Whispering Woods

Chapter Six

Rock towered over them, giving them shelter but also fear it would tumble down and leave them trapped. Ol' Mackerel had decided to rest under a few of the shrubs that were attempting to climb up the cliff. The rest of the dogs - Lemon, Nutmeg, Jackal, and Elizabeth - were eating a deer they had just killed and brought back to their temporary camp. The golden retriever wondered if he should tell the others about Soothe. After all, without Soothe Ol' Mackerel would've died. Their only guide through this crazy forest would be dead, leaving them lost. But no matter how much Lemon wanted to tell the others, he bit his tongue everytime and stayed silent. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be the only one keeping a secret. Nutmeg had been almost entirely angry since the others left them three days ago, Jackal had been unusually talkative - as if he was trying to forget something - and Ol' Mackerel hadn't eaten anything they caught since his run in with the lake.

Lemon let out a sigh and tore off some flesh of the deer and took it over to Ol' Mackerel. The group had been rotating who would try and feed the old dog, and now it was his turn to try. "Eat," he growled, tossing the chunk of flesh at Ol' Mackerel's paws. The wise dog met his eyes for a second - scaring Lemon for a second with the emotionless void he was faced with - before calmly nodding and starting to slowly eat the food he was given. Good. That dog needed to eat more. The golden retriever had finished his task, so he went to help devour the deer with the rest of the group. Silence hung over everyone as they ate, the bright sun being swept away by the clouds. Away, away... away... and away. Now facing dusk, the group huddled near the warmest spot of the cliff's underbelly, a shallow cave that just gave them enough shelter. They had been camping by the cliff for an awfully long time, so they had all decided that tomorrow they would find somewhere new to settle for a few days. The cliff wasn't the most ideal place anyway, so it wouldn't be good to stick around. There wasn't even any water here, they had to travel.

I can lead you to a place with water, but food is not a thing I can guide you to. That is Wild's job, and she cannot help you now, Soothe sighed inside his head, clearly bothered that she couldn't help the group more.

Wild? There are more of you? Wait, why do you even want to help me anyway?! Lemon quizzed, reminding himself to not trust the strange voice. He thought she would've gone away after the dream. After all, it was a dream. Not reality. Fake. Now she suggested that there were more of her? She had to just be just a figment of his imagination. He must be really creative then.

Of course there are more of me. I only am a water spirit, after all. Wild takes care of the animals, excluding the fish. Those are mine. And I don't want to help you. I have to. When you entered the forest, I was bound to your soul. I didn't ask for this. You're just a pesky mortal. I'm hundreds of years old! Well, only 234 years old, but I'm only the second youngest! Grumble is only 87 years old! Hmph! Soothe seemed to be angry now, so Lemon didn't respond. Who were all these dogs she was mentioning? And did she say spirit?! Ugh! This was so confusing! ALSO I'M NOT FAKE. I'M JUST A REAL AS YOU, FURNOSE!

Lemon almost burst out in laughter at that, but luckily he held it back. F-furnose? Is that supposed to be an insult? Hah! You've had 234 years to think of insults and that's all you can think of?! Pathetic! He couldn't get over how stupid the insult was, constantly battling laughing, Thats rich!

Hey! Watch your tongue! I'm way older than you! More powerful too! I can and will squish you like a bug! Soothe threatened, her calm voice laced with a poisonous growl. No matter how furious she seemed to get, her voice seemed to keep the same calm tone, I'm a spirit. You're a mortal. You think you're more powerful than I? That's laughable. I could drown you and your whole group with a flick of my ear!

Lemon almost thought back a retort, but he bit his tongue and stayed quiet. Maybe he shouldn't anger her. Sure, she was so easy to anger, but her threat was probably serious. With a deep breath, he curled up in the shallow cave and fell asleep for the night, obviously whisked into a dream before he could stop it.

"Lemon, do you understand that I am trying to help you?!?" Soothe growled, towering over him. The water that made up her form was calm like a stream anymore, it was whirling like a hurricane, crashing down like a tsunami as she shrunk down to his level. The golden retriever was already trying to slink away, but after he was three yards away, his mind willed him to stop. He didn't want that. Why was his own head opposing him?

"I figured you're this close to murdering me," responded Lemon, hovering his paw a centimeter over the water that had washed over to him. "After all, you already made many threats leading me to believe that." He was scared, of course, but also irritated, and he was too tired to try and hide it.

"I am. But that's only because you're stupid enough to annoy a spirit. We are the most powerful things in this forest, and you dare poke fun at us? If I wanted, I could drive all water away from you until you were defeated by dehydration. But, I am merciful, so I've decided to spare you. I don't have time to kill you when I'm so busy with... a danger, per say." Soothe sighed, calling the water that had spread out back to the ocean behind her. "Still think you're a furnose though."

"Danger?" Lemon echoed, pausing for a moment to think, "What danger?" Anything a spirit considered a threat couldn't be good.

"I... you wouldn't understand. I'm sorry that I am very limited in my helping. I can't reach the other spirits, so I assume they bonded with your friends, but I can't tell if they know of the threat. It would be catastrophic if they didn't," Soothe whispered, starting to fade out.

"Wait! What danger?!" Lemon called, panic racing through him.

"You'll see." And with that she was gone.