The Forest 13

To be gentle. And kind. And considerate. To always have the other's needs in mind. These are the keys that open the solid iron doors of the forest. That with trust and understanding and respect and equal pace you may lead one another on a journey that, although you both know the destination, neither one of you are quite sure of the footing or terrain, making this trek exhilarating and incomparable.

And this forest of tender limbs, supple and malleable and strong, but soft, like the white braided vines that connect each extension and weave their way throughout, guides would-be adventurers along their own unique paths, so great and expansive this grove is. Yet treacherous it can be: those who would seek to harm or tarnish or inflict undue pain and suffering, or as an attempt to carve their way will only be met with rabbit holes of despair and unimaginable solitude, for this place is as deep and dark and dense as those who'd seek obtain it's secrets for their own personal use, instead of allowing well-heeled explorers to offer their own creative maps and recollections.

And we enter together. For in her, and match. A walking partner. A ranger. A fawn of the forest. Not born of it, but drawn to it naturally. One with a curiosity to explore every nook and cranny and vine the forest has to offer. One with the patience to tread easily, and lightly, so as to not loose her footing in this inviting yet unfamiliar place. One that sees a destination glade from afar, and is excited by it, but still has the charm and inner calm to allow me to guide us.

For I am her stag. Her guardian. Proud, strong, and steady as she wanders to and fro. Alert and cautious, intuitively reading her movements and mindful of any sign of anxiety or discomfort. Wise, humble, and reassuring when she looks to me for guidance, which is often, though I find comfort in her inquiries, for she is near me, and by my side, and pressed against me.

And together, we are wild. And not wild as an infant is wild, savage and carnal, untamed and without compassion, nor the way a harsh wind can be for the same reasons, but wild as the root of the world. Unfettered, unconstrained. Pulsing. Breathing. Free. Free to be wild, and be what we are, and explore at our leisure; to devise our path, and plan for the unknown, and impose self-restraint only when necessary, for in our forest there are yet none who would seek to impose their own shackles, their own designs, their own will.

And when we espy a new part of the forest, hidden from the eyes of the world and not yet known to us, appearing lush and filled with the promise of carefree frolicking for her and safety and privacy for me, then my senses hone in, and I prepare and lead us on the journey. For there is joy in exploration, of discovering the new, but being such a wild thing my heart pounds in my ears for I am also wary, and shall be until we enter this new glade. For then she is filled with grace and wonder and silent awe. And with this her heart races, being overwhelmed with the senses of the new; and she is flush, and in heat also.

We surround ourselves in the unknown, and delight in the other's experiences and feelings, and this brings on the natural exchange. For her light and energy cause me to rise, above and beyond a wild thing, to become more than I am, more than what I have been or will be, to a point where I stand tall and soar. For I am unleashed. I am free.

And this freedom rages, unyielding, allowing me to climb higher and higher until I touch the very sun, but burning as I do, and bringing me to the point of blinded fury that only true life can endure, caught in a whirlwind - yet I would have this moment last forever, for I will have her as my own, as unstoppable a force of will and power and charge as the celestial being I am faced against, but would become singed and melted, tarnished and destroyed, consumed by the very fire that seeks to elevate me to such a pinnacle.

And she senses this internal storm, this eternal combustion, and takes pause from her delights to calm me, and sooth me, and press against me tenderly, so that I rescind my claim, and fall to be by her side, and reminded of my true form and my purpose: to be her partner and guide and fellow explorer throughout this forest. She reassures me that my ascension cannot go unabated, for she needs me, and together we must be at peace once more. For there are new glades to discover, and we must do so together, so that this journey may repeat itself time and time again.

END