Wilford was tumbling away from him in a flash.  That's an affirmative. He muttered.  So, maybe they were both nuts.  Glancing around at the others who were not responding.

Scott waved back at the upper branches of the tree, moving slowly.

Does any one else see anything? He asked hopeful and speaking evenly but loud enough he hoped for others to hear.

Ignoring the others for a moment, Rafi stood momentarily and leaning his back to a tree, slid down until he was in a crouch. His eyes were closed and for a long while, he let the others speak, speculate. Finally, he opened his eyes and grinned at Scott,

"You'd do well in the Arcadian forests." He shrugged slightly, "Sometimes our eyes can deceive us, especially when we let our imaginations run wild." He flinched slightly, pinched the bridge of his nose then shook his head,

"There is a sentience here." He said quietly but clearly enough that those close enough could hear, "But I don't think it is in the forest, I think it is the forest." He looked around the little group,

"It isn't evil, at least in any sense I can detect. What I think... and I could be horribly wrong... is that it is some sort of Animus Loci, a Spirit of Place. On my Earth, places of power can have a guiding sentience, a spirit that embodies and controls a place. They are rare and even more rare to have such power." He looked to the armed men,

"Don't harm the forest." He glanced at Gallus' jetpack, "Really."

"Perhaps.  For now I guess that is the most operable hypothesis.  As it is I see a demon of sorts in that tree."  He points at the tree under which Boone just passed.

With a manefestation to focus on Garrett approaches the tree and looks up at it calmly, "Do you have a message or are you here to make me look delusional."

Following the eyeline of the others, Rafi looked upwards into the tree to look for Garrett's "demon" child. While he did so, he stood up again, flinching slightly and rubbed his eyes to clear out the worst of the magical glare. He carefully picked his way through the undergrowth to stand beside Wilford and Scott, murmuring to himself as he did so but said nothing. Rather, he waited to see whether Garrett could get a response.

Dave walks over to Scott, Rafi, and Garrett, sets his back to them looking away from the party and surveying the woods
I saw some movement over there
Dave points over to the left
I don't see anything now though

I see a small child in the tree.  A girl, not a demon. He gave Drake a look. It's just a kid.  It was waving at us. He gave a 'so what's the big deal' shrug.

It didn't really matter if it was 'real' or not.  I mean, look at all of them and where they were.

What exactly are you seeing?  He asked mostly Drake, but anyone else seeing something would be fine too.

The child - demon - monstrosity, seems to dissolve into the tree.  It doesn't disappear, more it seems to be absorbed into it.  For those looking at it, a bump moves quickly along the tree and into ground where it disappears.

In the middle of a group a child seems to rise up out of the ground.  She is perhaps 7 or 8 and appears perfect to the eye.  She smiles as she looks around at each of you.

"What are you here looking for?"

At the sight of the movement, Rafi took a small step back and, smiling, knelt down in front of the little girl,

"Greetings," He looked around at the little group, noting with a wry smile Wilford fiddling with his camera, "We did not mean to intrude. We wish only to explore and expand our knowledge. This place is so very special."  He inclined his head to the little girl,

"I am Rafi and these are my friends." He motioned to the others to introduce themselves, hoping they would be polite, "Is there something we may call you?"

Gallus stood quietly near the front of the group, though there was no real determinable front for a gaggle of people. He had not worried when the others had started to chase shadows or when they investigated a tree, but when random small children start appearing out of a forest he must say something. "Some of us are here not peace, but for war, if only to end it quickly if it starts." He knew that some of them were not going to be happy with him threatening an unknown enemy, but some enemies relied on bullying, and he must beat them to the chase.

The question represented more than it appeared.  As did the entity.  As a girl she presented an unthreatening appearance and calm demeanor.  The demonic fascade represented malign forces.  Clearly an entity of some capability, perhaps even as the mage had guessed the forest and the entity were one.  It was also possible that this was a deception.  In either case the straigtforward approach was the easiest.

"Many things.  It all depends on the circumstances at hand.  In general I seek to make peace.  In most cases where I am drawn that requires war.  Here and now I seek to know what threats exist and what measures are in place to secure this place and these portals so that I might judge what safeties need to be created for this place and others connected to it."

Wilford has quickly turned his camera on the child, hoping it wouldn't be taken as an attack of some sorts.  You never know with some of these freaky people, and he uses that term "people" very loosely.

"Wow.  Not exactly what I was expecting."

Rafi closed his eyes when Gallus responded. Just count to ten, he told himself, count to ten. He supposed that the threat might count as polite in Gallus' universe: he supposed that he should be glad that the space marine responded with words not firepower. He opened his eyes and smiled. At least Wilford seemed to be enjoying himself. And if the child was a threat, at least they should be protected. He followed up from Garrett's comments, adding evenly,

"While some came here deliberately, most came through the portals without intent, by accident on their part. I admit to finding that... curious." He looked carefully at the child, watching for any reaction.

The child looks at each person in turn.  She makes no aggressive moves just slowly turning.  Stopping first at Corwin;

"Yes indeed this place is very special.  But you know that already.  If you need a name to call me, call me... Eviel."

She gaze turns and stops on Gallus, her face is cheerful and full of mirth.

