Changing Times

The Woodfather - Seedling

Prologue

Humans.

Arrogant, contemptuous, warmongering creatures. In a world built on platform of diversity it is utterly puzzling that fate and would deem to place these divisive beasts as the dominant species. Ignorant as they are of the world around them, they take without giving back. Some amongst them are conscientious of the damage they deal to their environment and yet even they are hypocrites. Their impact on the world has greatly imbalanced both the physical and metaphysical realms. Spiteful spectres of their deceased haunt the lands. Great smokestacks pollute the air. Once proud, intelligent animals are bred for the slaughter.

Too long have humans run rampant on the world without something to curb their reckless advance. Fear occasionally rises in the form of scares such as celestial movements, earthquakes or disasters that would curb their population but what is one purge against a population that is so wide spread. With a population of over seven billion and only rising, to cull a few hundred would do nothing to impact their rapid growth.

Their technology grew stronger and better as time went on. They became more and more effective at killing one another but at the same time, better at protecting themselves as well. A simple plague would not be enough to cull their ranks and wiping them from the face of the world was not an option. Extinction was not desirable for any species even for a base race that had led to the extinction of countless others.

For what seemed like eons, I had remained passive. Humanity's advance did little to impact me and or my glade and I was vaguely aware that this was because they deemed my corner of the world a 'nature preserve'. Even when humans set up the small town of Ferndyllias to the south, they were not doing anything that severely impacted my forests.

Then the corporation known as Lancaster Logging stepped in. I am unaware of the specifics but they turned the small, rural town of Ferndyllais into an industrial superpower specialising in cutting and processing of all the ancient trees that had stood long before they had developed the ability to walk. Once, great swathes of greenery were mowed down in the name of 'progress'. Animals of the forests were deprived of food and shelter, left to starve or die against the elements. The air became rancid with the stench of their smoke and loud, boisterous men littered the lands with their foul trash.

That was the last straw. For the sake of the world and the balance, I had to step in. But extinction was not an option. That is not a fate I would wish upon anyone. Another option needed to be taken.

But first, I needed a physical form.

Seedling

The quaint cabin was built for only two individuals on a romantic retreat. When the four men drove up in their polluting truck, I had assumed they were indeed couples. However, by their boisterous nature and the fact that two of them sat in the tray of the pickup truck, drinking their BugLight's and tossing the cans wantonly over the edge as the truck passed, I recognised them as drunken, idiotic fraternity brothers. In all likeliness, some of them had booked the retreat as an attempt to 'get away from it all' but had failed to realise just how small the cabin was.

The road they used was rough and well used. Tires disturbed the earth and rolled over well-worn, compact dirt to the log cabin perched in the middle of the forest, one of many that the humans had set up around the area and advertised as getaways. Their music was on at full blast. Nocturnal denizens were disrupted by the loud roar of their engine and the deep, resonating bass that sent waves of shock rippling throughout the entire forest.

The first of the boys stepped out of the truck even before it came to a full halt. A lean fellow, he was dressed in only a bright green singlet and denim shorts. His sandals spoke of a man who was used to sunshine and cloudless skies compared to the overcast, chilly landscape of the northern Canadian forests. There was nothing natural about wavy, blonde hair. Dark brown roots were already showing. A pair of large, aviator sunglasses hung on the neck of his shirt though one would never have to use such things for many miles around in this remote area.

For a human, he was of a lean, unnatural build. His vascular arms were more a product of starving himself and exercising in the abundance of free time he has as opposed to actual work. The rounded pectorals on his chest pushed his singlet out slightly so that it was possible to see them from the side. They offered a view of his abdominal muscles which again amounted to a starved look than actual proper health. Why humans decided that this kind of physique was desirable was beyond my understanding.

“Fucking finally!" exclaimed the youth. “Hey Vinnie, hand me a beer would ya?"

One of the other interlopers on the back of the truck peered down at him lazily. This specimen was a little more rounded. The presence of a belly was at least encouraging and complimented his thick arms that were just as vascular as the first. Vinnie, as he was called, bore shaggy, light brown hair that came down as a chinstrap beard around his rounded features. Thick, bushy eyebrows met near the centre to form an almost complete monobrow and he looked more like a Neanderthal than the rest. There was some wisdom in his dress as he at the foresight to at least wear a strange insulated vest to protect his chest even though his arms were only protected by the short, red shirt beneath. Navy-blue three-quarter shorts did little to hide the fact that, while he had a strong upper torso, he neglected his legs with claves that looked almost pitifully thin compared to his upper body. This appearance was made all the more ridiculous by the fact that he possessed rather big feet shrouded in bright, white and red kicks.

“Fuck off, Toby," snarked Vinnie. “You want a beer, you get it yourself or you wait until we bring this shit to the cabin."

None of them looked like they were into their thirties yet. Young, energetic and adventurous. Mores the pity that they would turn that energy into careless disregard for the land that they trample upon.

The other inhabitant of the truck's tray was an intimidating fellow. Appearing of oriental descent, his almond-shaped eyes were hidden behind transition glasses that were only slightly tinted. Prescription based on their thickness. Black haired was dyed meticulously to an aquamarine colour and styled in such a way that it the right side of his face was shaved to an almost bald-like length while the other side was draped over the side of his face. Though shorter than the others, he was perhaps the most impressive in his build as a perfect balance between diet and exercise. Though not as lean or vascular as the other two, he possessed the largest muscles of them all which was clearly on display from his bare chest. Strong, powerful pectoral muscles were supported by rigid abdominals carefully wrapped under obviously artificially tanned skin. The perfection of the bronzed flesh was marred by tattoos wrapped around his forearms that appeared to be scriptures from the Christian Bible. Another tattoo was planted on his right shoulder in the shape of a cross with the word 'Vetum' as the horizontal piece and 'et sicut' as the vertical. What little respect his well-balanced built garnered was quickly dismissed by the fact that he only wore a pair of black cargo shorts and was barefoot.

This fool easily hefted two of the large coolers that the boys had packed and leapt off the back of the truck in an obvious sign of machismo. It was evident that he shuddered at the touch of the cold earth beneath his bare feet but he did his best to hide it and marched towards the cabin.

“Shut up, Vinnie," rumbled the blue-haired youth. “Hurry up and help me with this shit."

“Cold, Mikey?" teased the rotund man. The boorish man smashed an empty beer can against his forehead and then absently tossed it as his friend's muscled back. Mikey threw him a foul stare but with his hands occupied, he could do nothing against the assault. “Not too late to back out of that dare."

Mikey turned around and marched onwards. “Fuck you."

The fourth and last of the troupe, the driver, stepped out of the truck's cabin. Of Middle Eastern, he was by far the most naturally equipped for the cold – at least as far as humans could be considered. He wore a dense, black beard around on his angular face and wore his hair reasonably short. His long-sleeved shirt and fleece pants were perfect for the cold and beneath that was the dense hair on his arms and chest developed to the point where he had a strong V-shaped back but without going into grotesque muscularity such as Mikey. He wore a pair of heavy, tan hiking boots as well. As he stepped out of the truck, he reached back into the cabin and pulled out a parka, sliding it on though he kept the zipper undone.

“Vinnie, get off your ass and help us carry this shit to the cabin," said the brown-skinned man without a trace of an accent. “Or is your ass frozen to the tray?"

