Penny has been living in an orphanage run by a mean woman who calls herself Governess. She meets a boy, named Carlos, at the park. Soon after her friend Hwin goes missing, and her best friend Sterling is adopted, Penny finds herself drawn to the woods.
Penny woke early on a bright sunny Saturday morning. Today she could do whatever she wanted, because Governess was going out today. Penny planned to use the time to her up most advantage. She was going to explore the woods.
She skipped cheerfully to the woods, the moment she entered it, she realized that it was not a wood it was a forest. It smelled fresh like sent of the newly sawed cedar. She felt wonderful. She felt free she wanted to climb the tallest tree, only to be swept away by the wind. Again she felt that strange sensation in her stomach. This time she was going to follow it. When she walked to the left it weakened. She retraced her steps. She went forward. There, it is getting stronger. She started slowly and gained speed. She soon was running through miles and miles of untamed wilderness. All of a sudden she felt an explosion inside of her. She stopped as quickly as possible. She saw the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. It was a glorious pine. It smelled sweet. She ran up to it. She planned on climbing at never going back to the orphanage. But she stopped as she got close. She didn't know why she stopped, but she felt that she couldn't approach it until something; she didn't know what, happened. A wind blew in her hair. Penny looked around not a leaf in all the thousands of trees even twitched. Then a voice that came from the wind, that was the wind spoke. It said in a sweet voice, “I have been waiting for you. Why have you not come sooner?”
Penny tried to protest. But she realized the voice was right. She should have come sooner. Every moment spent here the better.
In the end she said, “Sorry.” She felt that this voice was something to be treated with respect. “Where are you?”
“I am right here. Don't you see me?”
Penny wanted to say of course I don't, that is why I asked. But what she really said is, “No,” in barely a whisper.
“I am right in front of you.”
“Then why don't I see...” Penny trailed off. She realized the voice was the voice of the pine. “I now see you. What must I now do to have the honor of climbing your majestic branches?”
A strange sound now came from the wind. It was the like sound of a thousand babbling brooks. Penny thought it sounded like laughter.
“Do you naught already know? You have naught, but answer my calling. You have already succeeded. You may climb my branches.”
Penny found that she had many questions. “Why could I run the miles that it took to get here?”
“My strength and knowledge has now passed partially into you.”
“But that hasn't happened with any other tree. Or child.” she realized.
“I have chosen you. You are now mine. You will be my caretaker.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are the right child.”
“What happens when I die? Trees live much longer than humans.”
“You will not die. You can only be killed. Which will not happen with me watching over you.”
“So how do I survive?”
“You will live in my branches. You no longer need to sleep as often. You can communicate with animals. They might even send messages for you. I must go about my business now. You must slumber.”
“But I have so many more questions!” protested Penny.
“Sleep. Questions can be asked later. Tomorrow you can meet the others.”
“What oth...” Penny never finished her sentence, for she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
The wind stopped, the voice of the pine faded. All was quiet and still and beautiful. All of a sudden a bird called through the silence. Many answered it's called. The forest was now alive. Like all forests should be. Hundreds of kids can down from their trees. All with different features, but they all looked like their tree in some way. One was short and chubby, so was his tree. One was shy and had long silvery hair that hung over her face, her tree was a willow. One had almost white skin, her hair was white with the ends dyed black, her features were dark, black eyes and black eyebrows, and black lips. She leaped gracefully from her birch tree, hair flowing out behind her. All of the tree children stared at the sleeping girl under the pine.
