The journey back to the kingdom of pines is longer than it had been previously.  No longer do I levitate eerily upon the updrafts.  The feathered appendages I had once held awkwardly to my sides are no more.  Stripped away, my body feels lighter, more agile.  I am thankful for this.

I now move quickly under the needle filled canopies with a hunter prowellness.  Only fresh scars and dried blood remain where my wings once attached; a small reminder of my time in the forest with the dark God.

A meager price to pay

Within the shrouded fog of the kingdom, I seek to find any who may call it home.  What creatures would such a land hold to Her breast, I wonder.

My travels break into a small clearing and before me I find an interior water reservoir.  Movements stop as my silver eyes cast my gaze upon it.  For now, I simply watch it.  The still surface reflecting the blue-gray skies above, creating a wonderfully eerie effect.  If anyone were to live here, surely they will be coming to enjoy a refreshing drink at some point.

Kreed