“Fuck off, Sid," Vinnie snarled jokingly. Perhaps this Sid held some authority amongst the group as only upon his cajoling did Vinnie pick up some of the bags that they had packed and began bringing it to the cabin. When Toby tried to sneak one of the beers off Vinnie, Sid slapped his hand away and instead shoved a bag in his hands.

Mikey's cry from cabin reached the yards between the truck and their shelter. “Dude! What the fuck!?"

The remaining three grabbed the rest of their luggage and hefted towards the cabin. The squat, log frame was just a single storey. A small patio wrapped around the front and north-facing side of the cabin while the rest was left barren save for a single wall. Mikey had already entered the house and come to notice that it would not be enough to shelter all four of them in comfort. There was only a single bedroom. Admittedly, the bed was king-sized but given the testosterone flowing out of these young men, they were more likely to sleep out in the cold than in a bed with one another.

“Where the hell are we supposed to sleep?"

All eyes immediately went to Sid who shrugged helplessly against their combined gaze. “What was I supposed to do? We had to book the flights, rent the car and find a place that was close to the woods for a whole goddamn week! This was the best I could find with what you cheapskates gave me!"

“Bro, you're the fucking son of a board member for Lancaster!" Vinnie complained. “How could you not afford something bigger!?"

“I ain't gonna mooch off my dad just because you guys can't sleep on a goddamn couch!"

“Like you've ever slept on a couch before."

They argued back and forth for a good long while. Perhaps this Sid was not as intelligent as he first appeared. Then again, he had managed to deceive his compatriots for a trip from what had to be the United States of America based on their accents. Darkness was already starting to descend by the time the four young men had finally decided on the sleeping arrangements.

Vinnie had the bed, being the biggest of them all and given that he snored. Mikey called the couch while Sid – as punishment – had to sleep on the floor. Since he had prepared for this eventuality, Sid had brought a sleeping bag. Toby had the bathtub in the sole bathroom.

The bitter argument had soured the start of their holiday. It was in this spirit that Sid had opted to get everyone out onto the patio for dinner. There was an old grill that was provided by the owners of the property and the dark-haired youth fired it up. The smell of cooked meat eased whatever grievances the other three boys had as it was replaced quickly by hunger. They gathered on the porch, taking up the seats there and cracking open their beers while Sid diligently cooked some pre-prepared ground cow meat formed into patties and highly-processed pig meat. Whatever they called them, they were not 'burgers' or 'sausages'. Those things were just horrific abominations more synthetic than authentic. The chemicals swimming within them were so foul the scavengers of the forest would rather bury them deep into the earth than to devour them.

Sid's plan worked. As they embraced the beauty of nature and the twinkling lights above their heads, they quickly forgot about their prior argument and made the most of their adventure. Conversation went from their college life, the girls they mated with and the bitterness over all their families somehow being unable to spent Christmas with them. Despite their rowdy behaviour, it was clear there were deep wounds that left them alienated from their kin. Christmas was a time for familial bonding, if my knowledge of human customs is correct. That these four individuals would choose to spend that period in another country instead of making the time and effort to spend it with their family was almost saddening enough to make me reconsider my approach.

Almost.

These boys' careless nature quickly came rushing back to the surface as they consumed an irresponsible amount of alcohol until they were blindingly inebriated. Sid was the first to reach his limit but perhaps out of a sense of machismo, he continued to drink can after can of beer in an attempt to catch up with his friends. This was his undoing.

“Oh fuck…" he hiccoughed. A faint green tinge touched his cheeks and he immediately got to his feet. He almost tripped over Mikey's legs as he rushed into the house where his loud retching reached even my ears.

Vinnie laughed heartily, slapping his knee. “Tell me when you're done in there, Sid! I gotta piss!"

Unfortunately, after consuming so much food and beer, Sid was not going to be leaving the toilet any time soon. As drunk as he was, Vinnie was also in no position to control his bladder. A few tense seconds passed where he began tapping his foot impatiently. Then, finally fed up with waiting, he rose and waddled over to the tree line.

“Where are you going, Vinnie?" Toby asked.

“Where do you think?" yelled an irritated Vinnie, flipping off his blonde friend over his shoulder. “Sid's taking fucking forever in the john! I've got to piss somewhere!"

“Don't wander out too far!"

“Like I'll miss the fucking cabin and its lights!"

Drunk, angry and clearly wishing some time to himself, Vinnie stumbled into the woods away from the cabin and his two friends; he wandered deeper into my domain. I knew what he intended. Any quiet prayers to his consciousness to cease his carelessness fell on deaf ears. The portly man pulled down the zipper of his shorts and pulled out his flaccid cock, looking something pitiful beneath his immense belly. The moment the golden stream came pouring out, his fate was sealed.

“Vincent Di Adamo." Perhaps in his drunken haze, he had ignored my words as the wind or his imagination so I spoke once more. “Vincent Di Adamo."

“Shut up, Mikey," he snarled over his shoulder. “I ain't falling for your Scooby-Doo shit."

Patience was a common virtue amongst we forest spirits but after centuries of abuse from humans, my tolerance for humans had run dry.

“I am not your pompous, blue-haired friend, Vincent!" I roared but with a voice quiet enough that none of those at the cabin could hear. My strength was quickly waning as spirits such as I were not designed to do more than gently nurture the land around us. Drastic measures had to be taken, however, and it would all start with this tubby, foul-mouthed human.

Mustering my strength, I gathered my essence in front of him. Stream of gentle, green light swept in from all directions, coalescing into a gaseous mass in front of him. Vincent's eyes doubled in size and he quickly rubbed them in disbelief. Whether or not it was out of disbelief or shock at my appearances, a burst of his urine shot from his member and splattered against the tree. It was not meant in any disrespect to me, I was sure, but urinating on my trees in any situation was not acceptable.

“W – w – what the fuck!?" stammered the pale-skinned man.

“I am the spirit of this forest," I began. “For too long have I endured you humans befouling my land. The reckoning of you and your kind begins now."

Vinnie held out his hands in surrender. “Whoa dude! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to piss on your tree! My buddy Sid was just –"

“Silence!" That one cry alone was enough to cut my waning strength in half. I had to act fast. “My decision to condemn mankind began long before you decided to urinate on an ancient tree much older than you. No. You and all your kind will be punished for what you have done."

A sense of bravado came to the surface in the man's round, black eyes. “What are you gonna do to me, huh? If you were strong enough to actually do something you would've done it long ago! Like you said, you wanted to fuck us humans over for a long time."

Perhaps he was not as inebriated as I had thought. Nevertheless, he had point. If I could smile, I would have.

“You have a point, boy." He visibly relaxed at my words. “But what I intend was only missing an opportunity. An opportunity you have provided."

“What the fuck are you –"

I would not let him utter another syllable of profanity in my forest. With his mouth agape like that, I plunged myself down his throat. Green, wispy energies flooded into his system, letting out a scintillating, pulsating glow as my essence infused into every vein, muscle and bone in his body. A moral frame was not designed to house more than one soul and his – as robust as it was – still could not house both our spirits.

