The crooked tree

I and Hailey were going fast through the forest with me struggling to hold tight as well as avoid the random shrubbery. Although she was focused on the path ahead I was searching throughout for a crooked tree.

The big problem would be if the tree was on the other side of the forest, then we would have wasted a huge amount of time.

Suddenly Hailey stopped and the jerk sent me tumbling ahead, "What the...Hailey at least warn me before you do that."

But her eyes were fixed on something we passed by and my eyes didn't notice. I walked up finding no use in scolding Hailey about her careless actions, I wouldn't want to agitate her now. My feet stopped beside her and I followed her gaze, there was just greenery and nothing else.

"What is it, Hailey?" I finally asked but she started walking in the opposite direction of the river, rather a little run for which I had to keep up with little wobbly feet as the ground was uneven.

Hailey had already covered a distance and when I finally caught up to her she was yet again eyes fixed on something, but this time she was looking towards the land of Waterwoods.

"Look at that, is that something from your task description?", telecommunicated Hailey and my gaze followed hers to finally land on an abnormally crooked trunk. The roots were deep-rooted inside the No Man's Land area, but the trunk bent like a giant 'Z' down into the land of Waterwoods breaking through their fence.

"A tree that stands tall and cutting, belonging to no one yet watering the woods. Bring the red fruit that hangs by her upside-down hair" I recited the task as my eyes tried to correlate the words with the site in front of me.

The tree wasn't standing exactly but was towering enough that the top wasn't visible from where I stood, it did cut their boundary while standing in No man's land belonging to no one and looked like it was watering the woods. But what is upside-down hair?

"I don't understand the last line of this, the red fruit hangs by her upside-down hair," I said, confused, expecting Hailey to answer.

But she was obliviously stretching herself, carrying me all this time must have been a toll on her. She finally stood up straight shaking her head rapidly, "Figure it out yourself, check for the advantageous roots that hang by the branches." My eyes went to check if there were any and Hailey continued her words, "I am going to finish my task, meet us at the discussed spot later"

Before I could say anything further she was off faster than before, running in the direction of the river we were headed to previously.

Why does she have to be like that? I stared back at the tree and tried to check if there was any other wolf on the side of Waterwoods patrolling, there was an odd burning smell of amber but nothing like a wolf's scent.

I stepped inside the No Man's Land and waited for a reaction but nothing, I just hoped they wouldn't catch this as trespassing. Half of the tree can be said to belong to Waterwoods, but the roots were on No Man's Land. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and preparing my shaky limbs.

The tree had an odd citric scent to it and I just hoped for that to cover my presence. But this faint amber scent was a little bother as if there was someone who has lit a fire nearby it won't take them long to detect me.

My eyes closed for the last time to calm my nerves and breathing three times forgetting all my nervousness. My feet just made a run for it.

I jumped holding the bent trunk of the tree and pulled myself up, trying not to fall. I stood on the trunk and carefully walked past the Waterwoods fence as fast as I could.

Here is a princess who is supposed to give a verdict for crimes and give justice to people, trespassing into other lands and breaking the law!

I was expecting at least someone to show up but no one did, there were no patrolling wolves as far as I could see. I sighed in relief and balancing myself walked further on the tree trunk.

Reaching the end of the horizontal part of the trunk from where the tree stood tall touching the sky, I was already where the branches start.

But the problem was that the tree took a steep slanting upward turn. One mistake while climbing could send me down hopping on the land of Waterwoods. As soon as I did that, I would have officially trespassed, as long as I am on this tree I could defend myself in case they capture me.

I looked up hugging the trunk of the tree, there was no fruit visible. Here forth the entire tree was covered in thick greenery and strong numerous branches, I had no choice but to climb this dangerously nerve-racking tree.

My heart was beating in my ear and my breath became heavy with all the adrenaline pumping in my veins, the fight or flight response was heavy in my throat.

"You can do this Selene!", I reassured myself and started climbing carefully, one branch at a time. The tree had a lot of branches so that wasn't the problem, the main problem was how will I find the fruit?

There was just lush greenery I could see and everything blocked my vision. What if the fruit was at the end of the branch? How will I even get there and retrieve it?

The fears were evident but the time was very less and there was no way I had enough of it to dilly dally. I had to do this before anyone from Waterwoods noticed me, the last thing I wanted was to waste my time in convincing them.

Not to mention they would take me to Fang, their Alpha, and he was the last person I wanted to see anytime soon.