The forest was dense coverd a vast expanse of the countryside.
Few people strayed into the inner regions and those that did rarely returned afterwards.
But unknown to most, lying in the centre of the forest was a tall and breathtakingly beautiful waterfall.
Then, as if from nowhere, an unimaginable beast emerged through the foliage and began to wade into the pool beneath it.
It appeared vaguely humanoid but had the fur, head, tail and feet of a chestnut coloured horse. He, too, was beautiful and was quite naked.
In his arms he carried a pile of various fruits.
He apprached the fall , pausing for one second to check if he was being watched, before slipping through the pouring water into a concealed cave behind it.
Inside the cave were various items of furniture which had been scaveneged from the nearby towns. There were three hammocks which were suspended from the cave roof, each varying in style and colour and each of different size.
Sat in the smallest of these was an attractive, young faun who sat up upon Dan's arrival.
"Got some food?" Nick asked.
"Fruit again"
Nick sighed.
"We need to get some real food," he complained.
"Well we can't leave the forest, it's too risky. Where's Ian?"
"He headed down river. He didn't say why"
Nick lowered himself to the ground and they embraced warmly.
"But still, the food is a small price to pay for happinness," Nick smiled.
Dan looked away.
"What's wrong?" Nick inquired, "Are you not happy"
"I'm happy that we're together, and Ian too. I'm happy this transformation happenned. It's like a living fantasy. I've dreamed this. But..."
Nick gently caresed Dan's arm caringly.
"You can tell me"
"Sometimes, I miss home. I would prefer it if I could leave for a while if I wanted to. Just to see my family. D'you understand?"
"I can imagine how you feel, but I've never really had much of a family"
Dan remembered. Nick's was an oprhan since very young and he'd been tossed from foster family to fodter family for years. He was much happier away from that.
Ian was returning to the cave with a large fish in each hand. It was about time they had some meat he had thought.
He had never been in this part of the forest and was still trying to broaden his idea of what he had available to him.
That was when he saw it.
Through a gap in the trees it was there, bright and ominous. How had he missed it on the way there?
He rested the fish on the riverbank and warilly approached it.