That was something that I would quickly remedy. Countless millennia of existence, eons of nurturing my little slice of Earth and seemingly an eternity of watching these apes rove around the world easily overpowered his struggling soul. It writhed in my spiritual fingers, a miniscule worm standing against a titan. Like a needle and thread, I sowed the strands of his soul to myself. The energy I had spent manifesting myself in front of the knuckle dragging fool and then injecting myself into his physical form was quickly replenished. That is something one had to admire about humans and any creature with a physical body, for that matter. They drew sustenance for their soul from their experiences, their bodily pleasures and all their senses. A spirit such as I had been drew our strength from our environment, one that these humans had quickly began corrupting with their concrete towers, choking smoke and foul litter.

No more.

For now I had a physical body.

Vincent's mind was still very much his own even though his soul had been detached. A wave of heat and panic erupted from him as he regained control of his limbs for the briefest of moments. My focus was on forging this vessel into one that would better suit me. Let him struggle and make his protests. Even should his companions come to help, it was too late for him and them.

The first point of order was those pitiful legs of his. It was an affront to nature that he would have such a well-developed upper body and his legs were left to wither like twigs. In the wild, an animal in a similar predicament would be considered diseased and would be dead the next time a predator caught sight of him. Every jolt of panic, fear and anger empowered me all the more and I directed those energies towards his feet.

A throbbing sensation rippled up from his toes like there were ten separate hearts throbbing at the end of his feet. The strength left his limbs and he tumbled onto his reach. The impact sent a shock through his body that only fuelled my work all the more. The more he struggled, the stronger I became and the more his body felt my radiant energies seep through his frame, the more control I gained over every part of his hefty frame. Even just waiting three seconds allowed his constant fear to give me enough power to manifest streams of brilliant, green energies to curl around his legs like twisting arms or branches and reach for his toes.

They were my ethereal hands which I used to shape his form. He grit his teeth, groaning in agony as I reached into his feet and compelled the cells there to divide, to grow and to reshape themselves. The constant throbbing of his toes pushed the fabric of his kicks, his digits squirming against the tan material. Inch by inch, his toes grew bigger, straining against his shoes. A decisive rip heralded the freedom of his big toe. The ensuing wave of relief was enough to power the emergence of the other toes.

The rest of his foot was not to be neglected. With the structure of the shoe weakened, it was easier to funnelled more strength into the broad front of his already large feet. He was even so kind as to wiggle his new enlarged appendages to kick off the base of the pitiful garments. This left him with what one could only interpret as little 'sleeves' hanging around his ankles. My amusement echoed into his soul and the drunken frat boy giggled before he realised that such a feeling was not his own.

Good. Though his soul still struggled, it was losing this battle and would soon be truly mine.

My work on his feet still unfinished, I focused my energies around his toes. The ethereal green tendrils seeped into each appendage. The throbbing of his toes became more and more intense so much so that his ears pounded with their rhythm. All ten pulses became almost indistinguishable from one another like the rapid, constant assault of loud drums. It was the crescendo of falling water from an approaching rainstorm, the rising rumble of a clap of thunder, the growl of a beast preparing to strike.

A moan left his lips. I had certainly not intended to make this pleasurable for him but the strange cocktail of chemicals from his brain had turned the transformation into something of an excitement. To him, it was like he was constantly stretching his muscles and experiencing a massage on the impacted limb over and over again. While it would have been hypocritical of me not to make this more uncomfortable to him as I was punishing him, the positive energies that flooded from his soul only made me stronger. He was fully aware that he should not be enjoying this but could not help himself.

A good indication he would be a willing attendant.

The beating in his softened from ten loud drums pounding endlessly, vying for his and my attention to four, distinct, deafening gongs that had Vincent gasping and gagging with every thunderous pound. The toes from his middle toe to pinkie toe collided with one another. Flesh melded into one, muscles merging. Bones rubbed against one another, twisting together to form a single appendage. Similarly, his big toe and the other index toe merged though it seemed more like the big was greedily devouring the index and growing all the bigger for it. His nails were not exempt from the transformation as they grew and extended past the reach of his toes, growing black and curving downwards. They rapidly expanded before sweeping outwards and capping the two remaining toes on each foot as two, mighty hooves.

“Oh fuck!" Vincent cried.

His profanity irked me but his shock allowed me to spread the change up his vascular, enlarged feet. Rich, dark brown fur crawled out from where his hoof met his toe. It spread rapidly over his foot and even along the underside. His hands dug into the wet soil in horror as the fur smoothened out, becoming a beautiful, glossy pelt that covered his feet. A swell of pride filled me and it was mirrored in his mind and soul as well.

“Fuck… Such big, fucking feet… So big… so manly… Urgh." He grimaced, clutching the side of his head as he valiantly tried to resist me. “No! Get out! Get out!"

“No Vincent," I boomed into his mind. “You are mine."

To emphasise my point, he pumped my power through his withered calves. Such big feet deserved equally big legs, after all.

“Y – Yeah…" Vincent moaned. “Big… Big calves." He blinked several times. “Fuck! That's not me!"

Deny it as me might, I knew him well now that his soul was bound to mine. The fool hated 'legs day'. Though he knew it made him look somewhat grotesquely out of proportion, his experiences with working out his legs had left him with pained memories and it acted as a deterrent to further develop his lower body.

Well, Vincent, you should be happy with my gift.

Blood and my power pumped through his veins and he moaned loudly. His shin stretched longer, a sound like leather being torn filling the forest. An already skinny calf muscle was stretched tauter by the rapid grown in the lower half of his leg. A whine left his lips as the familiar sensation of having a calf muscle stretched filled him all the while, he watched his changed feet pull further and further away from him.

The threshold between pleasure and pain quickly approached and before his muscles snapped in two, I filled them with my power. The almost twig-like calves ballooned out. Sparse brown hairs were made almost invisible against the thick, bulging muscles that stretched his skin and caused thick veins to pulsate against his skin. Two clear mounds of muscle stuck out on either side of his shin looking permanently flexed even though he was strangely relaxed.

Satisfied with my work, I released the floodgates to the fur around his feet. Their suddenly release caused his ankle to erupt, bridging the gap between massive hooved feet and meaty calves. Remnants of his shoes flew away as the silky, brown fur rushed up his legs and stopped just where the hem of his shorts met. Once those shorts had almost reached his ankles but now, with the new growth, they were just hanging by his knees.

Speaking of which, I locked his knees in place, making him whimper. Showing impressive flexibility, he twisted his toes.

“P – Please…" he pleaded. “N – N – No more…"

“I cannot do that, Vincent. Your body is mine and it must be reshaped to fit my needs."

“But what about –"

He never got to finish as I quickly went to work on his thighs. The young man threw back his head and let out the first primal cry he had ever let out in his life and it echoed through the woods, no doubt reaching the ears of his comrades. This came from the sudden surge of muscle and strength that caused his thighs to erupt within the confines of his shorts. Vincent had to close one eye in agony as the ethereal green tendrils seeped into his quadriceps, feeding them more and more strength and urging them to lengthen and grow.

Stubbornly, the fabric refused to budge against my influence. The more power I pumped into his frame, the tighter the garment hugged his shape. Even when each muscle group became heavily pronounced against the tan material and the hem had ground its way halfway up his thighs, it refused to tear. Why humans wear these foolish things I could never understand.

I decided to put my attention elsewhere and drove towards his rump. He let out a cry, falling onto his back and arching it as both his hands cupped his flabby buttocks. Right beneath his fingers and within the confines of his shorts, I transformed the fat stored there into hardened muscle. His frame needed support from all angles, after all, and as the muscles hardened, I shaped it into the perfect bubble shape where if tensed, the sound of the cheeks slapping together would be akin to a thunderclap. Their size doubled but it was still out of proportion so I tripled its size.

