In the forest of Everwin, things were tranquil and quiet as usual, though there was something odd in the air. Creatures flitted around, from small sparrows, to ginormous moose. The sun filtered through the trees, leaving the forest floor dappled with light. Various little streams throughout the forest trickled down to the river Gale. It was summer, and moths fluttered around everywhere.<br/><br/>Here and there a squirrel or a chipmunk would be scurrying around, gathering nuts for food. The brush was alive with the movement of the animals that inhabited it. Some trees were bent over, and many had fallen due to the previous winter's harsh treatment. Even so, everything was alive, hardly crushed by the cold winters at all.<br/><br/>Nearby, there was a small town set in the valley. Though some hunted in Everwin, the forest was largely undisturbed by humans. There were no roads through the forest, and no human ever just passed through. It was a sanctuary for animals and plants, still pure and beautiful.<br/><br/>The native pack of wolves, the Anabi, were out for the hunt. Everything lived in balance; the deer ate the plants, and the wolves ate the deer. Someday all would die, and their bodies would be nutrients to the scavengers and the ground. Plants flourished, so there was plenty of food for the prey, in turn making it so there was plenty of prey for the predator.<br/><br/>Just as the universe was in balance. Every tree was a tree, every mouse a mouse, and every human a human. However, things were unsettled. The winds spoke change for two individuals. Those who recognized the signs were inclined to flee, but most were ignorant of the change to come, and carried on blissfully. The universe had holes, and sometimes things were warped. When things were warped, the world was temporarily out of balance. Often times, these changes, these oddities, they were called miracles. Sometimes they spoke trouble, or sometimes they brought fortune.<br/><br/>The wise ones who could taste the change in the air did not know what it would bring. They simply waited, and watched. All would be revealed soon enough.