Evergreen and Silver; part 16; The Heart of the Winter Wood

More about Evergreen and Silver; part 16; The Heart of the Winter Wood

After many perils and troubles along the journey, at last, Arani, Shaiya and Kahle came to the circle of trees, at the center of which loomed the great Evergreen, the very heart of the wood and untouched by the blanketing snow all around it. From its gigantic trunk, protruded an arrow, glowing with a strange emerald light.
For a long time, the three children stood outside the circle of golden trees, debating what to do and whether or not to venture beyond them and remove the arrow. After having been traveling so long, they could hardly remember if Evergreen had told them it was safe to pass the circle of trees or not. All they knew was that they must take out the arrow before the entire forest and its inhabitants perished.
Finally, Arani plucked up her courage and marched through, toward the giant tree in the middle. Hesitating only a few more moments, she reached out and grabbed the arrow. Nothing seemed to be happening for several minutes and all was eerily silent and still.
Then, suddenly, a bright light burst from the wound in the bark where the arrow had been. It engulfed the whole tree for several minutes, and was so bright and powerful that Arani sank to the ground and shielded her face in terror. Then, as quickly as it had happened, the light disappeared, the Tree was healed and the snow of the Winter Wood began to melt, giving way to a glorious world of spring.
Shaiya and Kahle slowly came up behind Arani, looking about them in awe. The big horse Silver followed them and as soon as he was in the circle and saw that his world had been saved, he reared up and gave a great neigh, shaking his mane and standing in triumph.
Arani looked at her hand that had pulled the Emerald Arrow from the trunk of the Great Tree, wondering that such wondrous things had come from its simple brave act.
"Well, I guess we've saved the Wood after all," mused Kahle.
"Yes, so we have," Arani agreed, still not looking at her friends.
"I wonder what this means for Naris," said Shaiya.
"Naris will be better off than ever," replied Kahle. "Perhaps we can form an alliance with the people of the Winter Wood."
"Will the Lady Evergreen be saved now?" asked Shaiya.
"I believe so," said Arani, trying to sound reassuring. "Although, now that the Tree is healed, I suppose her spirit will return to it. They are one and the same, after all."
The three friends stood in solemn silence a while longer, gazing at the magic of the Tree and the beauty returning to the world. Then, they decided that they must go back to the cave where they had left Evergreen, to see what had become of her and those trapped within the walls of Eveth Eren. Once again, the journey was long and painful but it was made joyous by the dawning of spring. They met many strange creatures and people along the way, as if they had appeared out of no where, to resume the life that had once been the normal way of the wood's inhabitants. They had indeed rescued the Great Wood from its eternal winter.