Penny woke to find her self in a house made out of twigs and branches. No one was in the room. She got up to find a half a coconut shell full of berry soup and bread, with milk in the other half of the coconut shell. She took a bite out of the bread. It was warm and moist. She sipped the soup. It tasted fresh and sweet. The milk she tried expecting it to be equally delicious as the food. When the milk touched her tongue she almost dropped the shell. It wasn't ordinary milk. It was coconut milk! What is coconut milk doing here? And the shells. There are no coconut trees in this part of the world! Then all her memories of yesterday came back to her. She stood up. She noticed sunlight coming from a window. She looked out it. She was high in a tree. She decided to go and find out what was happening. She found a fresh clean cotton shirt dyed green and jeans waiting for her. She changed out of her old orphanage outfit to her new clothes. They were light and comfortable, perfect for climbing. She decided to abandon her shoes and go barefoot. She found a long strip of thin bark as well. She had no idea what it is for, but it was obvious it was meant for her. She stuffed it in her pocket. She looked around the whole room for the first time. It was defiantly some sort of tree house. But there were no nails or boards to hold the structure, though it was just as strong. The tree house was made of thousands of woven branches, from different kinds of trees. The effect was beautiful. There was a curtain hanging on one wall. She went over to it and pushed it aside. There were more rooms! How big was this tree house? She walked out the curtain to a hall. She walked down the hall and pushed aside every curtain on her way down it. The first curtain had a room full of wooden staffs and arrows and bows. No one was in that room. The next was an enormous room with one big branch coming through the floor. The branch was full of smaller branches and children climbing it. They were racing to the top. The third curtain contained a room full of chattering birds, squirrels, chipmunks, frogs, raccoons, and every other forest animal imaginable. All of them were perched or sitting on tables, chattering away. A few children were sitting by the animals handing them packages or just chatting in a foreign language. Another had a room that looked like a cafeteria. Hundreds of kids were eating. All of the rooms were very interesting, but some curtains were nailed shut. At the end of the hall there was a huge curtain. She pushed it aside. It was the largest room yet, but completely empty. It was a gathering place.
I wonder how to get out of here. She walked down the hall and up again. She continued until a curtain was pulled back. Out stepped Carlos?
“Painai, you're awake,” said Carlos
“Carlos what are you doing here?” asked Penny.
“I was about to visit the animal center,” replied Carlos, “I am going to visit Chipper.”
“Who is Chipper?”
“My chipmunk. I wanted to ask if he would send this to my sister.” he held out his hand that contained a small package, “It's her birthday, tomorrow.”
“How do I get out of here?” asked Penny.
“What do you mean? You don't want to go back to the orphanage. Do you?” “Of course I don't. I meant out of this tree.”
“Oh. Just climb that ladder.” he said pointing to the ladder that led up and out of the tree, “But I thought you might want to come with me to the animal center. But if you don't want...”
“Of course I'll go with you, Carlos,” said Penny rather quickly.
They walked to the third door. A chipmunk came and ran up to Carlos and bit him.
“Ow! Stop biting,” protested Carlos.
A bunch of angry chattering sounds came from Chipper.
“It hasn't been that long. I visited you last week.” Carlos told Chipper. “I guess he won't deliver for me.” He added to Penny.
“You haven't visited this adorable little chipmunk in a whole week. I see why he is angry at you.” Chipper climbed up Penny leg and sat on her shoulder. “I think Chipper agrees with me. You should visit more often.” talking to Chipper she said. “Will you send Carlos' package if he says sorry.”
Chipper gave her a scandalized look.
“And gives you a treat.” added Penny.
Chipper nodded, grabbed the little package, and scampered out the window. “How did you understand exactly what he said?” Penny asked Carlos.
“You didn't?” Carlos said in surprise.
“Of course I didn't.”
“I forgot. You are new,” remembered Carlos, “You have a lot of training to do.”
“But my tree said that I now have new skills.” answered Penny.
“Wait. You're tree spoke to you! That like never happens. They like only guide you, through their hard to understand, mystical ways.”
“Why did my tree speak to me? What does it mean?”
“How would I know? My tree hasn't spoken to me yet. What did it say?”
“It only answered my questions. Earlier you said your tree was a girl. How am I supposed to know if my tree is a boy or girl?”
Carlos shrugged.
“Definitely a girl. So what do I do all day?”
“You train. You make food. You make cloth. You could invent. You could learn how to heal. You should choose your favorite thing to do.”
“When do I start training?”
“Whenever you want, you could do it right now. Want to come with me to the arena?”
