The Sleeping Canopy

I'm making pretty good progress with this story so far! That is largely due to a good writing friend of mine who's discipline is beginning to rub off on me! 

Here is the rest of the first chapter, which can be read here.

Once the ceremony had ended, Ebony had some duties to attend to and left Linden to show me around and introduce me to the rest of the trees.

Outside, a few trees milled about, waiting for their turn to meet the new member.

“Hazel, this is Wren,” Linden said. Wren was only slightly shorter than I, with light green eyes, dirty blonde hair, and gray bark. She looked to be about my age.

She grinned upon introduction.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Hazel!” The brown leaves caught in her wavy hair crinkled as she spoke animatedly, bobbing her head.

Her excitement was infectious, and Linden and I both grinned at each other. His amber eyes and warm brown hair seemed to glow against his black bark.

“Great to meet you Wren!” She moved to embrace me, which surprised me, but I didn’t back away from her either. A tree hugging another tree suddenly became a comical image in my head, and it made me want to giggle.

Linden motioned toward another nearby tree, a young male tree with a shock of leafy green hair. His black, almond-shaped eyes crinkled up at the corners when he smiled at me.

“I'm Rowan,” he said, “welcome.” As he leaned forward to shake my hand, a fine sprinkling of earth showered down from his hair. “Excuse me. Common result of working in construction.”

I held his eye contact and made no move to brush the earth off of my arm. “I’m sure,” I agreed, smiling. He ducked his head to acknowledge my comment and let go of my hand.

“Well, would you like to see where you’ll be living, Hazel?” Linden asked. I nodded.

I followed him for a few minutes through the forest to a secluded area hidden under a large green, woven canopy. He lifted an edge that was anchored to an inanimate tree and ushered me in. Under the canopy, twelve green woven hammocks hung, separated by curtains of lichen that waved in the breeze.

I took a deep breath.

“Wow.”

Linden motioned toward a nearby hammock, “This one’s yours. Go on, try it out.”

I was still getting used to my new body, so I clumsily leaned into the hammock and then struggled to lift my legs in to join me. But then I was gazing up at the bright stars through the canopy.

“This is beautiful.”

“It is. This is one of my favorite places.”

Just then, another tree bustled under the sleeping canopy. I sat up in my hammock to see her.

“Oh, hello,” she looked up from the trinket she carried. Everything about her had a purple shine. Her bark was light gray to the point of almost being purple; her jet black hair caught the moon light and shimmered purple; and her eyes were like violet gem stones.  “This is for you.” She handed me a creation made from weaving green vines and ferns around brown twigs that hung from another longer vine. “It’s a welcome gift. I’m Dahlia by the way.”

“Thank you, this is beautiful! And it’s so nice to meet you.”

She pointed to the hammock to the right of mine.

“I’m just next-door.” She smiled. “Don’t you think we should let her get some sleep?”

“Oh, of course. Excuse me,” Linden mumbled. “Please, make yourself comfortable, Hazel. There will be plenty of time tomorrow to continue your tour.”

“Thanks, Linden!”

I reached up to hang my gift from Dahlia on a tree branch, and I settled down into my hammock.

“Sleep tight, kiddo,” Dahlia said.