• Laying down in the grass I looked up at the stars. Stretching my arms above my head I sat up yawning. Giving up trying to find some constellations, because the moon was full, I stood up looking around my backyard. Facing away from the two story Victorian house that I grew up in, nothing has changed in the backyard while I was away at college. A large sand box with a swing set made by hand, set to the left of me and in the left corner, behind the oak tree that has been there as long as I could remember, was the dog cage that laid empty for the last couple of years. Looking at the cage I felt the heart break still from the lose of them. Continue looking to the left my eyes skim over the compost bins and the flowers that climbed up behind them on the fence. Most days you could watch humming birds fly from flower to flower. In the opposite corner of the sand box there stood a shed that held a lot of the gardening equipment and a few toys from my childhood like my bike, scooter, and a few outdoor olds and ends. Between the shed and the porch stood a small peach tree that my dad had planted when I was five. The corner directly across from the sand box was the gate with a little garden to the side that had tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapenos. Between the sand box and garden was a cloths line that stretched almost all the way to both stopping a few feet from each.
    The whole yard was surrounded by a wooden fence with two gates one in the front by the small garden and the other was between the sandbox and the dog cage, being big enough to drive a car through. The fence had to be over six feet tall because my dad was around six feet and it went over his head by a few inches. To the left and right were our neighbors and behind was the woods as far as the eye could see, which wasn't very far considering I could only see the top part of the trees closest to me.
    Staring out at the forest I was about to go inside when I noticed a pure white butterfly flying through the yard. Standing stock still as it came closer, I reached out my hand and it landed softly on it. Being careful I pulled my hands closer to see what kind of a butterfly, but it just was pure white no markings at all and even the body was white. What was the strangest though was that the butterfly seemed to be glowing in the moonlight.
    Jolting back a little when the butterfly flew up and back to the forest, I felt compelled to follow it. Biting my lip I looked back to the house then turned and walked to the gate. Opening it enough to squeeze through I left it open as I walked after the butterfly. Standing at the edge of the woods I looked around me one last time before stepping into the woods. Looking ahead I see the butterfly resting on a branch, getting a few feet from it, it fluttered off deeper into the wood before stopping again on a bush. Stepping over a fallen branch and going around some trees and rocks, I again got a few feet from the butterfly and it took off again landing on a stump that had some branches growing up out of the ground. Frowning I looked at the butterfly, it seemed that it was leading me somewhere. Looking behind me I realized I had gone so far into the woods that I wasn't able to see any lights or any part of the houses.
    I was thinking about turning around and trying to go back home, when the butterfly flew in front of my eyes then around my head a few time like it was saying don't go .back yet we're almost there. Sighing I turned around and followed the butterfly again. It felt like I had been walking for hours when really I knew that it most likely had been a few minutes. Stopping, I leaned against a tree, taking off one of my shoes I shook out a stone that had been in there for a good part of the day. Standing on one leg, I slipped the shoe back on stumping it a few times to get it comfortable, looking up from the ground I spotted the butterfly off in front of me. Seeing something moving out of the corner of my eye, I looked over at it realizing that it was another butterfly. Feeling something brush my right arm, I look at it realizing it was another butterfly that had landed on my arm. Finally looking around me I realized that the whole area was slowly but surely filling every available space there was with butterflies. The area seemed like it was glowing with all of the butterfly there. Looking at all of the butterflies around me I didn't realized that there was a deer standing next to me.
    Looking past it once, I quickly did a double take looking back at it. Looking at the deer I realized it was a fawn, but what really got my attention was the fawn was pure white with little cream dots along her back and a single horn about three inches long between her little ears. While I was looking at her, she was looking at me. From the top of my brown waist length hair, pulled up into a ponytail, midnight blue V-neck t-shirt, faded stretched out blue jeans, and my old scuffed up light blue tennis shoes. Not really sure what to do I raised my hand to wave and said, "Hi, um, it's nice to meet you? "
    The fawn nodded her head at me, turning to the right she started to walk off with the butterflies lighting the way. Watching the fawn (or would it be a unicorn?) walk away, I stayed rooted to the spot. The fawn stopped and looked back at me tilting her head like are you going to follow me or what? Blinking quickly, I shook my head swearing that I heard a voice say that. Pushing it to the back of my mind I quickly followed her.
    Following her I had to duck under branches for most of the trip until she stepped out onto a path that I have never seen before. I couldn't tell if it was an animal trail or a hiking trail but at least I didn't need to duck under branches anymore. As we walked along the path for what seemed like forever, more and more butterflies illuminated our path showing us broken branches and stones jetting out of the ground waiting to trip unexpected walkers. I finally couldn't resist I started to play hop scotch with the fallen branches, stones and even a fallen tree which gave me a new rip up the back of the thigh and a light scratch. Rubbing lightly at the scratch I swear I could here someone chuckling, looking around the only one that could be laughing was the fawn.
    Looking closer I notice that she was shaking and the first thing that past my lips was, "Its not that funny."
    Giggling still the fawn nodded and in a voice that was like bells, "Yes I can and please follow me Ivy. We need to be there before she wakes." She started to walk again quickly.
    Standing there dumbstruck watching her hurry down the path I quickly snapped out of my shock hurrying after her, "How do you know my name, do you have a name, and who are you talking about waking up?" Jumping over some stones and ducking under a branch.
