Round 12: Into the Woods
Into the woods we head, gentle friends. Down dappled paths, deep into the trees, where the forest grows wild and the leaves are thick on the ground. Where will you take us?
The woods can be a place of solace. Camping trips full of happy days and warm nights spent by the fire. You stare up at the night sky in wonder, marvelling at the infiniteness of the universe. You bask in the colour of autumn leaves at sunset. You see the flash of a deer through green leaves as it startles at your presence, setting off a breathless pace. Birds sing a raucous tune that tickles your ears and makes you smile. The smell of the earth fills your lungs, feeling all the world like a warm hug reaching right down to your bones.
Or, is it a place of shadows and seclusion? Where the woods have dark places, full of nameless terrors. There are secrets here, hidden well from prying eyes. The wind whispers shapeless nothings and a feeling of dread sits leaden on your chest. Fear coils itself in your stomach. It puts down roots and sends out tendrils, shivering their way up your spine. You hear the creak of a branch, the rustle of leaves and a snap of a twig. You swear you saw something move out of the corner of your eye. You should not be here, and yet, you are. You must get through. You must get out.
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Oh, but you must travel through those woods again and again... said a shadow at the window... and you must be lucky to avoid the wolf every time...
But the wolf... the wolf only needs enough luck to find you once.
Emily Carroll, Through the Woods
Icons
novindalf || erzsebet || vanessa_lj || scarred_loretta || jsfunction
xafirah || pamkips || songburst || scarred_loretta || scarred_loretta
daynawashere || tturners || scarred_loretta || dixon || alwaysashipper
afastmachine || sietepecados || lumsx || violateraindrop || daisiestea
starsburn || vanessa_lj || hitsuga || wretched || anobrain
It was very quiet. The woods were made for secrecy.
They did not recognise her as the garden did.
Daphne du Maurier, Echoes from the Macabre: Selected Stories
Images
All photos courtesy of Unsplash
teaganwhite // tumblr
tinymothstudios // tumblr
teaganwhite // tumblr
wolfskulljack // tumblr
Revelen, Brad Kunkle
In the Woods - Hudson, New York
Frederick Edwin Church 1865
Eagle Owl and Moon
Kōno Bairei 幸野楳嶺
I feel a great regard for trees; they represent age and beauty and the miracles of life and growth.
Louise Dickinson Rich
Textures
fuuurs || iwillnotdance || lookslikerain || rebel || lookslikerain
seldomspeaking || lookslikerain || pandavirus || windsonnetss || lookslikerain
innocent_Lexys || oxoniensis || lemonpunch || nivani || iwillnotdance
pamkips || pamkips || pamkips || iwillnotdance || iwillnotdance
iwillnotdance || unknown || yunyunsarang || pandavirus || fprintmoon
texturegifs @ tumblr
(alt + click to open in new tab)
unknown || neatmonster || neatmonster || pandavirus
accio_glow || pandavirus || STARKWARS
planetsbend05 @ DA || STARKWARS || planetsbend05 @ DA
He'd grown unused to woods like this. He'd become accustomed to the Northwest, evergreen and shaded dark. Here he was surrounded by soft leaves, not needles; leaves that carried their deaths secretly inside them, that already heard the whispers of Autumn. Roots and branches that knew things.
Michael Montoure, Slices
Music
Forest Vibes via Spotify
Temple Ruins via Spotify
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Rules:
• Participation is open to all. There are no sign ups or claims.
• At least 10 of your 20 icons must be inspired directly by the theme.
• Post your icons in a new post, titled "Round 12: username". Provide 3 teaser icons.
• Tag your entries with the following: round 12, user: x
• Please include the following in your post, updated with your username and links: