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[quote=Starbuck]Curious, Starbuck cautiously approached the tree, warily eyeing the hole in the bark, its darkness impenetrable. She reached out a hand, and oh-so gently touched her fingertips to the bark.[/quote]

It took a few moments -- indeed, by the time a reaction presented itself, Starbuck was already under attack -- but soon the bark of the tree twitched and shuddered where her fingers had pressed against it. The shudder rippled through the tree; the branches twisted and bright green leaves fluttered down all around. The lantern swayed slightly. And then, again, beginning where her touch had been, small runic writing etched itself into the wood, as if carved out from the inside. The writing spread out, twisting along the gnarled bark, and wrapped around the trunk and the roots and the branches. The tree continued to whirr and click steadily in the light of the red lantern.

[quote=Talan]It didn't matter because in the next moment he had tackled the woman to the ground and pinned her down.[/quote]

Starbuck's head hit the platform with a dull, hollow sound. With her ear so close, she might hear ticking far beneath her.

His hand -- where it was wrapped tightly around Starbuck's wrist -- grazed the metal platform beneath them. Though it was covered in moss and vines, a very small shimmer of light might be seen if one looked carefully. Further investigation might reveal that one of the runes etched into the metal, which Talan had accidentally touched, had begun to glimmer like precious stone in the light of the lantern, where it had certainly not done so before.

[quote=Talan]"Why did you bring me here!", he yelled . . .[/quote]

While the two roared in argument, a rustle moved in the trees at the edge of the clearing, beyond the reach of the lantern's light. A brown owl fluttered out of the woods and flopped quietly into the grass, keeping silent and low so as not to be seen. It eased its wings closed and it shuffled forward carefully, closer and closer to the platform, between weeds and flowers and mossy stones. Its big shining eyes were set eagerly on the little silver box.

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