The Wood Beyond The World Forum Hello?

Behind the light came a rush of wind and a deafening roar. With a belch of black smoke a train roared closer. I leapt back into a doorway. The train slowed but did not stop. Gayna the priestess hurried out of the building, her long plait streaming behind her.

"Where are you going?" I cried running towards her.

"Busy!" cried the priestess. "Too busy to stop and talk. Younglings to teach, religous festival to prepare for."

"But when will you be back?" I cried.

She hopped on the train then turned back to me. Despite her rushing, her face was calm."I'm sorry young one, but you have come at a bad time. Don't give up hope, however. One day the forest will busle like it did in the old day, you just need to keep asking questions."

"But when will you be back?" I repeated. The train was slipping away.Was the priestess still there or had she disappeared into the carriage.

The voice sounded as clear as if she was standing beside me. "We might be silent, but we never completely go away. The right question will always find us."

The train sounded its whistle then disappeared. Silence descended on the wood. I looked down. There no sign of a train track. Had I imagined meeting the Priestess?

I took your POV just as Nick and Loeki have been writing for each other. I hope you don't mind. At least I didn't run you under the train.

Gayna

No I don't mind, lol. I was a little confused, that's all, because the writing style was different then mine so I was like "Is that supposed to be my character?" Haha.

I trudged back into the ancient building, wondering what exactly she had meant. The right question..... What does that mean?

The tunnel I'd been following was still now, completely devoid of sound or movement, besides my own footfalls, breathing, and shadow. I continued walking, breathing a little harder now, and contemplated every possible meaning of what she'd asked of me. To awaken them, I'd have to ask a question. But is the question really a question? Perhaps the question is actually an emotion. Or perhaps the question is some kind of key or password to unlock a door of some kind.

There had to be some kind of explanation. I was determined to discover it.

The old storyteller pulled back from his crystal globe, shaking his head slightly at what he witinessed.  

"The child obviously does not understand, but I can not help her directly if she does not return.   There is power in words and names are the most powerful of all known words.  They summon or dispell, damn or bless, bring hurt or joy," he mumbled and looked again to his globe, watching the child search the night sky.

Ohhh, how to help the child without violating the woods or the laws of nature, he wondered.   The world outside the woods was in turmoil, new leaders had been chosen and institutions were in chaos.   Even storytelling was suffering, a glut of stories and not enough readers in this time and age.  How could knowledge be passed on if no one read the messages given?  Looking into his globe deeper than previously, he sighed, resigned to do what he could.

"Knowledge is learned and Wisdom is earned," he whispered three times.  He smiled when he the child stopped and looked to the heavens.  

"I have done all I could for now, go with peace my child and may the season bless you and keep you safe," he whispered, then put the globe back into his sack.

"Now where did that damn bard and his overgrown lizard go..."

The tunnel finally ended in a flash of light. I was outside again, the forest twittering around me. It was morning now; though it had been night when I entered. I wasn't sure quite how long I'd been within the ancient building's inner workings, but certainly longer than I wished it to be.

I walked along the trail and eventually came upon a large lake in the middle of the forest. Adjacent to it there was a giant cliff, off of which a colossal waterfall poured.

Somewhere to clean up, I thought to myself. I shed my clothes and dived into the cool, refreshing, clear waters.

"WHO DARE BATHE IN MY WATERS?" A booming voice echoed through the clearing, shaking me down to my bones.

"I, Amanda, bathe here in your waters."

"AMANDA? I'VE NEVER HEARD OF AN AMANDA. YOU DID NOT REQUEST PERMISSION TO BATHE IN MY WATERS."

I looked around, searching for the source. "I apologize, I did not know."

"THAT IS NO EXCUSE! EVERYONE KNOWS THE COURTESY OF ASKING PERMISSION BEFORE USING ANOTHER'S BELONGINGS!"

"I had a momentary lapse of judgement. I will escort myself out of your waters."

"NO. DON'T LEAVE. I HAVE BEEN ALONE FOR SO LONG..."

"Who are you? Or better yet, where are you?"

"I AM JUDANUM, A SON OF POSEIDON, NOT THE HEIR TO THE THRONE OF THE SEA. I RULE THE WATERS OF THESE WOODS." A watery face appeared in the cascading showers of the fall.