The smell of fresh pine rushes through me the moment my consciousness resumes. Grass tickles the back of my neck as I stir. I open my eyes slowly, and I see long ferns towering over my sleepy form. I breathe in through my nose, taking in the wooded scent of the forest, and exhale through my mouth. The air is wet, leaving condensation on my clothes. Through the canopy of trees, it seems about midday.

I don’t know where I am, but I bear that fact no mind. The forest is a comforting place.

I sit up, taking note of the bugs and dirt surrounding me. Pillbugs and worms crawl and slither against my clothes, attempting to burrow through me as though I were soil. The earth has tried to reclaim me, it seems. I chuckle softly at the thought.

A bird flies overhead. The colors of its feathers almost seem to glow against the scarce rays of sun. It dances in the air for a few moments, then flies down to greet me.

I say hello to it, and to my surprise, it chirps back.

“Hello, traveler. We’ve been waiting for you. I can show you to the stream nearby, if you’d like,”

“No thank you,” I say, trying my best to be polite, “You said multiple people are waiting for me? Who are they?”

“Not multiple people. Multiple beings,” The blue jay corrects, “The trees have missed you dearly, old friend,”

I pause for a moment, then smile. I’ve missed them too.