Brackenshade

𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝕸𝖊𝖙𝖆𝖑

As you wander far past the tranquil meadows, you start to see outcroppings of ominous brambles, as you continue on, they begin to claw wretchedly at your feet, and walls of lichens form abound of you that ache for your penance. A claustrophobic feeling builds in your chest, this place feels distinctly treacherous, although you can't spy a single threat, all that surrounds you is the long dead skeletons of prey you failed to fell. You've entered the marshlands, left untouched for reasons obvious to you now, you whirl around on your heels, desperate to leave- but you find that the briars have leapt to meet your tail. Trapped in a ring of thorns, panic rises in your chest and you ready to charge through, you must get out, no matter how savagely the brambles scrape your hide. But then, just as you make up your mind, you hear a raspy voice from beside you- barely differentiable from the croak of a toad. "How misfortunate to happen here, need you a healer, young one?" Her sudden greeting makes you nearly leap out of your skin, as you scan the perimeter to find the speaker. "You won't have any luck with that..." She says, with the faint semblance of laughter tinging on her voice. "...for I am the land itself! The embodiment of the lichens! The incarnation of shadow!" In no normal world would you take such declarations seriously, but in this situation... There is nothing else you can believe. "Now sit, relax your aching shoulders, you are so tense, and for naught! There is nothing to fear here, in fact, you are safer than you've ever been, away from the prying eyes of your many foes." You obey her, sitting between the skull of an ox and several stones. "All you must do, is become one with this nature, like I have. Although it may seem fiendish, it is really quite lonely." The nature is lonely? This lioness is a total nutjob, but as you eye the brambles again, there is no other escape but to listen. "Tsk. Nature can sense your fear, you have done a great job of offending her.... You have to beg for forgiveness, bow and cry." Your pride makes you apprehensive, but with a great sigh you get up and go towards the briar wall, and bow your head. "I don't see any crying!" You hear her say from behind you. You force out some pleading words, head still lowered, (Imagine whatever your king may say.) You stop, expecting another reply from the mysterious creature you've been speaking to, but after a few minutes of silence, you look up. You're shocked to see that the bracken has parted, revealing a serene path back to safe territory. You nearly gasp at the sight, looking around to see if there's been any foul play. Seeing nothing, you gleefully flee the marshlands.
After the outsider scampers off, Brackenshade snickers, rising from the mud. On her head is the skull of an ox, and her body, beyond being the exact color of the swampland floor, is covered in camouflaging drapes. Once she's sure you've run far away, she lets out a hearty laugh, she's pulled quite a glorious prank! She'll remember the look on your face for years to come.

Brackenshade snuggles up to you with a loud purring noise as you near her, raking her body against yours. You are now covered in dirt.