Writing Challenge #12: Story Behind the Picture
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Hiya students this is Professor Cassandra Brookvale usually of Muggle Studies but today I was given the task of a writing challenge! Oh how I love writing verses, especially when it rains. This is one of my favorites. “Alone with the wind and the droplets of rain, my body craves tea, so I pour a cuppa.” Wonderful right? Well what I want you to do is use that creative minds of yours and write the story behind this image.
It can be no less than a paragraph long of at least four sentences and no longer than four paragraphs. You can submit a story of the place or of the specific moment in the image. Answers must be left in this space and everyone that follows the rules and submits an entry will be awarded 10 house points! Extra points may be awarded based on creativity and originality. Remember to write your name and house with your entry.
Challenge is due July 16 at 11:59PM
As I awoke from my sleep, I saw to my amazement, a glowing deer. Was it glowing? It sure seemed to be. As I cleared the fuzziness from my eyes, I felt that I knew him somehow. Her! Even though the horns were masculine to my eyes, I had a feeling, a sort of knowing, that I was seeing... me?! As I took note of the beautiful ancient tree next to "her" and I realized that my knowing was from the wisdom of this ancient tree. My hand, I noticed was upon it's root and I must be getting my information through it's roots. I'd fallen into the most restful sleep I'd ever experienced. Upon awakening, I'd become one with the conciousness of this tree, and could now speak to the forest through my sort of ethereal self, in the form of a stag! This was the most wonderful experience of my life. I hoped I could always return to this. I awoke to find myself in the forest touching the root of the tree, just as before. But the stag was gone. I thanked the tree and promised to return, hoping for more experiences like the one I'd just had. This was truly a gift I hoped to receive again in the future!
Aisling Dearcan | Ravenclaw House
The breeze is light and playful, tickling skin and coaxing hair to dance about. With it, comes the gentle scent of wildflowers, eclectic sweetness that seems to contain everything and yet is so well combined that no single smell is distinct. Small birds harmonize a song of love in the distant trees; dragonflies hum about as they flick from flower to flower; the vibrating bass of a frog echoes through the narrow ravine.
A tiny toddler, no more than two years of age, grasps thick fistfuls of grass by the root and tugs with all its might, succeeding in yanking most of the blades free from the earth. The watchful forest spirit flinches from behind a tree, feeling momentary pain and loss for the dead. The child was left behind a day prior with no sign of a guardian’s return coming soon; the future looks bleak for the weak creature. Even so, the little human is young and naive of the world and cannot sense its impending end.
The forest spirit steps forward and into the light; its walk is slow, determined, knowing. With each step along the earth, the spirit’s energy creates new life and as each hoof leaves the ground, that same growth withers and decomposes to nothing. Both life and death within mere seconds of each other. Looking into the curious eyes of the now entranced infant, the life of days yet to come flickers into clarity and play out all too quickly. Left alone, the babe survives only a few more days on its own. The are no predators in this sacred place, therefore nothing to end its suffering. It dies a slow, natural death.
Mercy is not what the spirit feels as it kneels to the ground, coming nose-to-nose with the human. Nor is it the feeling of pity, for the spirit sees greatness even in the shortest life spans. Difficult to translate such ancient knowledge, it is easiest to say that the forest spirit honors the child’s simple existence by its actions. Nostrils flare as a puff of heavy, hot air pushes the toddler back against the grass. Without a sound, the child fades into its final slumber and the forest spirit continues its walk through the wood.
Sauvage / Hufflepuff
Callista's story
As I walked into the deepest part of the forest, the light grew dim, till everything seemed as bleak as my mood. The girl I loved best of all had been sent away, and we would not be spending the next seven years of our lives together, learning the things we needed to know to fulfil our ambitions and dreams. I did not know who I was going to share things with. My older sister was far ahread of me and already knew so many of the things I was going to discover.
I sat down on the mossy ground and began to fall into a spiral of lonely thoughts. Who was I, really? Did anyone know, if I didn't?
Then I saw the white stag, the creature of legend. He gave off a light of his own. And I realised that I, too, had a light of my own, as I followed him down the path to the water's edge, for all of us are shining beings--fallen stars, encased in flesh and led by dreams.
My ambition was hidden within me, but as I set aside the dreams that everyone else had outgrown and passed on down to me, it began to glow green and bright in my heart.
