My hooves sink into the moss as I step out from behind the trees. The look of awe on the humans' faces threatens to bring a smile to my face. I keep a firm hold on my expression, sternly gazing at them from a fair distance away. Their eyes linger on my antlers. The human with the sword looks like he wants to fight me. The archer swallows, caution coloring his eyes.

  "I am certainly not your friend, but I am not your foe."

  The swordsman looks anxiously between me and the archer. It is clear he wants to engage me, to test his mettle against my own. I believe I would win if it were one on one.

  "What... What are you?"

  I snort, the sound accompanied by a shake of my head. The humans flinch as if I've just barked at them. I chuckle, considering how to answer the question. It is obvious they're curious about my species. I'll keep it vague for Mother's sake.

  "I am Silva, custodian of forests."

  With my deceleration I slam my staff down into the dirt. A trickle of mana leaves me as I make a variety of flowers bloom beneath my feet. This is a waste of mana--but the theatrics are worth it. Now the humans are even more aghast. The one with the sword looks more excited about the prospect of fighting me. How strange.

  "Does that mean you're a sort of caretaker of this wood?"

  "Caretaker, yes. This wood specifically? No. I am tasked with maintaining all forests within Mother's realm. I have yet to finish restoring Green Valley's life, as someone went and desecrated those lands."

  "Mother? Who is mother, and when you say realm you mean the dungeon, right?"

  I click my tongue, finding the insistent questioning a bit annoying. I suppose I'll satisfy their curiosity. Mother does need them to visit to gain power. Maybe the drive for answers will keep them coming back in the future?

  "Mother is my creator. She created all of this realm, every piece. She assigned me as the custodian of forests as well."

  "I see... Can your mother speak with us directly, then?"

  No, most certainly not. I can tell by the steely look in this archer's eyes that he'd want to kill Mother if he ever got within arrows reach of her. I can never let such a thing happen.

  "You are trespassers, creeping into Mother's garden. Why would she grant such invaders a personal audience?"

  "Trespassers? How can we be trespassers when this dungeon is clearly designed to be entered. There are doors leading us here. Benches to rest upon outside, and a pittance of treasure to be found like bait in a trap!"

  The archer is growing angry. I suppose his wounded companion is probably the root of such rage. His stinging words do have some truth to them, as Mother is intentionally luring them inside. Despite knowing this I can't bring myself to think of them as more than termites chewing at the wood that is Mother's Realm.

  My hand clenches into a fist as I glare at the humans before me. They stand paces away from one of Mother's creations, dead at their feet. Such audacity.

  "Mother wants visitors, yes, but not marauding barbarians! You kill, take, and pillage with no care! It is no small feat I am standing here speaking to you rather than crushing you beneath the trees around us!"

  The archer's expression hardens "Marauders? These monsters attack us unprovoked. This snake nearly killed Petra, and you would paint us the villain?"

  "That highbark constrictor is but an animal! They know no morality, only survival. They struggle to feed themselves day by day. It has no true malice, unlike you vile pests."

  The archer looks ready to attack me. He's had his bow in hand this whole time, and the muscles in his arm are twitching. The human with a sword holds it with both hands. His expression is growing fiercer as he watches his leader's stance grow violent.

  I suppose it is natural for humans to resort to violence in the face of opposition.

  Mother will have to forgive me for killing these knaves.

  "L-Lyric, stop, please..." A quiet voice cuts through the tense silence.

  The archer--Lyric, apparently--turns to look back at the smallest human in the group. The female with glasses. She's awake, albeit her eyes look half focused. She's going to need more time before she can fully recover from nearly getting strangled to death. Lyric's face shifts to one of shock and concern as he rushes to the wounded human's side.

  "Petra! Please, rest, you need time to heal."

  "I'm fine, Lyric. This conversation is too important for me to miss-" The small human--Petra--begins to cough.

  How strange it is to see humans caring for something other than themselves. I suppose other humans are an exception to their selfish habits? Or maybe these humans are mates. Perhaps not, judging by the way they interact with one another.

  Petra sits up with a determined look on her face. She clears her throat before addressing me directly. Her voice is hoarse with pain.

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  "Silva, you say humans are invaders, but are we not also animals?"

  What is this girl getting at?

  "Humans may be a kind of animal, yes, but you do not live here. You aren't here for survival."

  "That is where you are wrong. The humans who come here do so because they can make a living selling information and items from within the dungeon. It is... A dying trade, as the dungeon doesn't produce much in the way of valuables."

  This is news to me. The humans come here not to simply satisfy their twisted desires to kill and take, but to live? It is unlike how the animals and plants of my forests survive, but it is similar in many ways. The part that doesn't sit right with me is her comment about Mother's realm being low in valuables. How can she say such a thing?!

  "Perposterous!" I huff, brows furrowed.

