Dryads were known as the most beautiful, but also the mostcunning. They weaved flowers into each other’s hair, the same way they putthoughts into men’s heads. Though they had no official leader, they all lookedup to one—the one with curls the color of the richest bark and eyes likesunlight through spring leaves. The forest loved her as she loved it: shieldingher from harm, silencing her footsteps, helping her to scare the wits out ofmen. Her skin was luminescent in the passing rays of the sun high above, eyesshining like a panther’s in the shade. The flowers in her hair grew at her feetwith every step she took, climbing higher and higher in attempt to reach theothers. When she breathed, the wind blew through the wood; when she laughed,the ground shook; when she smiled, the trees and the flowers and all of theanimals revitalized.