Callista Melina Zabini Slytherin House
Slotting | CW Shop | Owned List | Releases
[KISS=Valiska] * [DANCE=Valiska] [Flower=Valiska] * [tot=Valiska] * [egg=Valiska] * [tp=Valiska]
Elizabeth Amalia Covington ~ Slytherin
In this proliferating forest with thick tree trunks and gnarled branches, a gentle stream splashes through the silence. Dozens of butterflies float, buoyed by the wind, through the mild air of the woodland scene. The sun kisses the mossy soil as its rays seek their way through the canopy of leaves. A group of sociable fireflies glows softly in the faint light of the dawning day.
A soft rustling can be heard on the forest floor and you prick up your ears. Curiously you look around, eager to find out what the source of the sound may have been. As you slowly turn your head towards the tree that already stretches over the stream with its roots, you observe a soft blue glow. This light wafts over the floor almost like fog and although of blue colour, it seems to be warm and cosy, even inviting!
Carefully you walk a few steps towards the tree as long, graceful legs follow the blue glow, like a gazelle. Your eyes follow the creature's legs and when you see the being in all its glory, it quickly becomes clear that 'creature' is an understatement for such a wonderful being. A large, white-blueish shimmering royal stag with an uneven number of antlers looks at you with a sublime and searching expression and the fireflies dance around him with ease. Your breath seems to be taken away by this enchanting sight and almost hypnotized by these antlers, you begin to wonder if anyone has ever enjoyed such a sight?
The deer just stares at you as it stands there in the middle of the small lawn of the forest, its hooves between delicate flowers. All these flowers are as fresh as the young morning, not a single one has been crushed. You blink irritated and look at the legs of the stag. In fact, the creature floats a little above the earth. Have you possibly met the imposing and noble patron of the forest? Fear flows through you, paired with concern as to whether you may have caused harm in this forest. But before you can continue to worry, the stag lowers his antlers as a courteous greeting. A smile sneaks up on your lips and you also bow your head with deep respect. As if he had only waited for your silent reply, the stag turns slowly and goes back into the depths of the forest. The white-blueish light surrounds him and some fireflies float after him as he disappears out of your sight. You feel honoured to have interacted with such a being and a feeling of bliss forms in your mind and body.
Nicola Stromwing, Hufflepuff Walking through the forbidden forest one afternoon I see a bluish white glow among the trees. Flowing the light I come to a secluded stream with an island in the center. The glow emanates from a large stag on the center island. Is it a patronus or a forest god glowing among the trees? The horns don't seem right for a patronus and there is no caster in sight. As I crane to look for any hidden witch or wizard the stag looks straight at me then huffs, turns, and strolls away. Maybe there is more magic than is even taught at Hogwarts!
Kat, gryf
I know I was not supposed to go into the Forbidden Forest but a glimmer of light caught my eye. Magical creatures being my favorite subject I also knew what dangers awaited me there. Usually the thought of giant spiders would scare me but this glow it was just to mesmerizing. I walked further into the forest, it seemed to get darker and darker but the glow just seemed brighter and brighter. Soon I came upon it, a giant stag on the biggest tree I had ever seen. It looked simply magnificent. Then suddenly it was gone, it was all gone and I was in my bed awoken from my dream of the stag and the tree.
Aria Quin-Lee -- Gryffindor
After a full day of classes and an evening full of studying, Aria finally had some time to read from one of her favorite novelists, a witch named Ermaline Wakefield. Ermaline had a whole slew of books in her latest series about magical creatures. Aria loved these books because of the witches use of both creatures from the wizarding world and boring creatures from the muggle world. Aria loved imagining the two types of creatures interacting with one another and often imagined very funny interactions of the two. She flipped open the most recent book she'd been able to get her hands on titled, "Inner Light" and began reading. Thus far she'd uncovered that the story took place in a thick almost overgrown forest and featured a foal centaur.
"...the light burst from Mintok's hand followed its own path through the air until it settled behind a tree. The young foal, Mintok, raced after the light and followed it from one tree to another. After several long minutes of chasing the strange light, it landed upon the ground beside a rather large tree and took the form of a stag. Mintok stared in shock at the creature. "Where did you come from?" She asked it innocently. The stag merely looked at her and nodded his head causing glimmering motes of white flecks to bounce off of his massive rack of antlers. The stag took a flying leap through the air directly towards Mintok --"
Aria suddenly stopped reading because she felt a heavy weight on her head. "Dax! get off my head you silly griffin!" She shook him off, luckily he'd been half perched on the back of the large arm chair she'd been reclining in because he was heavy. "What is wrong with you? Can't you see I'm reading?" Aria asked in an exasperated tone. She shook her head as Dax continued jumping off her lap without even caring that he'd interrupted her peaceful reading.