“Sure!”
They went to the ladder Carlos showed Penny earlier and climbed up. The ladder led to a platform. They climbed down the tree. They walked through the forest to a clearing. It had many children shooting distant objects with arrows. There were children in combat with each other using only wooden staffs. One girl in particular was amazing. Every-time she pointed her bow a target fell. She walked up to them and said, “Hiya.” It was a girl with white hair with black dyed ends tied back and pale skin. Her shirt was white cotton with black streaks added across them. Her features were very dark.
“My title is Brianna of Birch. What is your title?” Brianna said.
“My er... title is I guess Penny of Pine.” stammered Penny.
“Do you want to duel?” asked Brianna.
“Duel?” asked Penny.
“You know. Fight with staffs.”
“Sure.” answered Penny uncertainly.
“Choose your staff.” said Brianna gesturing to the pile of staffs propped against a
tree.
Penny chose a staff that was long and sturdy. Brianna grabbed the one that was strung across her back.
“Are you going to tie your hair back?” asked Brianna.
“What?” Penny asked confused.
“You know, use that strip of bark to keep the hair out of your face while we duel.” said Brianna kindly.
“Oh, that.” Penny pulled the bark out of her pocket.
“Here let me help,” Brianna said. She took the strip out of Penny's hand. She put the strip over Penny hair like a head band. She used the ends of the strip to tie a ponytail in Penny's hair.
Brianna began to make a circle in the dirt with her staff, then explained the rules, “If you are knocked down or go out of the circle, you lose. To be polite when you lose, you say the spirit be with you.”
“What is the spirit?” asked Penny curiously.
“The spirit of the trees. So you are really saying let the trees strengthen you, so you will be great.” said Brianna. “Now if you respect your opponent, you will bow at the beginning. Got it?”
Penny nodded. She walked into the circle and bowed. So did Brianna. Someone yelled, “Begin.” Penny's staff felt uncomfortable. It was too heavy. Brianna struck her staff against Penny's. Penny staggered back. Brianna then attacked her hip. It left a bruise. Brianna moved so quickly she was a blur. Only to be seen as a striking staff. Penny had no chance of winning. Brianna was too good.
After the first blow Carlos started yelling advice like, “Hold your hands apart,” and, “Guard your left. Brianna is left handed,” and. “Don't let her advance.” Penny wanted to tell Carlos that is was easier to say those things than do them. It was all Penny could do stay standing. It went on for minutes, although it felt like hours to Penny. Penny got more and more tired. She started sweating, then panting. She couldn't keep it up for much longer. Finally Brianna gave Penny a hard blow in the chest. Penny tumbled backwards, across the line. Brianna held out her hand. Penny ignored it. She got up herself and dusted of her clothes. She was very sore. Penny thought I can't even do a duel. How am I going to be any good to my tree? Penny felt a grudge against Brianna, but she shoved the feeling off enough to say, “The spirit be with you.”
Brianna then said, “Thank you. I must be getting back to my birch.” She walked away.
Carlos ran up to Penny and said, “Painai you were amazing!”
“But I lost.”
“So? Brianna is the best fighter we have. I don't even last that long fighting her, and I have been practicing five years.”
“So you got here when you were like six?”
“No, twelve.”
“But you are like twelve now!”
“Always will be.”
“What!”
“I will explain this later. I got to check on my cotton tree.”
“So you weren't kidding. It really was yours.”
“Of course. Why don't you go check on your tree? Did you even climb her yet?” He walked away.
I can't believe I didn't even climb her yet. Penny found her way back to her tree quicker then she expected. After seeing the size of the forest, she expected a long journey looking for her tree. When she got there, she immediately climbed her beloved tree. She found she could climb all the way to the top. The view was amazing. She could now really see the vast expanse of the forest. She couldn't see anything but endless trees. They all were different kinds. No two birches or pines or maples. They also were all ancient, old, and big enough to house a child.
Penny felt the aftermath of her vigorous exercise. She was so tired. She looked for a comfortable branch to sit on. She found a large one half way up. There was a warm breeze blowing. Penny leaned her head against the trunk of the tree. She fell into a deep slumber.
