The Dark Forest

 

            The road swayed in front of Pierre as he wearily plodded along it. He was already completely exhausted, but the rain made it worse. He pulled his cloak tighter around himself. He needed to find a place to stay and get out of the rain. It was nearing sundown and he knew that it would only get colder.

            Shivering, he focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly the dirt road vanished, and he found himself standing on cobblestone. Looking up, he saw that he had reached the Abbey. Pierre let out a grateful sigh and hurried up to the main gate. He still had a long journey ahead of him, but he knew he would find shelter here tonight. The monks were always very generous.

            The monk that greeted him at the gate took one look at him and offered him a room. Nodding gratefully, Pierre followed the man as he led him through the Abbey. “You look dead on your feet, sir. Hopefully this room will be adequate for your needs.”

            Pierre didn’t have the strength to say anything. He removed his boots and collapsed onto the bed. He was asleep within minutes.

            The next morning, Pierre woke to the sound of birds chirping merrily outside the window. Feeling refreshed, he went to go find the monks to thank them for allowing him to stay there. He stepped into the hall and met a monk who appeared to have been waiting for him.

            “Good morning, sir! My name is Dom.” His face shone with happiness. “Would you care for some refreshment?”

            Dom’s happiness rubbed off on Pierre, and he felt his spirits lift. “Yes, thank you very much.” He followed the monk to a dining room where he ate a delicious breakfast of fruit and eggs.

            Dom seemed to wait patiently, but the moment Pierre was finished with his meal he asked, “Where have you journeyed from?”

            Pierre’s good mood vanished as he thought about the last few days. “I have travelled many days from my home to visit my brother. I’ve still got a ways to go, but it was a pleasure to rest here in your beautiful abbey.”

            Dom inclined his head in appreciation, but his face fell slightly when he realized that something was bothering Pierre. “Have you not had a pleasant journey?”

            Pierre shook his head. “It was well enough until I reached the crossroads just before the Dark Forest. There I was attacked by bandits and robbed. They knocked me out and left me there.” He rubbed the sore spot on his head. “When I woke up, I was only left with the clothes on my back. My horse and supplies were gone.”

            The monk’s eyebrows rose as Pierre told his story. “But the crossroads are at least two days’ walk from here. What did you do?”

            “I was determined to reach my brother’s house, and I knew that this Abbey was the closest place where I could get some help. But I had to go through the Dark Forest.”

            Dom hurriedly crossed himself. “That place isn’t fit for habitation. It’s the home of all kinds of wicked things.” He looked worriedly at Pierre.

            “Yes, I had heard stories, but it’s the quickest way here. I decided to just push through as fast as I could.” Pierre shivered. “I saw things in there that made me believe every story I’ve ever heard about it.”

            “What did you see?” Dom’s eyes widened in curiosity.

            Shivering, Pierre answered. “I was well enough traveling during the day, but the darkness brought out the wolves.”

            “Wolves?”

            “Yes, black wolves were circling around my small campsite all night. I was afraid to go to sleep, and I had to keep my fire high. I could see them, just watching me. They howled to each other all night, and I kept worrying that they would charge me. I swear I even saw one as big as a horse. When morning finally came, I set off as soon as I could. I ran most of the rest of the way here so I wouldn’t have to spend another night there.”

            Mouth wide in astonishment, Dom exclaimed, “Thank the stars above! Those wolves are what makes the Dark Forest so dangerous. They were studying you. If you had spent another night there, they would have attacked you. Not many people have seen the wolves and lived to tell the tale.”

            Hearing this, Pierre nodded solemnly. He thanked the monk for the Abbey’s hospitality and continued his journey. He now had enough supplies to reach his brother, and he couldn’t wait to tell him his story. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the danger that he had been in. He definitely wouldn’t be coming back this way. He would go around the Dark Forest even if it added days to his journey. It was worth it.