Oak Holly and Brooke

Elsie woke and heard whispered arguing. She wanted to jump up and get help from whoever was out there. But her body was stiff from sleeping rough. Her voice was broken from crying. So she listened.

“But she is my kin, Arther’s descendant.” One voice said, it sounded soft and quiet like a whisper or the wind through leaves.

“But she is human, they forced us into hiding, pollute us, kill us.” A second voice replied, It sounded wet like she was dribbling or spitting as she spoke.

“You never should have mated with him in the first place, sister.” Said a third voice, quiet like the first but more prickly in tone.

“I am going to look after her and that’s that.” The first voice said. “You can either help me or just stick to yourselves.

“Fine, she can bathe and drink from my stream,” the wet voice lamented.

“I will keep the predators away.” The prickly voice added.

Elsie saw three faces peer through the nook. The deer got up and went on it’s way. She saw three women. Young and beautiful looking, and fully naked. Two had brown bark like skin and leafy green hair. One was transparent with a hint of blue. Light split into rainbows as it shone through her. Her body seemed to be constantly dripping, reminding her of when she had seen her mother get out of the bath.

“Hello, their little one.” The whispering one said. Her hair was that of oak leaves. “Don’t be frightened, we are going to look after you until a human comes to find you.”

They introduced themselves as Oak, Holly and Brooke. They explained that this was their forest and how her mother had left her and driven home. This made Elsie cry again but Oak lifted her up and comforted her.