Whispers in the Wildwood

Hush now, gather close, the fire's warm and low,
A tale I weave, where shadows twist and secrets grow.

I met a stranger on a train, eyes like stormy seas,
He spoke of whispers on the wind, and carried mysteries.

He spoke of caverns deep and dark, where whispers danced and played,
Of hidden chambers, cold and stark, where treasures long were laid.

A map he showed, etched on his skin, a spiderweb of lines,
He promised fortune, wealth within, if I would follow signs.

Intrigue like wildfire burned within, a yearning to explore,
But doubt and fear, like serpents twin, slithered around the core.

We ventured forth at moonlit hour, into the forest deep,
The air grew thick, with unseen power, secrets the shadows keep.

Each creaking branch, a whispered threat, each rustling leaf, a sigh,
The path ahead, a silhouette, beneath the inky sky.

We reached the mouth, a cavern wide, a gaping, hungry maw,
The stranger smiled, with secrets I, could never fully draw.

"Are you sure you wish to venture in?" his voice, a chilling sound,
My heart it pounded, trapped within, a web of fear unbound.