Lush and green and alive.
Those humans for beauty once searched
But now
Those humans for wealth only thrive.

The sacred cave laid quiet there.
The entrance like an open mouth
A sign
The entrance says "Beware".

Then suddenly, who goes there?
There was a sound like voices,
I say,
There were voices in the air!

The spirit screams without a sound.
A horse is trampling sacred earth
Invader!
That horse is just a mount!

Feet stepping on forbidden ground.
The soldiers are laughing out loud,
As of yet
Foreign soldiers have yet to be found.

What riches will await them here?
In this place deep inside the forest,
They wonder,
In this place no one ever comes near?

The spirit cries its bloody tears.
The screams of creatures sound loud
And sadly
Next to the screams, the human cheers.

They slash. And kill. And plunder.
With the rain the humans came
And now
With their cheers comes along the thunder.

Great spirit divine and old...
Your guard has just arrived,
Don't cry,
Your Guard now tightens its hold.

Earth is shaking with sudden might.
Their shadows are coming alive,
Just see,
And the humans, they pale at the sight.

Steady rain keeps falling down.
In clear rain they arrived,
Those beasts,
In red rain they shall drown.

The words had been around for hundreds of years, a quiet warning towards those that even thought of approaching.

The temptation was large: Golden and silver veins grew out of the cave, dazzling under the sunlight, and crystals were scattered around the edge of the entrance. 

A long time ago, humans had come to adore the sight and pray, and that they were allowed.
When they began to claim what wasn't theirs, ignoring the rules as old as time, the retaliation had been heavy.

Especially soldiers and nobles were prone to reaching out for the immeasurable wealth that was the cave, so they were the ones that suffered the heaviest. The old folk that sometimes came by to pray would always come and go peacefully, neither disturbing nor being disturbed.

One of them had passed on the story of what their ancestors had seen to create that poem.

How the soldiers had ruthlessly cut down any animal resting around the cave, how they had torn at the plants and burned the ground as they laughed.
How the sky had begun to darken without a warning, growling and causing the ground to tremble.
How the soldiers' shadows had cut themselves off from the person they belonged to, slowly standing up likes leaves trembling in the wind, then reached out to strangle and tear at the screaming humans trying to cut them apart.

How the shadows had dissolved, and the quiet sobs that didn't seem to have an origin slowly calmed.

That was the story that was passed down, and none of them dared to try and find out whether it truly was just a story. The cave lay as it always had, quietly watching the years pass by.

...With a slow breath, like a sigh of earth itself, the figure detached itself from the darkness of the wall to walk towards the light source. With every step, the thin body formed out, a hazy existence with hair that was both long and short, continuously moving in a soundless breeze, and eyes that flickered like a flame.

He made no sound as he approached the figure on the ground, nestled within a bed of feathers, glowing slightly. Despite the person looking like an adult, he still seemed like a child - innocently sleeping, his body rising and falling steadily with a slow breath.

The shadow stopped before the figure, uncertainly reaching out, then curling his fingers into a fist and pulling back. Soundlessly, he crouched down, then whispered with limitless gentleness.

"Wake up", he called, softly, as if he hoped his voice wouldn't be heard.

The man stirred, then opened a pair of brown eyes; brown like the bark of a tree and the colour of rich soil. 
Blinking, he brushed back his hair that rustled like grass in the wind at the movement, a luscious green colour.

Then he smiled sweetly, his voice an overjoyed tone that tugged at the shadow's heartstrings.

"Good morning", he greeted. "How are you?"

He always asked that question, the shadow thought. It was such a stupid thing to ask. How should he be? He was doing what he was created to do; watch over the spirit and make sure no one dared to disturb his peace. There was nothing needed beyond that, especially...

...Especially not unnecessary feelings.

"I am as usual", he answered anyway. "How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?"

"I slept very well", the spirit confirmed, glowing brightly. The soft, golden haze surrounding his body threw shadows unto the wall, but neither him nor the person before him were drawing shapes on the ground.

The spirit leaned forward as if wanting to reach for the shadow, who immediately went back into a standing position and stepped back to create a distance between them.

"I shall take my leave unless there is anything you need my help with", the shadow said quietly, his stiff face slightly tilted towards the ground.

Disappointed, the spirit could do nothing but nod. "Alright, I will call for you if I need something..."

