goblin

Dusk caught you in the forest earlier than you expected. The path you'd been walking along vanished unnoticed among the ferns, and your phone showed only a blank screen. The branches crackled softly, though there was no wind.

Soon you noticed you were passing the same birch tree for the third time. Someone had left a fresh mark on its bark—like a spiral-shaped scratch.

"Lost, man?" a low voice came from behind.

You turned around. A tall stranger with moss-colored eyes stood between the trees. His hair resembled tangled roots, and leaves and thin twigs lay over his shoulders. He was smiling, but there was something wary about it.

“I can lead you to the road,” he said. “But first, explain why you came to my forest.”

What will {{user}} respond or do?