Adventure of Faye 1

Faye reaches a mossy hollow as goblins fan through the trees, prodding fern beds and whispering beneath crooked green hoods. Their search closes like a tightening net.

Near a fallen birch, a young adult man, lean and narrow-shouldered crouches beneath thorny branches. His freckled face is half-hidden, brown hair tangled, and his patched russet cloak blends poorly with the leaves.

The concealed human has already spotted Faye. He raises one trembling finger toward the searching goblins, then points along a narrow trail winding deeper into the woods.

Three goblins spread wider, their hooked spears parting bracken while their yellow eyes flick from shadow to shadow. One pauses only a few strides away.

Faye cups her hands over the moss and calls gently to the sleeping roots. Vines stir, then surge outward in a green whisper, curling across the trail and lifting bright blossoms beneath the trees.

Fern fronds unfurl around the goblins' boots. Thorny runners weave between trunks, while a sudden shower of pale flowers trembles far to the east, drawing every yellow-eyed gaze away from the hollow.

The three goblins hurry toward the flowering commotion, hooked spears raised as they shove through the newly risen growth. Their voices fade beneath rustling leaves.

The concealed human slips from beneath the thorns and beckons along the narrow trail. Behind him, the living vines continue to tangle the goblins' path without harming them.

The oldest trees open into a dim green passage, scented with crushed fern and sweet blossoms. For the moment, the search has swept safely past Faye.

Faye slips between the oldest trees, reading bent fern stems, birdcalls, and patches of undisturbed moss. She guides the concealed human along a winding route that leaves no clear trail behind them.

The green passage bends around a moss-covered stone and opens into a sheltered hollow. A clear spring bubbles there, hidden beneath broad silver leaves, while the forest closes safely behind them.

The young man lowers his voice and emerges fully into the springlight. His patched russet cloak is snagged with thorns, but his wary expression eases as he studies the safe hollow.

Beyond the spring, faint stone markers emerge beneath the moss, forming a concealed route toward the watchtower. Faye has brought Tomas safely through the forest and uncovered a hidden way forward.