  "Silva, please, we aren't here to hurt you we just want-"

  "No, not that, I am referring to the mention of valuables. Mother's realm is rife with wealth! There are miraculous healing potions, forever glowing lanterns that cannot be doused by water, and life giving staves that channel life force like a lightning rod does to lightning!"

  The humans look shocked by my words. How can they act like I've revealed anything new to them when they are the ones taking such treasures on an hourly basis? Lyric, the archer, decides to break the silence.

  "I'm sorry, but what do you mean when you say life giving staves?"

  "Are you daft? The ones with the green gems, you give it a bit of mana and it heals wounds from a distance, or grows your plants like magic-"

  My words die in my throat as I recall something that totally slipped my mind. Mother showed me those staves with the mention of them being something she planned to give to humans as treasure--key word, planned, meaning she hadn't yet done so. Red hot embarrassment burns in my cheeks. I clear my throat, trying to look composed to the humans.

  "Forget it. I am done speaking with you, humans."

  I turn away from the humans. Petra calls out to me, her voice shrill and scratched by recently healed wounds. She sounds desperate despite the discomfort yelling undoubtedly causes her.

  "Silva, wait! I have questions I need answers to!"

  Sighing, I turn to face the girl. My raised brow implores her to give me a reason to listen.

  "Look, I-I can pass a message to the people in charge. Get them to change the way adventurers behave in the dungeon?"

  Now there is an interesting offer. So long as I can secure some agreements in return for the information I give them, this will be a worthwhile trade.

  "I suppose having you 'adventurers' stick to some rules would help keep Mother's realm healthy. I'll answer your questions, but for each question I demand something in return."

  "You have a deal. Now, for my first question-"

  "Curb your enthusiasm, Petra. I will not answer until you give me payment. This payment will be in the form of a rule I expect all of you humans to abide by."

  She nods, lips pursed into a thin line.

  "You shall not interfere with the young. No eggs, babes, nor saplings shall be harmed or stolen away. Do you agree?"

  The adventurers look between one another. It is clear from the look in their eyes that they aren't certain other humans will abide by such a rule. Petra's expression shifts as she decides she'll put her honor on the line for this rule.

  "I will agree to this rule, and you have my word that I will do my utmost to ensure all humans obey it. Now, may I ask my question, Silva?"

  "You may ask your question."

  Petra looks from me to the sky. Her eyes dart aimlessly as she thinks something over in her head. I can almost hear the twisting thoughts in her own mind as she does her best to come up with an intelligent question to ask me. I can see why Mother enjoys acting mysterious. Keeping someone guessing and cautious is quite fun!

  Petra looks ready. I watch her as she speaks.

  "My question is... Are we underground right now?"

  Oh? What an odd question. I expected her to want to know why I can talk, or what Mother truly is, or something grander. No, this question feels silly. I suppose Mother did place the door to her realm within a hill. Maybe that confuses the humans.

  "We are standing in the Wildwood, a piece of Mother's realm dominated by highbark, creeping bramble, and smaller plant life. There is a sun and a sky high above. There is no ground above us, unless you count Flathoof Haven on high."

  Petra looks ecstatic. She shakily rifles through a bag she carries, searching for something to write with. She finds a book of sorts and begins to scrawl on the pages as she looks up at me. Lyric supports her with his arm, ensuring the girl is stable as she spends energy she should be using to rest on taking notes.

  "Thank you for answering my question, Silva. I would like to ask another question, if you're willing?"

  "I'm more than willing... so long as you can give me something in return."

  "Do you not have more rules for us, or maybe questions you want to ask?"

  With a shake of my head Petra's expression falters. She is on the back foot now, and I'm the one waiting to be offered something of appropriate value. The group of humans start to converse quietly. I can still hear them, even as they whisper amongst themselves.

  "What do we give him?" Petra asks.

  "Not sure, do you think he'd like an apple or something?"

  "What? Why would he like an apple?" Lyric questions.

  "Well he looks a bit like a moose, and I've heard they eat apples-"

  The big sword wielding human is given a playful shove from Lyric. Petra shakes her head at the two men. I can tell she's thinking of what I might take in exchange for answers. She turns to me with a determined look on her face.

  "Silva! Would you be interested in the seed of a tree unlike any within the dungeon?"

  My ears perk up at the mention of a tree. She means to say there are trees I haven't seen? Plants exist unlike the ones of Mother's creation? Something feels almost forbidden, but Mother says I am the custodian of forests. She never said I couldn't care for forests outside her realm.

  "You have my interest... show me this seed."

  "I'm afraid I don't have it with me, but I can promise you I'll bring new plants to you in exchange for the promise of knowledge. Is that fair?"

  "Very well. We will meet in five days' time, at the center of the forest. Then you can ask your questions and I can have my plants."

  Petra looks at her companions before glancing at me. The confusion is clear in her eyes. I sigh, turning to gesture toward the center of the Wildwood.

  "There is an obelisk at the forest's center. You can't miss it."

  "I see... Then we have a deal."