Into the Whispering Pines

Omaki pressed her back against the rough bark of an ancient pine tree, her gray eyes scanning the forest floor. Her ginger hair caught the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The Wishing Woods felt different today—quieter somehow, as if the trees themselves were holding their breath.

A twig snapped somewhere to her left. She froze, her heart hammering against her ribs. Through the undergrowth, she glimpsed something moving with fluid grace between the shadows. Not a deer or rabbit, but something larger. Something that moved like liquid silver through the green darkness.

Omaki took a careful step forward, her sneakers silent on the soft earth carpeted with pine needles. Another flash of movement caught her eye—and this time, she was certain. A wolf, its coat the color of moonlight, stood watching her from across a small clearing.

Their eyes met for one breathless moment before the creature melted back into the forest depths.

The Cricket's Warning

Omaki crept forward, following the path where the silver wolf had vanished. Her sneakers made soft sounds on the forest floor despite her careful steps. She pushed through a curtain of low-hanging branches and emerged into a small meadow dotted with wildflowers.

The wolf stood at the far edge, no longer alone. Three other wolves flanked him—one dark as charcoal, another russet-brown, and a third the color of autumn leaves. They watched her with intelligent amber eyes that seemed almost human.

"Hello," Omaki whispered, her voice barely audible.

A tiny cricket hopped onto her shoulder, chirping frantically. She glanced down at the small insect, puzzled by its urgent tone. When she looked up again, the wolves had moved closer. The silver one stepped forward and did something impossible—he nodded at her, as if understanding her greeting.

Behind the pack, Omaki noticed fresh tire tracks carved deep into the soft earth. The heavy grooves cut straight through a patch of delicate ferns, crushing them flat. Orange spray paint marked several nearby trees with bright X's.

Her heart sank. She'd heard the adults talking about logging permits for Wishing Woods.