Editing Prompt September 2021 (section)

== Caleb Renich ==
The mist swirled through the dusky pine forest. Clear glacial streams cut winding pathways in the soft earth of the mountainside. Their quiet bubbling underscored the soft twittering of birds, filling the air with the rhythmic hum of life. Dew dressed the stout needles of the conifers, and the setting sun set the treetops ablaze with a steady fire. Skies streaked with blue, gold, and pink were a canvas for the outstretched fingers of the mountain. The mossy root of the trees drank deep in the soil, the tips grazing the bedrock below, but shying away from its cold touch.

A soft breeze caressed the trees, sending a shiver down the spine of the mountains. A squirrel poked out from his hollow in a lonely pine, whiskers twitching. His bushy silhouette was outlined against the stark orange sunset as it sank through the clouds. With a start, he bounded down the rough bark of his haven and set foot on the cool moss. He flicked his tail momentarily, and darted off. The little creature came to rest by a stream, where he dipped his tongue in the water and began to drink as the sun began to dip below the horizon. For a moment, all was at peace. The light grew dimmer. The mountains groaned softly.  The air became chill in an instant. The light went out. The squirrel, sensing the change, scuttled away into the underbrush. A silence wrapped the mountains like a fog, for just a moment. Then the Eyes of the Night emerged from slumber. Dew froze on pine needles as they passed, the glowing emerald points of light, the hovering specters like cold distant starlight. The trees twisted away from their ghostly march and the creeping things of the night sought solace in burrows and hidden clefts.  They search, and the waters run cold as they move. The air sits uneasy as they comb the night for the one who can unseal their bonds. They hunger for freedom they were once denied. The light of the moon shines upon those that were cast out, and they search, how they search, for the Unbinding and the End of Days.
[[Category:Short Stories]]