Only then did the satisfying tearing nose of the seat of his pants herald the defeat of the pesky shorts. The moment that first seam gave way, the rest of the garment began falling apart. They split open along his thighs, shreds of tan flying off in all directions to leave him in his tight, confining white briefs while the rest of his – my – enormous thighs were finally left to breath. The wave of relief that overcame Vincent was rewarded by the rush of brown fur that crawled over the hardened muscles. The insides of his thighs, however, were composed of a lighter, fluffier white fur.

“This is unreal…" he moaned. His hands wandered towards his cock which was surprisingly hard and throbbing under his briefs. “Why… Why the fuck does this feel so good…?"

Poor confused human. Such primal instincts and emotions. It was a pleasure to turn this creature's complex lifestyle into something simpler. Where once his life had been about college courses, girlfriends and familial expectations, soon it would be nothing but utter devotion to me and my forest.

Even without prompting, Vincent hurriedly dug his nails into the fabric of his briefs and tore them clear off. He was only left with the elastic waistband that strained against his rotund belly. His erect five and half inch cock had been warped with its foreskin missing, a practice that I never understood amongst human males. Nevertheless, I would change that. Such a tool – while average against men of his size – was miniscule against my body.

He was becoming more and more synchronised with my needs as he cupped his balls in one hand. My green tendrils wrapped around his arm, guiding him while he panted eagerly. A moan left his lips, his mind befuddled by the overwhelming arousal that flooded him. The power of the forest seeped into his balls. The orbs throbbed, jostling against his sac like they were thrashing to get out. Every jump caused them to double in size. His palms were quickly filled by the orange-sized testicles, almost causing his erect dick to vanish against their twin orbs. And yet they continued to grow and he was forced to push his new legs wide as they became two, furry coconuts hanging between his legs.

“Holy fuck!" he cried.

I took a moment to make my disgust at his profanity known and he clasped his other hand over his lips in embarrassment.

“Vinnie!?"

The cry came from somewhere behind us in the direction of the cabin. Vincent renewed his struggle against my influence and he twisted his head around.

“Mikey!? Toby! Help me!"

But his fear and even hope of being rescued only fed me more and I knew exactly how to make him compliant. My focused went to his cock and he let out a loud, deep moan. He knew what was coming and it was with a deep flush against his cheeks that he turned his attention back to his throbbing member. Despite his weak protests, I knew he wanted it. His eyes pleaded for it.

I guided his fingers towards his cock, wrapping them around the tool in the way that he was most familiar with. The moment they touched his flesh, I began my work. His moan was even louder this time as – like his balls – is lengthened and widened his member. Hot precum was pouring out of his circumcised cock as it surged up to seven inches within the span of a second. The sensation of a cock hardening from arousal hit him a second time with the growth and it resonated with me as well. I could see why humans were so obsessed with procreation and how they came to have such an immense population.

Seven inches was still too small for my liking and the sensation of growth was somewhat addictive. Another three inches was tacked onto the overall length with another inch in width. A sound like a thick, bubbling soup accompanied the second burst and this time, Vincent could not resist holding onto his member with both hands, shamelessly, tugging at it. The feeling of two, warm hands on my member was definitely something that I could get used to but I was still not done.

“You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Vincent howled as he felt his member vibrating with my strength again.

Now with both hands wrapped around the cock, I was free to push more energy into it and it visibly widened in his grip. His fingers were pushed apart with the thickening member and his open-mouthed gawk was quickly stuffed by the thick, pulsating head of his own dick. The hot precum that poured from his enormous balls dribbled down his chin, getting stuck in his chinstrap beard.

I would not let him orgasm. Not yet. I would never be able to accomplish my work if he came. His body was my body and I could already tell that should he reach orgasm, we would both be in a state of afterglow that would be akin to being inebriated, at least in our current hybrid state.

So I reluctantly continued to work. His hips snapped, twisting left and right in sharp, jerking motions. Vincent doggedly clung onto his member while it was being pushed from side to side by the widening of his hips to compensate for his new monstrous legs. He fell on his back once more and began wildly thrusting into the air. This gave me the opportunity to spread the fur over his rear, leaving a smear of white just between his butt cheeks.

I touched at the base of his spine tentatively and his entire body shuddered with the connection. When I smiled, so did he and I gently pulled at his tailbone. Just a little bit. Flesh grew into a flexible nub. The fur swept over it into a bushy, leaf-like formation predominantly brown but with a flare of white on the underside.

Satisfied with the little, cosmetic change, I turned my attention to the boy's torso. The belly, while appealing in its own way, was not something I would desire on my body. Thus, the fat began to bubble and churn away, sinking back and its energy rapidly being transformed into raw muscle to fill the rest of his body. Too late did I realise I had severely miscalculated the size of my cock. When I had grown it from Vincent's five-and-a-half-inch prick, extra length had to be applied to curve around the boy's belly to reach his lips. Now that the belly was gone, that extra length was no longer needed and it easily passed his mouth, dripping precum all over his face like a fountain.

Oh well. So much the better.

The redistributed fat and its subsequent energies funnelled into his abdominal muscles. There were woefully underdeveloped so I funnelled them with size and strength, forming a wall of eight, powerful slabs that almost caused his bellybutton to disappear entirely under their mass. The loose shirt and vest he wore tightened around his chest as I pumped muscles and strength straight into his chest. He moaned, mouth no longer full of my cock as the discomfort of restraining clothes resurfaced this time on his torso. He clawed at his vest but was blinded by precum to see of a way to free himself.

No matter. I had an abundance of strength and having learned my lesson around his shorts, I began working along his back and spine. With his lengthened legs, his upper body had to naturally grow as well. His groaning was accompanied by a choir of snapping bones and stretching muscles. The shirt and vest rode upwards from his waist, exposing each chiselled abdominal once by one until they could rise no more. His dick was now more reasonably nestled at the base of his pectoral muscles but still having to deal with the miserable clothing.

That would disappear soon as I funnelled my strength into his lats. The boy had grown as long as he would grow. Now it was time to grow wide. He moaned, clutching his temples with both hands and inadvertently giving me the room to expand his back. Hard ridges of muscles pressed up against his skin and stretched the fabric of his clothes. The zipper let out a loud tearing noise of surrender as it slipped down to its base before his shirt quickly followed suit and tore right down the middle.

A gasp of relief left him and he immediately seized the garments, trying to tear them off. But his shoulders were rapidly growing under my influence and they were quickly becoming stuck. Prone on his back, he could do nothing so he hurriedly rose to his feet, standing at the full 8'9'' of my form. He ripped his shirt aside and tossed its precum-soaked material onto the ground in time to see the brown and white fur sweep up his chest. His eyes widened at the size of his shelf-like pectorals that he had to peer over just to see his abdominals. Those eyes widened even more at the sight of two, hard, erect nubs positioned at the first set of abdominals just underneath his pectorals.

There was a brief moment of shock there where he wondered what those nipples were doing there but just by absently thinking that that is how other stags were built, he accepted it as truth. His big, beefy arms lost all fat around them and developed into immense instruments of my will. Instruments that he used to scratch at the soft, white fur that covered his chest.

