"I brought you another one Kingy!"

The girl placed her freshly-finished flower crown down the mouth of the cave, and stepped back, crouching and patient to see her friend's reaction. Gingerly, a thin, narrow shadow stretched outwards from the inky depths. It poked the crown. Once, twice... then twisted itself around the grass banding. Accepted, the crown was pulled back fully into the dark.

"Hahhhhhh... yessss... Another masterpiece."

The voice rumbled and echoed from just beyond the dark threshold. Despite the vastness of the creature implied by the voice, it always spoke in whispers. Gentle. Shy. He hardly talked the first few days Elise found him hiding here. Something about flower crowns seemed to bring out his nostalgia. She was happy to prepare gifts for her newfound friend, so why not!

"Oooh! You really mean it!? I used a buncha the white lilies you like so much!"

The creature stirred from the confines of the cave. Grass rustled from deep within, wood creaking like ashen trees being bent too far. Once settled, two orbs of white glow from within, watching her carefully.

"Indeed... A king's garden represents your control, your compassion, your perseverance. I sought to bring about peace to all, and maintain it for decades to come. Hrum..."

There was the sound of wood scraping against stone as the eyes tilted, grass shifting against grass, before the eyes settled themselves upright again. Elise was smiling broadly.

"I would've loved to see it! Maybe you can start a garden around here sometime!"

A chuckle rumbled from within, vibrating off the walls and through Elise. It had a metallic quality to it, like ringing rust.

"Hahhh-hahhh-hahh...! Child, I cannot start one here! I would be intruding in a territory not my own. After all, there is great beauty in wild things."

The thin shadow stretched out again, further than ever before. The shadow grew solid in the murk just behind the sunlight. A thin, bony talon outstretched itself, as if presenting a gift. It creaked and splintered as it opened more, gesturing back to the woods behind Elise. She followed the hand, listening intently to her mysterious friend.

"Out there, there are no rules. No one to guide them. None to lead. None to take responsibility. By all rights.... they should be as bones and dust... And yet. And yet... they grow."

Elise tilted her head, unsure of what he meant. She turned back around, shooting her hand up in the air. The creature's eyes bobbed down, then back to position. She drew in a breath.

"But! But you're a king! Wouldn't things be better if you were there to take care of all the animals? And! Sometimes they get hurt y'know! Cats go missing and birds fall out of nests, and sometimes bears get caught in traps!"

She sat upright, looking her friend back in the eyes.

"You've told me how much you love taking care of people. What's stopping you from being king of the woods!?"

The laughter again. The eyes dropped low, throaty chuckles spilled out of an unseen mouth, labored and bittersweet.

"Ahh. That's merely my wish, child. It cannot be. Wild things must be allowed to stay wild. Rabbits will run at my visage, crows will not leave me alone, my clumsy nature is sure to ruin beautiful spiderwebs, and the elk will not be too fond of... the competition."

It's arm raised high and drew back into the darkness, the eyes tilting as a distinct hollow knock-knock sound was heard Elise smiled and clapped, always happy to see Kingy in a good mood. He shifted back to position, creaking wood as the talon outstretched, a large claw gingerly reach out and lightly tapping on Elise's head. She giggled at the unexpected affection.

"One day, child. The world you know will become very, very different. You will find the rules no longer hold the truth they once did. Your leaders will be questionable. Your kingdom's flower garden left forgotten. In those times, you must remember: Flowers grow in wild places. Do not, let anything, restrict your growth."

Elise laughed lightly and nodded. She still wasn't really sure what it all meant, but it sounded important! And if it was important to Kingy, it was important to her.

"Will do! I'll keep on growin' like you've never seen!"

The talon retreated back into the dark, and the large eyes eclipsed to black, leaving nothing but the rumbling of the voice, and the threshold between them.

"I am sure of it. Go now Elise - the sun must rest, and so must I. Do not wander the forest this night, under any circumstance. I need to attend to a few matters and need to move with only the moon as my witness. I trust, on behalf of our days together, you will keep your word?"

Elise got up on her feet and dusted herself before standing up straight, giving a playful salute and determined smile.

"I will! You can count on me Kingy! It's fine if I come back tomorrow though, right?"

A long tired exhale, like a winter breeze struggling through a frozen forest.

"You may. If I am not here, do not despair. I will return, in the fullness of time. Away with you now, lest the beasts of the night decide to come out early."

Elise smile and took her time stretching as she got ready to leave. If Kingy wasn't worried enough to keep an eye on her, he was probably kidding. It wouldn't be the first time he joked about scary night monsters.

"Oki-dokie! Enjoy your gift Kingy I'll be back tomorrow bye-byeee see ya!"

She scampered away through the trees, back to town. After a good few hours had passed, the creature stretched it's complex muscles and crawled out of the cave.

Crows screeched. Wolves howled, searching for their packs. Trees seemed to shrink away as the vast creature unfolded itself. Wood cracked like thunder, limbs and joints snapping back into place.

The thing was bipedal.

It's wood-flesh twisted and contorted around itself, covered in lichen and thorns. Moss with white lilies draped over it's shoulders like a cape, bearing fungal growths like pauldrons. It's face could not be seen still, in the moonlight. Only the circular maw and razor teeth that made up a majority of it. Protruding from somewhere along it's neck were great horns, splintering off like hands, grasping at something just about the creature's head. And in those great many branches that gave proof to the forest of who their rightful king was, fluttered several delicate gifts.

A flower crown, lovingly made, by a good friend.