Mouse looked up at the old shadow. "Are you ready for training today?" Mouse nodded and started moving his hands.
"I'm incredibly bored sitting inside all day. I prefer to be outside and see the village. Training is great. Let's begin."
"Hahaha. I would be bored of being indoors all day too. Especially, if I was your age."
"Come the old man chair is ready." Mouse sighed and looked at the old shadow with an annoyed face. He sat up and used his arms to carry himself into the chair. He looked down at his waist and touched the green growth. He pointed and signed to the old shadow.
"What's that?"
"Ahh. It seems the seeds that were planted before you arrived have started to sprout. I wonder what the trees have in mind for you." He sat in the chair and let the old shadow push him outside. He looked around and smiled at the flowers that covered the old shadow's house.
"Hmm. It seems that the trees really like you. I've never seen my house look like this before."
Mouse looked at the old shadow in confusion.
"Don't worry about it… We need to focus on building your arm strength… I know the perfect place."
Mouse sat in silence looking around as he was pushed towards a large tree in the middle of the village. He stared at the tree in amazement and moved his hands at the old shadow.
"Why is this tree growing out of the tree we're living in?"
"Ahhh. That is a question that the tree can tell you. If you ask, I'm sure that they'll listen."
"How can I ask, when I can't even speak?"
"Hahaha. That's not my problem. You'll have to figure it out on your own. The trees like you already. So that's a good start at least."
Mouse sighed and looked at the tree.
"What's my training for today?"
"Today you're climbing this old tree here. I want you to pick a leaf from the top of the tree… Also, you need to learn how to communicate with the trees. I'm not expecting you to master that from today, but hopefully soon."
Mouse nodded at the old shadow.
"I'll get that leaf for you and try talking with the trees. I won't let you down."
Mouse grabbed a low hanging branch and pulled himself up sitting on the branch. He looked down at the chair and the old shadow. He pointed to the seat of the chair.
"See I told you. They like you. They even make the seat more comfortable for you… You were just sitting in it for a few minutes as well…"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'll go complete your task."
"Fine… Fine. Don't mind an old man like me. Go climb the tree. When you've finished your training, I'll be back at the house."
Mouse sat on the branch and watched the old shadow walk away. He shook his head as he stared at the moss-covered chair.
"You should make friends with them. They've been waiting for you for a long time you know."
Mouse turned and smiled at the woman who was sitting on a branch higher than he was.
"What do you mean make friends with them?"
"It's not that hard to talk with them. They want to talk with you. You just need to learn how to talk with them. If you can then the task to get the leaf from the top will be very easy for you."
He sighed and looked at the woman smiling.
"Easy to say when you can talk, but hard to do when you can't. Also how did you get in the tree without the old shadow seeing you?"
"Since you've learned to sign, your old nature has come out. I like it… To answer your questions, all I did was ask the tree to hide me, and it did."
Mouse's mouth dropped open and he stared at the woman.
"You just asked the tree and it did that for you?"
"Yes… Since you need proof. Fine watch this…"
He watched her close her eyes, and slowly the branch started moving until she was sitting opposite him.
Mouse blinked and sat in silence staring at the woman.
"That's not all, you can ask for anything… Say a piece of fruit."
He watched her open her hand and an apple fell into it.
"Or maybe you need to jump to a high place…"
He leaned back as the branch she was on shot her high into the sky. He looked up trying to find her.
"Useful if you're trying to surprise your target…"
Mouse turned and looked at the woman standing on another branch behind him. His eyes wide open.
"Please teach me how to do that."
"I haven't shown you something that you'll find the most useful, especially here with the shadows."
He watched as a vine picked her up and moved her through the branches.
"See these leaves. All you need to do is ask, and they'll form into a weapon for you, poison, or even if you carry seeds with you, giant roots and trees can grow."
He watched as she threw a leaf towards the chair and leaned back as the leaf went through the chair and broke one of the wheels under the chair.
"That's really incredible. I really want to learn. Please teach me how to talk with the trees."
He sat in silence as she sat next to him. "If you want legs all you have to do is ask… It's not about asking with words but asking with your heart. Speak to the heart of the tree… That's all there is to it."
He felt her touch him on the shoulder. "You spoke to the trees and gave thanks to them in the garden. They heard that back than and can hear your heart."
He turned as she stood up.
"Do you have to leave so soon? I haven't seen you for a long time. Can't we talk longer?"
"Sorry Mouse. I love our talks too, but you need to complete your task. They might start thinking you're lazy or something."