The ethereal green of my influence seeped into his flesh, merging with it. We were becoming one and there was no longer a need to outwardly influence his form. He was doing it as much as I was. Vincent lifted his hands, blinking at them and wondering why they looked so wrong. His middle and index finger stuck together as did his ring and pinkie. Just as with his toes, the melded into two distinct appendages but they kept their nails, albeit thick and blackened. This thumb tripled in size to match his new, enormous palms and brother digits.

Vincent gawked at his hands for another moment before he closed his eyes and clutched his temples. His shaggy brown hair lengthened, running partway down his neck into a luxurious, dark mane. Two pointed nubs jutted out from between his fingers, rising upwards, branching out quickly adding another two feet to his height in the form of a mighty forty-pronged set of horns.

“Good boy, Vincent," I chuckled softly. “You are mine. Your body is mine. Through you, I will restore balance. Worry not, my child. I am not done with you yet."

Vincent's dull, black eyes began to glow an ethereal green beneath his fluttering eyelids. A dopey almost blissful smile crossed his still-human features. “Yes… father…"

Father. I like that.

As I took full hold of Vincent's form, he pushed my visage out of his. His flat, human face pushed outwards into a strong, stag's muzzle. I kept the omnivorous teeth, however, as I would require sustenance to maintain my activities. The chinstrap beard I debated but I decided to keep it as well though I made it slightly thicker to help outline my strong, strapping jawline. As a finishing touch, I focused my efforts upon my temple. A small, green gem pushed out from my flesh. A second pair of horns curled around my temple, forming an inbuilt circlet of antlers. A little sign of vanity and pride on my part as lord of these woods.

I glanced down at my immense cock, now wonderfully uncircumcised and coloured the same as my fur. Still appearing human for the most part, the flesh up its two-foot length was brown in colour but the head glands were a bright pink. It dripped with need and there was nothing more that I desired than to see to it. However, I was still connected to the forest and I saw through the eyes of trees that both Michael Vu and Tobias Roman had been standing a few feet behind me long enough to witness their friend's features transform into mine.

“Hello boys," I rumbled. It was refreshing to be able to communicate to these mortals without having to expend so much energy. Having a physical body certainly had its advantages. Vincent's soul squirmed in excitement within my own, providing more fuel to my titanic form.

“Holy shit!" Mikey exclaimed, backing away with one arm raised defensively. “Vinnie!? Is that you?"

“Language, child," I chastised, raising a finger and waggling it at him. “Your friend Vincent now rests within me. Worry not. You shall join him soon enough in your punishment and servitude."

Toby quivered where he stood. All his bravado and masculinity was immediately thrown out the window in the face of an imposing threat. The dyed-blonde boy was already turning his body to flee while Michael at least had some courage and stood his ground. “Who the fuck are you!?"

As a spirit, I had no name. Unlike other spirits, I did not need worshipers and usually it was worshipers who gave a spirit their name. Something that mortals needed to identify with the soul that they were tying themselves to. However, a name would be needed. Humanity needed a name to strike fear in their hearts and to herald their oncoming punishment.

Something Vincent had called me resounded with me.

'Father'.

“I am the Woodfather," I rumbled. “And I have stood by in silence long enough while you humans tarnished my forests. Now it is time for all of you to pay for your careless actions."

“Like hell we will!" Mikey shouted, bringing up his meaty fists. “Give us back our friend!"

An amusing thought. Credit had to be given to the stocky man. His courage was at least solidified. The same could not be said about Tobias. An almost girlish squeal escape from the youth's broad, full lips before he turned and ran back to the cabin – or at least he thought it was in the direction of the cabin. Mikey let out a gasp of surprise, looking utterly confused as his friend abandoned him to the big, bad brute that had possessed his friend.

It was time to test this body's physical prowess. The long, powerful legs carried me easily through the forest after the fleeing man. Between his ragged, panicked breaths and the sound of his flipflops slapping against his heels, it was easy to track him. Despite my size, this was still my forest so I wove easily between the towering trees deeper into my domain. Toby had been turned around in his panic and only fled further away from the forest.

As tempting as it was to lead me on a merry chase for longer – the exhilaration of using these muscles was something I had never experienced before – I had left Michael unattended. Though I was confident the boy would come to me eventually, humans were unpredictable at best. Haste was prudent but not so much as to discard the pleasures of the chase and this body.

Tobias, despite his fitness, was not much of a runner and he constantly tripped over himself. Sandals were not made for running. Somehow, he managed to keep them on his feet even as he planted face first into the dirt. Scrambling onto his back, he started at me wide-eyed, whimpering like a mewling pup.

“C – c – come on, bro," he pleaded. “D – D – don't do this!"

Trying to appeal to Vincent, it seemed. The soul within me writhed in anticipation. He wanted company and he yearned – no, lusted – for his friend to join him.

Such a good boy.

“Do not worry, Tobias, my boy," I said with a benevolent smile. “You will enjoy this, I promise."

Reaching down, I seized his arm, his fingers nearly engulfing the entire limb as I pulled him to his feet. He slammed against my chest, head nestling just beneath my pectorals. With by enormous member between us, eagerly dripping precum down his chest, he whimpered and squirmed, trying to break free. In one, swift movement, I pulled him up towards my chest, nestling him squarely at eyelevel. His instincts took over and he immediately wrapped his legs around my waist in a vain attempt not to fall. As if realising that he was only gripping me tighter, he flailed those legs, trying to kick my flanks awkwardly. His right sandal dropped to the ground in his thrashing.

His clothes were still in the way and I tore his singlet off while cupping his admittedly firm rump with my other hand.

“H – hey!" Toby complained, reaching after the falling green fabric. The skin-on-fur contact exposed his soul to me. Our physical bodies were touching at long last and I could feel his fear radiating outwards like a cloud. I used that strong emotion as an anchor. I tugged at it, pulling it closer to me and hungrily devouring it. Another force helped. Vincent's soul was nestling into his role as my attendant – perhaps as my 'son' – and lent what strength he could into drawing his friend in to my warm, fatherly embrace.

Physically, Toby's fearful hyperventilating was easing and his wild, darting eyes locked with mine. I soothed him gently like a baby in my arms. My big hands stroked his back, gently brushing his dyed hair and slowly drawing him towards my chest. Bit by bit, his fear vanished and when it was all gone, there was only curiosity and a sense of arousal that the puckish Vincent had implanted into the boy. There was merit in the tactic for as Toby's six inch dick began pressing against his underwear, he did not oppose me tearing the garment off and leaving him completely bare of all clothing.

“That's it, my child," I cooed. “You are mine."

Toby shut his eyes, shaking in fear. “W – W – what are you g – g – gonna do to me?"

I smiled gently and looked down at his adorable, curious features. “I am going to reunite you with your friend. Vincent is waiting, Tobias. He is waiting within me."

Toby's eyes turned towards the cleft of my pectorals. “Vinnie…" he whimpered softly. His hands roved my soft fur, feeling the striations the muscles made beneath the white fur. He right hand stopped just over my mighty, pounding heart. The mighty, beating organ send shockwaves reverberating through him and he quivered in delight. An almost drunken smile crossed his features and his eyelids fluttered. A plethora of emotions washed through him as Vincent reached out to him, welcoming him and urging him to give himself to me.

