#foresttales

Serene Fox Slumber – Dreamlike Folk Impressionism from the Mythic Woodland School

Serene Fox Slumber is a warm exhalation of peace, steeped in the glowing calm of Dreamlike Folk Impressionism and lovingly shaped by the narrative traditions of the Mythic Woodland School. This curled fox, nestled beneath a radiant golden sun, feels less like a creature and more like a whispered story rendered in fur and warmth.

The fox’s expression is one of perfect ease—eyes closed, breath slow, tail wrapped snugly in a cocoon of glowing russet and ochre hues. But upon closer inspection, its fur becomes a canvas in itself, layered with etched patterns, ancient glyphs, and tribal symbology. These visual textures echo the earth’s memory, as though the fox carries the dreams of the forest upon its back.

Behind it, the oversized sun pulses with life—an abstract disc of glowing gold, etched with motifs and softly blurred edges. It hovers protectively, blurring the line between daylight and dreamscape. The background is a patchwork of faded textures and soft earth tones, giving the entire scene a timeless, mythic atmosphere.

NICOLETTE - *The unusual amulet, securely fastened around my neck and tucked safely inside my dress bounces against my skin as I run through the trees, snaking my way to the Lykae Village.  Determined to reach Lachlan and understand what is going, how this amulet can help. Too many strange things are happening and I don’t like it, my mind flits back to the early morning I ventured into the town to feed, an involuntary shudder ripples down my spine as I think of the human, his strange unnerving strength, his odd scent, I can hear his shrill high pitched cackle, his words bouncing through my mind ‘I know what you are, I know exactly what you are’. Circling around behind the Lykae village heading towards Lachlan’s window I can’t stop the feeling of ill racing through me as I peer through the window, looking for signs of Lachlan.  A fear that reaches down and chills my very core. Images of the strange Lykae come into my mind, he was right, without him the human could have quite easily killed me. Blood red tears trickle down my face how could he be so strong? Lost in my memories I bite down hard on my lip stopping the scream from erupting as I feel someones hand lock around my arm, pulling me around the side of the cabin, my body shaking I ball my fist, preparing to strike, letting out a low warning hiss, refusing to be trapped again.* JOSHUA - Sitting on my porch in a chair I made myself whittling a figurine from a piece of wood. Growls to myself as I realise that the figurine is taking Isabella’s form. One day I will prove to her that I am worthy of her. Putting the figurine away and looking up to see Nicolette across the village at Lachlan’s window. Hell I better get her away before a council member sees her. Although Lachlan doesn’t think so His father doesn’t really mind the little Upir, well Muroni really but the council do. Well they seem to have a problem with Lachlan and Nicolette and that I still don’t get it, we have a good working relationship with the Upir. Ok the shock of the Hybrids being born from Lykae and Upir still to this day causes tension on both sides but at the time no one knew Lykae could breed with any other race. Hell we have been sleeping with Humans for generations and nothing. Jogging over and pulling Nicolette around the side of Lachlan’s cabin noticing her tears. Letting go and jumping back as Nicolette tries to hit me. “Shush its just me Joshua. Ok what is so urgent that you are here looking into Lachlan’s window when anybody could see you?” Looking her up and down getting angrier by the minute as I smell Human and very faint Lykae scents off you. Lachlan will go mad if anyone has hurt his little Owl!  “Nicolette what has happened to you? Did someone hurt you?” NICOLETTE - *Feeling the panic begin to subside as Joshua’s face comes into focus, hastily brushing my wet cheeks with the back of my hand.  My mouth opens and closes several times, unable to form words, as I feel another rush of tears threatening to spill over as the adrenalin leaves my body* Lachlan....where is Lachlan? JOSHUA - Standing uneasily by your side not sure what to do to comfort you, knowing if Lachlan were here you would be more at ease. Looking from your flushed and tear streaked  face to your rumpled clothes and the smell of those damn scents on you. “Nicolette what has happened? And Lachlan is not on rotation till dawn so he took off for a run in the mountains.” Lightly rubbing your arm. “Can I not help?” NICOLETTE - *Shaking my head, trying to blot out the images invading my mind, his laugh, his voice, his words, his touch.  