(Author: LordFinn, Discord: LordFinn#6418)
Two gigantic black buffalos were slowly pulling a huge caravan with dirty chains. The road was covered with snow and could not see where they were going. But the heavy and muscular bodies of these two animals were constantly moving and melting the layer of snow on the road. They could see that they were on the right path by examining the way the caravan left behind.
Snowfall reduced the view and all the tracks on the ground were slowly disappearing. This cold and long journey in the middle of the forest was a very frightening experience for the first time participants.
The caravan owner was a wealthy merchant and took many valuable spices to sell in another city. In order to prevent animals from getting tired, he ordered his men to set up a camp and spend the night in this forest.
Everyone was experienced hunters except for several passengers and slaves inside the caravan. They immediately cleaned the caravan and lit a fire for hot food. The spot where the guards have to keep watch were determined and the animals were taken care of.
Lu Xiya was one of the mercenaries who had to protect this caravan. It was the first time she came to the west, but the snow-covered forests were familiar. Lu Xiya threw her bow on her back and made her way by leaping to the point where she had to stand guard. She was very confident in her ability to move and was fearless of wild animals.
Her long ears were moving slowly along with the wind. Her brunette complexion and white hair blended her with nature. She put her hand in the little bag she'd worn around her waist. She took out a small whistle and blew it. Although there was no sound from the whistle, the elf ears shook with the incoming vibrations.
-Hahaha, It's stupid to keep watch over this cold. Which human beings can attack us in this cold ... I should be able to remove animals from the surrounding area.
Although Lu Xiya was known as a mature and successful hunter, she was only a 133-year-old elf. Considering that a 500-year-old elf was middle-aged, Lu Xiya was quite young. That's why everyone was used to her childish behaviour. Although she was far from her home, she was not afraid of anything. Different races were able to use each other as slaves, but no one could have made elves do anything other than their will. The elves were few in number, but it was a race that supported each other, and their slavery was enough to win the hatred of the whole elf race.
The whistle that Lu Xiya used was a special elf device and could detect the sound of the living things in the region. Of course, this article could only be used by people with elf senses. As soon as she learned of the location of the nearest living creature, she took her bow and lifted it into the air.
- Let's go, Bertha!
With his words, green lights from her bow were scattered and a green giant parrot spirit appeared. The spirit of this animal, which rose in the sky in all its glory, melted in a moment and transformed into the huge four green wings that appeared on Lu Xiya's back.
Lu Xiya went forward without losing time and suddenly disappeared into the forest.
***
-You are sleeping. You're sleeping too. Everyone sleep quietly.
Lu Xiya was aiming. With her hand, the bow strained and when she left, two of the four wings on her back were shooting the targeted creatures with a green beam. A green feather was visible on these large animals for a short time.
The elves did not choose to kill the animals unless they had to, and they had many methods to calm them. Lu Xiya was using the method to make them sleep for a day before they could move.
When she blew her whistle for the last time, she sensed a prey indicating less life than any other creature. She quietly approached the bushes. But when she passed through the long bushes, it wasn't an animal waiting for her. It was a tree with red apples on it.
In this snow-covered and dark forest, the crimson apples were shining like diamonds. Lu Xiya rubbed her eyes and tried to make sure she hadn't dreamed. But the apple tree was still there!
"How is that possible?" She asked herself. The apple tree was thirty-two feet tall and covered with snow, but the green leaves and red apples were visible.
Lu Xiya smirked silently as though she had found a treasure, and wiped the saliva from the edges of her mouth. She happily ran to the apple tree and looked closely at the glowing juicy apples.
"I am very lucky. I'm very lucky" she said, and she waved her hand towards the trunk of the tree, and as a result of this movement, the wings on her back suddenly fluttered and dropped a large majority of the snow on the tree.
The apple tree, whose appearance was visible, glowed in the midst of this pessimistic forest with its thirty-two-foot length, brown old tree trunk, green pointed leaves and crimson apples.
Lu Xiya could not stand it any longer and took the apple closest to her. She didn't bother to examine the apple, she bites and eats it straight away. The apples were so delicious! She closed her eyes and it made her feel better. And the scent of the apple, when wrapped all around, was reminiscent of her mother's pies. Tears flowed from her eyes involuntarily. The taste of this apple was unique.
After eating another apple, she ate another one she's still wanting to eat more so she ate one more. She then got upset as she couldn't eat more apples. But then, she had an idea to bring some apples for her friends in the caravan.
She collected five more apples and quickly returned to the caravan.
***
-Big sister! Ah! My ear! Don't pull my ear! Please! Ah! My hair! Don't pull my hair! Big sisss!
Lu Xiya's long ears were being twisted by an old woman. She begged for mercy in pain.
- Didn't I tell you, if you notice anything abnormal, come tell us! What did you do? You approached it impulsively and even ate apples!
- But, sister! They looked delicious. And look, I'm still healthy and robust. Nothing happened.
-Stupid. Maybe you're free from dying because of your elf body, but if I didn't notice, you'll be feeding those apples to the others! Do not forget that! The more remarkable a fruit is in nature, the more toxic it is!
"OK, sister. I will not eat again" Lu Xiya said, and started to cry.
"Were the apples really poisonous?" An old man in a colourful robe approached her and asked. This guy was the rich merchant who owned the caravan. All his robe was decorated with shiny fabric and precious jewels. Even his teeth were gold.
"No, but the tree is remarkable. The poison may show its effect later. Or the tree can be a carnivorous plant that tries to attract the creatures from the surrounding area. Even if such trees are completely harmless, the strong creatures that protect them are always around. We must be grateful that Lu Xiya is alive." The elderly woman spoke slowly emphasizing her words.
"When the weather warms up we can go and check again" the old man replied after thinking for a while.
After spending the night there, the caravan started to move slowly as the sun started to rise.
***
The apple tree deep in the forest stood silently. A small sparrow landed in one of its branches and approached one of the apples. But as it tried to touch the apple, all of a sudden the branch swayed and the last remaining snowflake fell from the tree and the sparrow flew away in fear.
Unexpectedly, a breeze blew around the apple tree. From the leaves to the trunk of the tree, there was a wheezing and crackling sound that could shake the souls of the people around it
A pair of eyes that no normal being could ever see, looked slowly at his trunk. He felt different and alone in the snowy forest around him.
"Where is here?" Marwa was awakened after a long sleep. When he tried to talk, it was a breeze, and he was just buzzing.
Marwa tried to feel his body. His body wasn't moving. When he tried to move his fingers, he could see that a few leaves at the ends of the branches were shaking. It was a big surprise for him. But, before his astonishment came to an end he felt tired and fell into a deep sleep again.