They long since accepted their death and current existence. Questions about the how and the why were never forgotten but the expectations of answers were long abandoned. Instead they floated around tending to their woods.
In the beginning they had a human shape to their ghostly body. The shape discarded for its impracticality as a ghost. Now a sphere, they willed tendrils into existence to manipulate that which they needed to manipulate. Their awareness spreading out with the traces of their will they left behind as they managed their forest.
The forest itself was healthy but obviously unnatural. The trees spread out, perfectly spaced to maximize their growth. Undergrowth perfecting placed. Periodically there was a small clearing or a pool of water.
Animal life was abundant. They didn’t get in the way of the natural order of the creatures. But they suspected that the traces of will were affecting them. As the years and decades went by the creatures grew stronger, faster, and occasionally larger.
Their favorite creatures were the rats. They had grown fast and smart. By far the smartest creatures in the forest. Scurrying from underbrush to underbrush. Easily avoiding the
bears that had grown so large and strong that they could probably take out a tree if they wanted. Almost able to match the speed of the cats and outdoing the cooperation of the wolves.
Currently they were using their ghostly body to follow one of the rats. It was a leader of a successful mischief. The mischief controlled several trees and they were so well established that only the bears would dare tread in their territory.
Having grown vines between the trees they rarely had to risk the forest floor. Even going down for food was rare. Eating what the tree provided itself and also growing some simple crops. This was the most advanced of the various mischiefs of rats and so was the one the ghost most enjoyed watching.
The rat leader wasn’t currently in their territory though. Accompanied through the forest with a few others they raced forward. Ghost had no idea what set them off. Having been lazily floating through the forest before they ran past.
Surprising Ghost they darted up a tree. Ghost rose above them trying to figure out what they were after when finally they saw it. A large bird held a squirming rat in its talons. The rat was bleeding and the bird prepared to strike another blow with its beak.
This was new behavior for the rats and Ghost couldn’t help but want to see how it would play out. So ignoring their normal hands off approach with the animals they imparted some of their will into the creature. Knitting the rat’s flesh back together and temporarily strengthening it from the blows the bird was laying down upon it.
Finally the party of rats made it to the nest. The bird focused on the new arrivals. The bird screeched at the rats as they slowly moved forward. Having its attack not phase the rats it started to take off with its prey. Before it managed a rat landed on it from above. Despite the birds frantic flaps it was unable to dislodge the rat from its back. It not gave up on its prey but it was too slow. The other rats had now reached it.
Ghost continued to follow the rats as they headed home with their rescued compatriot and food for their mischief.
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