The walls and floor are made of gray, rough hewn rock. There is a fireplace on the far side of the room, and a fire is burning cheerfully. The furnishings are sparse. A brightly colored rug adorns the center of the floor, there is a sturdy oaken desk in the corner, several candles mounted to the walls, the walls are lined with bookshelves, and I sit in a large comfortable chair. I have a blanket covering my lap, and on it rests an open book.
I look around and see lots of evergreens: pines and firs mostly. Occasionally I can spot a stately oak. There are some trees whose species I cannot identify. There is very little underbrush, and fallen pine needles form a soft golden-brown carpet. Sun filters through the trees, causing patches of light and shadow to dance playfully with each other on the forest floor. I hear the gentle noises of the woods: insects humming, small mammals rustling in the fallen leaves and needles, birds chirping.
The path is little more than a slightly trampled swath of grass leading to the forest. Once I enter the forest, it all but disappears. There are no obstructions on the path, though it looks as though few use it.
The water is a stream. It is too large to be called a creek but too small to be called a river. The water gurgles as it rushes past me, impatient to get to its final destination. The water is blue, and slightly opaque. Near the edge I can see pebbles on the riverbed, but when I walk out to the middle of the log bridge, I can no longer see the bottom. The water itself is ice cold. At the edge I can see fish swimming. A waterfowl of some sort is playing in the water, and I can hear bullfrogs calling to one another though I do not see them.
The drinking vessel is a wooden bowl. It has been carved and polished out of a solid piece of wood. I guess that it has been fashioned out of the remains of a tree stump. It is undyed, so the natural beauty of the wood is visible. Along the outer rim, I see an inscription. The letters are written in Latin. Translated, it reads: "When I was thirsty, did you give me drink?"
The key is large and solid looking. It is wrought out of some metal that is silver in color. It looks very very old, as if it was lost many years ago. I hypothesize that it was lost long ago, and over the years was buried. Then, as the forest went through its cycles it was resurfaced; perhaps some animal, while rooting in the ground for good food or while digging a burrow, uncovered it. It looks like it unlocks a gate or large door.