Forest Ghosts

Sanria went deeper into the woods, pulling the cowl on her cloak even higher. She came to the Westbridge River and with a word, her feet rose into the air and she drifted over it to the other side. A small dirt path greeted her and the distant sound of a saw. Here, unlike the pristine north bank, the trees were marked. Destruction was everywhere it seemed. She dared not to put her hand on the trunks of the trees - if she did, she was certain to hear their pain.

Following the path, she found herself deeper in the woods and within an un- familiar spot. A small stand of birch trees seemed an inviting place to sit, and she soon made herself comfortable off the beaten path. Her mind, again, began to wander. She would have to move out. Leave the cavern and put some separation between herself and Colin. Certainly, the children would suffer a little - but the last time the "Family Stone" had traveled to the druid grove, even the Elder there had said separation would be good. Colin may have been unwilling to hear it, but it made sense to Sanria. And she already had a place to stay with Claire and -

The movement caught the corner of Sanria's eye and she jerked her head in its direction. A woman, tall, slender, silver... stared at her. Seen, the woman vanished behind a tree like a ghost. "Wait! Hey..." Sanria called out, getting to her feet. "Come back!"

Sanria walked quickly toward the trees where the woman had been, deeper into the forest as she went. She reached the tree the woman had vanished behind and found nothing. Sanria slowly scanned the woods and let out a deep sigh. To the north, however, was a creeping mist. Unsettled, Sanria stood for a long moment. There were choices to make - she could return to the cavern and forget all of this... or... Sanria stared at the mist and slowly began to walk forward.