A stolen soul but a golden heart

Time is cruel but how cruel can it be?

I awoke to the sound of howling from a distance. As I began to slowly sit up the realisation that I was not alone become apparent. I noticed that Aoife was sitting by the small campfire in the middle of a large clearing it was in the middle of the woods.

He noticed that I was awake and called me over to him. I stood up and went to him and sat down on a log near the fire. "So finally awake lass. You were out for some time." he said with a smile. How long has it been? The moon was still up but it feels like days have been by. The woods is a strange place indeed. I thought to myself silently waiting for Aoife to say something.

He then picked up a small Coldren and placed it over the fireplace, it was filled with what appeared to be a stew which had carrots, Broccoli, sweetcorn and what looked like rabbit it smelled so good. "So why did you come here? I thought Renadeath would have warned everyone I mean she is only a little lass but a survivor of the woods is not something to ignore." He said in a deep tone.

"What do you mean by little lass?" I asked nervously. His eyes suddenly went serious and he looked directly at me. "Renadeath is only 8 years old. I mean I have only been in the woods for a year so she can't be that old right" he questioned.

I then looked down at my feet for a second and took a breath and slowly looked up to him only to see a once angry look had developed into tears and a look of pure sadness. "Please say she is still alive please say my little sis is still alive."

I then understood what had happened. At that moment I remembered what the alpha had said about the man not being able to save people all the time. It wasn't to stop a butterfly effect. The reason the man let Renadeath out of the woods was that she not only needed to build the village but there needed to be a balance in the woods.

I believe two entered the woods that night but only one was able to leave. From what I could make out the woods must have balanced this by taking her memory before she left which would explain why the alpha never mentioned a brother.

I felt my heart getting heavy. As I began to explain this to Aoife. After I told him what had happened he began to cry silently after finding out the fact that it's been over 400 years since he entered the woods with his sister and everyone he would have known would be no longer alive. The worst part was the fact his sister didn't even know who he was before she passed away the Poor boy.

I wondered how I could make him feel better for a bit and I came up with the idea that I would bring him with me when I leave with Simon. He looked at me with a confused and worried look on his face.

"How exactly are you going to do that?" he asked. I smiled at him and said "We are going to kill the stag and release every child's soul that was trapped. You will get revenge and I will get Simon back I just need your help it's a win-win situation the way I see it. So are you in?" He dried his eyes and offered his hand to which I shook knowing that I might have made a new friend.

we set out too find the stag I told the plan to Aoife he nodded in reply. We both travelled deeper into the woods Aoife let me borrow some gloves and shoes he had found laying around from the previous victims of the stag.
I would be a little more prepared for the harsh ground and cold given the new clothes and shoes.

Aoife knew where the stag would likely be from all of the time he had spent here he said he would most likely be by the lake, however, the only thing he could never find was the exit. It is not surprising considering it is a magic wood when we finally reached the stag and got to a Close enough distance Aoife and I nodded to each other and we both went into position. "So it begins ready or not stag you going to pay for what you have done..." I say to myself quietly.

To be continued...