Jelena — Victoria Zigler

Humans have forgotten the old ways, and no longer respect nature as they once did, or ask before taking what they want. They’ve forgotten about nature spirits, and the strength of the bond a dryad shares with their tree.When an excited family come to the woods to choose their Christmas tree, and end up choosing the Frazer Fir to which Jelena is bonded, they make no attempt to warn her to find herself a new tree. Now all Jelena can do is watch in tearful dismay as her tree is cut down and taken away; feeling its pain through their shared bond as though it were her own.Distraught and in pain, Jelena can do nothing to save her bonded tree. But she doesn’t have to share its fate; there’s a chance she can save herself. Will Jelena find the inner strength to survive the experience, and bond with a new tree before it’s too late? Or will she follow her bonded tree to the place where spirits are reborn?*NOTE: this story – while not overly violent or graphic in nature – is not your average cheerful holiday story, so may not be suitable for younger or more sensitive readers.