The Circle

Trees grew so tall that they blot out the sun, and grew so closely together, with so much underbrush between them, that it seemed unimaginable that any living creature could make their way through them. The soft song of birds could be heard overhead while beams of light shot through the canopy like arrows onto the world below. In the middle of all of this growth was a large clearing, soft grass and little flowers springing from the ground. Nine chairs sat arranged in a circle, all facing inward in the clearing, with one slightly taller than the rest. They were carved from stone and stuck into the Earth, as if meant to last many thousands of years.

Sitting on three of these chairs were elves. A large man, with powerful muscles covering his massive frame, his body almost appearing square in shape despite his rather impressive height. An older looking man with facial hair, nervously and awkwardly looking around the clearing and into the woods, a longbow on his back. Lastly, an elven woman with a youthful looking face framed by fiery red hair, a look placed on it that sat somewhere between boredom and disappointment, dressed in clothing that seemed to be more for the fashion than the practical needs of someone who may have to transverse this deep wood.

The young woman sighed before speaking. "So the trees are speaking to you again?"

The older looking elf looked at her. She looked back, opening her eyes wider, asking for a response with her expression. "Yes," he finally answered after some time, "they have spoken to me once again. Something odd is stirring from the woods belonging to the old witch. Something foul."

The large man straightened up. "We should heed his words, Arya. It was To'mas who sensed the coming of the drow."

"Yes and it was him who all but allowed the mother of crows free. He's not all there." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Still, it may be wise to listen, I suppose. If a broken clock is right but twice a day, maybe this will be the second for him. Okay, To'mas. We will gather the rest of the nine. Until then, keep your ear to the ground. Or, the to the tress, or whatever it is that tells you things."

The older looking elf looked at her. She looked at him. He looked at her. She looked at him. He got up, turned, and walked away.