As a seasoned adventurer, Varian had encountered many strange and mystical creatures in his travels. But he had no idea, stepping into this seemingly unremarkable forest, that he was about to experience his most magical encounter yet.
It had been a long day of hiking through dense forest, and Varian was exhausted. More importantly, he hadn't made any progress on his journey. All the directions he'd received told him he should have been past the forest by midday, but the sun was already far past its zenith and he saw almost identical looking trees all around.
Just as he was feeling ready to take a break, he discovered a cool, shaded glade. He hadn't come across it before, a fact that reassured him he wasn't going in circles all day. Tired and frustrated, he lay down his pack and leaned against a tree stump to rest. He leaned his head back, relaxing to the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind, and closed his eyes.
When he opened them the sun had already set, but the area was illuminated by moonlight. Strange, he thought. It was supposed to be a half moon tonight, but instead the moon waxed full above him.
Suddenly, Varian felt a strange sensation, as if the forest itself was coming alive around him. The leaves rustled, the trees creaked, and the air filled with a sweet, earthy scent. He heard a sound like a whisper coming from behind him, and quickly turned to discern the source of the noise.
When he turned back, there was a beautiful woman standing in the middle of the glade, bathed in moonlight and staring directly at him. Her skin was the color of bark and her head was covered in leaves instead of hair. Startled, Varian instinctively reached for his sword, but it was woefully out of reach.
"Who- What are you?" he stammered.
Instead of answering, she quietly stepped closer, her eyes fixed on him. Human or not, she was beautiful. Her eyes had large pupils and bright green irises and were now locked with his. Varian noticed intricate patterns etched into her skin, which resembled the soft bark of a sapling.
The full moon, the movement of the forest, the plantlike features, this could only be a...
"Dryad," Varian managed, his voice barely above a whisper.
The dryad nodded, her eyes never leaving his. Did she understand him?
Varian felt a sudden urge to kneel before her, as if she were some kind of forest deity. He resisted the urge, but stood up instead. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was in the presence of something sacred.
"What do you want?" Varian asked, voice almost lost in wind rushing around him. She was standing right in front of him now, looking up into his eyes.
She placed a hand on his bare cheek, her fingers surprisingly soft despite their twig-like appearance. When she did so, the wind stopped, the forest quieted, and all he could hear was the dryad's voice, like the rustling of leaves, directly in his mind.
You are not of the forest. But you are in the forest.
Varian nodded, relieved that she didn't appear to be hostile. "I am simply traveling through. I mean no harm to this place or its inhabitants."
The dryad's face twisted into what might have been a smile and, for a moment, Varian felt as though he were basking in sunlight.