He turned to the vegetable garden and pulled out a carrot. Just like the rest of his surroundings, it had grown well, and was larger than any of the other vegetables they had grown in this garden. He glanced up at the tree tops. They were as dense and closed off as ever, but there were ravens everywhere. Clustered and perched on every available tree branch, they observed him like a silent jury. Or maybe a silent guard? Eventually, the sunlight coming through the trees was so blinding that he had to look away.

He shook his head. Maybe it was just a really bright day today, and the forest hadn’t gotten any decent sunlight for so long, it was overreacting to it. Calyx began harvesting the rest of the vegetables, piling carrots and potatoes into his basket. As he kept digging through the dirt, looking for any left over potatoes, a quick gleam caught his eye. He heard a rustle from above, and looked up to see the ravens leaning forward, their interest caught. Returning to the soil, he pushed around the dirt until he revealed a shining gem. He brushed it clean with his hands, rubbing off the dust on his shirt, and held it up to the sunlight. As it caught the sun, it sent rainbow reflections sparkling all around the clearing, and the sun seemed to shine even brighter. The ravens all screeched simultaneously and took off, creating a dark cloud that covered the whole clearing in shadow for a brief moment before they were gone. Calyx stared at the gem in wonder and curiosity. He had never seen anything like it, and briefly considered how much it would sell for, before tucking it into his pocket.

He gathered up his basket and left. The minute he stepped out of the clearing, everything seemed to rush by him for a moment, and when it cleared, the whole forest seemed more… familiar. Everything was just as undergrown and scraggly as he was used to, and when he turned back to look at the clearing, it had returned to being dingy and gray. He frowned and touched his pocket, where he could feel the gem sitting. After a moment he shook his head and began to return to the village, listening to the ravens overhead.

After he had turned away and left, the clearing began to brighten, as if the sun had hidden itself from him specifically