Morning rose, like a great beast beyond the mountains, rearing its huge bright head over the tops of the tallest trees and sprinkling everything it touched with a white, watery light.

Then a clear voice, as young and as ancient as spring, like the song of glad water flowing down into the night, from a bright morning in the hills, came falling like silver to meet them.

"Come wayward souls, and wander through the darkness, there is a light for the lost and the needy."

Dipper cracked his eyed open and blinked once, twice, quickly, against the harsh light of the sunrise. He rubbed his face and looked around.

He and Wirt were still resting against the fallen tree. The grass beneath his feet was wet with fresh dew. But surprisingly, there was no early morning birdsong. Instead, the voice Dipper could hear was deep, rich and soulful. It echoed around the entire forest, as though personifying the very trees.

"Sorrow and fear are easily forgotten," Dipper looked up quickly as the singing continued, trying to gauge the location of the singer. He glanced at Wirt, who was sleeping lightly. There were scratches from the tree he had been trapped in were all over his face, neck and hands. They were numerous and raw, but Dipper and was glad to see that he was looking a lot less pale. Sleep was doing him some good. Dipper smiled at his new friend. He seemed to no longer be in pain, and his hands, pulling his cloak around himself, were steady.

The singing went on, and suddenly Dipper couldn't stand it any longer. The song seemed to grip in his stomach and yank him forward, pulling towards the source, and Dipper was happy to allow himself to be swept along. The song promised of no more sorrow, or fear... It sounded wonderful.

Dipper stood slowly, tipsily, as though in a dream. He was about to set off in persue of the voice, when he felt a hand grab the back of his jacket and pull him harshly back to the floor. He landed hard on his bum, yelping, and scowling at Wirt, who was awake and still had the back of Dipper's jacket clutched his hand.

"What are you doing?" Dipper snarled. "Let me go!"

He struggled, trying to get Wirt off him, but Wirt held fast, saying,

"No, Dipper, stop. Wait."

"Why? Wirt, let go of me, you idiot! Can't you hear that singing?"

"Yes," Wirt said quietly. "I can."
He said it as though it caused him great pain.

"Then why on earth don't you want to get nearer to that gorgeous sound?" Dipper asked, exasperated. He pulled out of Wirt's grip.

"Dipper, don't-"

"For goodness' sake, Wirt!" Dipper snapped, rounding on him. "Leave me alone, will you?"

He went to storm off, but Wirt was suddenly infront of him, blocking his path. Dipper had had enough.

"Get out of my way," he said in a low voice, which didn't sound like his- it was much deeper. Wirt's eyed widened. He knew what was happening: the Beast had already begun dragging Dipper in.

He remembered with a stab to his heart how cold he had acted to Greg when the Beast had begun coiling around his soul. Dipper was acting just like he had. It was just lucky Greg had managed to get out of the Beast's grip, and got home, and it was even luckier the Dipper had saved Wirt from the Elderwood tree.

He couldn't let the boy who had saved him from that terrible fate befall to the same one.

"Dipper, please, you've got to listen to me-" he pleaded, but Dipper shoved him, and Wirt fell, hard, to the floor, smacking the back of his head on a stone.

Dipper immediately came out of his trance-like state.

"Oh my god, oh my god, I'm so sorry, Wirt, Wirt are you okay?"

He dropped to his knees beside Wirt and watched him whimper and slowly lift his scratched hand to his head. Dipper watched Wirt's dark eyes widen as he withdrew his hand to see it stained with blood.

"Dipper..?" Wirt whispered, looking terrified.

"Wirt!" Dipper dropped to his knees beside Wirt, and reached out to help, but Wirt flinched away from his touch. There was a steady flow of tears streaming down his cheeks, and Dipper didn't think they were only from pain.