text: Sipping their cup of tea, they looked up as they heard a loud rumble outside. It sounded... different than the thunder. It sounded deeper, more like it came from the earth itself. They slowly stood up, carefully placing their cup next to them, feeling confusion and curiosity rising from within them. Forgetting to put anything able to withstand the rain on, they walked outside into the streaming rain, barefoot, their long garments dancing behind them, carried upwards by the winds. Without looking behind them, they slowly walked into the woods, ignoring the rain trying its best to warn them. They kept on walking, slowly, gracefully, nearly looking like someone of royalty. They felt how their hair swooshed around them, in all directions, but they paid no mind to it. They kept walking, elegantly stepping over fallen branches, and entire logs. Deeper inside the woods, the rain lessened, but the wind continued to push around them. They were able to concentrate on the sounds. The leaves being blown around, and raindrops still falling towards the ground, being slowed by the plants and moss covering every free surface. They inhaled deeply, smelling the crisp air that always hangs in the air during rainfall. They smelt the greenery, but there was an underlying scent. It smelt... ancient. There was no other word to describe it. It smelt like deep caverns, like plants, slowly decaying. It smelt kind of sweet, but at the same time very clean. Their curiosity now piqued, they walked further, paying no attention to the path they were taking becoming wilder and wilder, filled with more plants with every step they took. They didn’t stumble, how, was beyond them. The light kept fading more the deeper they walked into the woods. But suddenly, the light became brighter again. When they looked as to why, they saw it. Thousands of mushrooms, glowing a soft yellow light. When they looked further along the trail, the glow became more intense. They suddenly heard the low rumble again, but this time it was so loud, it became too much for them. They covered their ears quickly, squeezing their eyes nearly shut. When the rumbling stopped, they started walking again, picking up their pace. They hurried along the trail, their heart thundering in their chest. Then, they came to a sudden halt. They saw a giant beast, illuminated by the soft glow of the mushrooms. It looked like it had the colour of moss, ranging from a deep green to a muddy brown. They took a step back in amazement, when the giant creature slowly looked their way. Big yellow eyes slowly slid over them, taking up every inch. They couldn’t see any pupils, sending a shiver up their spine. Slowly, the creature spread its wings, making it seem even taller. By doing so, it revealed that it had all sorts of plants and mushrooms growing over its body, making it seem like it had been in a slumber for thousands of years.