The Whispering Woods and the Lost Laughter

Previously

…The woods seemed to respond. A nearby fern unfurled with a sudden, vibrant green. A tiny, almost invisible shimmer of light pulsed around Barnaby. And then, from the deeper shadows of the trees, Lily heard it. A faint, tinkling sound, like distant wind chimes. It was shy, hesitant, but it was there. The Glimmer Sprites, perhaps, stirring from their solemn slumber. Barnaby, still chuckling, looked around, his eyes wide with a dawning wonder. The air, for the first time since Lily had arrived, felt a little lighter.