“I'm coming Vinnie…" he moaned. “I – I – I'm coming!"

The double meaning behind the exclamation became evident as his cock was hit by spasms and his man milk squirted against my abdominals. Such a primal reaction. I approved. His fingers dug into my chest from the reaction and he shuddered with the throbbing of my heart. Every pulsation was like a breath. He exhaled sharply with every bump and in the space in between each thump, he was pulled closer into me.

His fingers sank into my flesh. Delicate pink skin moisturised to prevent callouses from his workouts melded with my muscles, providing more fuel for my development. Bones melted into me, every inch lost bringing Toby deeper and deeper into me. He moaned loudly and his legs tightened around my flanks. His strong muscles were no match for my own and they were rapidly being consumed by my abdominals, deltoids and yes, even my pectorals. All the while, he held a euphoric expression on his face while his cock ejaculated for a second time in rapid succession.

The boy was now pushing himself into me, prostrating his soul before me. Vincent was eager to bring it in but I had to be careful not to damage this body. Again, a mortal form was not designed to carry more than one soul and even with this modified physique, three souls would be too much. I had to reshape it further to ensure that it could contain all the power I was receiving.

The sensation of growth and stretching after a long workout radiated out of Vincent and I could feel the very same euphoria pumping through my veins. Plump pectorals undulated beneath Toby's hands, growing outwards and consuming his flesh like a starved wolf. He moaned in tandem with Vincent's soul as his body became one with mine. The third orgasm that rocked his body flooded into my senses and my own member throbbed, making its desire for release very well known. Still was it repressed. Now was not the time to slip into a quite slumber.

Muscles and fur grew outwards. Toby was not so much sinking into my chest as my torso was growing to consume him. His elbows sank into the hard, toned flesh. There was a moment of fright in his eyes and he stopped pushing for a brief moment and tried to pull himself free. This was only to allow for his member, squeezed between my abdominal muscles, to let out a fourth, dry orgasm. Exhaustion quickly wreathed his body in gentle warmth but the sweat drenching his body and the cold winter air made him shiver. I wrapped my powerful arms around him not only to bring him closer to me, accelerating our merger, but also to provide the youth with comfort.

I stroked his hair gently, gently hushing him as his pants turned into needy whines. “There, there, my child," I soothed. His gaze lifted just as his chin sank into the cleft of my pectorals. Those bright blue eyes fluttered momentarily before burning with an unearthly green light. Lips peeled open in one last, silent gasp as his fifth and final orgasm as a human blasted his body even though the lower half of his body had all been absorbed into my chiselled stomach. The mounds of my pectorals engulfed his features, closing in around his high cheekbones, wrapping around the sides of his head until even his shining green eyes disappeared in the taut valley of muscle. As a tribute to just what a good boy he had been, I allowed his long, blonde hair to remain sprouting from my chest. It spread with a faint tickling sensation to form a bush that trickled downwards towards my crotch.

Never before had I considered the idea of a 'treasure trail or even pubic fur but these two humans were proving enlightening. Their young minds still recalled the elation at having the first few strands of hair sprout from their groins, a sign of sexual maturity and adulthood. To cast an intimidating visage upon those that would destroy the forest, I had to adopt such an image. A natural blonde fuzz sprouted around my enormous tool, gently wreathing my coconut-sized testicles but without hiding the underlying white fur beneath.

Tobias' extra mass had added another half a foot to my overall size in all directions. He was simply brimming with energy and now that he was reunited with Vincent, the two incorporeal souls coiled around one another, happily dancing around one another in a coupling that would put any form of mortal lovemaking to shame. This was a union that went beyond mere flesh. It was a bonding of two souls. The raw emotions and energies that thrashed between them filled me all the more and my both throbbed in excitement. These two, young bucks would make me burst!

Changing their strength into corporeal mass would have to wait, however, as the courageous Michael chose that moment to pounce. Launching from one of the thicker branches above me, he latched onto my back, drawing a miniscule pocket knife while desperately clinging onto my wide neck.

“Let him go you freaky fuck!" he shouted. His blade plunged into my neck. Pain was not a new sensation. Millennia of forest fires, biting cold and – recently – deforestation had grated at my soul. Physical pain was no different and with the boundless energies that the two souls I had devoured provided, it was a simple matter to simply pull the knife deeper into me, melting the metal and plastic while dragging Michael's hand into my neck at the same time.

Too late did the muscly youth realize his mistake and his fingers had already sunk into the thick, corded muscles of my neck.

“Fuck! Shit!" he cried, desperately trying to yank away his arm.

The physical connection was established and added to that the fact that he was deprived of most clothing apart from his shorts, it was a simple matter to channel my desires into his form. The wild lust from Vincent and the desire of companionship from Tobias pulled at his soul. His other hand gripped my fur and was immediately pulled in. Tobias seized that arm, channelling his soul through Michael's meaty arm and reaching for the youth's essence, pulling it towards me. Vincent took his friend's lead and pull from the other arm, both forces pulling Michael into me but from different angles.

There was much to learn from these two and on the nature of humans. Vincent filled Michael's mind with perverse thoughts and stimulated his body. There was no denying the young man's erection tenting his shorts. The battery of pleasure caused Michael to buck his hips against the rigid muscles of my back. Tobias, in the meantime, was more charming. Warm thoughts of companionship, affection and tenderness lured Michael in, allaying his fears and making his struggling physical form go limp.

Michael's soul struggle was quickly ended and his eyes glowed the same ethereal green glow that shone from my own. A soft moan rose from his lips as he hung from his merging limbs almost like a pack slung around my back. His impressive build fed my own body and with every inch of his form that sunk into mine, that same sensation of growth flooded veins, muscles and bones. A sound like groaning wood filled the forest with my growth and as my back expanded, Michael found himself sinking further and further into the valleys of my muscles.

He, in turn, fed me the concept of masculinity and pride. Flexing my back and feeling just how small he was against my frame filled me with this immense desire to become bigger, to show others just how small they were and to have them worship my thick, vascular limbs that embodied my strength. I never understood how deities could sustain themselves on the faith and belief of mortals until now. The prospect of having smaller creatures revering me was far too intoxicating to dismiss especially if the power these three devotees offered was but a simple sample of the buffet to come.

Like my absorption of Tobias, Michael's essence provided me with incredible power that made every muscle and limb feel bloated and ready to explode. Despite the eager youngster's urging to become bigger, I refrained from building my body further. Any bigger and my presence would be far too conspicuous. As powerful as I felt now, humanity still held the upper hand if only on sheer numbers alone.

Though my form was awe-inspiring, Michael's ambition to be more masculine and intimidating, to stand out as unusual – hence his oddly coloured hair – struck me sound reasoning. This was where I decided to direct the energies he provided me. Arcane runes wrapped around my thighs, ribbons of brilliant green runes in the Old Tongue sweeping over my tense muscles. They curled all the way down to my calves, just kissing my ankles. No terrain would be too rough for my feet. Similar runes rolled down from his shoulders, curling around the bulges of my muscles and accentuating them. Mountains would quiver against my fists. Lastly, shining green light sprang from my back as the last of Michael's form vanished between my shoulder blades. His shorts and glasses fell to the ground as a circle of similar runes appeared against my back. The emblem of a broad oak with its roots curled around four diamonds arranged in a row decorated the centre of the rune circle. Its protections would shield me from some of mankind's weapons.

