Beneath the Canopy's Edge
Old Man Hemlock's smooth wooden piece felt cool in my hand.
It reminded me of the unbelievable things in the open space.
The hunter's fear still felt strong in the air, like the village's old scary feelings.
But Old Man Hemlock was calm and said the Blackwood had hidden people.
This made me feel a little hopeful that we could understand things instead of just being scared.
The next morning, the village felt a bit different.
People still whispered about the forest, but they didn't sound as sure as before.
It was like Old Man Hemlock's words were still there, making them think.
Mom looked at me worried but also curious, like she wanted to ask something but didn't.
Inside me, I felt lots of things mixed up.
I was scared about being trapped, surprised that the werewolf knew my name, and confused about Old Man Hemlock knowing about them.
But under all that, I still really wanted to see the Blackwood and understand it, not just hear scary stories.
The edge of the forest wasn't just a scary line anymore; it was a door to a hidden truth.
Later that day, when the sun was shining through the leaves, I went to the trees again.
This time, I was a little excited, not just scared.
It felt like I was stepping into a story that was much bigger than I knew.
The air under the trees felt different right away.
The bright sun was now broken into pieces, making long shadows that moved and tricked my eyes.
The sounds of the village went away.
Now I heard a deeper, quieter sound, with little noises from things moving in the plants and a bird singing a song I didn't know.
My boots sank a little into the soft ground.
It felt alive under my feet, with roots and things I couldn't see.
The air smelled richer here, like wet dirt, old leaves, and the sweet smell of flowers I couldn't see.
It felt both calm and made me pay more attention.
Going under the trees felt like going into a secret room, and the key was a whispered word and an old man's knowing look.
Inside, I felt careful and curious at the same time.
Every shadow looked like it could hide something, every leaf that moved might be something I would see.
I was still a little scared, but I also really wanted to see past the monster in the village's stories.
I took a small step in, then another.
The trees were taller here, their branches touching above me, like a roof made of wood and leaves.
The light coming through made moving shapes on the ground, making it hard to see what was ahead.
It felt a little magical and also made me feel lost.
A flash of blue caught my eye.
A bright butterfly, the color of the sky, flew through the light.
It was a kind I had never seen in the village gardens.
It showed that there were many different living things in the Blackwood, not just scary ones.
I watched it, amazed by how pretty it was.
It reminded me that not everything in this forest was a monster.
Beauty and mystery walked together under the quiet watch of the old trees.
Inside, I was always trying to decide between the fear I knew and how much I wanted to find new things.
The villagers only saw danger; I was starting to see a world full of beautiful details and secrets.
I kept walking carefully, listening to everything.
I heard a soft clicking sound, the same beat I remembered.
My heart skipped. Was it them?
The werewolf's friend?
I felt scared and excited at the same time.
The clicking sound got closer, and then a small, smooth creature came out of the shadows.
It looked even more interesting up close.
It had dark fur with soft stripes, and its shiny eyes looked smart and watched me carefully.
It moved smoothly, and its sharp claws clicked softly on the leaves.
It stopped a few feet away, looking right at me.
It didn't look like it wanted to fight, just curious, like me.
It tilted its head a little and made a soft, fast sound, the same gentle sound I heard in the open space.
The quiet sounds in the forest weren't just scary stories; they were like quiet hellos from a hidden world.
Inside, my thoughts raced.
This was the werewolf's friend. It wasn't attacking me. It seemed… curious.
Slowly, I reached into my bag and took out a small, bright flower I had picked earlier.
I held it out slowly, my hand shaking a little.
The clicking creature watched me carefully, its shiny eyes never leaving mine.
For a long moment, it just looked at the flower.
Then, it moved quickly and gently took the flower from my hand, its sharp claws barely touching my skin.
It held the flower for a moment, looking at it, before making a soft clicking sound and going back into the shadows as quietly as it came.
Seeing that made me stop breathing for a second.
I felt amazed, and the fear went away for a moment.
This wasn't how a dumb animal would act.
It was smart, curious, and even a little… gentle?
The creatures of the Blackwood had a way of talking that weren't just growls.
I was just starting to hear it.
I took a few more steps into the forest, not feeling as scared with each step.
The air didn't feel so dangerous anymore, more… alive.
I saw things I hadn't noticed before – the patterns on the tree bark, the lines on the bottom of leaves, the tiny, shiny bugs flying in the sun.
It was a world full of life, a world the villagers said was just death and darkness.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over me, bigger than the trees.
A low growl came from the air, closer this time, and the musky smell got stronger.
My heart jumped. He was here.
I turned slowly, my hand going to the carved wooden piece in my pocket.
The werewolf stood a few feet away, his shiny eyes looking right at me.
He looked even bigger up close, his strong muscles moving under his dark fur.
But he didn't look like he wanted to fight.
He just stood there, watching me, his eyes looking hard but… like he was asking something?
The clicking creature came out of the shadows next to him, its shiny eyes also looking at me.
It was quiet for a moment, the only sound was the soft moving of leaves above.
Inside, I was fighting between the fear I felt because he was there and how much I wanted to understand him, to connect our two worlds.
Then, the werewolf did something I didn't expect.
He lowered his big head a little, the same way he did with Old Man Hemlock in the open space.
And then, he talked.
This time, it wasn't just my name.
It was another word, said slowly and carefully.
His rough voice shook the quiet forest.
"Safe."
The word hung in the air, a small sound with a big meaning.
Safe?
Did he mean I was safe with him? Or was it a warning?
Before I could think about it, a loud, scared scream came from the trees, a human sound.
It came from the path to the village, closer than I had gone.
The werewolf's head turned quickly towards the sound, his shiny eyes looking worried.
The clicking creature next to him got ready to fight, its claws coming out.
Whatever was happening, the quiet peace of the forest had just broken, and the danger was coming from the world I knew.