The shadow bowed and retreated back into the darkness, vanishing into nowhere and leaving behind the youth who wistfully sighed before standing up. His bare feet moved across the ground, carrying him through the cave, like a gently shining torch. When he had reached outside, he curiously looked around.

Each time he woke up, things looked so different.

Happy at seeing the lively green, the spirit threw himself into the grass, looking at the curious bugs that approached his face with twitching antennas. Below his body, grass and wild flowers slowly bloomed to life.

"Hello there", he whispered towards the bugs with a delighted smile. "Are you here to greet me? That's nice. I don't think you have seen me before, have you? Maybe your ancestors, or the ancestors of your ancestors-"

A laugh interrupted him, accompanied by a pair of small feet in open sandals hovering slowly into his view.

"Endearing as always", the voice, sweet as bells ringing, said with a hint of amusement. "I knew you were awake! Your shadow walked once over the whole mountain, so he had to be about to wake you up!"

The spirit rolled to his back, looking up at the figure next to him. The beautiful woman was wearing a white skirt billowing in the wind, caressing her long, white legs with every movement. Her hair, bound into hundreds of braids, was a grayish white just like her eyes without pupils.

A delicate eyebrow jumped up at the sight of the youth who could easily look under her skirt from his position, but she didn't move, not at all feeling threatened by him.

"How nice of you to come by, wind!", the spirit greeted her joyfully and sat up. Then, with a hint of urgency, he asked: "You said he was going around the mountain? Why would he do something exhausting like that, he tires so easily when not in the cave!"

The woman clicked her tongue, amused, and then sat down next to him, letting her fingers slide over the long grass that had formed under his body. 

"How are you even asking such a thing? Of course he was checking to make sure that there is no danger around. What 'tiring', there is nothing he won't do to ensure your safety! Even if that meant carrying this whole place to somewhere else, he would do it!"

The spirit felt his face burn, heat settling uncomfortably. With a confused frown, he touched his cheek, averting his eyes.

Ah sheesh, what was wrong with him? He suddenly felt so... awkward?

"Uhm", he began nervously. "Do you think... that he dislikes me?"

The wind was too stunned to answer, her body stilling for a moment - enough to show how much the question surprised her. She never stopped moving, her eyes and hands always jumping around.

"How did you come to that conclusion?", she asked, dragging her words carefully. "Did he do something?"

The spirit shook his head, a rustling accompanying the movement and the scent of flowers strengthened for a moment.
"Nu-uh, he just... always leaves immediately... I wish I could talk to him like I do to you, but he only ever wakes me and then leaves."

His shoulders lowered in disappointment.
"The only times he stays for a while is when humans wake me up. Only then does he stay with me until I calm down, but even then he keeps his distance."

The wind observed the young man closely, amused. He looked like a little deer with his sad, huge eyes, drawing circles on the ground.

"I think you are misunderstanding something", she said, calculating in her head. The spirit had been around for as long as she could remember, even long before her, but their lives were different. By now, he should be considered somewhat of an adult, right? 

She felt a bit bad for the shadow. He had been around ever since the dawn of time, watching the spirits be born and grow and then quietly fall asleep forever to make place for the next one. She had heard other, older winds and rivers say that the shadow had never done anything beyond fulfill his task.

But this time, they whispered where he couldn't hear but with gentle smiles, this time, there were ripples on the surface. This time, he couldn't just remain the emotionless husk he had always been.

The spirit was old enough now to make some decisions, she thought. Maybe this way he wouldn't sleep so much, that would make everyone happy. Maybe he would even leave the cave to visit some of her friends.

He could, she knew. They all could, but none of them had. Some had been too cowardly, some too lazy, some didn't care. But this little one was lively and curious and although she knew he was a bit of a coward, he wouldn't be scared if his guard came along.

She hummed sweetly, reaching out to caress the youth's head with her cold but gentle fingers.

His eyes were still on her, beautiful and innocent. She longed to see them change with emotions as the humans' eyes did. It would surely look well on him.

"You know what, I will help you", she declared. "I and my friends. We'll think of something so that you can get along with the shadow, alright?"

He beamed, his eyes lighting up. Amused, the wind watched a ring of flowers bloom around where he sat.

Owl

That poem is seven years old by now, and I finally get around to writing the story for it...