Phoenix
How could such a huge tree appear so suddenly? Was the forest reacting to her thoughts again? There was only one way to find out. She sent a message to Lira about their plans, then she and Drax walked along the water's edge to the mysterious towering wonder that came seemingly out of nowhere in silence.
Roughly a third of the way to their destination, Drax slipped his hands behind his back. "So…," He spoke casually, leaning into her shoulder. "Are you usually this talkative?"
Phoenix gave him a strained smile. She hated to admit it but she was already getting more comfortable around him. "Sorry, I'm used to being alone most of the time."
The tender look in his eyes never wavered, nor did he push any further. They walked in companionable silence once more. Thoughts flooded her mind. Was she being too guarded? No, he already knows my life story. What else could I possibly share with him? Then her sweet, loving mother came to mind. Only almost a week had passed but it felt like months since she had been home. She closed her eyes to stop them from misting.
"Well if anything else comes up, I'm here to lend an ear." The genuine reassuring smile Drax gave her should have provided some comfort. Instead, she found herself second guessing his motives. Still, she returned the smile half-heartedly.
Standing before the gargantuan root firmly settled in place like a stone wall, the pair were astonished. It was easily as tall as a three-story building with a layer of tangled roots creating a natural roof to block out the elements. The trunk attached to it was like a small skyscraper, the tree having grown wider with age. Its branches stretched far and wide, heavy-ladened with thick foliage. She carefully inspected the dark rough bark looking for a gap to peer into, but there were no knots or holes in the thick wood. After searching the entire circumference of the towering wall she saw it. A low spot where the root reconnected to the base of the tree. This small section was as tall as a house and partially hidden by the cover.
Drax spotted it too, his face going pale at the sight. "Okay. Found a way in. Now how do we get up there?"
She gave him a grin brimming with confidence as she shifted her hands and feet into dagger like claws. "I'll go ahead. Keep an eye out for Lira and Opal." Phoenix jumped high against the trunk of the tree, then kicked off pivoting toward the root, planting her claws into the upper part of the wall. Her muscles burned with the impact, but she couldn't let it stop her. Driving one clawed limb over the other, she climbed up the last eight meters to the top before swinging her legs over the ledge to catch her breath. Inside the confines of the wall there was only darkness. No luminous flora grew here like it did in the open woods. The faintest scent of packed earth tickled her nose.
Drax brought his gloved hands up, cupping them around his mouth like a megaphone. "What does it look like in there?"
"It's too dark to see anything, but it smells dry enough." Her voice echoed in the cavernous space when she shouted back to the knight. "Do you see Lira?"
"No. Not yet."
Over the tree tops, the sun was beginning its descent. Opal must have taken the pixie girl out further than she expected. She tapped into her bond link with the comet fox. She could feel the small foxes excited anticipation and the urgent desire to return to Phoenix's side. A spark of pride was lit in her chest.
With a mere thought, her inventory opened. She scooped up a handful of the glittering burning comet stones along with the bear pelt. Tossing the stones into the abyss, their dim light scattered. The thud from the stones hitting the ground confirmed the soil to be dry, their faint light shining like stars in the night sky. Thankfully, the drop to the ground inside was a small fraction of the one on the outside. She proceeded to drape the bear skin over the outer side to test the length. The thick hide hung down far enough to reach just three feet above the ground.
"Can you reach it?" She waited until he gave her a thumbs up, before securing the top firmly between the tree's roots.
The skies began to fade to red-orange as the sun dipped just above the tree line. Below Drax climbed slow and steady. The higher he climbed the more nervous she became. He had made it to the ledge when his foot slipped. Her heart skipped a beat, the shift came on instinct. On sheer reflex, her teeth latched onto his armor plating and she pulled with all her might to bring him up and over. Too far over. She lost her footing and they both tumbled into the dark basin.