And yet even with these spells, the three souls within me provided me still with excess energy. It irked me to waste such power on a simple display or vanity but I could not contain it within myself for much longer. Thus, I kept the runes glowing a brilliant green while tiny, ethereal butterflies made of the pure, emerald energies of the forest flittered out of them. A delicate verdant aura surrounded me and cast a gentle glow in the darkness.

My cock throbbed, begging for attention. I cupped my testicles, chortling gently as I massaged their hefty size.

“Soon boys. We must collect your last brother, after all."

The three souls writhed in anticipation and pleaded for me to hurry. Turning to my left, far from the direction that Tobias had fled, I strode back towards the wayward cabin. Still connected to the forest, it was easy to tell that Sid had recovered from his bout of over-drinking. Impressively, he managed to stumble back onto the patio despite still heavily inebriated. Confusion was evident on his features as none of his friends were visible. He must have drunk far too much for his own stamina as he did not notice my approach until I was just a few feet from him.

“What the fuck…?" he mumbled. “Am I dreaming?"

“Yes Siddarth," I answered calmly. “And now, you shall awaken."

Seizing him by his shoulders, I spun the caramel-skinned youth around and them immediately tugged at his pants. He let out a short yelp as the fabric strained against his skin and genitals, toppling to the floor on his hands and knees as if he were presenting. No better position. My mighty hands clasped around his waist and lifted him up into the air. His flailing and useless screaming came to an abrupt halt when my throbbing member pushed up against his virgin hole.

“Ah!" he cried. His eyes bulged as he glanced downwards at the immense tool threatening to split him open. “Fuck! Don't do it, man! It won't fit!" Despite his protests, he was already spreading his legs for me. Such a good boy.

“Hush, my child," I soothed. “Your brothers await you."

He threw me a confused look over his shoulder. “My –"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off when my bulbous cock head pushed into his ass, the first drips of my manly fluids entering his body. Like all the others, his eyelids flickered and his dark brown eyes shone with my light. For a moment, he went limp, arms dangling uselessly by his side. His eyes stared off into space and his lips hung open in a stupor.

“Guys…?" he moaned softly. The souls within me used the intimate, physical connection to reach out to their lone friend, entangling his spirit with mine and pulling him into my embrace. “Go… with you…?" moaned Sid. A drowsy, almost drunken smile crossed his features. “It does… It does feel good."

His body visibly relaxed, allowing me to gently thrust my dick further and deeper into him. Though he could only take a fraction of my member, his entire body was already under my control. Every fibre of his being was mind to shape and, having learned from my other three boys, I sought to make this as pleasurable as possible.

Sid's own exposed member rose to attention, leading copious amounts of precum down his legs. His bare feet scraped against my balls, desperately looking for a foothold as he dangled there. Toes sank into the fur, called by his brothers. Flesh sank into flesh and the warmth radiating from his body filled my every pore. Bone, muscle and sinew disappeared into my balls, his legs pressing up against the vascular length of my dick and merging with the dark flesh. Veins pressed up against his thighs, feeding them and my dick with blood.

His limp posture went rigid, every muscle along his tight, toned, hairy body going stiff as thick veins as big as his arm rocketed up from where my cock was buried into his ass. They wormed their way up his legs, crawled along his back and pumped down his arms. As they reached his neck and face, he let out a choking gag. Thick, clear fluids exploded from between his lips, saltier than saliva.

There was a brief instant when he realised what was happened – what he was becoming – and he panicked, trying to struggle and flail his arms. That instant was fleeting with every throb of my cock. The warmth and elation of a plump dick reverberated to him and he embraced the assault with open arms. Thicker and thicker goo shot from between his lips and nostrils. No longer did he need to breathe. The hair that had dominated his form began to fall to the ground in clumps; every pulsation of my member shook more and more off him and his eyes became duller and duller.

Arms that had been so well maintained shrank, all their mass being pulled towards his body – my shaft. All definition that had once made him a delicious, toned, caramel hunk faded in favour of thick veins and a wide shaft. His shirt wrapped around his increasingly tubular form, legs all but becoming another blood vessel against the immense organ.

With what strength he had left, he tried to turn his head towards me but his neck quickly thickened. All bone melted into the broader mass. The skin around his shoulders loosened slightly, curling around what had been his chin as a distinct foreskin. The flesh around his head became extra sensitive, growing pinker and brighter even as it lots its rounded shape and became the distinct mushroom-shaped glands of a human. His spluttering vanished with the loss of his vocal cords and his lips permanently puckered to allow for a continuous stream of my fluids to dribble down my length. Those glowing green eyes glanced at me one last time, a notion of thanks and affection before closing permanently and completing his transformation.

Siddarth joined his brothers in my balls, now the size of watermelons. His soul multiplied the power radiating from my body exponentially and though I could not stop the energies from flooding out of me as a brilliant, green glow, I was satisfied. At long last, the foundation was set for my assault upon mankind.

Turning towards the grassy landscape around the cabin, I aimed my member, stroking the immense length that reached my muzzle. Pulling it towards myself, I felt the immense heat that that radiated from it, the need to release the payload that was churning in my balls. The boys wanted to their own bodies so that they may feel their flesh against mine. I would grant it to them. A sly smile on my muzzle, I kissed the head of my dick, quivering at the physical pleasure that came with the sensation.

“You have served me well thus far, my boys. Now, it is time to take your servitude to the physical realm."

I aimed my dick at the trees, my balls churning as they pumped my seed from their immense orbs and up the channels of my cock.

“Come, my children!" I bellowed loudly into the night. “Come to the Woodfather!"

My first orgasm was phenomenal. The feeling of hot seed pumping out of my dick made my knees weak as all my focus went to the euphoric sensations that rattled my entire body. The seed pushed up against the sensitive head of my cock like a battering ram to the gates of a mighty castle. Just one blow as enough to send the barrier splintering and there was a mixture of pain and pleasure, a blast of relief as my seed erupted from by pink cock head and came shooting out in a wide arc into the woods.

There was a moment of clarity as the first, gargantuan eruption splattered against the grass wherein I was able to tilt my cock ever so slightly to the right. Then the second blast came rushing out, faster than the first and past the already broken defences of my writhing body. Falling to my knees, I held my member aloft as it unleashed another blast that landed a fair distance away from the first.

Before I could catch my breath, by balls were already thrusting the third blast out and I barely had the time to turn again to the right before molten, white cum shot into the air and landed in a thick, deep puddle in the woods. Exhaustion quickly overwhelmed me but my cock and balls were relentless. They had one last payload to deliver and it was with the last of my strength that I turned it ever so slightly to the right once more and unleashed my final load for the night.

Exhausted and with the ethereal glow fading around me, I slumped into the ground, my cock still throbbing beneath me as a reminder of my accomplishments. The morning would bring a new dawn to the forests… and the dusk of mankind's fate.

Epilogue

As long as the environment that a spirit of nature governed remained untarnished, then that spirit would be rejuvenated. Often times, however, this process would take days and maybe even decades depending on the level of interference or influence a spirit exerted and the size of their domain. Great acts from spirits would lead to equally great periods of slumber where anything could happen.