"If I ask the trees for legs, what will I have to give in return?"
"You've already paid the cost… Now I must really go."
He watched as the branch lifted her up into the treetops and he looked down at his legs looking at the green growth.
"Mouse… A final reminder. Never turn your back on the trees. They'll destroy anything that stands in their way. Even if they are former friends and allies."
He looked up but couldn't see the woman, but he nodded to himself and clenched his fists."
He looked at the branch he was sitting on and watched as a flower started to grow and bloom next to him. He smiled as he looked at it in full bloom.
He raised his hands and started to sign at it.
"I don't know if you can understand this, but you've made me smile today beautiful flower."
His eyes opened wide as several flowers started to grow and bloom around him all opening in his direction. He smiled.
"You can understand my signing? Thank you…"
He moved along the branch and placed his hand on the tree. Darkness covered his vision. He looked around and saw his legs.
"Hahahaha. My legs… My voice… Where am I? What is this place?"
A glowing light pulsed in the darkness. Mouse looked at the pulse and started walking towards it.
"No point in thinking about what it is, or where I am. Might as well just go and see for myself…"
He stood in front of the pulsing light and touched it. "It feels like a tree… But how can a tree grow in this darkness?"
He looked up and saw the pulse go through large channels far until fading from his view. He sat down in thought.
"Hello sapling… Are you just going to sit there? Or shall we talk instead?"
He looked at the pulsing object in shock and stood up taking a step back.
"I'm sorry. Who am I talking to? Where am I"
"You could say we're where all life begins in the place you call Athlos… We've been watching you for a long time and have always wanted to talk with you sapling."
"So I'm talking to a giant beating heart?"
"Hahaha… no, not a heart. Think of it more of a brain… Sending information to and from the trees across Athlos. Now let's talk."
Mouse stood and walked towards the pulsing object and sat in front of it.
"Sure. I'm happy to talk, since I have my voice back in here. I can tell all my jokes and have someone to talk with and laugh at them…"
He looked around. "Where are we by the way?"
"We're deep below the surface of the place you call Athlos."
Mouse nodded and looked at his legs. "It's a pity that my legs are here, but not up there…"
"That's what we're here to talk about, among other things… Do you want to have legs, that are better than before?"
Mouse looked at the pulsing object. "You can do that?"
"If the deal is suitable, then yes we can do that. Actually, we're already doing that."
Mouse looked confused. "What do you mean?
"Your old legs. They were dying… We had to remove the poison from your body, but your voice… Maybe that was for the better."
Mouse looked at the pulsing object with an annoyed face. "So, I've paid the cost of having my legs and voice removed?"
"For now, yes… We've planted seeds to give you legs that are better, but is there anything that you want or desire?"
Mouse sat in thought. He looked at the pulses of light as they rose high above him. "It seems many people ask you for things, but then turn their back on you… I want to be stronger, but also I want to be able to come and talk with you and be a part of all this."
"You… want to be connected?"
Mouse nodded. "At least I'll have someone to talk to… But also, I want to become stronger, so I can find my friends."
"You're very interesting… The first to just want to talk… To become strong is normal…"
Mouse sat in silence watching the pulses and smiled. "Not being able to talk is very painful. All I can do is sign or make a face. I'm willing to do anything just to be able to sit and talk or even joke."
"We've agreed to your request. You can be connected to us… But there might be some side effects… But we agreed the process is going to be quite painful for you."
'What do you mean by side effects?"
"You're the first to ask this… We're even unsure ourselves… If you keep us safe, we'll be connected to you… Also, your blood matches us well, so we'll have no rejection from the process."
Mouse stood and walked towards the pulsing object smiling. "You need protection? Someone as strong as you need to be protected?"
"We're strong…? It's not like that at all. We can't move, yet we can see the filth causing us to become poisoned. If we're connected… Then you must destroy the filth… That is our condition. Do you accept?"
Mouse touched the object with a smile on his face. "You give me legs, strength and to be able to talk with you, then I'll be happy to wipe it off Athlos."
"So be it. We have a deal…"
Mouse watched as vines wrapped around his body and pulled his arms and legs until they were tight. "Sapling… This is going to hurt… Be ready…"
Mouse smiled and rolled his neck. "Nothing can be more painful then what I've already experienced… I'm ready."
He watched as two large vines approached him and waved in front of his hands and pushed against them.
Mouse cursed. "Hahahahaha… To curse again." He cursed loudly as the vines pushed into his hands and watched as his blood started to drip from his hands and his mouth.
"This sapling is interesting…"