Arin was a youthful baker in the charming village of Eldenwood which is situated between the ancient Wyrmwood Forest and the sparkling Lake of Echoes. She was celebrated for her splendid pastries and a contagious smile, but she had a secret that made her different from other townsmen: she could talk with animals.
On a clear morning in autumn, the gold and crimson leaves blazing on the trees caught Arin's attention when she suddenly heard a fluttering on the glass panes near her head. Expecting something small like a bug or a misplaced leaf, Arin was rather surprised when she saw that it was a petite bird with only one silver feather shining among its brown wings which had come to have an audience with her. Surprisingly, after she had opened her windows, the bird assumed an atmosphere of submission when it darted swiftly inside until it finally landed gently atop her shoulder.
"Help us," the sparrow chirped in a tiny, trembling voice. "The Heart of the Forest has been stolen!"
The Heart of the Forest is said to be a mystical gem that protects Eldenwood as well as its surroundings against the dark forces of the Shadowlands, without which the village and its enchanted environs would plunge into everlasting darkness.
Determined to help, Arin loaded a small bag with food, wound her long, auburn hair into a plait, and moved towards Wyrmwood Forest. The sparrow, Finnegan by name came by chance and led the girl through the bushes, which concealed it from above, and among the tallest trees.
It took them hours of walking, but they finally arrived at the secret clearing where The Heart of the Forest was hidden. They deduced that there had been a fight because they saw broken twigs and roots, extensive claw evidence on the ground, and some nearly invisible signs of something being dragged towards the forest's core.
As they followed their path, Arin together with Finnegan met different forest animals that alerted them concerning forthcoming doom. Nevertheless, they never gave up but moved forward, finally getting to the place where the burglar lived- tricky fox called Vesper who had been put under a spell by some evil magician coming from another world full of shadows
As they approached, Arin and Finnegan saw Vesper glaring at them with Heart of the Forest glinting in his mouth. "Why do you risk your life for a village that takes you for granted?" he snarled.
"Arin moved ahead, speaking with firmness and composure, saying; "my home is Eldenwood, my family are its people, and I will not allow anything to separate me from them"."
By the courage and sincerity that she displayed, Vesper was in conflicted. The hold of the enchantment on him was loosened. In her moment of hesitation, Finnegan moved quickly, took the Heart of the Forest from Vesper's hand.
Arin and Finnegan raced back to the hidden glade with the gem safely in their possession. The Heart of the Forest was placed back on its pedestal, and a radiant light encompassed the area to get rid of the shadows and redeem its magic.
Having been released from the spell cast by the dark sorcerer, Vesper expressed gratitude to Arin and promised that she would keep watch over the forest and all its creatures forever. Arin came back to Eldenwood as a conqueror with an even greater bond with the woodland and its animal population.
The village was vibrant because the Heart of the Forest protected it and through all the years that followed, Arin's bakery became a popular meeting place where tales of courage and fellowship were passed down from one age to another.
YOU ARE READING
The Heart of the Forest
FantasyA young baker named Arin found out that she could talk to animals while living in the peaceful village of Eldenwood renowned for being beautiful and hospitable. She took a very dangerous trip within the Wyrmwood Forest into which she had to go to fi...