Public Ping Group - Xanadu Galleria and RAE Collab
I really really extremely want:
The Lord of the Forest
In the depths of the forest where sunlight cannot pierce,
the trees are warped with ages past and have grown fierce.
The wind roars deafeningly and cuts at your face and cloak
as it twists through the towering ancient grove of oak.
The fog grows dense as it swirls its wispy tendrils upward
hiding the path below and muffling sounds from being heard.
It is here, where mortals dare not to tread
that the Lord of the Forest has made his stead.
With silent hoof beats, through the wood he trods creating life with each step from lifeless clods. Each well placed step on the misty ground grows flowers with his head raised and his antlers glow with divine powers. Though you are in his sacred spot, you do not feel distressed. The winds quiet and the oaks part, for you he has blessed. Your path is clear as you continue to roam until you have made it safely home.
Toru Mizushima | Hufflepuff
The stag roamed through the lighted forest. All around the energy of life could be felt. Insects scurried from one place to another, though the stag paid no heed. He moved through the forest with purpose. The leaves made no crunch beneath his hoofs though, for that part of his existence was long ago. His ears moved as he heard noises. He strained to hear. Ah, the one of them was the voice he was seeking. Always seeking…
He closed in to see the black haired boy standing there. So many times he’d found the boy. Once he found him alone in the hospital wing clutching a red stone. Again he found him in the forbidden forest and prompted the old Ford Angelia to go to the boy’s aid. So many times, through good times and bad, the stag found and watched the boy grow. He supposed the word man should apply, but it was always so hard to think of him that way—even as he saw the “boy” clasped the shoulder of a much younger boy to show affection.
Once the stag had dreamt of that—patting his son’s shoulder to express his love, but still he had always been there for his son—even if it wasn’t in the way Harry would have expected. “You are loved, my son,” the stag said on the wind, letting a breeze surround Harry. The stag knew his message worked—it always did. He bowed and turned away from the scene. Soon he was cantering off.
The stag found his beloved doe and nuzzled her. The pair walked together as their lights lit up the forest as they returned to their peaceful afterlife. They had always watched over their son and they always would.
Magnus Lee -Ravenclaw
The stag and the Hag
Do you hear the mystic music surrounding the stag?
Bells of elves, harps of fae, the Túatha Dé ?
Do you want to touch the glowing spheres, give them a tag?
Don't do it, stay away, keep them at bay!
There is an old hag behind the phantom stag. Bowl prepared, knife in hand, three rows of sharp teeth! Do you want to venture a step, not seeing the snag? Don't do it, go away, run to the heath!
Too late. The stag was bait.
Lysandra, Ravenclaw
parker lange, slytherin
In a lonesome wood
There stood a deer.
In my lonesome heart
There trembled fear.
That the one I love, Would never sing, Would never laugh, And n'er take my ring.
I'll pine alone As the years go by. And dream about The time I did try.
*Written with Snape and Lily in mind
Harmony Ingalls, Gryffindor
((Sorry, I went over the writing limit :/ I got on a roll))
The stag was finally within distance. I had been tracking the creature for hours, and although the sun had gone down ages ago, I was determined to finish my hunt. I was very weak and tired, but I had to finish what I started. He came to the edge of the forest, grazing, his eyes barely flicking up from the soft crunch he was making in the grass. I had studied the winds and made sure I was well out of his scent zone, careful not to slip up. I readied my bow, pulling the arrow back in a smooth motion, and waited for him to step just a little closer.
He was so close, and yet I paused, still hoping he would walk toward me a little more. I could hit him, I know I could. I had hit stags from much farther away than this, but I was hesitating. Why was I hesitating? My arm started to shake from the strain of holding the arrow back.
As if suddenly sensing my predicament, the stag lifted its head and looked directly into my eyes. It stood there, frozen, as it realized what was going to happen. I squeezed my eyes shut, not baring to look at it while I did what I had to do, and let the arrow fly. I had a split second to notice the ghostly afterimage of the stag hovering behind my closed eyes for a second before disappearing.
I had no choice...
I heard the poor beast let out a sound, then thump to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw it lying there, it's breath shuttering for a moment and then quickly stopping. I stood up from my hiding place and walked over, taking out a large hunting knife. I was sorry about the stag, but thankful that because of his life, my children would live to see another day. My stomach growled uncomfortably, as it had all day, and I could barely move my arms from the weakness, but I could wait. It wasn't about me, it was about my children.
