The Shapeshifter's Moon

This morning, I peered out of the windowpane and discovered a winter wonderland. The thunder gods awakened a blizzard during the early hours.
The muted colours of autumn have faded and the cold draws near.
Ice lingers on branches, and flurries of snow descend gracefully. There is not even a glimpse of sunshine and a veil of frosted white covers the sky.
The frost giants traipse through the snowfall as a lonely crow takes to the air.

The Forest of Stories

Companions in the snow.


The Troll Woods ~

Walk past the three witches tree and the cluster of birch
There is an archway of tangled nettles, crouch underneath and be wary of the thorns
They like to ensnare the curious wayfarer
Dusk is beginning to approach
You do not wish to be wandering in the
forest at nightfall

Stumble down a mud streaked slope where you will see a path winding its way through the thicket
Follow the trail but do not turn back
The trees whisper as you pass
Their moss covered branches closing in

Pine needles are soft underfoot as you draw near to the mire
Cross the stepping stones through the foul swamp but beware of trickery
The mire is endless and you will be lost forever

You have approached the troll gate
One door will lead you to the realm
And the other door will lead to nowhere
Make your choice or leave it to chance

*
Wandering through the woods... leaves are crisp underfoot and I pay heed to the cacophony of rooks in the branches, waiting in the wings for a trail of bread crumbs. Two swans, elegant but greedy, waddle out of the lake. Their graceful, ivory wings arching behind them. A tiny robin flew over to my outstretched hand, hovered in the air for a few seconds before brushing its downy feathers against my skin. 

Autumn Faerie

Archways of leaves, autumnal colours; burgundy, copper, ochre, gold, windswept barren fields, collecting pumpkins from a farm, sunshine and bitter winds, apple trees, fairs, hibernation, squirrels burying fallen acorns, all hallows eve, forests ablaze with golden light, pine needles underfoot, woollen cloaks, horse drawn carriages, will o’ the wisps, the witching hour, spectres, pyres, warm blankets and piles of books.

Harvest, early sunsets, bats flitting across the sky, fly agaric mushrooms red, shivering trees, revels in the moonlight, glimpses of faery dances, flickering candles and ghost stories, shooting stars by the ocean, mist pockets, fox shaped silhouettes, country lanes enshrouded by fog, eerie twinkling music, guises, jack o’ lanterns to ward off evil spirits, the waning moon, beware the shadows drawing in.