The Forest

K, soooooo if you read this, that's fine. But I found out that I'm not really good at writing stories with like 10 people in it, so I'm going to write stories by myself. There are no forms, just warning. But this is less stressful for me. Enjoy!

* Chapter 1
* Chapter 2

Thalia opened her eyes and stretched, then sat and yawned. Rubbing the grit out of her eyes, she checked what time it was. 6:00 a.m. She kicked the blankets off and walked to her closet, picking a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and sneakers. Pulling on her outfit, she opened the blinds in her windows. The sun was covered by grey, stormy clouds.

"Miss Thalia, your morning tea and cookies are ready." Thalia's maid, Miriam, said through the door.

"I'll be there in a minute, Miriam! Can you tell mother I'm going riding today?"

"But, Miss, it's going to rain today. Surely you'd rather stay in out of the fowl weather?" Miriam was an older women with dirty, blond, long hair. Her eyes are a gorgeous shade of blue that would remind you of the sea. Miriam had been the loyal maid to the Hunter's since before Thalia was born. Seeing as the Thalia's mother was never home, Miriam had become like a second mother to Thalia. Thalia's father, Drew, was a captain in the Royal navy and was the eighth richest man in the world. Rebecca, her mother, was often away from the home doing stuff in town; like shopping and hanging out with her friends.

"Oh, Miriam, you worry too much! I'll be fine. I'm just going to take a short ride on the tall around the pond and then I'll be back. You'll barely notice I'm gone!" Thalia grinned and opened her bed room door. The knob was pure diamond. Miriam stood in front of her, slender hands on her thin hips, trying her best to look upset. Then she smiled and hugged Thalia gently. "Be careful, dear one. Your mother and father would have my head if anything happened to you!" Thalia stepped back and nodded. "I'll be back shortly." She then rushed into her room, braided her, long, brown hair and pulled on her riding boots. Turning, she ran out of her room, slid down the banister on the stairs, through the front room and to the large, double doors. Two guards stood by each door, their faces expressionless.

"How do you do, Arnold? Phillip?" She grinned at the two guards, then asked one to open a door. He did as asked and Thalia ran out the door and to the stables. The stables held 140 horses in all, but she was only interested in one. Passing by roans, paliminos, paints, blacks, buckskins, and many more colored horses, she finally stopped at stall. The door to the stall had a gold plaque that had the name of Thalia's horse. "Good morning, Apollo!" Thalia said in a song song tone. The buckskin nickered and tossed his head over the door, shoving his velvet muzzle into her and whuffling noisily. Thalia laughed and rubbed his forehead, then leaned over and planted a small kiss on his muzzle. "Would you like to go for a ride, Apollo?" In response, Apollo stepped back and started to dance in place, his hooves prancing, his head tossing, and his tail swishing. Smiling, Thalia opened his stall and he stepped out. Thalia walked to the tack room, her horse following. Walking into the tack room, Thalia retrieved a silver bridle and placed it over Apollo's head. Then she threw her arms over his neck and back and pulled herself up. Sidestepping, Apollo whinied in impatience. Thalia patted his neck and turned him towards the opening of the stable. "Come on Apollo, let's ride." Apollo lunged forward, his neck arching, then he raced out of the stables and into the rain. The icy cold water droplets slammed into Thalia's face, leaving her skin tingling each time. They turned around a corner of the palace and raced towards the forest. Plunging beneath the towering oaks, Thalia threw back her hood and whooped to the wind, spreading her arms out wide to both sides. Apollo turned his head and looked at Thalia, then he nickered and began to slow his pace. They slowed to an easy walk, rain pelting down on them. Thalia pulled back on the reins and slid off of Apollo's slick, wet back, landing in a patch of mud. "Gross..." She made a face. Apollo whinied and tossed his head in response. She gently stroked his muzzle, then caught the reins in a hand and began leading him to their secret spot. They passed a large pond surrounded by weeping willows. After walking for about two miles, Thalia stopped in front of a large pine.

"Ready?" She looked at the burnt siege stallion. He tossed his head. Thalia placed her hand on the pine's trunk and murmured a few words. "Edr-, nimloth -o cuil. Leith cín dolen ways." \* The tree rumbled for a moment, then the trunk opened to reveal a secret passage.