Penny woke early on a bright sunny Saturday morning. Today she could do whatever she wanted, because Governess was going out today. Penny planned to use the time to her up most advantage. She was going to explore the woods.
She skipped cheerfully to the woods, the moment she entered it, she realized that it was not a wood it was a forest. It smelled fresh like sent of the newly sawed cedar. She felt wonderful. She felt free she wanted to climb the tallest tree, only to be swept away by the wind. Again she felt that strange sensation in her stomach. This time she was going to follow it. When she walked to the left it weakened. She retraced her steps. She went forward. There, it is getting stronger. She started slowly and gained speed. She soon was running through miles and miles of untamed wilderness. All of a sudden she felt an explosion inside of her. She stopped as quickly as possible. She saw the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. It was a glorious pine. It smelled sweet. She ran up to it. She planned on climbing at never going back to the orphanage. But she stopped as she got close. She didn't know why she stopped, but she felt that she couldn't approach it until something; she didn't know what, happened. A wind blew in her hair. Penny looked around not a leaf in all the thousands of trees even twitched. Then a voice that came from the wind, that was the wind spoke. It said in a sweet voice, “I have been waiting for you. Why have you not come sooner?”
Penny tried to protest. But she realized the voice was right. She should have come sooner. Every moment spent here the better.
In the end she said, “Sorry.” She felt that this voice was something to be treated with respect. “Where are you?”
“I am right here. Don't you see me?”
Penny wanted to say of course I don't, that is why I asked. But what she really said is, “No,” in barely a whisper.
“I am right in front of you.”
“Then why don't I see...” Penny trailed off. She realized the voice was the voice of the pine. “I now see you. What must I now do to have the honor of climbing your majestic branches?”
A strange sound now came from the wind. It was the like sound of a thousand babbling brooks. Penny thought it sounded like laughter.
“Do you naught already know? You have naught, but answer my calling. You have already succeeded. You may climb my branches.”
Penny found that she had many questions. “Why could I run the miles that it took to get here?”
“My strength and knowledge has now passed partially into you.”
“But that hasn't happened with any other tree. Or child.” she realized.
“I have chosen you. You are now mine. You will be my caretaker.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are the right child.”
“What happens when I die? Trees live much longer than humans.”
“You will not die. You can only be killed. Which will not happen with me watching over you.”
“So how do I survive?”
“You will live in my branches. You no longer need to sleep as often. You can communicate with animals. They might even send messages for you. I must go about my business now. You must slumber.”
“But I have so many more questions!” protested Penny.
“Sleep. Questions can be asked later. Tomorrow you can meet the others.”
“What oth...” Penny never finished her sentence, for she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
The wind stopped, the voice of the pine faded. All was quiet and still and beautiful. All of a sudden a bird called through the silence. Many answered it's called. The forest was now alive. Like all forests should be. Hundreds of kids can down from their trees. All with different features, but they all looked like their tree in some way. One was short and chubby, so was his tree. One was shy and had long silvery hair that hung over her face, her tree was a willow. One had almost white skin, her hair was white with the ends dyed black, her features were dark, black eyes and black eyebrows, and black lips. She leaped gracefully from her birch tree, hair flowing out behind her. All of the tree children stared at the sleeping girl under the pine.