Abruptly pulling my arm away from Joshua’s touch, my skin crawling. I know I should tell Joshua about the other Lykae, as second to the Pack’s Alpha he should know, but I can’t bring myself to tell him, don’t want to talk about the events leading up to the encounter with the Lykae. Twisting my fingers together I stand with my head bowed, my hair covering my eyes.* JOSHUA - I know Nicolette is keeping something from me but I don’t want to upset her anymore than she already is by questioning her any further and I really want to know about the scents. Hell it is my job to know about them. Looking around to make sure no one has seen us I lead you back away from the village and Lachlan’s cabin towards the forest. “Ok how about we find Lachlan, will that help?” Setting off at a light walk so as not to attract attention. NICOLETTE - *Nodding numbly, my feet stumbling as Joshua leads me from the village, the turmoil unfolding within me amplifying which eat beat of my heart. The strange amulet around my neck warms and pulses and I fight the urge to clutch it, not wanting to alert Joshua to its presence. If there is even a minute opportunity this strange object can help find Lorren I must keep it safe. The amulet is surely forged by a magic not known to the Upir, I can feel a life energy residing within, feeding off my emotions, growing them, enhancing them.* LACHLAN - Running through the forest in my wolf form using my muzzle to try and find Lorren’s scent, I have to find him. Damn it I had my best leed in years in my hands and I let it go. Now we have an unknown Upir and Néall talking up in the mountain about tests the Hunter is doing, what if his father started it all and that is why we never found Lorren or the two Sentries that went with him to trap the Hounds. Growling as I run. I know why Joshua took the amulet away from me. He had to, it just couldn’t stay with me. The council would kill me over this, it would be the final straw and Críostóir and his father would get control of the Pack! But all I was doing was trying to find Lorren. All the council will see is that I not only let someone hunt on our lands but I also took a magical amulet from her, and with all the new scents of humans mixed with wolfs on our lands they will go mad. This is against our Pack laws, no help from outsiders, we barely let the Upir in, not some unknown female. But yet in my heart I feel that Vivian can help, I believe that she has scented Lorren. Digging my paws into the bracken as I run soundlessly through the forest to the base of the mountain, the edge of our lands. The council has forbidden me and the rest of our Pack from this mountain ever since our pack mates were killed here by the Hunter’s hounds. My brother Lorren and two of our bravest Lykae were meant to just drag off the body of the Hybrid that had killed the old Hunter up this mountain and lead the Hounds into a trap so that both the Lykae and the Upir could kill them and return to reclaim the castle. It never happened, the Hunter’s prodigy, his son somehow lived and here we are fifteen years later still living in fear of the Hunter only now even our alliance with the Upir is failing. My steps faltering as I come to the end of the Packs lands, my mind wanting me to stop my heart needing me to go on. Stopping as the Packs warning scent hits my muzzle. A scent I once helped put there. Looking up towards the mountain as I lift my right paw about to break my finial Pack law, but I have to do this. I know Lorren is alive, I just know it! My ears standing upright as I pick up what sounds like someone coming my way, turning around and growling low all my teeth showing as I lower my body ready to fight. NICOLETTE - *Each step I take leading me closer to Lachlan and I’m overcome with a desire to run, to reach the safety and sanctuary of his arms, certainty flares, burning within me and I run past Joshua, pushing my way through the foliage circling The Pack’s territory, the marking scent is strong as I duck under branches, sliding to a halt as I come face to face with a grey wolf poised ready to attack* Lachlan *The words coming out in a sob as I fling myself across the remaining distance JOSHUA - Groans as Nicolette runs ahead of me, this is all I need for her to get lost or worse run into a patrol smelling like she does. My mind wandering over what could have happened to her as I can see she is upset but to be honest I’m more concerned over the faint Lykae scent as it seems like I have smelled it before but I just can’t place it. The Human’s scent is nothing as they aren’t strong enough to hurt us. Maybe one of the other packs are traveling through? Running faster as I see Nicolette get further ahead, my nose picking up Lachlan’s scent at last. As Nicolette runs through a bush I hear a warning growl, a growl I know as well as my own speeding up and catching Nicolette just as she launches her self towards Lachlan in his wolf form. “Don’t Nicolette stand back and give him a minute to recognise you!” LACHLAN - Growling low as I see Nicolette and Joshua coming at me, my heart rate picking up as I sniff the air. Pawing the bracken as I get faint whiffs of Lorren!  