Character

"The Grove is a known entity, even to the Viera tribes of the deep forests. It was dangerous for children to play too far out in the fields alone where the Grove can descend and take them away. Within the Viera tribes, we are warned of venturing too close to the fringes of the forests, woods, and jungles alone; where the brush can't protect you. The story is told to all the young Viera girls: of the one who decided to head to the treeline on her own. She listened to her mommy, and her tribe, just like all good Viera girls; she was just like us. Yet, one day, the curiosity was too much and she just had to see the end of the woods. There was a whole world out there, we all knew that, and she needed to see it right away, rather than waiting until she came of age. She made her way to the edge, where the trees gave way to the fields and world of the other folk. Before being able to return to her tribe, a shadow came up from the field in front of her and she never made her way back home.

I never meant to follow in the footsteps of the Bunny of the story; but I ended up a living example. I was 7 when I was taken, still learning what it truly meant to be a Viera of the Jungle. We learned to climb and leap from trees early; even vine swinging was a skill we mastered early. We were masters of our terrain, even before learning the art of the hunt to which the skills were best implemented. Naturally, tag, hide-and-seek, and other children's games of the like were what we played; I was particularly good at hiding.

One game, I was a bit too well hidden. My playmates were unable to find me and gave up looking; most likely assuming I would return triumphantly to the tribe. However, by the time I had realized no one was looking for me, it had grown dark. The jungles that were normally familiar, suddenly became unknown and mysterious. I hadn't done much exploring at night, that was what older Viera did, and I couldn't tell which way was back. Next thing I knew, I was on the jungle floor, looking out at a wide expanse of wild grass. I had made it to the jungle edge. My body seized up as my brain continued to rush forward, recalling the stories. My ears instinctually perked up, my fight-or-flight senses beginning to take control. However, even primal instincts are limited for a child of 7. I heard the noise before I saw the movement, and could not react as fast as my ears. A shadow darted from the tall grass and, shortly after, all I saw was the edge of the jungle and one of the bracelets my mother had woven from palm fronds growing smaller. I felt a strong grip around my waist and heard a low, gruff chuckle. 'You're just the gold grab I need to impress the Owl. I'll be a Hawk in no time'. Later I learned us Viera are a special mark to them, a prize catch, as our tribal laws forbid any who leave to return...even if it is against our will."

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