He heard the angry roar and the meaningless words, and the crack and thump that soon followed. He felt the vibration as the tree was felled, [i]another one lost[/i]. The tree-being felt the offender move on, and he withdrew his roots from the earth. [i]I can't protect them.[/i] He took his first step, the thud startling some nearby birds. Their hurried flapping spoke of fear, for they knew of what walked below. [i]What does it matter?[/i] Another step, another thud. A nearby deer fled into the thicket, a crisp crack echoing through the woods as it stepped on a twig. [i]I can avenge them.[/i] The mass of stone and foliage that was the giants leg stepped down on a hollowed log, producing a loud crash that frightened away many more birds from the tree tops above. [i]I must carry on.[/i]

[color=a187be]"Look, Foeldar, over there through the trees"[/color] He heard her whisper in his ear, strands of her blonde hair dancing in his peripherals. Foeldar turned to look, and there he saw an orc in the distance. [i]I swore it.[/i] The creature was just barely visible through the trees, it was a wonder how Lily managed to spot it. [color=00746b]"Lily is good at this."[/color] Foeldar whispered back, taking a much slower and much quieter step. The orc no doubt could've heard his earlier stomping, and might be more cautious by now. [i]I won't fail again.[/i] That'd be perfect, as Foeldar's natural camouflage might very well give him the surprise advantage - and surprises always worked best to fend off unwanted trespassers.

He continued taking slow, quiet steps for a few seconds more, holding nearby trees for extra balance as he moved. The sound of crushing wood filled Foeldar's ears, suddenly and without warning. [i]YOU'VE FORGOTTEN.[/i] His eyes went wide as he stepped on the tree felled earlier by the orc. Its fresh scent proceeded to penetrate his nostrils and invade his mind. [i]AVENGE [u]HER[/u]![/i]

Releasing a roar to dwarf that of the orc's, he charged full steam ahead. The bushes in front of him sought to slow him down, so he crushed them beneath his feet. The trees were trying to hold him back, so he threw them aside. Lily faded away, her weight no longer felt on his shoulder - simply vanished without acknowledgement. The only thing that mattered to him now was crushing that orc.

[hr]
[i]Two days earlier...[/i]

	A breeze gently blew through the fields, the grass, flowers and trees wavering ever so slightly. Birds chirped peacefully and flew overhead, while deer stepped quietly through the forest at the edge of the meadows. One of the deer tentatively approached the edge of the forest, crossing out into the open field. Suddenly the deer heard a slight noise, a sound which was so unfamiliar as to instill fear. The deer froze and listened closer, but nothing happened. 

	Slowly the deer eased back into a sense of comfort, assured that the noise was nothing as nothing had happened. Lowering down to sniff the grass, the tentative creature heard another sound. Quickly raising its head to look for the sound, the deer's face was met with a mass of rock, wood, and vine. Then, a loud chink and snap as two halves of an arrow flew to either side, hitting the ground with a soft pat. The deer quickly glanced upwards, finding that the mass that just saved its life was actually a leg belonging to a hulking beast made of tree and rock, and atop that beast sat a little girl with soft blonde hair which flowed in the gentle breeze. But the deer did not run, for it did not feel the need.

	The beast which blocked the arrow let loose a roar, turning to where the arrow had come from. Lifting its leg it began to take a step, foot crashing with a thud. Soon enough the beast reached a jogging speed, its footsteps becoming thunder as the ground shook. [color=a187be]"Foeldar, there!"[/color] The girl shouted, pointing off towards some nearby shrubbery.

	Angling his body and digging his toes into the ground like roots, the massive tree beast - Foeldar, it was - reached an arm up to protect the girl on his shoulder. His feet dug into the earth like plows, leaving the ground beneath him upturned in his wake as he came to a grinding halt. Foeldar relaxed his arm as he slowed to a near standstill, looking to find where the young girl had pointed. There, hiding amongst a dense cover of shrubs, Foeldar spotted the poachers just as they turned to run. Taking in a deep breath and continuing to track his query through the dense foliage by the vibrations of their feet as they ran - a process which proceeded to become more difficult by the second. But all he needed was just one second more, for he then let loose a booming roar which traveled quickly through the trees and prompted the little girl on his shoulder to cover her ears. 

	One by one the buzzing hornets appeared and charged after the fleeing poachers, hundreds becoming thousands as more of them flooded out of what almost seemed like thin air. The little girl watched in awe at the mass of insects summoned by Foeldar, to which she also seemed invisible. She cheered as the tail end of the swarms disappeared into the labyrinth of shadows and foliage, reciprocated by the faintest hints of pained cursing in the distance. Foeldar intended to send a message which he hoped would finally persuade those poachers to hunt elsewhere, providing a mere taste of what would await them should they return once more.

