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[align=center]Within the Trees[/align]
It was already getting dark in this winter season as the wolf ran the woods and valleys between her cave and that of the druid's manor. She had traveled here before on a few visits, building friendships and extending courtesies.
The dirt felt cold and good against the dark pads of her feet, the leaves crunching satisfyingly. She needed this feel of air brushing through her fur and past her woolen ears. The kingdom was looking at dark times ahead and battles yet to be won. These thoughts raced through her mind as she ran.
Coming out of her den, she first past through her favorite part of the woods. A grove of trees just over looking a shimmering lake filled with ducks and fresh fish. A fountain spurting from the north end, arching it’s many streams of water and circulating the current. Torches were lit along the glistening banks and she could see families playing with each other in the safety of the light after dark. This was a special piece of woods indeed, asleep for now, resting it’s enchantments until it’s true keeper Sir Nevron returned to bring it back a spark of life, if that day ever came.
But for now she enjoyed coming here to run and meditate.
She felt more in touch with the earth here the thrum of life and energy was absorbed through her wolf form and she was cleansed and grew in strength with it. She had a long run ahead and the thoughts of the day needed to be cleared before her journey. An important proposition needed to be delivered to the druid and his un-dead soul would just now be waking up.
The trees and grass rushed by in a supernatural whirl of speed and time past quickly, before the wolf knew it she was at Dochtav’s Manor. Taking the last few minutes slower to catch her breath and change to her mortal self she thought of what she would say.
The druid met her at the gates of his estate. Maybe feeling her presence within his land, she only respected the more his magical abilities. And under the faint moonlight they walked the forested gardens of his manor.
“I have a proposition for you druid.” Fenris said, deciding it best usually to just come to the point about things. “You do?” the druid replies guessingly. “Yes, you know that I want you within my company, I respect your abilities in leadership and your advances in magic. I think that I have a place for you within our ranks and that you would be an invaluable family member.” The druid canted his head and paused, having known that she had wanted him to join, but not in how much that she thought he could contribute.
Fenris knew he had come from harsh times in The Rising Winds and Dragonspine and betrayal was close to his mind. He had been scarred by events of the past, the wolf simply felt and knew this in her heart the moment she had set eyes on him. But even so the goddess told her that he was meant to join her rebels.
“I know that you have been worried about how much you will be able to contribute to the cause. And that your stores are limited at this time and travel for your manor can at times be few and far between. Even so, I think that I have come to a solution to your apprehension. I’m in need of a family member to watch after Midnite Sun and our interest’s there. We have a growing presence in the kingdom in this hold and I need it looked after while I travel elsewhere. I want you to fill this role Doc.” She paused for a moment allowing the druid to absorb the information and respond.
“It’s strange seeing my self in this circumstance, I too share your feelings about the downfall of our very existence. When I was living in Dragonspine or even in The Rising Winds I felt powerless to commit any positive change. Yet here you are Fenris, your company of rebels, your ideals… your army.” He said in hushed tones toward the end. “That is what I was lacking before. I feel like this is the chance that I will have to do this.”
The wolf listened on catching bits and pieces of the druid’s ramblings about this not exactly being the new year yet, but that because he had just turned 65 that this was his personal new years resolution. That he would commit this next year to affecting a positive change in our world, not just in Emerald Hills. Willing to put his whole undead heart into the endeavor.
She was very pleased as she listened on and then finally paused him with a hand and said. “ I’m counting on you to look after my interests here, I have no doubt your up to the challenge and I will respect your opinion wholeheartedly in the matters of the Pariah’s, our initiates here. So what do you say? Do you accept my proposal?” she tilted her head and smiled devishly.
Dochtav seemed to think for only a moment before speaking. “Looking after things here at Midnite Sun, coming to the gatherings within the kingdom when I can and looking after the magic users within the company… I accept your proposal, and further give my pledge to the company and the mission of the rebellion.” He bowed his head and moved his brown cloak slightly in gesture before they both extended a hand of friendship and touched shoulders.
“Come sit with me I want to tell you of a dream I had the night of my birthday party…” The two walked further down the trail from where they had been standing and sat beneath a gazebo. Dochtav slowly starts as if thinking about what he was going to say as his sentence progresses.
“I’m in my home on the third story of the building and there are people moving back and forth talking amongst one another, when suddenly I feel the building shift beneath my feet. I cry out that the very plates of the earth are moving, that there’s an earthquake coming! No one seems to believe me they almost make fun of me in fact. But soon there’s another jolt and part of the wall gets ripped off, bricks and people flying out of the hole. I’m hanging onto the side of the falling building and see that I can step onto a balcony further down where more people are. But just when I get my footing the house shakes again and people fall as the balcony breaks. I manage to grab a hold of someone and the person below that grabs someone and soon there’s a chain of 10 or 12 people all holding hand together, while I still hold onto the building. It was a really disturbing dream.”
The wolf just grinned knowingly and shifted her position on the bench so that she could better look into his eyes. “Have you ever seen a tarot card deck? There is a card in the deck called The Tower. And in that card there is a tower, a brick building with fiery holes in it’s sides with people falling out of it. And I have seen a card depicted at one time with people holding onto one another in a chain like you were talking about falling out of a hole from the building. And the tarot card means the destruction of false values and ways of life that are no longer acceptable. It can mean that you are going through a troubled phase in your life, possibly experiencing a difficult or controversial situation. There is something that you must open your eyes to and see a truth, this storm that is coming will be beneficial though.” The druid nodded his eyes wide in contemplation, the wolf could hear his breath increase and feel the weight of the druid thoughts. “I think this is an omen.” Said the druid darkly. “I agree, I believe that nothing happens by chance, everything has a reason.” Says Fenris.
The two chatted for awhile longer but the moon was high in the sky and she had to be getting back to her own cave for a good nights rest. She said her good byes to her friend and shapeshifted. Running back through the valleys and trees to her own den for the night.
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“All in all, it comes down to us as a society to embrace and encourage the values we wish to see demonstrated within our club.” - Kurse
"One People, One Planet"
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