The Sentinels Soggy Bottom

Sam blinked at her. He didn't understand how she could place so much trust in a forest. It could not hunt or counsel – at the very best it offered shelter from the wind and an unmatched arena for hide-and-seek.

She was also too kind. He could be an axe-murderer.

Sam shuffled into a sitting position, eyeing his new.. the big boss rank was a plant, or a tree, but the name had gotten lost among mental paperwork. In answer to her question he said "Uh.. I mean.. flesh, obviously." Sam! "Not obviously! Sorry. Sorry. It's just the only thing that makes sense to sacrifice. Not wolf-flesh, ha-ha!" The pitch of Sam's voice had well and truly left base camp and was on a very steep, very rapid upward climb. His eyes bugged out of his head. "I'll share with the forest," he squeaked, "Sorta embarrassing baggage."

And it was about to get heavier – the next day,  Sam would steal a child.