Somewhere on earth was a wonderful world all of its own called the Mouse Ear Woods. This forest was dense with enormous green trees, various plants, berry bushes, and beautiful flowers. A narrow but abundant river also wound its way through the woods and was full of fish and other water creatures. Within the woods lived a rather large community of fairies that have survived and flourished for centuries in hidden huts and dens. Even when the humans sometimes wandered into their woods the fairies managed to keep a low profile. Over the years, the fairies didn’t see any harm in the humans occasionally visiting their woods so they left them alone when they did.
Within the fairy community were three large families. The Fishwick’s, the Dollarweed’s, and the Featherwheel’s. The members of the Fishwick family were considered the leaders and kept order in the community. The Featherwheel family was considered the middle class and made sure that their homes were kept up and the farming was taken care of. And the Dollarweed family was known to be the security and hunters of the community. They all knew exactly what their positions and duties were which made the community a well running machine so to speak.
A normal day for the fairies would be to tend to their farms, hunt for meat, take care of their families and teach. Because of the continuous growth of their population, teaching the young fairies was a must. The elders knew that in order to keep their species alive in this world, that all fairies must learn their history and the basics of survival. Tia Dollarweed was one of the young adult fairies who had already learned their history and the basics of survival, and was also eager to teach others. She had two younger siblings, Olivia and Jack, who she started to teach first.
The elders found Tia’s enthusiasm and intelligence helpful and decided to make her a teacher. So, a few days a week Tia would assist two of the elders with the teaching of the younger fairies. Her younger cousin Bo Featherwheel was also one of her students and was enthusiastic as well. But when he wasn’t learning about fairy culture and survival, he was extremely interested in the humans. The elders made it clear in the past that humans can be dangerous and that fairies need to stay clear of them. But even with their warnings, fairies from generation to generation would still be curious at times and seek the humans out.
One afternoon, Bo brought up the subject of humans to his cousin Tia. She tried to detour Bo’s interest in the human’s but he was persistent. He told her that he had snuck out to the edge of the woods and watched the many large four-wheeled machines go by. Tia heard about the large four-wheeled machines before and explained to Bo how dangerous they are. She told him that a young fairy like himself was curious about the humans and was killed by one of those machines. Bo was hesitant but also told her that he and another friend of his wandered down into human territory by going along the river.
Tia was surprised and anxious about what her cousin just told her. She feared for his safety if he were to do it again, but was also a bit curious herself. She questioned Bo as to what he saw when he went that way. Bo told her that at first there were beautiful trees much like theirs, but then he saw humans with machines taking down some trees and cutting them up. In the distance he said he saw tall structures that the humans appeared to be working on. Tia pondered about what the elders had taught her in the past. Could this be happening again, she thought?
Bo noticed Tia’s concerned look and asked her what was wrong. Tia felt that she had to see for herself before she said anything to anyone. She told Bo that he shouldn’t go into the human’s area again because it’s too dangerous. And that if he does, she might have to report him to the elder’s. Bo stuck his tongue out at Tia and told her that if any adult fairy was to understand him, that he thought it would have been her.
As Bo flew up into the trees, Tia felt bad that she couldn’t share his enthusiasm about what he saw. She was only going by what she was taught about the humans. She didn’t know for sure if what the elder’s teach is true or not. But why would they lie about the humans, she thought.
Every few months the elder’s would send a seeker out to see what was happening outside the perimeter of the woods, and report back. The report was the last time that all was calm and quiet. They just sent a seeker out two months ago, Tia thought. Tia contemplated whether she should make a trip along the river to the edge of the woods. Did the seeker not see what the humans were doing at that time, or was it still calm and quiet, Tia wondered. Maybe I should go and see for myself, she thought. For the rest of the day Tia thought about it to the point that it worried her.
Later that night Tia tossed and turned in her bed of feather’s while she tried to decide what to do. Tomorrow I will have a self-care day. I could take the day to journey out to the edge of the woods and see what Bo was talking about, she thought. Tia laid there a few more minutes and then made up her mind. Yes, bright and early I will pack up some food and make a day of it, she thought. Tia closed her eyes and exhaled. Because she finally made up her mind, she relaxed herself enough to drift off to sleep for a while.
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