Nothing that seemed natural was natural as far as the carriage passing through the woods was concerned. The carriage did not have any windows, nor did it have a coachman, and the horses that drove the carriage were as black as obsidian. There was something unnatural about it. The carriage stopped near the stream, and out of it came four priest-like men, in black mantles, who held a mask so that they could not be seen. They were looking for something. Or someone. Later I asked the trees what they were saying. Of course I could talk to the trees, because I was the god of the forest. I prepared a spell, and decided to drive them out of the forest with such gusts of wind that their carriage almost overturned.

Later, in a mare by the lake I found a boy. he had blonde hair and was wearing nothing but some kind of cloth wrapped around him like a diaper. The boy was all terrified, and the chains were still hanging on his hands. When he saw me, the boy got scared, but I soon convinced him that I meant no harm. When I would walk the earth's paths, I had green boots and a green tunic, and a long strong brown beard.

• What's your name, boy?
• Growel, sir. Please don't hurt me.-

I laughed and decided to take Growel home, in a cabin near the lake. It wasnt much but it was comfy. I cooked some stew, and gave him to eat. While Growel was eating the food, I took the flute and played some soothing forest tones. From his stories I discovered that the hooded men were a sect of necromancers who kidnapped him from his family and decided to sacrifice him for their god of death. The god of death and I did not get along well.

Years passed, and I decided to take Growel under my wing. I taught him how to hunt, and I taught him to gather berries. I taught him how to communicate with animals and how to navigate the waters on a boat. In the end, he befriended the bear Lengan, with whom he would often explore the forest.

People would often pass by on the road, but I advised the boy that it was best to hide from them. People are greedy and easily corruptible bunch. I didn't like them, because their loggers would often destroy my forest.

But one day, people were passing by, according to their clothes, it seems to me that they are of a high class. I asked the wind what they were talking about, and the wind answered that they were looking for their son. The way they described him, it appears to have been Growel.

With a sad face I had to tell Growel what I saw. Through all these years I became like a father to a boy and it was sad to part with him. Growel didn't want to go to his parents, he persuaded me to stay, but in the end I barely got him to send him away.

But Growel has become more cunning over the years than I thought. He was lying under a tree by the side of the road so that his parents could find him more easily. When his father saw him, he ran to him. But in a moment he stepped on an invisible trap that wrapped around his leg, and he started to hang from the tree. The rest of his family, his mother and guards ran to help but were stopped by the bear Lengan.

• Son, it's me, don't you recognize me? Your father-

• I recognized you, father. But I can't let you go. - The mother answered: - Son, what are you saying, the years in the wilderness have clouded your mind - But at those words, the bear stood up on its hind legs and the mother and the other guards retreated.

• Father, I wish you wouldn't appear here anymore. Why? Well, because I know, the priests didn't kidnap me. You sold me to them. - Father, red in the face from being lifted upside down: - No, son, that's not true. Where did you get that from?

• From where? Well, I overheard your conversation. While you thought I was sleeping I was hiding in the kitchen and I saw the priests giving you gold coins. I heard my mother say you can take me -

The mother answered: - Son, you have to understand. We were heavily in debt. Our family business would go bankrupt. We had to do something in honor of our family. But now we regret it, and we want you to come with us -

• Do you regret it? Well, good. I repent with you. - Growel took a knife and cut the trap that held his father in the air. There was a thump soud when it fells to the ground. - Now get out of this forest so I never see you again. You are not my parents.
• But, son - the bear growled and the father and mother together with the guards fled into the carriage and headed towards the city.

From that day on, Growel gained the reputation of a ranger in these forests. His adventures with Lengan the bear will make him a forest legend. But that's for another story.