The ground fell rhythmically beneath his feet. He was so enveloped in the run itself that even his breathing was altered while he ran. A light sheen of sweat beaded on his face. His shirt had started to stick to his back, but he kept his pace brisk. The morning was a bright one, much warmer than the earlier winter months. A majority of the snow had already melted, the rest sat in heaping mounds of ice piled on the side of the path. Trees had begun budding a week before and the earliest leaves were sprouting along with the early spring flowers. Life seemed to be sprouting all around him. The tree's bark even seemed to be a different color, lighter somehow. Everything seemed alive, unlike the cold winter that had been left behind. He inhaled a deep breath and paused, halfway through the morning run. The path he was running was an old one. It was all dirt, though at the moment it was slightly muddy. Small indentations were in the mud from where an ATV or small car had driven through. 1, 2, 3... He held his hands on his head and breathed deeply. 4, 5, 6, 7... His muscles burned lightly, but it was a good burn. 8, 9, 10... He sprinted, though not as fast as he would have liked, the ground was too soggy to get a proper footing. The mud beneath his feet squished quietly as he ran. As he rounded a particularly wet corner he saw the large pine tree that had fallen during the months of heavy snow. He skirted around the edge of the tree and continued on his jog. The woods abruptly emptied into large empty field with long grasses. On the far side there were horses in a large open pasture. As he exited the woods the horses lifted their lazy heads, munching absently on hay before deciding their hay was more exciting.

He jogged past the horse pasture until the pastures ended and he ran yet again into the woods. He knew, from experience, if he stayed on this trail he would run in a full circle back to his house. The cold air was pleasant against his heated muscles. Though he was beginning to get winded he kept his pace strong. Then, through the corner of his eye he saw a movement. He stopped, so suddenly that he felt the complaint from his knees.

Her lithe limbs dangled delicately from the branches of the biggest oak he'd ever seen. It wasn't uncommon to see a person in the woods, especially around this well traveled trail. He suddenly realized he was staring. "Uh hey," he said quietly before he started to run again.

"Wait!" the girl called. Though she was at least fifty feet away, her voice seemed like it came from right behind him.

Slowly, he jogged over to the tree. This close he could appreciate the pure massiveness of the tree. It already had a majority of its leaves. He looked up to the girl sitting on a high branch. She smiled down on him, a bright friendly smile. "Come on," she patted the large thick branch she sat on.

He climbed the tree and sat on the branch beside the girl. He suddenly realized why the girl was sitting on such a high branch. He could see the miles upon miles of gentle farmland. There were pastures, empty corn fields. Large lazy clouds drifted slowly on the horizon. "Wow."

"It's beautiful." She sighed dreamily. "It's a pity people in the city never get to see this." She gestured towards the miles upon miles of pastures and spring green fields. She turned to him. He realized how brown her eyes were, not just brown but a deep cherry wood, polished to a shine. "Don't you think?"

The intensity of her eyes caused him to falter for a moment. "Yes, it's awful."

"I think everyone should be acquainted with the beauty of nature, it's such a simple thing, but it has much beauty." She looked back out to farmland.

He followed her gaze. Suddenly she took his hand and jumped off the tree, but they didn't hit the hard frozen grounds, they hit lush moss, like a thick carpet. The smell of roses filled the air. The girl sat on the thick moss beside him. Her long chestnut hair was in a thick braid down her back with a huge red flower behind her ear. "What happened?" He asked sitting straight up. He scooted away from her.

"I thought you were different." She said looking sadly at her feet.

He looked around. They were surrounded by a thick moss on all sides. Embedded in the thick moss were huge flowers. His head swam with the cloying smell of rose. "What do you mean?"

"Different from all the others," He could see a small silver tear fall from her eyes. "I'm trapped by a dryad, a kiss will free me, but it has to be a kiss freely given." She looked hopeful again. Her brown eyes seemed bigger than ever.

She started to turn away, but he caught her, and kissed her. If roses had a taste, it would be her. She seemed shocked before she kissed him back. The moss around them melted into the ground, the flowers disappeared and they were in the long grass of an empty field, though the change of scenery was hardly noticed by the duo. The girl was tangled tightly to him. She pulled her face away, but still hugged to him tightly. "Thank you," She whispered in his ear.

Authors Note: Eh, sorry about the formatting, I had some computer issues. Hopw you like it though.