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1. A beautiful night for a stroll.
A lazy warm breeze whispered through the treetops as Hilda silently opened her shutters, eliciting a whining squeak from the rusty hinges. She grimaced in annoyance, quietly praying that her sleeping grandmother had not heard the slight sound, the old woman has ears that could put a bat to shame...
After a few moments of focused listening, no sounds of rousing could be heard from the adjoining room and the young woman released the breath she'd unconsciously held. Her heart pounded a steady rhythm in a surprisingly dry throat.
Quite ridiculous that she felt like a toddler about to be caught doing something she shouldn't, she was an adult now after all. Not a few days ago her small family had rejoiced at her 18
th
birthday; gran had made her favorite dessert; savory sweet lemon tarts. Her father had proudly given her a night shift that had once belonged to her mother. Even her little sister had joyfully gifted her the most ridiculous scarf Hilda had ever seen, but she'd thanked her younger sibling gratefully for her self-sown present nonetheless.
She'd loved spending the joyous day with her loved ones, but had never seen the relevance of birthdays. Since her mother passed away 7 years ago growing up rapidly had been an unavoidable necessity, as she was the one best equipped to fulfill the suddenly unoccupied role in the household. Hilda had long since considered herself an adult without making the deliberate decision. The celebration of her birthday simply underlined that fact.
A small smile spread on her moonlit face as she realized she'd been about to rehash the same mental argument that had busied her thoughts more times than she'd care to admit. Now was not a time for thinking, now was a time for action.
It's been far too long since I visited the woods.
She reflected.
Gracefully she swung her legs over the windowsill and lowered herself to the ground. As soon as her bare feet touched the naked earth a delicate fluttering built in her stomach...
She loved the feeling of oneness with the world she experienced every time she took one of her secret little walks. Supple blades of grass bent under her soles and curled around her toes as she strode towards the edge of the surrounding forest, an almost imperceivable bounce in her surefooted step, languidly weaving her way through the trees.
Gran had told her many times of their families ties to nature while they foraged in the dense woods. She'd told Hilda about certain types of plants that could heal various injuries and afflictions. What to watch for in a patch of growth to determine if the forest was healthy or in need of attention. How to react and interact with different species of animals. But most importantly; gran had shown her the beauty and tranquility that suffused every inch of this magical place. The forest had been just as much a part of her upbringing as the old crone herself, an undeniable part of her being.
And so, even though she wore nothing more than her new white nightshift, Hilda felt perfectly at ease. The cloudless night allowed a waxing moon to illuminate the ancient trees and soft grass, outlining her surroundings and providing more than enough light to find her way. In these last weeks of summer cold was no issue either as the warmth of the day lingered deep into the night.
Despite a comfortable temperature the occasional breeze prompted her nipples to stiffen every so often, rubbing against the soft material of her thin garment.
The fresh scent of pine trees mixed with the subtle fragrance of sweet-smelling wildflowers calmed her mind as effectively as it always did. Prompting her to hum contentedly. The night was perfect and a midnight stroll was exactly what she had needed after a hard day's work. Hilda took in a deep breath to expel any tension left in her well-formed body, stretching her arms as far as they could behind her back, her full breasts straining the fabric of the shift.
The sensation of countless threads brushing over her chest, caressing her stomach and thighs elicited desires she'd never experienced before during her nightly outings. An enticing thought crossed her mind. The sense of stimulation the shift had caused made her think about the opportunities being alone offered her.
Gods know it's been a long while since I've had any kind of solitude...
The house her family lived in was a relatively small cottage. Sturdy and comfortable, but ultimately it provided her with very little privacy. Even at night, when everybody slept, noise carried through the structure. That combined with the exhaustion of a day's work meant she'd had only a few opportunities to explore her shapely body.
She struggled to suppress the improper thoughts, which seemed futile as a patch of long-leaved ferns brushed their soft curved length against the inside of her leg, trailing from her thigh down to her knee as she passed.
Hilda let out a shaking breath and licked her suddenly moist lips. Her whole body seemed to react to the brief contact with delighted arousal; her nipples stiffened, the muscles in her back tensed and her hips began a rolling motion that only moved her pelvis ever so slightly.
Absentmindedly she let her right hand trail its way across her thigh, having come to a full stop. Feet planted firmly. Her thumb lifted the hem of her nightshirt, so that her hand could easily slide further over the soft skin between leg and hip. A tuft of delicately curling blond hairs met her fingertips. She closed her eyes, caressing the silken hair. Her hand slid lower, inching closer to -SNAP-
What was that!?
A surge of panic bloomed in her as she abruptly opened her eyes and gazed into the shadows of the moonlit trees.
At first she could see nothing. Heavy shadows obscured a large portion of the forest in the direction the sound had come from.
No wait...Did those shadows just move!?
"Wh-wh-who's there?" She called with an obvious tremble in her voice. The shadows didn't stir, nor did she hear any more sounds that would have given away anything hiding in the brush. She stood frozen, her back at rigid attention. Cautionary tales her grandmother used to tell her about bears and wolves sprang to the forefront of her mind, prompting a cold shiver to run down her spine. Her breathing quickened.
Think girl, think!
She thought furiously.
What do I do!?
§2. Unexpected introductions.