Penny woke to find her self in a house made out of twigs and branches. No one was in the room. She got up to find a half a coconut shell full of berry soup and bread, with milk in the other half of the coconut shell. She took a bite out of the bread. It was warm and moist. She sipped the soup. It tasted fresh and sweet. The milk she tried expecting it to be equally delicious as the food. When the milk touched her tongue she almost dropped the shell. It wasn't ordinary milk. It was coconut milk! What is coconut milk doing here? And the shells. There are no coconut trees in this part of the world! Then all her memories of yesterday came back to her. She stood up. She noticed sunlight coming from a window. She looked out it. She was high in a tree. She decided to go and find out what was happening. She found a fresh clean cotton shirt dyed green and jeans waiting for her. She changed out of her old orphanage outfit to her new clothes. They were light and comfortable, perfect for climbing. She decided to abandon her shoes and go barefoot. She found a long strip of thin bark as well. She had no idea what it is for, but it was obvious it was meant for her. She stuffed it in her pocket. She looked around the whole room for the first time. It was defiantly some sort of tree house. But there were no nails or boards to hold the structure, though it was just as strong. The tree house was made of thousands of woven branches, from different kinds of trees. The effect was beautiful. There was a curtain hanging on one wall. She went over to it and pushed it aside. There were more rooms! How big was this tree house? She walked out the curtain to a hall. She walked down the hall and pushed aside every curtain on her way down it. The first curtain had a room full of wooden staffs and arrows and bows. No one was in that room. The next was an enormous room with one big branch coming through the floor. The branch was full of smaller branches and children climbing it. They were racing to the top. The third curtain contained a room full of chattering birds, squirrels, chipmunks, frogs, raccoons, and every other forest animal imaginable. All of them were perched or sitting on tables, chattering away. A few children were sitting by the animals handing them packages or just chatting in a foreign language. Another had a room that looked like a cafeteria. Hundreds of kids were eating. All of the rooms were very interesting, but some curtains were nailed shut. At the end of the hall there was a huge curtain. She pushed it aside. It was the largest room yet, but completely empty. It was a gathering place.
I wonder how to get out of here. She walked down the hall and up again. She continued until a curtain was pulled back. Out stepped Carlos?
“Painai, you're awake,” said Carlos
“Carlos what are you doing here?” asked Penny.
“I was about to visit the animal center,” replied Carlos, “I am going to visit Chipper.”
“Who is Chipper?”
“My chipmunk. I wanted to ask if he would send this to my sister.” he held out his hand that contained a small package, “It's her birthday, tomorrow.”
“How do I get out of here?” asked Penny.
“What do you mean? You don't want to go back to the orphanage. Do you?” “Of course I don't. I meant out of this tree.”
“Oh. Just climb that ladder.” he said pointing to the ladder that led up and out of the tree, “But I thought you might want to come with me to the animal center. But if you don't want...”
“Of course I'll go with you, Carlos,” said Penny rather quickly.
They walked to the third door. A chipmunk came and ran up to Carlos and bit him.
“Ow! Stop biting,” protested Carlos.
A bunch of angry chattering sounds came from Chipper.
“It hasn't been that long. I visited you last week.” Carlos told Chipper. “I guess he won't deliver for me.” He added to Penny.
“You haven't visited this adorable little chipmunk in a whole week. I see why he is angry at you.” Chipper climbed up Penny leg and sat on her shoulder. “I think Chipper agrees with me. You should visit more often.” talking to Chipper she said. “Will you send Carlos' package if he says sorry.”
Chipper gave her a scandalized look.
“And gives you a treat.” added Penny.
Chipper nodded, grabbed the little package, and scampered out the window. “How did you understand exactly what he said?” Penny asked Carlos.
“You didn't?” Carlos said in surprise.
“Of course I didn't.”
“I forgot. You are new,” remembered Carlos, “You have a lot of training to do.”
“But my tree said that I now have new skills.” answered Penny.
“Wait. You're tree spoke to you! That like never happens. They like only guide you, through their hard to understand, mystical ways.”
“Why did my tree speak to me? What does it mean?”
“How would I know? My tree hasn't spoken to me yet. What did it say?”
“It only answered my questions. Earlier you said your tree was a girl. How am I supposed to know if my tree is a boy or girl?”
Carlos shrugged.
“Definitely a girl. So what do I do all day?”
“You train. You make food. You make cloth. You could invent. You could learn how to heal. You should choose your favorite thing to do.”
“When do I start training?”
“Whenever you want, you could do it right now. Want to come with me to the arena?”
“Sure!”
