Despite what he’d achieved, Ark felt the fear again. He wasn’t ready for yet another encounter. Not this soon. His lips went dry and his heart began to slam against his ribs as if it were a bird trying to escape the bony cage. It was for the good of Arborium. “Fine. Tell me. All right.” If worse came to worst, he could surely play statues one more time.

“If you are truly of the wood, then there is much to be discovered.” She pulled out a small mirror and handed it to Ark. “You must reflect on this and always know that light is both friend to the leaves and yourself.”

“A mirror?” he squealed. “But I don’t need to comb my hair!”

“Don’t be silly, young Ark. Use the light!”

The branch beneath them shuddered as the living, breathing, stinking mass of boars stampeded toward them. There were only seconds to spare.

A ray of sunlight hit the mirror and bounced off it, lighting up a small patch of the woods to the left of the path. “Oh!” said Ark, wondering if he had time. He swung his hand, trying to direct the small beam onto the way ahead. It wavered and bucked before he finally focused it on the lead boar now only a few feet away.

“Good!” whispered Corwenna in his ear.

Ark still had no idea whether it would work, until the mirror caught the lead boar’s eyes. The effect was instant. The boar was blinded. It crashed headlong through the bushes that lined the woodway and slipped off the edge. The others in the herd played a brutal game of follow-my-leader, the sound of their high-pitched squeals excruciating as one after another toppled through the gap. Ark gasped with dismay. He hadn’t intended a massacre.

But Corwenna had chosen her spot with care. The forest was particularly thick here, and the branches that radiated out beneath them a woven warren. Living high up in the canopy gave the boars agility. They tumbled and fell like airborne cats, each one managing to land upright on the thicket below, scrabbling for purchase on the bark, and then squealing off onto other paths into the deep woods.

All except one that still stood on the path in front of him. Maybe this tusked giant was a throwback or, like Ark, different. It was not fooled by the business with the mirror but more interested in attacking those responsible for nearly destroying its kin. It approached slowly, eyes consciously turned from the mirror, tusks lowered, ready to spear Ark to kingdom come.

“Well done, my boy!” called Corwenna.

Ark was surprised. He was about to be gored to death and Corwenna offered congratulations.

However, it was not him she addressed as Corwenna stepped out toward the lone boar. “We are impressed with your resolve.” As she spoke, she held the animal’s gaze.