Across the Lake
The morning mist hung low over the glassy surface of the lake. Elana stood at the water's edge, gazing out at the island in the distance. It was little more than a smudge on the horizon, shrouded in fog. But she knew that somewhere across the misty waters lay the grove of ancient trees where the dreamweavers did their work.
For as long as Elana could remember, she had been fascinated by the dreamweavers. In the evenings she would sit outside her cottage, watching the wisps of dreams floating across the lake like gossamer threads. She would imagine following one back to its source, to where the dreamweavers toiled unseen, spinning dreams in the moonlight.
The island had always been forbidden, but the desire to cross the lake grew within Elana each passing year. She had to know what happened there under the cover of night. She had to see the dreamweavers with her own eyes.
This morning, without telling a soul, Elana got into her little rowboat and began making her way across the lake. The mist enclosed her in a white blanket of silence. She couldn't even see the shore she had left behind. But she knew that if she kept rowing straight ahead, she would reach the island.
As the bottom of the boat scraped sand, Elana stepped out onto the beach. The fog was thinner here and she could make out the shapes of trees up ahead. She pulled the boat ashore and headed up the bank, her heart pounding in her chest.
The grove was eerily still, the trees so ancient and tall that they disappeared into the low clouds. She wandered breathlessly among them until she came to a small clearing.
In the center stood a large oak etched with symbols and whorls. From its branches hung the most intricate webs Elana had ever seen, shimmering like stardust in the filtered light. Mesmerized, she reached out to touch one—and felt the magic reverberate through her fingertips.
A smile spread across Elana's face. At last, she had found the source of the Dreamweaver's spells. Her journey across the lake had led her to this place where dreams were spun into being.