Henge slung his axe over his shoulder and wiped the sweat off his brow. Although a wiry young man, he had the knack for felling large trees, just like the one that lay on the ground, waiting to be stripped of its branches and toted off to the village. Most of the quality trees in this area had already been chopped down, and what was left needed time to grow. Henge's eyes could not help but be drawn to the overgrown path leading into the dark and dank forest.
"I'll just do a bit of scouting, old man!" Henge called back over his shoulder as he took a few steps away from the tree stump.
"Are ye tetched, lad?" the wizened old woodsman scowled as he trotted his scarred body to stand in Henge's path. "Ye know that the deep woods is off limits, an' for good reason!"
"You still going on about all those old wives' tales, Lengt?" Henge grumbled back. "There ain't nothing there but trees ripe for the felling."
"We've dun enow for today," Lengt pushed Henge back towards the fallen tree. "Help me ready this one for cartin' back. We'll find a new grow tomorrow." Henge frowned, but let the old man lead him to the trunk, aiding him in dismantling the tree into manageable pieces. However, from time to time he would sneak a look towards the gnarled and heavy trees that indicated the border of the deep woods. The two harnessed the horses to a large section of the log and dragged it back to the village. It would fetch a pretty price from the carpenter. As usual, woodsman and apprentice spent a quiet dinner in their cabin, and both went to sleep early, worn out from another day of hard labor.
"Henge, up with ye lad," Lengt called the next morning as he opened the door to Henge's room. However, he received no response. "Wot in blazes...no wait, he couldn't have...!" Lengt swore as he saw Henge's empty bed and missing axe, running out the door as fast as his old bones could carry him.
Henge smirked to himself as he passed the stump of the tree he had felled the day before. Why should he fell smaller trees at a plot twice as far when there could be plenty of fine lumber just a short ways into the deep woods? He'd find some proper trees and show the old man his worries were all for naught. Those stories were just fairy tales thought up by tavern drunks. There was no way anyone in their right mind would believe that the deep woods contained...