Tea Leaf Tales: Beware of the Guardians of Autumn

I need to warn you—take serious care when you set out to stroll wooded trails in search of fall color!

Vigilantes of forest animals, who call themselves the Guardians of Autumn, are out in full force, apparently to keep the beauty unspoiled by humankind. I’ve received recent word from reliable sources that some have formed an alliance this year. There had been talk of this the past two Septembers, but we took the rumors in stride, perhaps too much since we ignored warnings signs that could have allowed us to prevent the coalitions.

The winged boar are the organizers, and if you meet with one of them, immeditately turn back and do not challenge. A young couple out for a romantic stroll reported to an emergency room with broken bones and gaping wounds after being trampled and bitten by a sounder of a dozen or so boar.

The alliance of Guardians has planted winged boar to head groups that migrate to all wooded locales as color change occurs. In one of the most militant groups, a boar organized an attack where it and a ram chased a man up a tree to a peacock that shrieked in his ear. To escape, he jumped clear of the boar and goat and limped to his car on a sprained ankle but still suffers from extreme hearing loss.

Please follow these simple guidelines to stay safe while enjoying this season’s beautiful display of nature: travel in numbers for safety;  be watchful of the ground, especially around trunks and brush; take your cell phone; stay within safe walking/running distance of your vehicle; report suspicious animal activity to your local sheriff, police, or park authorities. 

Tea Leaf Tales is a series of original ten-sentence short stories by Marsha A. Moore, relating to photos/scenes that resonate with her.
~ ~ ~ Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, Book Three, LOST VOLUMES, and Book Four, STAUROLITE. For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.