    "I've been watching you for a long time Ivy and so have the guardians," nodding her head to the butterflies when she said guardians, "My name is too hard for you to pronounce but you may call me Frost and we need to hurry she will explain everything when she wakes up." Frost hopped over a tree trunk that had been hit by lightning down the middle.
    Scrambling over the tree myself wishing I could help the tree some how, I ask another question, "Why were you watching me? I'm nothing special. The only thing interesting thing is I grew up in the same house for my whole life and so did my dad and my grandpa, going so far back that my family was one of the first people to settled down here and help name the town." I furrowed my brow explaining the only thing interesting about myself.
    "Yes I know Ivy. All will be explained shortly we are here." Frost stepped into a small clearing walking towards what appeared to be a tree trunk with roses growing wrapped around it, "Good we made it before she awoke."
    Following Frost into the small clearing I looked around trying to find who 'she' was. Finding nothing other then the tree trunk with roses wrapped around it in the middle of the clearing I was stumped. The tree itself had white bark with two branches that looked like arms holding up what appear to be silver leafs and rose buds dotted everywhere of the trunk and leafs. Finally giving up I was about to ask Frost who she was talking about when the moon broke through the trees bathing the tree in light, it started to change. I started to notice little things as the tree turned into a person. The white bark turning into pale skin, the two branches holding the leafs changed into arms, the leafs tumbled down turning to hair. Watching this I figured out real quick that the person Frost was talking about was standing in front of me and the only way I could tell was because of the curves that where covered by the roses. The roses even covered one of her eyes and were growing in her hair. The last thing to show was her face. Her lips where silver in color, her eyes were a baby blue and when she sighed it sounded like wind blowing through the leafs.
    I didn't realize that my mouth was hanging open as this was happening until a butterfly decided that it look like a good place to land. Not sure what to do I stood there trying not to breath and hoped that it would leave soon. Looking over at Frost for help then the tree lady, I saw them trying to muffle their laughter. Giving them puppy dog eyes to help me Frost finally helped me.
    Chuckling softly the tree lady introduced herself, "Hello Ivy. Its nice to meet you finally, my name is Guenevere."
    Lifting my hand in a wave, "Um, hi Guenevere. It's nice to meet you too." I fidgeted on the spot not knowing why I was here.
    Smiling softly she beaconed Frost closer to her, "I'm going to guess that you have a few questions about what you've seen tonight." Looking up at me she rubbed Frost between her ears.
    "Well yes I do. Why am I here and not someone else? Frost said that it had to do with my family being here when the town was founded."
    "Ah, yes the Silverton family. One of your ancestors settled here when the forest was still young as many other families did as well. I had asked Frost and the guardians to watch the families to see who would thrive here. Only the Silverton's and the Nightingales were the two that thrive." Guenevere held out her hand so one of the butterflies could land.
    "Wait, my mom's maiden name was Nightingale and my dad is a Silverton. So what does me being from two families that have lived here the longest mean and what does that have to do with me being here?" I pondered this, not realizing that a few butterflies had landed on my head.
    "It shows that no matter what came at them they adapted and stayed. Like you, they may have left for a short time, but they always came back to the forest and I need your help. More and more of the forest is being cut down and I can do nothing to stop it but maybe you can." She looked at me hopefully.
    "How could I help? I have nothing special about myself and I just came back home from getting my business degree." I started to pace back and forth, rubbing my arms in frustration.
    "Ivy, you are special," Guenevere placed her hand on my arm as I paced by, "You grew up in these woods, you know the history of this place and everything that you know can help the forest to grow strong again. I need your help to make the forest stronger." She touched my cheek lovingly.
    "How? How do I do that?" I felt tears come to my eyes.
    "By showing the beauty of the forest, helping new trees grow, and teaching the next generation to understand the importance of keeping the forest strong and thriving." Guenevere smiled sweetly wiping away a tear that had fallen down my cheek.
    Nodding my head I had an idea what she was asking my to do clearing my throat I said, "I will."
    Smiling at me she slowly started to turn back into a tree, "Thank you Ivy. Frost will help you get home and I hope to see you again in the future, good bye."
    Stepping away from Guenevere as she changed back into a tree, Frost nudged me leading the way back to my home. As we walked I was deep in my thoughts trying to figure out what to do. How can I show the beauty of the forest and show the next generation the importance of the forest when it hit me. One of my friends wanted to open a hiking trail but didn't know what it would involve. Maybe if we got together we could come up with something that could show people the forest. Another thing I could to is plant new trees and show the children the importance of forests to the environment and animals. Feeling Frost nudge my hand I snapped out of my thoughts, looking at her I scrunch up my eyebrows confused.
    "We are here," Frost rubbed her head on my hand pointing her nose at the lights showing through the trees, "You just need to go through those trees and you'll find your home."
    "Thank you for leading my home Frost. I just have one more question though. Will I ever get to see you or Guenevere again?" Scratching Frost between her ears I looked from her to the lights from the house.
    "Yes you will. I'll be watching you and so will the guardians. This is good bye Ivy I wish you luck with all you need." Watching Frost walk away from me, I stood there until I couldn't see her or any of the butterflies left.
    Turning I walked out of the forest, squeezing through the gate once again I closed it before going to the back door. Turning to look at the forest one last time I smiled knowing that I had just seen something that no one else has ever seen. Closing the door behind me I went inside to get plans situated for the future.