They went to the ladder Carlos showed Penny earlier and climbed up. The ladder led to a platform. They climbed down the tree. They walked through the forest to a clearing. It had many children shooting distant objects with arrows. There were children in combat with each other using only wooden staffs. One girl in particular was amazing. Every-time she pointed her bow a target fell. She walked up to them and said, “Hiya.” It was a girl with white hair with black dyed ends tied back and pale skin. Her shirt was white cotton with black streaks added across them. Her features were very dark.
“My title is Brianna of Birch. What is your title?” Brianna said.
“My er... title is I guess Penny of Pine.” stammered Penny.
“Do you want to duel?” asked Brianna.
“Duel?” asked Penny.
“You know. Fight with staffs.”
“Sure.” answered Penny uncertainly.
“Choose your staff.” said Brianna gesturing to the pile of staffs propped against a
tree.
Penny chose a staff that was long and sturdy. Brianna grabbed the one that was strung across her back.
“Are you going to tie your hair back?” asked Brianna.
“What?” Penny asked confused.
“You know, use that strip of bark to keep the hair out of your face while we duel.” said Brianna kindly.
“Oh, that.” Penny pulled the bark out of her pocket.
“Here let me help,” Brianna said. She took the strip out of Penny's hand. She put the strip over Penny hair like a head band. She used the ends of the strip to tie a ponytail in Penny's hair.
Brianna began to make a circle in the dirt with her staff, then explained the rules, “If you are knocked down or go out of the circle, you lose. To be polite when you lose, you say the spirit be with you.”
“What is the spirit?” asked Penny curiously.
“The spirit of the trees. So you are really saying let the trees strengthen you, so you will be great.” said Brianna. “Now if you respect your opponent, you will bow at the beginning. Got it?”
Penny nodded. She walked into the circle and bowed. So did Brianna. Someone yelled, “Begin.” Penny's staff felt uncomfortable. It was too heavy. Brianna struck her staff against Penny's. Penny staggered back. Brianna then attacked her hip. It left a bruise. Brianna moved so quickly she was a blur. Only to be seen as a striking staff. Penny had no chance of winning. Brianna was too good.
After the first blow Carlos started yelling advice like, “Hold your hands apart,” and, “Guard your left. Brianna is left handed,” and. “Don't let her advance.” Penny wanted to tell Carlos that is was easier to say those things than do them. It was all Penny could do stay standing. It went on for minutes, although it felt like hours to Penny. Penny got more and more tired. She started sweating, then panting. She couldn't keep it up for much longer. Finally Brianna gave Penny a hard blow in the chest. Penny tumbled backwards, across the line. Brianna held out her hand. Penny ignored it. She got up herself and dusted of her clothes. She was very sore. Penny thought I can't even do a duel. How am I going to be any good to my tree? Penny felt a grudge against Brianna, but she shoved the feeling off enough to say, “The spirit be with you.”
Brianna then said, “Thank you. I must be getting back to my birch.” She walked away.
Carlos ran up to Penny and said, “Painai you were amazing!”
“But I lost.”
“So? Brianna is the best fighter we have. I don't even last that long fighting her, and I have been practicing five years.”
“So you got here when you were like six?”
“No, twelve.”
“But you are like twelve now!”
“Always will be.”
“What!”
“I will explain this later. I got to check on my cotton tree.”
“So you weren't kidding. It really was yours.”
“Of course. Why don't you go check on your tree? Did you even climb her yet?” He walked away.
I can't believe I didn't even climb her yet. Penny found her way back to her tree quicker then she expected. After seeing the size of the forest, she expected a long journey looking for her tree. When she got there, she immediately climbed her beloved tree. She found she could climb all the way to the top. The view was amazing. She could now really see the vast expanse of the forest. She couldn't see anything but endless trees. They all were different kinds. No two birches or pines or maples. They also were all ancient, old, and big enough to house a child.
Penny felt the aftermath of her vigorous exercise. She was so tired. She looked for a comfortable branch to sit on. She found a large one half way up. There was a warm breeze blowing. Penny leaned her head against the trunk of the tree. She fell into a deep slumber.