The Tree Guardian

Whoa! Good golly, you startled me. Can’t a person rant without the Trees listening in? Raven grumbled, still ready to go back into full tirade for the right audience.

Oh, so this is a private rant is it? Well then I will leave you to it — the shimmering air around the Voice began to retreat.

No no, backpedaled Raven who loved a good audience. Wait! Who are you? And where are we?

Why I’m a Tree Guardian in this Park. Lithia Park to be exact, in a place called Ashland Oregon…

What do you guard, Guardian?

An entrance. An entrance to the Secret World.

Really? Where?

Ah, I wouldn’t be much of a Guardian if I just spilled my secrets now would I? So what exactly are you hiding? Is that a book I see there tucked beneath your wing?

None of your beeswax, Guardian. You guardian your Secret Entrance. Me, I will guard the Book. It’s mine.

Hmm, it seems like a rather magical book, and that some of it is missing.

Whoa whoa, back off, Tree Guardian!. Don’t be trying your Guardian Ninja Mind Moves on me. Keep your magical powers off the Book or I’ll have to zap you with my Raven Light.

And to give the Guardian a little taste of her powers, Raven started to glow like a bird shaped sun.

Okay. okay, chuckled the Guardian Voice, I’ll tell you what I’m up to, and then maybe you can fill me in on how you ended up with The Book. That is The Book with all caps, yes? The one that the Council of Magical Guardians is unmaking.

If Owl had been awake, things might have gone differently, but she wasn’t.

Deal! exclaimed Raven. I stole the Book. After my friend Owl shed a few tears onto the pages and stopped the Unmaking Spell. Now I want to hide it Everywhere and Nowhere.

A puzzle said the Guardian. Well if I wished to hide something Everywhere and Nowhere, then there is just one place that I can think of that would meet your specifications. Why not hide the Book here in the Secret World?

Raven tried to eye the Guardian suspiciously, but since the Guardian was invisible she had to content herself with squinting cross-eyed in the general vicinity of the Voice.

How do I know you aren’t just hoping to lay your wings or paws or claws or whatever you have on My Book? (Raven was starting to become very proprietary over The Book.)

And how would hiding it here put it Everywhere and Nowhere? (Raven was also becoming very attached to her cryptic plan.)

I suppose you can’t know that I wouldn’t want The Book myself. I can only tell you that I too share your wish to keep The Book safe until it is needed.

How did you know that is my wish?

I can see it in the thoughts that bubble around your head.

Raven was instantly distracted. You can see them? Raven twisted her head around to see if she could see the thoughts too. Do they sparkle?

I’d describe them more as shimmering — a bit like soap bubbles. And in answer to your second question; I am a Tree Guardian. I guard and guide the Tree Portal.

This tree is a portal? asked Raven in surprise. It was quite a nice tree, big and strong with plenty of room for Owl and Raven to be tucked in its branches along with the many other birds and bugs and squirrels that called the Tree home.

Yes, this Tree, and through this Tree I am connected with all the Trees around the world. Every Tree is a portal into the Secret World. Haven’t you read that in The Book?

It’s a big Book, huffed Raven using her wing to page through the Book looking for a tree reference. There it was, right on the very first page.

Trees are connected to the Great Tree of Life that grows around the entire earth, Raven read outloud. Oh and there’s a picture!

Maybe you can help me hide The Book, Guardian. Hiding it with the Trees would be so simple. Hmm, too simple. I want to hide it Everywhere and Nowhere. Trees are Everywhere true, but they aren’t Nowhere. The Magical Creatures will surely find The Book if it is Everywhere. Then all my hard work will be for not, and the Earth Pets won’t have The Book when they need it.

Each Tree is a Portal into the Secret World. In that in-between place, between the Earth World and the Secret World is where The Book can be hidden from both the Earth Pets and the Council of Magical Creatures. And that is the place the Guardians Guide.

Will the Trees go for it?

I will ask them, replied the Tree Guardian. And the Voice paused and shimmered in a new way with answering shimmers from the many Trees in the park.

Yes, yes we will help. We all want to keep The Book safe for when it is needed. But I have been reminded that Trees are not the only Guardians of the Betwixt and Between Place of Portals. There is a long list of other Guardians of Nowhere in your Book. Are you sure one Raven is up for this epic task?

Oh sure, declared Raven airly. Owl will help me. Owl, Owl, wake up.

Whoo whoo who is it? Waking back up Owl is delighted to find Raven in good spirits.

We have a plan, crowed Raven. The perfect place to hide The Book. And it is Everywhere and Nowhere.