The forest vibrated with warning, not of something else, but the kind a rattler gives by means of its tail. That shivery feeling wasn't helped much by the clicking rolls of hundreds of cicadas out there. Wynaré stopped at the edge, and Nyth looked at her curiously, waiting to see what was wrong. Kei and Alex forged on ahead until Alex looked back and stopped too.

"What's wrong?"

Kei turned around as well.

Wynaré shook her head. "I don't know, do you...feel that?"

Kei closed his eyes and Alex looked around, saw Kei and decided to close his eyes too. Wynaré smiled a little at how, even though they acted like rivals all the time, Alex was more than willing to learn from Kei--indirectly of course.

"The forest does not welcome us." Kei opened his eyes and walked back to the edge to stand next to Wynaré and look in. Alex followed suit, standing on Wynaré's other side, also looking into the forest.

Lesara, Wynaré sent telepathically, Lesara was ahead of them, scouting to avoid trouble. We may have a problem, I think you should loop back.

What's wrong? Lesara sent back

We're not sure, you should probably come back.

It wasn't long before Lesara landed gracefully in front of them from the trees above. Wynaré hid a smile as she saw Alex startle from Lesara's sudden appearance. The rest of them had enough mind-magic to know she was approaching.

"Why have we stopped?" She was the only one with her back to the forest, facing Wynaré.

"It...doesn't feel right." Wynaré stared past Lesara and into the dark forest ahead.

"It's giving off a very dangerous aura and it clearly doesn't want us here." Kei said.

Lesara looked at him and snorted. "It doesn't want you here. This is Syndra's forest. She may no longer be the goddess of nature, but her home forest has never forgotten her. It hates high elves. Sees them as the enemy. So long as you don't do a single thing to harm the forest. Watch where you step, don't purposely hit any plants or eat them, stick to your packs for food and me as your guide. If in doubt, don't do it. You'll be fine. I'll try and make sure the forest understands that you're here for peace negotiations." She laughed and shook her head as she turned her back on them and disappeared into the trees above again. The rest of the party continued ahead, Kei leading the way by following Lesara's mind. After an uncertain pause, Wynaré followed. The forest didn't feel any less dangerous than a moment ago. Something was bound to happen despite Lesara's presence.

(First Line Friday prompt from Dreaming In Ink Writer's Group)