	Lifting one of his legs to take a step forward his foot uprooted a mass of dirt, the sound of snapping roots echoing through the now quiet air of the forest. Foeldar winced as he realized his toes were still anchored in the ground, the chunk of earth falling apart as it fell back down into the hole he had created. Before he could attempt to take another step, however, Foeldar noticed a small patch of lilies growing ever so closely to being crushed only mere moments ago. Intrigued by the lucky little flowers, the entish being kneeled to pick one and raised it up to the young girl sitting atop his shoulder. [color=00746b]"Does Lily want?"[/color] The beast's deep voice spoke slow and soft. To which the girl smiled softly and replied. [color=a187be]"No, you keep it, Foeldar. Or... ooh! Here, I know!" [/color] She paused to pinch the flower ever so gently, taking it from Foeldar and searching around for something. [color=a187be]"Let's let it grow... here! On you, Foeldar! It could be something to remember me by when I'm not out here with you."[/color] She continued, laying the stem into Foeldar's shoulder with a smile. [color=a187be]"Soon there'll be a whole gaggle of lilies on you, right Foeldar?"[/color]

	Foeldar's hearty laugh echoed through the forest and across the fields, nodding his head. [color=00746b]"Yes. Then Lily will always be here with Foeldar in spirit."[/color] The young girl smiled brightly at the giant's words, but upon looking to the sky her smile vanished. [color=a187be]"Oh no! It's almost supper time, I'm going to be late!"[/color] She said in surprise, turning to look down at Foeldar as he had already began to run in the direction of her home.

	That memory was still fresh in Foeldar's mind, its blissful joy bringing nothing but pain. What was once an endless stretch of green was now broken and blistered by a mass of black, littered with the stark grayness of burnt trees. The once beautiful landscape was now unmistakably and irreparably scarred by fire, and in no worse a spot than here - for the biggest scar of all was right in front of Foeldar. The mighty ent dropped to his knees, mouth agape, eyes unbelieving of what they saw. The ruins of a home, burned down to the very last foundations. That was Lily's home... was. Now, it was gone... she was gone. Foeldar could see charred corpses in the ashes, but dared not take a step closer. Was she really gone? Could she really be gone? A low whimper seeped out from his mouth as his head dropped low, and he questioned himself as to why he had not come back sooner. How long had he been gone? Only a day, he swore it! But... he had also sworn to protect these forests, and to protect her and her home... hadn't he? Did his word now mean nothing? Could she really be gone... just like that?

	A drop hit Foeldar's thigh. Soon after, another, and another after that. There was a sensation of water streaming down his face, but when Foeldar opened his eyes and turned his head to look to the sky... there were no rain clouds in sight. There was only ash, lingering in the air above, coming down like the lightest drizzle of snow which melted even before it touched the ground. What had happened here? [i]You forgot.[/i] Another drop hit his thigh, again and again as tears continued to drip from his chin. Foeldar was overtaken by such strange and powerful emotions, the likes of which he had never felt before. It was odd, he didn't like it - he wanted it to stop. His head lowered once more, taking care to avoid catching sight of the terrible display in front of him. What he found sitting at his knees, however, was - to him - almost as unbearable. A lonely little lily sat in the blackened dirt mere inches away, poking out from amongst a collection of charred wood. 

	It seemed so incomprehensible that such a fragile flower could remain unscathed - nay, utterly untouched - by the destruction that so clearly plagued the beauty of the land before him. How could this measly flower survive what [i]she[/i] could not? Its presence insulted him, its name mocked his loss. Foeldar slouched forward, a shadow enveloping the flower as it quivered in a breeze that crept out from beyond the trees. [i]How could you let this happen?![/i] His hand clenched tightly into a fist, and in an instant he thought to bring it crashing down upon the little plant which seemed to offend him so. [i]I won't let you go.[/i] 

	Foeldar recoiled in shock at the thought, eyes growing wider at the realization. Was... was he about to crush that innocent, little girl? [i]You know what you thought.[/i] Even now, the lily appeared to be quivering in fear - wishing to run away but trapped in place, unable to move. How could he even think to hurt Lily? Why would he ever hurt her? [i]You won't forget this time.[/i] Foeldar pet the flower's petals, a single finger gently wiping the tears from her cheek. The first time he met Lily... she was crying then, just as he was now. She seemed so soft and frail, like this flower... and now... he had to believe she was gone? [i]No![/i] Just like that? [i]It's not true![/i] She couldn't be, [i]I won't let it be![/i] [color=00746b]"Now, now... don't cry, little one. Foeldar is here, no need to worry..."[/color] He whispered, and Lily turned to embrace him. [i]PLEASE DON'T LEAVE.[/i] She wasn't there, yet he could feel her in his arms. Foeldar helped her climb up onto his shoulder. Her petals flowed in the breeze as he rose to his feet. [i]REMEMBER ME.[/i] She smiled at him and he smiled back.

[i]I WON'T LET YOU GO.[/i]