Chapter One – Birthday
Before she even opened her eyes, she felt something. Eyes boring into her back? A heady smell? She felt rather than heard or smelled it. Slowly, she opened her eyes and even more slowly turned to look over her shoulder.
There, in a sliver of light sneaking through the trees, stood Snowglare. He seemed unafraid and calm, more like a beam of bright light than his solid form. Jessica tried to be the same. Breathe. She stayed in her sense meditation, trying maintain her awareness of the forest around her.
She tried not to look right at the buck, but just beyond him. Looking right at a wild creature would scare it away. But Snowglare stared back at her unflinching, with his strange, crimson eyes.
He stepped closer, making her pulse quicken in fear. Why would a deer approach a human? Rabies? Food? Ah, she did have an apple. Very slowly, she pulled the apple out of her bag. Even more slowly, she moved her hand inch by inch to place it down as far as she could reach in front of her. Snowglare walked up boldly and bowed his head as if in thanks. Then he took one more step forward until he stood in front of the food. He bit down with a sharp crack.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Relax, breathe. She'd never been closer to a wild deer. He stood so close, she could reach out and touch his hoof or his muzzle. She saw scars and sharp nicks cut deeply into his antlers, as though he never hesitated to use them in a fight. He could butt her with them and kill her in an instant.
The buck finished his snack and licked his lips. He lifted his long neck and head, then walked a few steps uphill. Rather than fleeing as he normally did, he paused and turned to look back at her. He took a few more steps, then looked back again. He looks almost humanlike with his gestures. Or maybe like a dog pleading for me to come.
Snowglare took a couple more steps forward, and then turned back again. He stomped one forefoot on the ground as if in frustration, making her jump in surprise. So much for keeping perfectly still. She feared he'd bolt, but he froze instead.
She felt a shiver run down her spine. Rather than give in to her fear, she bravely stood up to follow.
Wait a minute, did he just nod? Curious, she used her quiet walk to avoid startling him. They walked up the hill to the top, where soft grass spread out on the forest floor, passing a tall oak tree she loved more than any other. She had spent hours upon hours sitting beneath its branches, trying to tempt song birds to feed from her hands.
The buck led her down a narrow path. White pine trees grew on either side, making the path seem enclosed, almost claustrophobic. She could walk noiselessly without much effort on the soft needles. It was her favorite part of the forest since her father would take her here to practice the art of silent walking in an ideal location.
They crossed under a tulip poplar tree that grew straight up from the base of the trunk but then curved down to form a living arch. Jessica had never noticed this before and she wondered how the arch formed. Snowglare stepped under the arch and kept going a few paces before turning around to make sure Jessica still followed. Yes, I’m coming.
She ran her fingers along a cedar trunk, noticing for the first time that the trees became hairier and larger with each step in this part of the forest. She bite her lip in confusion. The trees also grew farther and farther apart with each step.
How strange. She momentarily felt frustrated that she had not noticed this before. These trees looked almost like a different species than regular white cedars. But, she carried a small guide to plants and animals in Virginia in her bag. She pulled it out while walking. She wished she could stop and draw a picture of the delicate cedar leaves, but she worried she’d lose sight of Snowglare.
She flipped quickly through the book. She couldn’t find any cedars with a two inch cone. The tree wasn’t there. Am I missing something? Have I discovered a new species? She imagined a tree named after her. She would call it Chamaecyparis abbotus. She giggled at the thought. She would have to check more field guides when she returned home.
She walked on for some time in a daze. Later, she'd only remember Snowglare's bright form guiding her onward. And then the sun shone down from directly overhead. Jessica needed to hurry back to be home in time to help her mom make her birthday cake. She and her mom planned to start baking after lunch. She had ten of her closest friends coming over in the evening for a sleepover party.
But nothing could be as exciting as being led into the forest by a deer! Torn between duty and the thrill of the moment, she stopped walking to see how the buck would react if she refused to follow.
Snowglare stopped too, and turned around. His glance asked, “What is it?” She could almost hear a soft, airy whisper in her head. Her eyes glazed over a moment. Yes, I still have plenty of time. This is too exciting to quit now . . . just a little bit farther. Her feet carried her forward, as if by some force outside of herself.
Time played tricks on her. Her legs felt heavy, but it seemed as if she had been walking an hour, tops. Her head felt weird and empty . . . like she moved through a cloud. Then, without warning, Snowglare jumped over a briar bush and dashed into the woods.
Jessica felt her head clear instantly.
What’s wrong with me? Am I coming down with something? And where did Snowglare go? She turned to look for him, but he had evaporated. Jessica felt alone and confused. Though exhilarated too! She hadn’t exactly “caught” a deer by running, as had been her silly, childish ambition, but this had been just as cool. Perhaps even more so. She had been led through the forest by a large, majestic buck.
She felt a little turned around but she could hear a soft trickle of water. Maybe she could still find her way back home in time for lunch. Good thing had already cleaned the house for the party. Her mom couldn't be too angry with her.
The path forked several times, so she used the sound of flowing water to guide her. The sound of water became louder and louder, too loud for any of the streams in this forest. After rounding a bend in the path, she saw a twenty foot waterfall up ahead.
Her eyes grew big to take it in. The most gorgeous waterfall cascaded onto a rock in the middle of a clear blue pool, a rainbow of colors shining from every droplet of water.
