CHAPTER ONE

A lovely day had come to Featherhills. The hot sun shone bright and deceived the inhabitants of the green land of Zeeks for it masked reality far away, the cursed black woods in the West. The tree-people of Feathery Forest didnt know about the threat and the danger. Their day was merry and full of joy as they were in their own way celebrating that the sun had come to them at last. Winter had made them sad, depressed and cold.
A cool breeze allowed the trees to sing along with them, though any other human being would only have heard them whisper, shaking their leaves and fine branches; he or she would not have understood.
The tree-people understood them very well, for they had been living among them for many centuries. They cared for the trees as the trees cared for them, offering them shelter. The tree-people Fiodûn in their tree-tongue lived high among the branches of of the ancient giant tries. They had learned to climb them extremely well and swiftly. They were less tall than other humans and less strong as well.  

One of them was Lockergartín Sirith, a young orphan. Tree-girl Magpie Cattle had given birth to her sixteen years ago and unfortunately died when Lockergartín was only ten years old. Lockergartín never met her father, but she knew his name. It was Yasson Sirith, a male hunter, as the Fiodûn used to call the tall humans who lived not so far away. Yasson Sirith had left Magpie before he even learned shed gotten pregnant. He wanted to journey West, where Black Valley lies, and refused to take Magpie with him. Months later her baby was born, and she named her Lockergartín, which means something like "heavenly gift" in their tree-tongue.
Lockergartín lived among the other Fiodûn with her mother for ten years, but after Magpies death she wished solitude, which she found on the Western side of the Feathery Forest, near the fields of Zeeks. She enjoyed the company of the giant trees rather than the company of other Fiodûn, who she found too loud and busy. In the peaceful Woods of Sirith, as the called them Al Sirith Fiodaë she sang with the trees and was happy. The first time she heard them chant a song especially for her, was when she had just come to Al Sirith Fiodaë. After all those years she could still remember the words:


Who you say has come to stay
In our forest on this day?
Daughter of a man well-known
She's come to live here on her own!

So the trees send through the air
Their lovely song, it sounded fair
It seemed to be the wind that blew
But tree-girl Little Sirith knew

The language of the trees of old
She understood all that was told
Their forest gossip came to light
And Sirith heard them sing that night:

Little Sirith has no name
She needs one now of pride and fame
Lockergartín's not fair and strong
Her forest mother named her wrong

We, the trees, will name you well
Fiorentin's your name, we tell
Fiorentin, so shall it be
A shorter name though's... Féoree!


"Thats a nice song, Lockergartín."
The little girl looked up in surprise. In front of her stood Clarentin, who used to be her best friend when she and her mother lived among the other Fiodûn. She smiled. "Clarentin such a pleasant surprise. I have not seen you since..."
"Six years", Clarentin grinned.
"You were the only person I knew I would miss, Clarentin."
"So, did you miss me, Lockergartín Sirith?"
"My name is Féoree now. And yes. I missed you with all my heart. It is amazing though how the trees can soothe the pain. Their company is incredibly pleasant. They understand." Féoree closed her eyes and bowed her head to feel the peace and love of the trees. Energy flew through her vains. "They care."
"So to you the trees were replacing your mother and me? And I know your name has changed, I heard your song. Why, Lockergartín? Do you not respect your mother? Do you not love her?"

"Dont get angry, Clarentin. Please." Féoree opened her eyes. "I love my mother and I respect her, but I love and respect the trees too. They are far more wise and experienced than we are. You cannot deny the fact that theyve lived and learned right here for centuries ages. When they tell me another name would suit me better, I have faith in their advice."
"What else did they tell you to do?", Clarentin asked.
Féoree shrugged. "Nothing of great importance."
"Fiodûn do not lie to their friends, Lockergartín Féoree",said Clarentin, "I know what they told you to do." She stepped forward and put her hands on Féorees shoulders. "Its why I came."
Féoree immediately felt that Clarentins words were honest and true. Clarentin knew that the trees wanted Féoree to go and find her father.
"I shall go with you, Féoree." She smiled. "Féoree raised by wood I reckon the trees named you right indeed."
"So do I",Féoree nodded. "Its short for Fiorentin, actually."
"I know that",Clarentin said, "tree-daughter comes down to the same. I know more than you think, Féoree."

"The trees foretold that you would come, but I did not understand. They predicted that I wouldnt have to go alone now I know who shall come with me. I should have known earlier though. There is nobody else who would go with me." She smiled, but her eyes showed sadness.

