The Woodland Encounter

A slow smile lifted the corner of her lips as she rolled onto her back, her eyes still closed as she slowly awoke. Soft green light danced across her eyelids, as the sun rose and its rays struck her bright green tent roof through the trees. It had been far too long since she had awakened to the quiet rustling of trees and the murmur of animal noises.

Sabrina had grown up camping and playing in the forest behind her grandparents' house. Outside had always been her favorite place. Then, as so often happens, she grew up, went away to college, got a job, and somehow the woods and the outside became distant happy memories. Her days became full of busy streets, tall buildings, and hustling with people who were all in their own race to claim their ideas of success.

It had all seemed so important. It had all felt so necessary. It had been the thing to do. Until, it just wasn't.

She had been leaving a lunch meeting with a potential client when she had received the call. Momo, her only surviving grandparent, had passed the night before. She was in absolute shock. Momo had always been so vibrantly full of life, and they had spoken only a week ago. She had canceled all her remaining meetings for the week, and told her assistant she would likely need next week as well.

Then, she had thrown a few things in a bag, hopped in her car and headed straight for her parent's house. She of course loved her parents, but they had fully bought into the hustling, busy, successful lifestyle before she was born, and had never been as warm and comforting and fun as Momo and Peepaw had been.

She had often wondered what had made her mom so different from her parents. Her dad's folks were much more like him. They were great for a good museum visit, or nice dinner out with the family, but she had relished the messy baking days with Momo, and the hikes and fishing with Peepaw. They had somehow managed to have the markers of success - the financial freedom, the property, the beautiful home - but had kept some magical connection with loving life, reveling in simple pleasures, and being connected to the land.

The week after that call had been a whirlwind. It had led to another absolute surprise, when she found out that Momo had left her the property, "As your Peepaw and I agreed you understood the magic in that place as well as we did." She'd cleared more time in her schedule, finally using the many vacation days she saved up over the years, and headed over to the property the day after the funeral.

It had been 2 days of going through the house, and reaqcuainting herself with its charms, as well as missing the life her grandparents had always brought to the place. She had then found the old camping gear in the garage, and decided it was exactly what she needed. So, here she was, out in the woods alone, waking to the dappled light that danced through the trees, feeling more herself than she could remember feeling in years.

She rolled out of bed and headed out to pee, and then shuffled the short distance to the small stream that wound its way through this part of the woods. The water was icy cold and wonderfully refreshing. Zero need for coffee after splashing her face in that. As she sat on her heels by the water, watching it burble over the rocks, she heard the leaves across from her rustle. She grew still to avoid scaring off whatever animal was headed her way, unafraid since no major predators were native to the area.

Her breath caught with surprise at what stepped out of the trees in the next moment. It was a woman and behind her a man, except they were both radiant and had skin that was a fascinating blend of soft green and umber hues. The woman was slender, with long hair a wild blend of brown locks and green leaf covered vines, with an occasional pale yellow flower peeking out. The man was tall, with antlers sprouting from his forehead, and his body lithe with powerful muscles like she might think of a stag having.

They paused just clear of the foliage, watching her with a tender care. Sabrina could only sit there with her mouth slightly open in surprise, her eyes blinking slowly unable to believe what she was seeing. The lady stepped forward first, carefully extending her hand as one might to an animal you were just meeting.

"Sabrina," she spoke in a voice laced with the rustle of leaves and soft distant bird song. Unable to fathom how this clearly not human being knew her, she simply nodded acknowledgement. This made the male smile softly at her, and goosebumps raced across her body.

The lady silently tread to kneel across the stream from Sabrina, her expression gentle and slightly sad. "Elaine and Frederick always spoke of you with such love. We remember you, young and free, glowing with your love for this place."

Sabrina furrowed her brow, and licking her lips, summoned her voice. "You knew my grandparents?"

The male spoke next, his voice rich and deep like the soft earth beneath the trees. "They were dear to us. They guarded this land with love and faithful stewardship, and we gave what gifts we could in return."

She sat digesting this a moment before softly asking, "Wh-who are you? How are you here?"

The two beings glanced at each other and then smiling the lady replied, "We are the spirits of this forest, as much a part of it as the rocks under your feet, the trees around you..."

The male added, "We have always been here, existing in the liminal spaces, where your kind rarely notice or see. Your family has guarded our remaining home and realm with love for generations."

"And now, this realm is yours to care for," the lady added softly. Sabrina could hardly believe what was happening. "It may feel alien to you now, but you once knew us as only children can. If you give me your hand, you will remember and you will understand."

Hesitating only briefly, Sabrina realized her gut was telling her to do it. She extended her hand across the small stream, and the lady extended hers, their fingers touching eachother's palms in the middle. As they connected, Sabrina felt a current of warmth wash up her arm and across her whole body, and suddenly things she'd not thought of in ages came rushing back to her.

Memories of racing through the woods, delighted laughter following her all around, and the knowledge she was safe deep in her bones. The small animals being calm and never fleeing her presence unless she came to the woods upset. How in those times it felt like the energy of the trees had hugged her, soothing her, helping her heal and breathe deeply again.

She also remembered the stories her grandparents had told her, of The Green Lady and The Horned Man, and their love and their adventures, their generosity and their mischief. They had always seemed like fairy tales to her, but she realized now they were true.

As she came back to herself, her eyes fluttering open, it was midday and the lady and man were gone. Directly across from her there was a small pile of berries in a beautiful wooden bowl that was carved with winding leaves. She softly thanked them, and carried the bowl with her back to her tent. She sat and ate the sweetest freshest berries she had ever tasted, and then stared in wonder as she found a small gem at the bottom of the bowl.

Her life changed irrevocably after that meeting. She had eventually gathered her things and wandered home through the woods. She realized this was indeed her home now, as it had always been. Some part of her she had lost along the way had come rushing home to sit in her center when the Green Lady had touched her. It was what she had felt lost with lately, and why she had never been able to properly feel satisfied despite her worldly successes.

Giving thanks to her Momo and Peepaw for seeing that part of her, she quietly and happily walked away from the life she had been living. Those who knew her wondered at what happened and called frequently with concern in those early months, but they came to realize something good had changed in her. She was full and radiant in her knowledge that she was home, and she trusted in the spirits she protected that all would be well.

And so it was.