Pausing, the little girl looked around, listening to the soft sounds of fresh rainwater dripping from the leaves overhead. She had been picking her way slowly through the forest for some time now. Sunlight shone through the ceiling of autumn leaves above, casting shifting patterns of shadow on the wet ground. Uttering a soft sigh, the girl glanced around, then started to walk again.

A slight rustling sound from behind her caused her to spin around.

Something edged slowly into view from a thick mass of plants growing between two trees. The girl gasped at what she saw.

The creature was barely four-foot tall. It was very thin with wrinkled skin. His head looked to be too large for his stick-like body and was topped with tufts of coarse dark hair. A ring of what looked to be ruffled feathers circled his neck and ran down his back. The strange little creature was staring at the girl with wide, dark eyes.

The girl began to edge away from the creature.

“Don’t go,” it said in a thin, raspy voice. “I won’t hurt you.”

“What are you?”

A small smile lifted the corners of the creature’s thin mouth. “I am an Urisk. A Faerie. My name is Treen. What’s yours?”

“Amanda,” the girl said. “My friends and parents call me Mandy.” She paused for a second, then said, “You’re a Faerie? I thought Faeries were little and had wings.”

Treen laughed. “Not many are like that. Faeries come in all shapes and sizes.” He took a step forward. “Your friends call you Mandy? May I call you Mandy, too?”

“Okay.”

“I won’t hurt you,” Treen repeated in his odd voice. “I just want to talk. And to help.”

“Help?” Mandy asked.

Treen reached up a wrinkled hand to scratch his crooked nose. “You’re lost, aren’t you?”

Frowning, Mandy nodded. “How did you know?”

Again, Treen smiled. “I’ve been watching you. It was easy to tell. I’ll help if you let me.”

Mandy wasn’t sure how to answer. She had always been told not to talk to strangers. And it’s hard to get stranger than he is, Mandy thought.

As if he knew what she were thinking, Treen said, “I know I look scary, but I’m not. I just want to talk. Most people who see me run away.” As he spoke, his feathers rippled a bit. “I’ve already found you. You’re not lost now. I just want to help you get back safely.”

Drawing a deep breath, Mandy stepped toward Treen. “Do you know the way back to camp?”

Nodding, Treen said, “I could take you back to where I first saw you. Would that help?”

Mandy smiled. “Yeah.”

“Let’s go, then. You’re parents are probably getting worried.” Treen smiled back at her as he spoke.

At the mention of her parents, Mandy looked down at her dirty clothes. “Mom’s not going to like all this mud.”

“It’s all part of camping. Right?” Treen said.

Mandy smiled again. “Right!”

They set off back through the woods, walking side by side. After a few minutes, Mandy looked over at Treen.

“If you’re a Faerie,” Mandy said, “then why not use your magic to take me back to camp?”

Treen laughed again. “A few Faeries could do that. But not me. Urisks don’t have that kind of magic.”

“Oh,” Mandy replied. Then she asked “Are there any mean Faeries?”

Slowly, Treen nodded his oversized head. His movement caused both his feathers and dark hair to ruffle. “Faeries are like humans,” he told her. “Some are mean, some are good. But most are good.”

“I’m glad,” Mandy told him. “I don’t want to meet a mean Faerie.”

Treen leaned toward her and whispered, “Neither do I.”

Mandy giggled. “Have you ever -” she began. Then she gasped. “I’ve been here!” Mandy spun around and hugged Treen. “I know this place! Our camp it right over there!” Mandy released Treen and pointed to a place where the trees began to thin out.

Treen nodded and stepped back into the dense forest growth. He all but vanished. “Go on,” he said.

Mandy waved.

As Treen waved back, he slipped from her sight.

Grateful to her new friend, Mandy turned and ran toward camp.