Screams In The Forest and Fire in the Mountain [private training] [ongoing]

Neya looked around and gazed up at the canopy of the trees surrounding her. The rays of sunlight that just minutes before were illuminating the entire forest floor, now seemed strangled in the dense forest canopy. Here and there, large patches of light broke through to reveal patches of roots and vegetation, but overall it was as if there was a permanent overcast of clouds wherever she looked. As she observed the trees, and continued to walk, she began to notice the differences in size of the trees. Those ahead were getting slowly larger, getting taller and thicker, with canopies so dense it seemed that nothing could get through the tangled branches. She stopped for a moment to observe her surroundings, to really absorb the scenery.

There was nothing abnormal about the forest so far, and honestly, she had begun to doubt what she had been told.

"it's a deadly place, full of rotting corpses and dead bodies form suicides! It's a dark scary place and there are probably all sorts of scary things going on in there!" "what nonsense...i should have known better than to listen to that old man in the rukongai...but i have to admit, the scenery is very nice here. It's so quiet too...So tranquil....but yet..so devoid of life, save for the trees and plants...there are no birds singing, no other animals running around...which is strange, i'd say...one would assume that such a large forest would be full of life, not..silent and grave.."

She sighed and kept walking. Sure, she could easily just have flown fromt he forest a while ago to make her trip to Mt.Fuji easier, but what fun was making things easy? Plus, she had wanted to check the claims of the old man. Neya observed the ground beneath her feet. There were no corpses littering the ground, not even the remains of old bones. Curious as to whatt he canopy looked like, she quickly climbed her way up a nearby tree, her claws making it easy to travail the large trunk, until she was up int he thick branches. Here, there was enough light that she could tell it was nearly mid-day. She decided then, that she would traverse the canopy, going limb from limb for a while, so she could enjoy the sunlight. As she went, she occasionally looked down to see forest floor. From her position, as she went farther in, it seemed as if the forest floor was completely devoid of anything saving plant life, and boulders. This slowly began to bother her, as a forest should have at least some semblance of wildlife, even it it were worms or insects. But she heard nothing and saw nothing. All was silent and now that she thought about it , things were too calm...eerily so.

"I am one that loves peace and quiet..But this,this is ...unerving.A forest should not be this quiet. There should be the sounds of life and death all around, the sound of predator and prey locked in the great struggle... it is early spring, there should be creatures creating new life...But all there seems to be is a deadly silence that is inescapable."

I have noticed this as well, dearest. It is as if the very life force of all things is snuffed out here...and the trees yet live..it is most..disturbing. Perhaps we should stop moving, and for a time, see what we can sense." This voice was the spirit of her Zanpakutô, Whom she trusted in all things. Neya carried on for a short while, as she considered the spirit's words. Eventually, she stopped and rested in the boughs of a very large tree. "i know this forest is large, but right now it seems to be never ending, especially with the silence....."