They continued down the trail. The door in the knobby tree was gone, but her things were just outside, a clear sign their welcome was over. "Well," Puck said too cheerfully, "if youre done playing with will-o-the-wisps and kelpies, I think we should continue. Oh, but do tell me the next time you want to have tea with an ogre. Ill be sure to bring my club."

She smiled a little, then frowned after a moment.
"I'm sorry I wandered off... I know I shouldn't have... I... thought it was Ethan..." She sighed.

He grinned. "It's fine. I guess I just didn't warn you well enough the first time." Above them, the sky was lightening into that eerie gray twilight, silent and still as death, as they ventured deeper into the Nevernever.

They hadnt gone far when they came upon the patch of death in the middle of the forest.

The wyldwood was an eerie, quiet place, but it was still alive. Trees stood ancient and tall, plants bloomed, and splashes of vibrant color pierced the grayness, indicating life. Animals slipped through the trees, and strange creatures moved about in the shadows; you never got a clear view of them, but you knew they were there. You could feel them watching you.

Then, all of a sudden, the trees dropped away, and they stood at the edge of a barren clearing.

What little grass remained was yellow and dying, sparse patches of vegetation in the rocky ground. A few trees were scattered here and there, but they were withered, twisted things, empty of leaves and blackened. From a distance, the branches glinted, jagged and sharp, like weird metal sculptures. The hot wind smelled of copper and dust.

Puck stared at the dead forest for a long time. "Twiggs was right," he muttered, staring at a withered tree. He made as if to touch one of the branches, but withdrew his hand with a shudder. "This isnt natural. Something is poisoning the wyldwood."

"Do you know what happened?..." She asked, looking at the scene.

Puck frowned. "I'm...not sure...Metallic trees," he mused. "Thats new. If you see any steel dryads, be sure to tell me so I can run away screaming. Oberon must know about this," Puck muttered, crouching to examine a circle of dry grass. "Twiggs said it was spreading, but where is it coming from?" He rose quickly and swayed on his feet, putting out a hand to steady himself.

"Are you ok?" She asked, taking a step towards him.

"Im fine, princess." He nodded and gave her a pained smile. "A little perturbed about the state of my home, but what can you do?" He coughed and waved a hand in front of his face, as if he smelled something foul. "But this air is making me sick. Lets get out of here."

All she could smell was just dirt and the sharp tang of something metallic, like rust. But Puck was already leaving, his brow furrowed in anger or pain.

She went to touch the tree herself, but stopped her self. She quickly caught back up to him.
"Puck... Tell me if somethings wrong... Please..."

"Well, there is something wrong. But I don't know what."

She stopped walking."With you... Is something wrong with you?..." She asked.