“ Ah! Alric wait!” I fumbled with my pants as I staggered forward.

       “ Alric!” I slammed the door open but he was already gone. I could hear his voice near the entry already. I slid my shirt over my head and trotted down the halfway where I already knew I was too late. I heard the click of the door before I had reached the end of the hall where Neil stood folding the robe Alric had been wearing.

        “ Fuck” I said under my breath.

Neil looked over to me with his warm smile. His eyes closed from the fullness of his cheeks.

        “ If Red Hunter wishes to follow Sire, Red Hunter should lace his shoes.”

        “ Thanks but, I wouldn't have the slightest idea of where to go.” I said frustrated running my hand threw my damp hair. Neil kept his smile as he placed the robe on a bench near the waiting area. With his old shaky hands he grabbed a large lit lantern and waddled over to me.

       “ Red Hunter should retrieve his gear as well. Tis a cold tonight.”

I paused then gave him a smile.

After finishing with the remainder of my gear I tipped my head to Neil.

        “ Just beyond the mountain you said?”

        “ Ay, Red Hunter. You will know you are close when you see the falling waters.”

He handed me the lantern from before and reached up on his tiptoes to give my shoulder a squeeze. I gave him a confused brow but he waved me off and turned on his heels back into the bathhouse.

        “ Odd” I said under my breath.

The old man did not jest when he said it was a cold night. I adjusted my red cape to become a cloak. Covering my body to my ankles. Through the small breach of the cloak, I reached the lantern enough to guide my feet through the forest floor. Its playful tree roots stuck up above ground acting as perfect tripping mechanisms . I look up from the ground as I step over an old fallen tree, my eyes easily fixating on the small dark shapes that scrambled away at the glow of the lantern. I wonder what kind of creatures they were.

Were afraid of light?

Or was it the fire?

The forest was eerie as I followed the shadow of the mountain away from the village. It seemed the further I walked into it. The quieter it all became.

It felt slightly eairy that the only sounds I heard were the small brushing of myself among nature.

No birds. No wind. Not even the snapping of twigs beneath my feet.

It was total silence.

A quick brush of wind rushed behind my head. Defensively I dropped to the floor blacking out the lantern the same movement. I sat silently, waiting for any sound or give to what had rushed behind me.

A small yellow light flickered near the ground where I crouched. It’s movement seemed like a firefly but the color was wrong. This light had a tinge of purple to its trail.

         “ Shhh” I heard its soft voice as it flickered closer to me.

‘A wisp? How strange they don't approach humans often.’ I thought.

         “ Don’t move.” its voice was soft but stern in my ear as it hovered over the collar of my cloak. I gave it a small nod in response. I sat still for a moment before I heard a low deep growl approaching in the distance. Threw the brush I saw large spider legged antlers slowly trail its tips threw the low hanging branches. The growl was faint but enough to make every inch of my hair stand on alert. This was no deer and i’d be damned if I wanted to find out what this creature was. The Wisp clung to a strand of my hair as the creature passed slowly, breathing jagged cusps of air. If a wisp was terrified of that thing. I’d hate to know what it would do to me.

After twenty minutes of crouching in the silence, I heard a small exhale escape from the wisp at my ear. They fluttered in front of me and emitted a soft glow. She was stunning. Her long gold hair with bright purple tips trickled down to her thin ankles, a small arrangement of leaves covered her form. She nervously ran her hands through her glowing hair as she hovered before me.

        “ Forgive my clinging. Tinny does not like Emmet.” She said putting her hands behind her back.

        “ It’s fine?” I stood and looked around once more. Making sure the coast was clear. “ Did you call that creature Emmet? What was it?”

 She seemed hesitant to answer at first.

       “ A lost spirit of the dark forest. But you need not fret over Emmet. Emmet simply passing.” She said happily as she floated up at eye level once again. “ Tinny should warn Red Hunter, see Emmet again, must stay still as before. Emmet can not see, but Emmet can hear.”

        “ I understand. Thanks.”

Tinny gave a warm smile and fluttered to a bush beside me.

       “ Everyone can come out! Things are safe.”

I looked back at her and felt my breath catch in my throat.

An eruption of glowing lights lifted from the brush around me. Stunning amounts of beautiful warm colors filled the dark forest. Never had I seen such a wondrous sight. Small voices giggled and spoke as they flickered around me. They pulled and my hands and playfully tugged on my coat motioning me to follow them.

       “ Wait, where are you taking me?” I said being fearful of stepping on them as they flew between my legs.

        “ We will take you to the wolf!” Tinny said in my ear again. She stood at my shoulder, a warm smile on her chubby cheeks.

        “ Wha- how did you know I was looking for him?” The sound of a waterfall began to fill my ears. The playful wisps giggled at my wonderment and gave me another solid tug. I felt myself become light as a warm light surrounded me.

       “ Oh no…” I already knew what they were going to do.