The forest thrived in some unknown fantasy, beating to a simple rhythm of nostalgic proportions. Long elegant timbers in a mix of chocolate and mahogany stood as proud columns, stretching spindly limbs towards the Heavens. Thick masses of emerald leaves blossomed heavily to create a vast canopy balancing well above the Earth's outer crust. The massive beasts dug their toes into said earth, stinging into the powerful soil, clinging quite literally for their lives. Charcoal stones blended with a layer of musky dust against the floor, old dew drops billowing up into a light foggy mist. Dying blades of grass poked through the impenetrable shield. Wild flowers with strong properties clung to slim bushes for protection from the elements. Clover leaves wriggled through the dust in vain. Moss slithered along the trees, gracing only the northern edges, banished from half the surface area of the giants. Lightly etched paths carved cryptic statements through the dense vegetation, throngs of animal tracks raining upon the weary dirt, containing tales as old as time. Inky shadows shifted like wraiths, claiming the woodlands as their home, sinking their obsidian mysteries deep into the enigma. Light was an intruder, banished to the Heavens, and kept there by the ceiling of kelly and pine marks. Natural colors embraced everything while the shadows raped them into muted hues.

Winds ripped through the tightly-woven world, shifting like liquid, entering every crevice in search of a warm body to chill. Icy shards stung through leaves and tore past tree trunks, racing like mad dogs through an unseen froth. Crisp, tantalizing scents clung to the anonymous breezes, claiming, clinging, allowing the wind to spread and expand them. Rich floral scents mixed with the burning smell of bark and the clean stench of crystalline water. Faint hints of rotting carrion wafted upon the air in their own beat, shifting in a more unpredictable manner than supposed.

Normalities ran rampant through the solitary exile, save for the lack of sound. Even the winds attempted to whisper as they raked through the muddled debris of the canopy. The forest lacked genuine sounds - the mighty step of a creature upon a matted path, the soft tuned harmony of several young birds, the steady humming of bugs clinging to branches. Void of sound, the forest simply seemed all the more malicious and bitter.

Someplace further in the depths of despair, a glorious building emerged, traces of human life splattered within the deep grove. Trees dangling with edible treats lined the edge of the thicket, dropping their seeds onto the more tender soil. Thick waves of grass billowed upwards like a shaggy carpet, the small blades dancing in the slight breezes. Sunlight cascaded across the gentle world, recreating a sense of realism.

Someplace nearby a gentle stream sauntered forth, twisting and twining with its own will, small rocks being whiddled beneath the gentle liquid fingertips, caressed until they were smooth as silk. Fish hung in the current, their transluscent tails billowing behind them like frail angel wings. Dazzling arrays of golden, copper, and crystalline sparkled beneath the gentle waves.

Further still, along the cobblestone path, the building stood proud, wooden pillars framing a skeleton of a cottage, soft, weathered stones trembling upwards to create a cozy chimney. Windows caught the sunlight, shutters hanging next to the glass upon squeaky hinges. Behind the two-bedroom home complete with kitchen and living space, a small stable stood, weakened by slight lack of repairs. Four wide stalls stood two on each side of a narrow hallway dotted with nails and pegs. Worn tack of slightly crackled leather dangled from the wooden stakes. One stall sat filled with undampened hay, while a second stall held one ebony gelding. Obviously an adored companion, his trough was full to the brim with clean water, his bedding fresh, and his body glistening with a long brushing.

Beyond even the house stretched the full fifty acres of land granted to the resident. Each acre had been carefully plowed, so freshly in fact that the plow still stood in the farthest corner. Newly tilled soil had gained a fresh batch of seeds and a generous watering, the farmer simply having to be patient for Nature herself.

Regardless of eerie surroundings and weathered tools, the new owner was quite obviously ready for the challenge. Someplace inside the home, one might find the stove sizzling with fresh hotcakes, and the youthful man lounging in his favorite overstuffed chair. Yet still, misery can accompany lonliness, and perhaps the light sigh that billowed forth from his lips said more than a thousand words could ever hope to acheive. . .