D’ni, The Tethered Rainforest
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning”
“The end of a matter is better than the beginning”
Deep in the heart of the D’ni rainforest, a small community of tethered beings live in harmony with the forest. They have learned to use the power of the trees to heal and protect themselves.
One day, a group of humans arrives in the forest, seeking refuge from a war-torn world. The tethered beings are wary at first, but they soon learn that these humans are kind and gentle.
The humans teach the tethered beings about their world, and how to use tools and machines. The tethered beings share their knowledge of the forest with the humans, and together they build a new home in the heart of the rainforest.
All was still in the Tethered Rainforest. The animals slept, the trees whispered, and the rain pattered gently on the leaves. But all that was to change.
A deep rumbling began to build, like thunder rolling in from far away. The animals stirred uneasily in their sleep, and the trees rustled ominously. The rain increased in intensity, becoming a downpour that drenched everything it touched.
And then, without warning, the ground gave way. A massive crack tore through the earth, splitting D’ni in two. The forest plummeted into darkness as a chasm opened up beneath it. The animals screamed in terror as they fell into the abyss.
The trees swayed precariously on the edge of the cliff, their roots clinging to thin air. They too began to fall, crashing down into the void with a final mournful cry.
Beneath them all lay an endless blackness stretching out forevermore…