Suddenly they heard voices in the distance. "Féoree!", Clarentin said, "did you hear that?" Féoree nodded and picked up a heavy branch before she climbed the tree closest to her. Clarentin climbed the same tree and ended up sitting next to Féoree on quite a low branch. "They shall see us here!", Clarentin whispered.
"I know. I cannot imagine evil among these fair trees." Féoree listened harder. "I can hear two voices. One of them is very nice and friendly the other one sounds, how shall I say not evil, but I cant put my finger on it." She frowned.
"The trees are quiet and comfortable. I do not feel that there is any reason for fear",Clarentin said.
"Neither do I",Féoree said, and pointed at two figures moving closer. "There they are",she whispered. "It is as I thought. They are hunters. Odd hunters They are not from Zeeks."

"How do you know?", asked Clarentin.
"Men from Zeeks are clad in green. These hunters are not wearing green they are wearing white."

"Where are they from, then?" Clarentin got very curious. She had never seen any hunters at all.
"I do not know." Féoree grinned. "Let us ask them."
Just before the two men walked under their tree, Féoree dropped the branch she still held in her hands. She chuckled as they stepped back. Then they looked up. Féoree waved at them. "Hail, strangers! What brings you to the Woods of Sirith?" She jumped down from the branch and landed in front of them. Clarentin followed her example.
"The Woods of Sirith?", the tallest of the two seemed shocked. "These are not the Woods of Sirith This is the Feathery Forest!"
"I know", Féoree laughed, "it was just a joke. I call this side of the forest the Woods of Sirith myself."
"May I ask why you would do that?", the tallest man asked. Even though they looked very much alike and must be family, the tallest looked much nicer than the other. They both had dark curly hair and their eyes were brown.
"I named it after myself", Féoree smiled. "My name is Lockergartín Sirith. This is my friend Clarentin."
They only looked at Féoree and didnt even seem to notice Clarentin. The shorter man frowned. "Sirith? She cant be family of Yasson can she?"
"Yasson Sirith! Hes my father! Do you know him?" Suddenly Féoree felt this wouldnt be such a hopeless journey after all.
The shorter man seemed to be in deep thought. "No Dont know him Just heard of him"
"Who are you? Where are you from?", asked Clarentin.
"I am Cona Mornez of Nore",the shorter one said, "son of the lord of Nore."

"I am Inna of Nore", the tallest one said. "I am Conas younger brother."
"And son of the lord of Nore! Inna when will you learn to be proud of your fathers name?" Cona sounded angry. He turned to Féoree and Clarentin. "His name is Inna Mornez of Nore, and hes one of the sons of the lord of Nore. I am the oldest." He seemed very proud, but his name didnt impress the girls. They were ignorant of the outer world.
"Whats Nore?", Clarentin asked.
Cona looked very grim, but Inna chuckled. "You do not know about the land of Nore? It is not even that far away. It lies South of the Woods of It lies South of Zeeks."
"We have never even entered the land of Zeeks, sir",Féoree said.
"Leave the 'sir', please. I may be a lords son, but I do not feel like one. Just Inna, please." Inna took Féorees hand and kissed her cheek. Then he did the same to Clarentin. "It was a pleasure to meet you girls, but Im afraid we must go on now."
"Yes, we must", Cona said. He still looked grim.
"Where are you heading?", Clarentin asked.
"Were heading for the centre of these woods, where the tree-people live", Inna said. "I do not understand why are you here? Do the other tree-people not live much further East?"
"They do indeed",Féoree said. "Clarentin and I shall be going on a journey very soon. We intend to find my father."
"I see",Inna said. He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "I feel we need to tell you why we have come to see the Fiodûn." It was the first time he used this word. Féoree was surprised. Inna glanced at Cona, who seemed to agree. "We have come to warn you all. Evil forces are growing in the West. The Black Empire will probably attack the worlds of Nore, Zeeks and even Featherhills. This is why we shall urge the Fiodûn to leave their beloved woods and cross the Blue Sea to build their homes elsewhere."

"The Black Empire shall take over this whole island", Cona added. "Our names will not be remembered and our lands will be shattered into pieces. We are lucky men if we dont survive this this.."

Inna gave him an angry look. "Do not speak so foolish", he said. "We shall fight for our island and defend the borders of Nore and Zeeks. We shall survive and be victorious."
"And you, my younger brother, call me foolish? Do not say such naïve things until you know what youre talking about and you will speak naïve no more." Cona walked away and stood still a few feet from them. "Short tree-girls, would you be kind enough to lead us to your fellow tree-people?"
Although Féoree felt slightly insulted by Cona calling them 'short tree-girls' she agreed. "Clarentin?"Clarentin nodded. They waited for sad looking Inna to follow them and together they headed for the village of Feathery Forest.