Chapter 1
The Tree is where it all started. Every living thing can be traced back to her roots. She provides shelter and warmth to all the animals. She loves all of them fiercely like a mother loves her child.
One day, a little rabbit came up to the tree and said, “Can you help me, Tree? Something has destroyed my home. Where can I go to keep my family safe?”
The Tree responded, “Do not worry, little one. I will find you a new home. Did you see what ?”
“It wasn’t like me, it was very odd looking, and instead of hopping around on four legs, it only moved around on two.”
“I see. I shall send a scout to observe this creature.”
The Tree sent out a stag to observe the creature and told him to come back in three days time. The three days passed, and the stag did not return. A short time later, the wife of the stag came up to the tree and said in a sad, quiet voice,
“Can you help me, Tree? My husband has not returned. I worry he has been taken by the strange looking creature that Mr. Rabbit saw. How will I protect my children now?”
“I am sorry for your loss,. Can you describe the creature to me?”
“It wasn’t like me, it had no antlers or fur. I saw one by the river. It was with three of its fawns. She carried the smallest one on her back. It appears that the young cannot walk without help from their mothers.”
“I will send a group of my warriors to deal with this creature. Your children will be safe, little one. You have my word.”
“Thank you, Tree.”
She then summoned six of her biggest wolves, and told them to observe its behavior. She warned them only to attack the creature if absolutely necessary. She told them to for six days, then return to her. The six days passed, and two of the wolves returned, one of them badly injured. He collapsed in front of her,
“Mother Tree, I have failed you...”
“My child, tell me the name of the awful monster who did this.”
“The strange creatures saw us... They thought we were after its young. The others didn’t make it back.”
“What did they look like? Tell me.”
“They have no claws or sharp teeth, but they hunt with loud, shiny sticks.”
“I see now that I must deal with them myself. Where do they live?”
“They live in a clearing at the edge of the forest. Their caves are different from any others I have seen. Be careful, Mother Tree. We love you and could not bear it if you were to be hurt.”
“I cannot allow any more destruction to occur. I must pay these strange creatures a visit. I will be back in ten days time.”
And so, she picked up her skirts and she went, until she reached the edge of the forest. As she watched the creatures live and work and hunt, she noticed that all the things the animals told her were true. They covered themselves in colorful material, walked upright, and hunted with loud sticks. Their caves sat above the ground, and stood out in the open, sometimes clustered together. On the final morning, a repeated thwack, thwack thwacking sound jolted her from her slumber. For every ’thwack’, she felt a sharp pain shooting through her trunk. She looked down, and saw a group of the creatures hitting the base of her massive trunk with sharp sticks made of cold, silvery wood. She cried out, but they continued to cut and cut and cut away at her. As she took her final breath, the forest went silent.
