"Now, look," you say to the thorns, waving the lighter back and forth. You're not sure whether thorns can see or not, but you want them to get the message. "We just want to get into this forest, all right? That's it. Otherwise…" You bring the lighter closer to the thorns, which begin to tremble. "We might start seeing how we can amuse ourselves out here."
There's a long pause, giving you the peculiar impression of being weighed up by a plant.
Then, with a rustle of branches and barbs, the thorns move aside, creating a gap that your party can move through.
"Much obliged," you say as you start to move through the opening into the forest. It seems appropriate.
Look Around
Once you've caught your breath, you look around. Inside the forest, the light is dimmed and dull, casting a gray pall over everything. That's not the worst of it, though. A chill has taken place, starting the moment that you passed the line of thorns. Even through a blazer and shirt, it's reaching you: a penetrating cold that you can't convince yourself is natural.
Pushing the thought aside, you look at the others. "Are we ready?"
Your group turns from their own examination of the forest, nodding in response to the question.
There's a pause as you ready yourselves. The silence that settles over you is total, almost oppressive.
"This place…" Will hesitates, then shrugs. "It feels…wrong."
"What gave it away?" Sonia asks dryly. "The sentient thorns? The sudden chill? The forest that wasn't here yesterday?"
You'd not be surprised if Will was cowed by that question, still unused to interacting with a vampire, but he looks back at her steadily, meeting her gaze. "This isn't something that we're used to," he says quietly yet firmly. "We're trying as best we can, but this isn't our world."
Max snorts. "Well, that's where it all gets interesting, doesn't it? Talking about who belongs in what world. Always a…thorny topic."
Now, Will turns to face the werewolf. Even then, faced with the towering figure of Max, he doesn't back down. His mouth opens, and you can sense the retort coming before he can frame it. It's time to intervene.
"Stop," you say. "This is pointless."
"Easy for you to say, Kan," Sonia remarks. "What do you know about things from our side of the species line?"