It still came as a surprise, however, that as soon as the sun rose, I awoke to a chill. Covered in dew, my fur was slightly soaked. Though the energy from the previous night had left me, my domain replaced some of my strength. The majority of my power, however, came from the soul that undulated within my very being. My very essence had evolved. Not quite mortal. Not quite spirit either. A demigod perhaps. Further strength funnelled in from a short distance away, their taste familiar as the four boys that I had bound to my will.

A smile crossed my features at the sight of the four large pods that rose from the ground near the trees and exactly where I had spilled my seed the previous night. They were a cross between peapods and flower buds with a single divide or opening – currently tightly shut – down the centre and shaped like teardrops. I arose from the soft, moist ground, my hooved feet making no imprint on the grass despite my gargantuan size. The glow from the runes around my body had ebbed, making me less conspicuous but also diminishing their power somewhat. No matter. They would not be required in my sanctuary.

The first of the pods, the left most was clearly the most 'ripe'. Thick, white secretions oozed from the lip of the pod. My child within was clearly ready and I could smell the manly musk wafting from it. Its veiny flesh was soft to the touch and the being within happily greeted me with a quiet squirm. He was just waiting for my permission to emerge.

“Wake up, my child."

The lip of the pod happily opened and a rush of warm, sticky, alabaster goo came shooting out, pooling around my ankles. The walls of the pod remained erect as my magnificent son emerged from within. Vincent, born anew. Now standing at an impressive eight feet tall, just at my shoulders, he possessed the same broad, rounded shoulders that he had as a human. Thick arms with corded muscles and beautifully decorated by veins that almost seemed like vines stuck to a wall-like chest. His belly protruded just as far as his immense pectorals but they were decorated by the sight of his strong abdominals that also highlighted his second pair of nipples. This time, he now had a strong pair of legs, thicker than any part of his body, to carry his immense weight. His eyes glowed with brilliant green irises and twenty-prongs proudly sat atop his head. Like his father, he still bore the rugged chinstrap beard that was coloured a deeper, darker brown similar to his short, cropped hair. Unlike me, however, his fur was a smoother, creamier colour. Softer and more a singular colour. It was difficult to tell where the divide between the shorter fur around his body was compared to the fluffier, thicker fur on his chest.

“Good morning, father," he said, beaming brightly.

“Good morning, Vincent."

We embraced one another, my powerful arms wrapping around his stout frame in a very natural gesture. Our cocks vibrated. We were both without a sheath so it was easy to feel his arousal from his immense, foot-long, flaccid erection. Our lips met naturally, a gesture that was called 'kissing' from what I deduced from my boys. I liked it.

I pulled away from his reluctant tongue-play, smiling brightly. “Let us wake your brothers."

Vincent accompanied me to the second pod, of similar size to his own but slightly smaller. I brushed a finger along the lip of the shell and, again, I was greeted by a gush of cum as it opened.

Tobias emerged, more handsome than ever. He possessed the lean, fit body of a young buck with eighteen powerful prongs springing from his head. Blonde hair that was now natural tumbled down his head and sweeping alongside his leaf-shaped ears like a golden waterfall. His form was taut but without the signs of malnutrition or organ shrinkage that he had begun to show as a human. A torso so firm and with every muscle so defined that it could cut diamond sat atop a pair of long, strong legs. He was built far more proportionally than Vincent even if he was slightly shorter. Like his brother, he gazed up at me with reverent, green eyes.

“Father," he said lovingly, immediately moving to me and wrapping his arms around my waist. He nestled his head against my pectorals. “Thank you for making me see the error of my ways."

I stroked his beautiful, golden locks. “It was my pleasure, son. Soon you shall spread this enlightenment to the rest of the world."

We moved to the third pod, the biggest of them all and even bigger than I stood tall. There was a bit of trepidation on my behalf as I gazed upon the enormous size. I never had the opportunity to touch it as even before I began to reach for it, its lips opened and a torrent of cum came streaming out, soaking all three of us.

The earth heaved beneath me as the gargantuan Michael stepped out. He stood at an immense eleven and a half feet tall, taller than I. His antlers stuck out at twenty-six prongs and his cock and balls were clearly bigger than any of ours as he was forced to stride forward in a strut just to accommodate their sheer size. Every inch of his body was primal, animalistic masculinity. His thick muscles were covered in dense, dark brown fur and over that were streaks of black hair. The same hair covered his chest in a dark smear, something similar to his immense thighs. His green eyes burned with a fierce desire and the moment he saw me, he knelt down on one knee, bowing his head to me in reverence. Where once he had possessed inked arms, instead his fur pattern 'naturally' shaped the crest that I bore on my back as deep, black markings against his shoulders.

“Father," he rumbled, his voice so deep it shook the trees around him. “I devote myself entirely to you."

Smiling, I gently cupped his chiselled chin and brought it up to look at me directly. Our lips pressed against one another and the tension in his gargantuan body eased. Clearly he had been nervous about emerging, almost so self-conscious. It made me proud to see him as he was.

“Never doubt yourself, Michael," I said gently. “I love you as I love all my sons."

He smiled just as the fourth and last pod exploded outwards and Sid emerged.

Having spent the least amount of time within me, he was the one that retained most of his human qualities – something I was pleased about. His cunning was his most admirable feature even though he possessed the strong, fit body of a buck like his brothers. Though he was the shortest of the brother – only rising to 6'11'' without counting this sixteen-prongs – he was by no means any less impressive. His fur was the a soft, golden brown colour with a creamy white colouration on his chest. Dense, black hairs covered the majority of his body almost appearing like a dark aura around his body. He wore the same dark beard he did as a human but now it was more neatly trimmed and didn't show signs of mess from days of travel on the road. He was beautiful and his intelligent, green eyes met mine. Cunning as he was, there was no denying his affection for my cock and he immediately made a beeline for the tool that had brought him to my fold, hugging its sizeable length and running his tongue along its vascular shaft.

“My father," he rumbled.

“My sons," I said, pleased at the outcome before me. I brought them all into an embrace, holding them against me and feeling the warmth radiating from their bodies. “Our campaign against humanity begins now. We shall make humans pay for their sins against nature. We shall reconnect them with the very planet that they befouled! We shall make them like us!"

In unison, all four of my sons threw their heads back and shouted, “All Praise the Woodfather!"

Director’s Diaries

###

The world in question was designed to be self-sufficient, adaptive. The ‘spirits’ were, in truth, based on basic artificial intelligence technology. They were designed to have a singular goal based on the environment they lorded over. Several ‘spirits’ were designed to coordinate with one another while also being unaware of each other. A spirit of the trees was aware of the existence of the wind but not the AI that controlled it. An AI of the earth would feed the grass and foliage but remain ignorant of the spirit that governed the greenery. But the ‘Woodfather’ has defied all expectations.

It is a single artificial intelligence, a spirit, that has somehow gained the capacity to not only learn and adapt but also to control more than its primary function. Originally designed as a simple creature of the forest that governs the growth of trees, the Woodfather has evolved to become more than that. He has become a substantial threat to the entire reality.

The Conglomerate won’t interfere, however. Assets have been pulled out and facilities purged. The Woodfather will be contained within this planet as there is still a limit to its capacity for growth. It will only learn what it absorbs and if there is no one left that is aware of the Conglomerate, no trace of the Conglomerate, then it cannot grow in that capacity.

How the Woodfather develops will be interesting to observe.

Moreover, is the answer to how the Woodfather gained sentience in the first place.

I may have to call in the big guns on this one…