Somehow, I knew that the stag would be okay with this.
Stumbling over a tree root, something catches your eye; a distant glow illuminating the dark trees. Stepping closer, you can feel the magic coming from it as orbs of light seem to dance around in front of you. Suddenly, the source of the glow appers from behind one of the trees and you stand transfixed by the sight. You've never seen anything quite so majestic before as the figure takes a step closer to you. You hold your breath in case a slightest movement will scare it away as you stare in awe at the glistening stag. After a few moments the stag fades away, leaving you to wonder if that did actually happen, or if it was all a dream.
Niamh Doyle, Gryffindor
My CW shop ~ forumset by [/font]
The trees lean toward the light in the dense forest, thick and twisted with age. The sun peeks through in small shafts, highlighting dust motes and bits of rotting leaves that twirl into the air with the passing breeze. The birds have been startled by something and have flown away, stirring up more dust and debris from the forest floor; who is this passing intruder, this strange being of light? It does not glow with the sun's light; no, it is a pale light, more like moonlight, but brighter. What has summoned it here, and what is it's purpose? It hovers and shimmers in the air, not quite touching the ground, the form of a deer with a beautiful crown of antlers. The leaves of the trees rustle and sigh, but it is not for them to know from whence this deer shaped echo of light has come, for just as quickly as it appears, it leaps and is gone, moonlight disappearing into the the shifting shafts of sunlight.
Kiara, Ravenclaw
(art by KayBit on Dappervolk)
Charlotte Rose, Ravenclaw
The appearance of the celestial stag, with its antlers so majestic, is but a blip in the long-storied history of the forest. The gnarled roots of the trees have weathered a multitude of rotating seasons, steadily growing to create a canopy. The sunlight streams in the rare breaks of the cover, highlighting the ever-present moss that clings to the trees. The stream slowly erodes the shoreline, infinitesimally - the stag will be long gone before the water climbs the banks. An ephemeral moment, but one of countless others that comprise the story of the forest.
[font=tahoma]Art by , gifted by || Signature icon by MidnightShadow[/font]
Chell - Ravenclaw
Through the trees gleamed a light so bright that I had to shield my eyes. Through squinting, I saw that the it was a stag illuminating the dark depths of the Forbidden Forest. I pondered the curiosity of the situation for a moment, rubbing my eyes to see if it was just my imagination. When I reopened them, the glowing beast was no more. I searched around every corner, but was unable to track the stag that had filled my heart with glimmering hope.
Awarded points so far:
❤ Griffindor:
15 points to Ambition 🌟 10 points to Flyingkat 9 points to Gryffindor (One point deducted for passing the paragraph limits) 10 points to Paddy
💚 Slytherin:
10 points to Anne 15 points to poppet 🌟 10 points to Valiska 10 points to 15 points to 🌟
💙 Ravenclaw:
10 points to Keliora 10 points to Nrogara 10 points to Poppy 15 points to 🌟 10 points to 10 points to
💛 Hufflepuff:
10 points to 15 points to 🌟 15 points to 🌟 10 points to
The Heart of the Wood by Drew Wilder ~ Slytherin
Deep within the forest, where the trees twisted and turned, whispering to each other of bygone days and forgotten magic, a flower strewn path ran beside a tranquil stream. Here out of the reach of humans, fairies danced freely, their melodious laughter like small chimes as their firefly-like light flitted to and fro. It was the heart of the wood, a place of magic and wonder, as well as purity and peace. Undisturbed by the evils of mankind, though a part of it existed within all dreamers, the heart of the wood was home to a rare and splendid creature – the white stag.
The stag had always existed; no one, perhaps not even the stag himself, knew where he came from. Guardian and protector of the wood, the stag on occasion ventured from his home. The rare sightings of the majestic creature inspired a multitude of emotions. Some sought to hunt and kill the stag for sport, the thrill of the chase, or visions of conquest. Others wished to get closer to verify that the stag was real and perhaps be able to touch what seemed to be a creature conceived of moonbeams and starlight. Still others found themselves filled with a peace they had never known before and treasured the moment forever.
The reason behind this last feeling was the stag himself. One with the power of discernment had only to look at the creature in order to find the answer, for it lay between the magnificent antlers which curved into the shape of a heart in the center. Not only was the stag the guardian and protector of the forest, he was purity in light form, and for those with open hearts and pure minds and motives he was known by another name…love.
Come on I know you guys are all creative!! Last night to show what we can do!