My teeth snapping as I growl a warning to stay away. How!  My mind racing with what I am smelling. Why now!  Howls as I change form and standing up as quick as I can walking over to Nicolette in Joshua’s arms my anger rises.Crokes out. “Why do you smell of my brother Lorren?” Stepping forward and grabbing Nicolette’s arms and shaking her with more force than I would ever use normally. “Talk to me Little Owl, WHY DO YOU SMELL OF MY MISSING BROTHER!” NICOLETTE - *Jerking backwards as Joshua catches me, dragging me firmly against his body, my first impulse is to struggle, free myself from his grasp and reach the safety of Lachlan’s arms. I lean forward, opening my mouth to call for Lachlan, only something in his eyes snares the words in my throat.  He transforms, striding quickly towards us, his anger is palpable radiating from him, I feel the amulet around my neck heat as if called by the emotions crackling in the air. His hands tighten around my forearms, shaking me so hard my teeth rattle. My mind dissolves Lachlan’s image, immediately taking me back to the early morning, no longer is it Lachlan’s hands gripping my arms, but the strange human. Lachlan’s voice hovers muffled in the distance, tickling the memory of a familiar scent engulfing my senses.....until the mists of confusion lift ….. My eyes opening wide as certainty slams into me......Lorren, the Lykae was Lorren*....It was Lorren, the one who saved me was Lorren   JOSHUA - Growls low as Lachlan shakes Nicolette, putting my hands on her shoulders as I bark out. “Pup stop it you are hurting her.” Looking into Lachlan’s eyes as his words finally sink in, Lorren’s scent! Could it be true is that why it was familiar to me! Running my nose along Nicolette’s hair as it falls over her shoulders and sniffing hard, never letting my eyes drop from Lachlans face. “Lachlan your right I knew it was familiar scent but the Human masked it well!”  My mind reeling as Nicolette says Lorren’s name. After all these years Lorren is alive but why hasn’t he come back to the village and Nicolette said he saved her. Saved her from what? My mind running through the fact that she looks like she was attacked, my eyes searching Lachlan’s to see how this news is effecting him. LACHLAN - Letting Nicolette go as I look at Joshua. “Joshua give me back the amulet now!” Looking back down at Nicolette and for the first time seeing her rumpled state and the streaks of her blood tears. Taking a deep calming breath as I pull her into my arms. “Little owl what has happened tell me? Tell me how come you smell of Lorren!” Holding onto her tight as I hear someone coming from behind me, looking at Joshua as I see him move to stand in front of me facing whoever is coming while I protect Nicolette with my body. Tensing as a I get Vivian’s scent, damn it what is she doing here. Feeling Nicolette move in my arms, looking down to see the amulet in her hands as she starts to cry and talk about some human who was touching her and nearly killed her. “Shush I have you now my little owl I will never let any harm come to you.” Turning around with Nicolette still in my arms as Vivian comes through the trees and onto our land. Moving so Nicolette is standing more behind Joshua. “What are you doing here? I told you not to come back and that you can’t hunt on our land!” Growling as Vivian looks from me to Joshua. “Two Lykae’s to guard one small Upir and I’m here because you used my amulet Lachlan!” Looking back at Nicolette and the amulet in her hand, growling as I look back to Vivian. “No I haven’t and I never will ! I should have never taken your amulet and you can have it back”  Nodding to Joshua as he whips his head around to look at me and mouthing “You sure about this” Giving Nicolette a squeeze to reassure her. NICOLETTE -  *Lifting the Amulet over my head, it chills instantly the moment it’s away from my skin, cupping it tentatively in my hands, looking up at Lachlan trying to make sense of the new information bombarding me. The amulet belongs to the hunters mate? The ice in Lachlan’s tone as he addresses her startles me, hesitantly holding the amulet out to him, tears once again flowing freely down my cheeks* I did not mean to call anyone with it … Why did you have the Hunter’s mate’s amulet?

