “We were just gonna get some breakfast going! Here, come get warm by the fire, if that’s something you can do.”
The Plant looks surprised again, but he limps after me and Aiden back to the campfire, then sits down to hover cross-legged just above the grass. He lets go of his staff, which floats gently at his side as if planted in invisible earth. The feathery rain flutters right through him, along with the growing sunshine.
Aiden begins to offer him the piece of threadwork magic, then stops. “Wait, can you hold things?”
I have never tried. I can float, so I only have to make it seem as if I hang from the trees and rocks. Let’s see, shall we? Ah - no. It would appear I cannot.
Aiden hesitates, looking thoughtfully at the piece of magic. “Okay, then - let me see if I can…”
He trails off, his eyebrows dropping low with concentration. The icy blue light already glowing in his eyes flickers and swirls, sparkling brilliantly.
The framed piece of magic in his hands jumps a little, then lifts up, as if invisible fingers took it from him. It rises up to float in front of the Plant’s face.
Thank you, the Plant says, leaning forward to examine the green and violet artwork.
“No problem,” Aiden rumbles, turning away to light the fire. He catches me staring at him with incredulous, since-when eyes, and blushes a little. “What? I’m getting more precise with the temperature currents.”
I let out a dazed breath, making a mental note to process all this later.
“Would you mind if we summon a ghost?” I ask the Plant. “He’s with us, you can trust him.”
The Plant nods, only half paying attention, intently focused on the magic.
“Will,” I call out, as Aiden slips the ghost glasses onto his face.
There’s a silence while we wait, but nothing happens. Aiden and I exchange a puzzled glance.
“Hey, Will,” Aiden tries. “We’re summoning you, man.”
“Aw,” I murmur sympathetically, after a long moment. “I guess he got too nervous. I think he really meant what he said about not wanting to leave Ketterbridge until Kasey can go with him.”
“Should we try for her, then?” Aiden offers me a cup of coffee as I drop to sit on the log beside the fire. “We probably shouldn’t push Will if he’s not ready for it.”
“Yeah, no. And I’m guessing he’ll have given her all his energy, if he decided not to come.”
“Easy way to find out,” Aiden rumbles, then cups a hand around his mouth. “Hey, Kasey!”
She materializes just to the left of our tent, bright with Will’s borrowed energy.
“Okay, so, change of plans,” she begins, then stops immediately.
Her eyes widen as they take in the sight before her: the bright campfire Aiden’s just started cooking breakfast on, the two of us sitting on the log beside it, and the Plant sitting next to me with his staff by his side, examining the hovering piece of magic.
“Hey, Kase-face!” I call, shifting my coffee mug into one hand so I can wave. “Change of plans here, too!”
Kasey’s mouth drops open, her hands flying up to her lips.
“Oh my god,” she whispers, scandalized, then comes rushing over to join us. “Aiden, Jamie - what the fuck? I say ‘stay away from the Plant’ and you two dolts hear ‘ask it over for breakfast’? What’s-?”
She stops as she gets a better look at the Plant, taking in the sight of him without the darkness clouding him up.
“Oh!” she breathes, staring up at him in amazement. “He’s beautiful!”
The Plant looks up in surprise, then smiles at her with his enormous hollow eyes. Thank you, little spirit. That’s very kind.
“He can talk?” Kasey gasps, pressing her translucent fingers to her cheeks. “I… what - what…?”
“We made a new friend,” I explain brightly.
Kasey stares at me, then throws her head back and lets out a wail of helpless laughter.
“Of course you did, Jamie! I can’t leave you anywhere, literally anywhere, and not have you go out and make yourself a friend! Even when it’s against my express instructions!” She throws herself down and sprawls out on the forest floor beside the Plant, flinging her arms up over her head. “I give up.”
Is she alright? the Plant asks, alarmed.
“Mhm, she’s just drama. Come on, Kase-face, sit up! Meet our friend…” I trail off, realizing I haven’t asked. “Do you have a name?”
The Plant looks at me, his hollow eyes thoughtful.
Yes, he murmurs, as if very slowly drawing the words out from some deep down place within himself. I had a name, before I forgot it. Rose named me. My name was… Thorn.
He smiles at being able to remember, then falls silent, gazing at the piece of magic again. Aiden, Kasey, and I watch him curiously.
This… he begins, in his whispering voice. This brings old memories back to my mind. I believe this is the seed I grew from.
“It is,” Aiden tells him. “There were five others like it. Six of you in total. Rose made you. Do you remember?”
I do, Thorn answers slowly. We were to be watchmen, to protect something precious in the forest.
“Rose’s Tree.”
Thorn looks up at me in surprise. Yes, the Tree. I have never seen it… we were each given a section of the forest to guard. It did not fall into mine.
An awful possibility strikes me.
“Um, Thorn…” I twist the heist ring around my finger anxiously. “Do you… do you not know that-?”
I know, he cuts in, softly and sadly. I know that it fell. Believe me, little human, we all felt it fall. We carry that feeling with us even now. Sometimes I fear we must forever patrol the forest, as penance. We failed the Tree. We failed Rose.
“Oh, no!” I jump in urgently, dismayed at the suggestion. “No, Rose doesn’t think you failed her! She’s the one who sent us! She wants us to dispel you, and set you free! She lost her powers, so she can’t do it, but Aiden can!”
Thorn stares at me, then slowly turns his violet gaze to Aiden.
Is this true, fateling? You’ve come to set us free?
Aiden nods, looking earnestly back at Thorn.
Thorn closes his huge eyes, bows his horned head, and breathes out a sigh of pure relief.
It is time, he whispers softly. Our watch has long been over. There is new magic we could be, and maybe next time we will help someone.
“There’s still a chance to help someone in this form,” Kasey tells him. “You could help us.”
Thorn opens his eyes and looks at her. He takes that in for a moment, then brightens considerably.
Yes, might I suggest that you dispel me last of all? he asks, turning back to Aiden. I would like to see the others safely moved on before I leave this place, and… you may need a friend, in all this. Someone to watch over you. I have lost much of my power, so I can only offer my guidance, but it would be an honor to assist you.
He says it in a tentative, hopeful voice. As if he needs to convince us, or something.
“We’d love to have your help,” Aiden tells him firmly, as Kasey breaks into a beaming smile.
“Yeah, thank you, Thorn!” I add, my shoulders sinking in relief. “That sounds great!”
Thorn looks around at all of us, smiling with his violet eyes.
Another chance to act as protector, whispers his rustling voice, surprisingly full of emotion. I would like to get it right, before I go. I would like to see you safely through this, little souls.
Want to leave a comment? I would love it if you did, and you can do so on the Tapas episode!