"You need to be careful what you are looking for when you are here.  That is part of what is special about this place.  You usually find what you are looking for.  Be it a fight or a path home.  I have no desire to fight, but if you want one... there are others here who are willing to oblige you."

Looking at Drake.

"Let me ask you a question... did any of you have trouble of any type when you arrived?  Was there anything in the woods that hampered you in any way?"

When the girl materialized, spoke and the others answered, Scott inched closer to Rafi.  It wasn't so much out of protection, but of alliance.  He certainly didn't want to be associated with Gallus.  He'd shot him a look that would have been nice if it had struck him dead or at least mute.  The man was making him re-think his career choices.

He thought about the Forest words... He didn't expect anything from the forest... except a nice forest.  And he'd had no problems arriving.  He'd always been taught to respect the forest.  Silently he watched the others.

"For several hours I was not accosted, but to conclude that there isn't a threat based on that short experience is rather foolish.  But if you are inferring that there is some mechanism that manages such threats then that is something I can at least accept on face value."

He nods to the entity respectfully and moves aside somewhat satisfied at the resposne but still unsure of the intentionally ambiguous response.  Either what was implied was true or it wasn't.  In either case he would remain prepared.

"Two times I have come, and both were uneventful." He stands ready, yet has not drawn yet. These people were too trusting. Why not just kill it? If it was a threat then it will be a good action, if not what will come of it? The unknown was a threat and thins thing was unknown to him.

Rafi remain on his knees, resting back a little on his heels as he watched the "child." As first Drake then Gallus responded to her comments, he relaxed just a little, if only because they both seemed to be acknowledging her point at least to some extent. He hoped that Wilford was enjoying this because even if he didn't realize it, this child was probably more powerful than any of the creatures he and his companion countered on Earth.

"Good to meet you Eviel." He finally said with a broad smile, "I for one would be quite happy not to have to fight anything, thanks. My walk here was quite pleasant... " He turned to Scott, nudging him slightly and commenting lightly to the young man, "Aren't you going to introduce yourself, Scott?" He then looked at the others who had stood back, eyebrows raised, before turning back to Eviel,

"You are able to bend the reality of this place to your will? And you reflect our expectations?" He mused, half to her, half to himself, "And the portals?"

Scott had been torn between awe at the child and glare at the warriors.  At Rafi's nudge, he offered a smile, and brief introduction, announcing he was just there for a walk in the woods.  Of course, he then wondered about that.  If the child was the woods, was a walk in the woods appropriate? You couldn't walk through a child.  Did walking in the woods hurt the child? That was too much to wrap his brain around.

Rafi's question was complicated enough, but less so then his own thoughts and more interesting and he waited to hear the answer, hoping that no one started shooting at things first.

Looking at the men, she laughs out loud.  It is a beautiful silvery sound.

"Oh no... I do not bend reality.  I am just a small part of what is here.  I came out to talk because you would not see me as an overt threat...  If my big brothers came out, you would have either run or tried to fight."

She shakes her head at the comment by Drake.

"There is no mechanism here to protect you.  It is just that we bear you no malice."

Her mirth is gone as she levels her gaze at Gallus.

"Unless you bring it upon yourself."

As the child laughed, Rafi smiled broadly. She was probably not what Wilford had expected or wanted, but he found her fascinating. He was already trying to re-adapt his theories, knowing he couldn't hope to understand everything in a short space of time but relishing the challenge. He couldn't quite believe that the others didn't have any more questions. On the other hand, his curiosity... ok, his nosiness... had got him intro trouble plenty of times before. After she had responded to Drake and Gallus and after he was sure noone else wanted to pipe in, he continued,

"Do you and your brothers have an awareness of those in the forest, what's going on?" He asked, "While you do not bear us malice, are there forces or creatures in the forest that might?"

Appearing behind the forest spirit, Boone interjects I was tracking a rogue bear that had mauled some farmers when I encountered this place. Could you tell me if non-intelligent or non-sentient creatures can also pass into this nexus of realities? Boone smiles gently at the apparent child. My name is Boone, Eviel. It is a great pleasure to meet you. Are you a part of the anima of this place, or are you a separate being?

Dave was surprised by the appearance of the child. As the others engage to "child" Dave is content to stand on the outside of the group and observe

"We bear you no ill will and we are the strongest that are here."

She gives Boone a big smile that is infectious.

"What basis do you judge sentience?  There are some that come through here that are as high above you as you feel you are above the bear.  Should they consider you non sentient?"

Looking all around her, though she is surrounded by men who are armed, several with hands on their weapons, she seems not afraid.

"I can not explain what we are.  We just are.  If you are looking for something, walk down one of these paths and you are likely to find it.  Just be careful what you wish for."

Rafi certainly seemed infected by the child's humor, still sitting on his heels, a lop sided grin on his face,

"Any hints, Eviel?" He glanced around the little group and took in the number of weapons on display with a shake of his head, "Something interesting for my friend that doesn't involve gun-fire." He tilted his head at the child,

"Whose will does it follow? If one wants or expects violence, will the others be beset too?"

Scott was intrigued by the whole show.  Himself with a half smile at the girl, creature, forest, whatever.  He glanced between her and Rafi, glad the mage was asking good questions and kicking himself that he was so...star struck not to think of them.  Star struck? Forest struck?  Enchanted.  That wasn't a comfortable thought as it took on new meaning.