post stories of strange happenings that don't really go anywhere

>be me
>boyscout
>hiking to a big cabin innawoods with some basic amenities to learn some basic things
>older scouts leading us to cabin along a clearly marked trail
>scoutmasters are further back watching some of the younger scouts go behind a tree
>we arrive at a clearing about halfway to the big cabin we're all staying in
suddenstop.jpeg
>biggest scout, Jake holding his arms out blocking us from going forward
"are we waiting" one of the guys i didn't know asks
"no, look at that tree" Jake says pointing at a dead tree in the middle of the clearing
"just a tree" Phil says walking towards it before stopping in his tracks "oh I see it now"
I had to squint my eyes to see but there was a heat haze radiating from the tree, like the kind you see in the desert
>one of the braver scouts walks up and touches it with the palm of his hand
"feels like a normal tree"
>we all just stood around the clearing entrance while some of the older scouts paced around the tree looking it up and down
>eventually scoutmasters catch up and seem as dumbfounded
>one suggests it might be about to catch fire
>other thinks it's cool to sit around and watch and wait
nothinghappens.jpg
>get back on the trail after a good half hour of nothing
>go to cabin
>lights out
>everyone wakes up borderline dehydrated
>lines form behind the sinks instead of the kitchen like usual
>everyone contently sipping from water bottles and canteens for the rest of the campout
>fast forward to the last day and nobody is thirsty anymore
>go back on the trail to the parking lot and the weird tree in the clearing is gone without a trace
>everyone confused but shrug it off,
>scoutmaster says it must've turned to dust completely and blown away
sometimes we would joke about the "sacred native tree of dehydration"