The forest was endless, murky, and archaic. Its canopy was eclipsed by pine, cedar, and sycamore, enough light shimmered through their crowns for a plethora of shrubs to dominate the moist and fertile bottom layer below. Curling branches dangled from every tree, and a mishmash of flowers, which claimed remnants of light, highlighted the otherwise amber view. A cacophony of wild sounds, which were caused by birds and insects, added life to the forest, and drowned out the occasional splashes of frogs jumping in the nearby lake.