Wind battered my face as I trekked through the dense, bushy undergrowth. Thorns coated the ground as if they were put there to stop me, like traps. Towering birch trees shot into the grey sky as if they were trying to grasp the ominous clouds that threatened a heavy downpour. Unsurprisingly, rain began to hammer down onto the top of the trees and the orange leaves on the floor next to them. The journey took hours, but it felt like days. So this what it felt like to walk through wisdom woods.

I was on a quest to find my ultimate goal: the wishing tree. To get there, I had to push through an endless trail of forests and vegetation. Most people who had tried to complete this journey had never been seen again, but I had an advantage. My pet owl, Darius had accompanied me. He was perched on my shoulder, hooting occasionally while keeping a lookout. He could turn his head almost all the way round, and he could soar up above the trees to hoot to me if anything was up ahead. And not only that, he was also absolutely adorable, with huge eyes that could melt even the hardest of hearts.

As the bushes grew thicker and the thorns drew in closer, I knew my destination was close. It only took about another 10 minutes until the vegetation grew so thick that not even a longsword cut hack it to pieces. The thorns prickled and stabbed my skin as if I was being given a deadly hug, and the once picturesque and colourful forest had become a spiky terrain of terror, with spindly trees reaching towards me, as if they were trying to snatch me away. I was now in the grasp of the forest.

H

“HOOT! HOOT!” Darius shrieked. Hope filled my heart as my trusty owl reassured me that my destination was near. The thorns retracted away from my skin, and the forest seemed to feel more like it did before, as I pushed forward through the fauna. The trees seemed to sprout new leaves and the labyrinth of prickly bushes formed into a clear trail, a host of roses poking out of the deep green. With a new path ahead of me and determination surging through my veins, my confidence had been snatched back!

As I plodded along my new convenient little path, light formed before me, and I walked into a bright clearing. Every form of plant life in the forest made way for the brave adventurer who had just stepped foot in the place where no one had dared to go before. I felt Darius’ feet land down onto my shoulders and tighten. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for.

Sunlight streamed from the aquamarine sky and landed softly on my face; I felt the warmth of the sun for the first time in days. I focused my sight. In front of me, was the largest tree I had ever seen, that towered into the sky as if it was attempting to see the heavens themselves. Its branches stretched out above the main part of the tree, each beautiful leaf seeming to be a different shade of green. Hundreds, if not thousands of colourful shimmering lanterns hung from the branches too, each one reflecting the suns beauty in ways that treated the eyes to a fabulous feast of elegance and splendour. Surrounding its thick trunk was a vibrant array of colourful flowers, each one an offering or testimony to the wondrous tree it had the honour of being beside. And, the oddest thing of all was that this enchanting tree possessed a face, one whose eyes were closed in a deep slumber.

Gradually, its eyes opened, and it gazed at me with a ponderous stare. Its face had lumps and streaks and imperfections, for it was a tree after all, however, it reflected the finest beauty and wisdom that anyone could hope for. It’s huge smiling mouth opened to reveal a grin full of wooden teeth, it’s smiling features radiated pure joy. The tree began to speak.

“What do you wish for, brave one?” Each word was a treat to the ears, with an atmosphere of intelligence. I already knew my answer, in fact, I had known ever since my life had began to fall apart. Every plant in the forest waited on my response as everything fell silent. Even the huge tree itself awaited my response patiently. I clenched my fist tightly. “I want my life back”.