Thalia stepped in the pine and descended a long staircase of wooden stairs, Apollo trailing behind more cautiously. After about 4 minutes of descending the stairs, a light shone in front of them. Stepping out of the passageway, Thalia turned and looked at where she had just come out of. In the forest, she had entered a pine. Here, she had come out of a large cave. Suddenly she heard hooves clattering down the stairs and a frightened whinny. Apollo stumbled out of the cave and took a moment to regain balance, then he flicked his tail and trotted to Thalia. Smiling, Thalia turned away from the cave and began to wander around, noticing the the change of scenery. Instead of oaks, there were aspens. Instead of a stormy, grey sky, there was a light blue sky with a bright sun. Instead of a forest stretching for miles, and , and miles ahead, there were tall, snow capped mountains. There was a large pond in front of her, it reflected the sky above perfectly. Swans glided delicately over its surface. She turned to her horse and gripped his mane in her hands, then jumped and pulled herself up. She leaned forward slightly and he began to trot forward. Then she gently tapped her heels against his sides and he broke into a full out gallop. A twig snapped behind them and Thalia turned, Apollo slowing to a stop. "Who's there?" She spoke sternly. Leaves crunched and she spun on her heel quick enough to see a shadow race by behind the trees. Crouching, Thalia grasped a nearby stone and rose to her feet. "I know you're there. I see you. Show yourself, coward!" She startled as she heard a reply.

"I'm no coward." Out of the shadows strode a near, solid black horse. On his back was a tall, blonde elf. He held a bow in one hand and in the other, reins made out of vines. "What are you doing here? How'd did you *find* here?" Thalia stared at him for a moment, then scolded herself.

"I am Thalia Hunter, my father owns these lands. And as to what I'm doing here, I was taking a ride, as you can see. I entered through that cave beyond the pond." Her hand twitched as she was about to raise it in the direction of the pond. The elf swiftly reached into his quiver, selected an arrow, notched it into the bowstring, and aimed it at her chest. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned. She lowered her hand and glared at him. "My father could send half an army after you, if you harmed me." The elf swung a leg over the back of his mount and lowered his bow. "Then I suppose it's a good thing that I don't plan on harming on. Now, if you would willingly leave, that would make things a lot less difficult for me." He smirked, then took a step forward. Thalia instantly reacted. She swung the stone she had in her hand, hitting the side of his head. As he staggered back she tackled him to the ground, removing his quiver and arrows while doing so, then she grabbed an arrow and held the tip against his neck while sitting on his chest. "Don't make another move, pretty boy." The elf raised a hand to the side of his head. He recoiled and looked at his finger tips which were covered in blood.

Suddenly Thalia hard somebody yelling her name. "Thalia! Thalia, where are you?" She looked up. Then she looked back at the elf, and, standing, she gave him his arrow again. "I have to go." She raced over to her horse and leapt onto his back, then she grabbed the reins and turned him in the direction of the cave. They ran off towards the cave, then showed as they got to it. Thalia hopped off her horse ave ran up the stairs, she stopped at the top and placed her hand on the inside of the tree trunk, murmuring the same words as before. She stepped out of the pine and lead Apollo out, as well. Swiftly closing the entrance to the secret passageway, she jumped onto Apollo's back and rode him towards the voice she heard. Riding around a large oak, she saw the source of the noise.

"Paige! What are you doing here? I told Miriam not to tell anybody where I went!" In front of Thalia, riding a cream and white horse, was a small girl with short, brown hair. The girl turned her horse and rode towards her sister. "I'm not *anybody*, now am I? I'm your sister! Miriam would tell me anything." Paige smiled as she pulled to a stop beside Apollo. "Hmm. I suppose Venus is doing well?" Thalia leaned over and stroked the mare. She closed her eyes slightly until Thalia drew back her hand. "Yes, I fed her this morning and Josh cleaned out her stall." Josh, a stable boy, was the boy that Paige had a crush on. What Paige didn't know, was that her sister knew about her crush. Thalia simply smiled. "Come on, I'll bet breakfast is ready by now." Together, the two sisters rode back towards the stables, chatting about what they were going to do that day. But Thalia kept having flash backs of the elf. She couldn't help but think of how handsome he had looked. She told herself she would go back tomorrow morning to see him again.

* Thalia
* Rebecca
* Drew (I couldn't find any anime ones. And yes, this is Caspian.)
* Paige
* Miriam (Imagine her older)
* Liam (Yes, this is Legolas :D)
* Apollo
* Zeus
* Venus
1/9
\*That means "Open, tree of life. Show us your hidden ways."