Dane trotted rowdily away from Luke Davis's secluded, well-trimmed house, and cut away easily into the forest, unsettling a few bushes as he forged his own path through the thick, untamed brush. It was apparent that Luke had long since given up on trying to handle the wild vegetation, for many dense blankets of vine hung from the tree branches and twisted among the hedge. But the unruly domestic rgobe was nothing compared to the deeper sanctions of the DragonDust Kingdom and everywhere else between. Dane had personally trudged through many more dangerous territories, and found no trouble getting his bearings and finding a decent trail to lead the trio towards his home.
They'd been traveling for nearly an hour when Dane paused, his head canted at an angel, ear cocked. “Do you hear that?” he asked, laying his palm against a nearby tree.
They'd been traveling for nearly an hour when Dane paused, his head canted at an angel, ear cocked. “Do you hear that?” he asked, laying his palm against a nearby tree.
They were stranded in a seemingly unrecognizable area of forest, where the trees were so tightly inter-knit and the leaves so lush that the fading light of dusk was filtered to mere glittering specks above. The only sound wafting on the grand, flavorful autumn air was the clandestine chirping of insect life, and the distant, high-above singing of cardinals and bluebirds. Dane was very at ease; this section of forest was as normal as any Outside nature park. Songbirds and crickets? That was nothing compared to what the feral black sanctuaries of Jjay Forest beheld.
“The river is close,” he told the girls reverently, slowly edging around the broad oak tree beside him, feeling the ridged bark as he slid his hand across the armored trunk.
“The river is close,” he told the girls reverently, slowly edging around the broad oak tree beside him, feeling the ridged bark as he slid his hand across the armored trunk.
-
The “river” was no spring brook.
Was it even a river, really? Could it called that lightly? It was dark; a long, graceful swell of shifting, oily liquid colors, surrounded by lavish vegetation and twinkling white asters. The river had a fathomless presence, and though it was clean it held many mysteries, and you could see no bottom anywhere. It had a steady, drifting current that trickled and winked like bells. It was bewitching and exquisite.
Dane's eyes glowed as he staggered down the mossy ravine and towards the bank, which lie patterned with pebbles and small weedy grasses, lapped at by the lulling current.
Was it even a river, really? Could it called that lightly? It was dark; a long, graceful swell of shifting, oily liquid colors, surrounded by lavish vegetation and twinkling white asters. The river had a fathomless presence, and though it was clean it held many mysteries, and you could see no bottom anywhere. It had a steady, drifting current that trickled and winked like bells. It was bewitching and exquisite.
Dane's eyes glowed as he staggered down the mossy ravine and towards the bank, which lie patterned with pebbles and small weedy grasses, lapped at by the lulling current.
He squatted down and laid his palm on the water's sleek surface, obviously enjoying the frigid liquid luster. The dappled splotches of failing sunlight that spilled in between the leafy sky canopy seemed to be swallowed by the river, leaving a trail of glistening orange lights to drift solemnly underneath the surface like the drowned souls of a million fireflies.
“Isn't it nice?” Dane straightened, eying his damp hand.
“Isn't it nice?” Dane straightened, eying his damp hand.
-
The lake was fed by the nursing hand of the River of Shades, and was---at the risk of sounding childish---a wonderland among waterholes. It was serene, nestled in the wooden ocean of greens, coppers and blacks. Its darkened waters held an infinite number of lights, flickering like candle flame beneath warped glass, blurred and haunting, but beautiful beyond human description. The air was heavy with the invigorating smell of pine, and the guided cloth of an early night washed the lake with a faint mist as the double suns from well past the seemingly endless field of ancient trees sunk into their midnight cradles. Dane took a deep breath, gliding down the bank, his eyes wide open as if he'd never seen before.
“The stars are even coming out,” he said, craning his neck to gaze towards the heavens. Between the clamoring tangle of branches, twine, and leaf, you could indeed see hundreds upon thousands of tiny pinprick stars peeking out from the dusky orange swill of sky, to be swallowed by the lake's black abyss, their reflections swirling.
“The stars are even coming out,” he said, craning his neck to gaze towards the heavens. Between the clamoring tangle of branches, twine, and leaf, you could indeed see hundreds upon thousands of tiny pinprick stars peeking out from the dusky orange swill of sky, to be swallowed by the lake's black abyss, their reflections swirling.
-