JOSHUA - Turning to look at Lachlan as I hear him tell Vivian that he will never call her to help find Lorren, mouthing “You sure about this”  Sniffing and turning around as I realise Vivian is a Were, hell the council will kill us over this they don’t want any contact between the Were’s and us why I don’t know as they are wolves and not far off being Lykae’s. The sound of Nicolette’s voice when she asks about the Hunter’s mate, hell this can’t be good and if Lachlan knew she was the Hunter’s mate I will have to kill him myself. Growling as I here Vivian laugh as she spits out. “Mate! I’m no ones mate, I work with the hunter as an equal not his mate. So your little Upir better get her facts right. Now who the hell called me and where is my Amulet as I want it back now! Then I will leave you all to your little threesome.” Stepping forward as I take a fighting stance. “YOU work with the hunter, then you better get away from here now as we don’t allow the Hunter or his hounds up here. We pay our taxes on OUR lands to live our life as WE want!”  LACHLAN - Groans as Nicolette hands me the Amulet. “Thank you Little Owl and you did nothing wrong. She isn’t the Hunter’s mate or so she told me but works with him to help protect her pack. But she isn’t a Lykae she is a Were.” Taking the Amulet as I step forward as Joshua tells Vivian to leave putting my hand on his shoulder as I pass him “Old Wolf will you watch Nicolette while I rectify my mistake then you can punish me however you will.” Walking over to Vivian and giving her back her Amulet. “Take it and go I let you live the last time you trespassed on our lands because you said you knew how to find Lorren and for that I could very well die as by our laws as one of the Hunter’s minions you are our enemy. But I was at fault for this not you, so go now and never return here Weres aren’t welcome and the Hunter’s minions aren’t welcome it is your only warning!” Talking a fighting stance as I growl my final warning my naked body shaking as i get ready to change my forms as Vivian starts to leave. “Keep your shirt on wolfy I’m going, Oh wait you don’t have on any clothes perv. I know where I’m not welcome but I will make sure the Hunter knows what went on here tonight! Remember you only live here at his grace.” Watching to make sure Vivian leaves and only turns back to Joshua and Nicolette when I can’t hear or smell her anymore. My mind going over everything from Lorren saving Nicolette to the Human who knew about  her. Looking at Joshua. “There is a lot more going on then we thought, I wonder if the Human was one of the tests subjects we heard the Upir tell Néall about?” Looking to Nicolette as I tell her all that we heard , while  my mind reels from the fact that we pay taxes to the Hunter. I will have to make Joshua tell me about this once I am sure Nicolette is safe and sound with her Sire. NICOLETTE - *Shaking my head as I try and take in Lachlan’s and the White Wolf’s words, all this time I had believed she was the Hunter’s mate, and she’s a Were. Does the Hunter know she is a Were? If he does, why does he accept her, yet hunt us?  The shock pulsing through me as I realise the implications of Lachlan’s actions and the amulet, liaison with Weres is forbidden, and dealings with any of the Hunter’s allies is punishable by death.  I look between Lachlan and Joshua, preparing to do whatever is necessary should Joshua, as second to the Alpha, deem Lachlan needs to be punished, uttering a low hiss in warning as I move protectively towards Lachlan.  Joshua turns towards me, a slight smirk curving his lips “Be calm little Muroni, there will be no death warrant issued ...although....” I catch a cunning gleam in his eye as his words trail off.  Turning back towards Lachlan and wrapping my arms around him, nothing seems as scary in his presence, nothing feels that it can’t be overcome* I need to understand more about these rumours and the Upir involvement..... and we need to find Lorren....but first #Wolf....could you find some pants!