Chapter 1 - Bramble and Peach

Should I have been worried? Probably. But when the Universe drops you into a place of bewonderment, common sense and logic tend to go out the window. You’re left with nothing but vibes and hopeful curiosity.

It’s not every day you find yourself in potential Narnia. At least I got to keep on my comfy clothes.

One moment, I’d been enjoying the sound of pencil on paper, sketching and scribbling in my brand new notebook. The next, I found myself here. Wherever here was.

A soothing breeze brushed against my cheeks. It brought relief.

From what? My failed attempts at drawing hands—again? The sudden realization that I still hadn’t texted back my friend? No clue, but I wasn’t complaining.

My body felt heavy, but comfortable. Like one of those hugs inside a dream you hope will last forever.

The surface beneath me seemed springy and the earthy scent of foliage and rich dirt filled my nostrils. Moss? It gave way under my fingertips, like a gentle invitation to stay a while.

Something rustled nearby. My eyelids fluttered. Not quite opening, not quite not.

Blurred shadows and soft lights transformed into vibrant hues that could have been plucked from my go-to set of brush pens.

A tickling sensation called attention to my nose, making me scrunch it. A tiny cool hand—paw?—touched my forehead, then vanished as I stirred.

I missed its comfortable presence the moment it was gone.

“She’s here,” came a soft, measured voice from somewhere near my head. “At least, I think she is.”

My eyes finally opened in full, immediately locked in the stare of large, amber ones—unblinking, and far too close. After a moment of blatant staring, I realized I wasn’t just looking at their eyes—I saw my own reflection. Mirrorception.

Why wasn’t I freaking out? Had my brain checked out for the rest of the day? My heart should have been racing. My eyes darting around in search of an exit—any exit.

Instead, I giggled. Who needs panic, anyway?

“Hello. Who are you?”

Once he’d backed out of close-up mode, the creature turned out to be a fox. He leaned back, his excitement almost tangible. The vivid orange of his fur glistened in the sunlight filtering through the canopy overhead.

“I’m Peach!” he declared, then paused. I could tell he was battling the urge to invade my personal space again. “How about you?”

“Maybe let her get up first,” came the gentle voice from earlier.

I propped myself up on my elbows as a skunk joined the fox, her calm presence balancing out his chaotic energy. A flash of the scene in Bambi with Flower shot through my mind, though, suggesting a playful side hiding under that composed exterior.

“I’m Bramble.” Her voice was warm and welcoming, and she radiated the kind of calm that made you feel like everything would be okay. Even if you’d just tripped over your own feet. A soft, floral scent surrounded her—like fresh rain on a lavender field or that perfect cup of tea at just the right temperature that you never want to end.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Elin.” I couldn’t help but smile. Chatting with animals in what seemed to be an enchanted woods-type situation should have been somewhat alarming. But it just… was.

“Right, we knew that. Didn’t we?” Peach turned to Bramble with a flick of his bushy tail.

“I suppose we did.” Her gaze lingered on me as though I were a piece of an undetermined puzzle.

Peach bounced back and forth between his front legs with the kind of energy that made me wonder if there was a woodland coffee shop nearby that served triple espressos. “You’re going to love it here, I know you are. Let me show you the—”

“Peach. Let’s allow her to settle in first. She probably finds this all quite odd.

I took a moment to observe our surroundings, feeling the space to do so. For once, my mind wasn’t buzzing with a million thoughts. Somewhere, someone had pressed the pause button, allowing me to just be. To observe as much as I needed.

The sunlight should’ve been too much—too bright, too warm—but it wasn’t. As if the world had just turned the volume down. Like a reassuring hug I didn’t know I needed until someone wrapped their arms around me to provide it and held me just right.

“Not odd at all,” I found myself saying. “I can’t say I don’t have questions, though.”

Bramble and Peach exchanged a look I couldn’t decipher.

“For now, let’s get you on your feet. We’ll take you to Maple.”

An image of a majestic maple tree and the taste of golden maple syrup engulfed my senses.

Bramble’s voice had somehow prompted my legs into motion without consulting me first. I brushed away bits of moss and dirt from my hands, enjoying the free spa treatment nature had thrown in—gentle exfoliation included.

Peach bounced ahead with a grin, his orange tail disappearing into the trees.

Bramble reached for me with a tiny paw and a knowing smile—both an invitation and a silent promise. I extended my hand and felt her fingers wrap around two of mine. With a gentle tug, she led the way.