The Elder Wood

The soft patter of the rain on the leaves reminded him of his youth, and the running footsteps of the tenant boys upstairs. Sporadic beams of sunlight broke through the clouds, creating dazzling rainbows for a few moments before fading. For all the beauty of the forest, with its tall trees and soft earth, there was eeriness to it. Not something evil, but something old, primal, wafting up with the scent of the decaying leaves. He wrapped his cloak tightly, the rain slicking off the oiled exterior, and pressed deeper into the elder wood. He sought, but knew not what.