Audery was not sure if her eyes deceived her or not, but she was able to swear that she saw a tree move. At first, from the corner of her eyes, the tree would stop as soon as she turned her head. But then during the night, the movement became more active. By a lack of a better word, the tree was now moving when she was watching it and not only that there were also a few shrubs that were moving as well. Druids, they are clearly taking back this part of the forest. Druids were a special kind of sorcerers, they could talk with animals and plants. They could shape-shift into animals themselves; wolves, bears, birds and even large spiders. And now, Audery figured out, where even able to let trees and shrubs move.

"We are the reason you were able to take back the claim on this trail. Give us until morning," she whispered. Her words were carried on the wind. She knew that the druids were able to hear it, she had the luck of bumping into a group on one of her travels. They were not happy that she had set foot inside their forest, but they were able to understand why she was there. Now she was hoping that this group would be understanding of the matters as well.

"Your kind are usually the ones making empty promises," a female voice hissed. "The last one that promised use not to harm the forest, and look what he has done."

"I am not condoning the actions of a servant of Dakara. Please, do not indicate that I do so." Audery said, this time a bit louder. This got Emrys's attention, and he walked over towards her.

"Then why have you come to this part of the forest, I heard that the old man wanted to paint the servant of Dakara." The female druid hissed, Audery was not able to see the woman, so clearly the druid was using her magic. To communicate through the wind.

"Even if so, I would have ended the servant's suffering. I have done that before, and I will do that again." Audery said, there was no reason why this druid would believe her. "You might have heard about Lilwen Hearson."

"Of course I have, I might have drawn back from the world. But I still have heard about her story," The female druid said. "But is she not dead, killed by the hands of an Adventure?"

"How do you think that Adventure is?" She answered that question with one of her own. Lilwen was a kind soul, who was raised to be a servant of Dakara, by a cult. The woman was only eighteen when Audery met her, and she had ended her life out of mercy.

"Even so, there was no way that I am going to trust the likes of you ever again." The druid snapped. The tree rushes towards her with some speed that seems unnatural for a tree. But then again, all movement for a tree was unnatural. Emrys stepped in front of her, sword drawn, the tree swings towards him with one of its branches. But Emrys was able to block the attack. Two of the three shrubs shot from their hiding spot towards Audery, she stepped back so that she was not cut up in the middle. She grabbed her short sword and attacked the first shrub, which was a small raspberry bush, the plant was blown back. But moved back, which distracted Audery slightly. The second shrub, which was blackberry bush, saw this as an opportunity and took it. The thorns, left their mark on Audery's face and it burned. The raspberry bush, moved towards her and wanted to attack too. But it misses, thanks to her stepping to the side. Audery wanted to focus on the blackberry bush, only the raspberry bush was closer, and she tried to hit it with her short sword. But the stupid thing moved out of the way. The blackberry bush took its chance and once again it was able to hit the mark. What in Huidin's name was she doing? She was losing a fight against some greenery. Which in itself sounded hilarious, only right now she cursed herself for it. Audery cried out a cry of rage when she attacked the raspberry bush, the thing flew back and didn't get up. She then towards the blackberry bush and did the same thing. Only it didn't have the same effect as with the raspberry bush, this one got up again. The blackberry speeded towards her, swung once again with his branches, this time leaving one of its thorns behind. Audery tried to attack it once again, but the thorn got in the way. It was so painful, that it brought tears to her eyes. The blackberry bush tried the same trick again, only Audery jumped out of the way. She hit the thing once again, it flew back, but again it rose up.

******

Emrys was sitting next to the campfire, not able to catch the sleep that he solely needed. Audery was standing guard, she was muttering something to herself. He paid attention to what she was saying. 

"I am not condoning the actions of a servant of Dakara. Please, do not indicate that I do so." Audery said. He got up from his spot, she was talking to someone. But he was not able to see who, and when he got closer to her, he was still not able to hear it. But she was not stopping with talking, so magic was at play here. He slowly grabbed his swords and was standing ready for any form of danger that would come their way. Although he was not able to see any, but that those not mean that it was not there. Audery talked about someone named Lilwen Hearson, he had read her story in a book that was published a couple of years ago. It was not a fun story, but it was informative nonetheless. Audery hissed, and something in the dark rushed towards them. His eyes were not used to the dark yet, which was not ideal. It was only when the thing got close to him, that he was able to see that it was a fucking tree. They were being attacked by a tree, the tree swiped at Audery. He stepped forward and blocked the attack with one of his swords. With his free hand, he attacked the tree. The tree bristled which its leaves, Ermys didn't know what it meant. But he had done some damage, he thought. He heard something move inside the thicket, but when he turned his head, he was surprised to see that it was a small raspberry bush. Why in Huibin's name was he surprised? He was fighting a fucking tree, so a moving shrub was not much of a stretch. The raspberry bush attacked him, or it tried to attack him. Needless to say, he was able to kick it aside. He was too busy to handle a tree, and there was no need to be bothered by a moving shrub. The tree swipes with one of its branches, but the branch snapped before it was able to hit Emrys. Emrys stroke the tree with his two swords, and it started to stagger back. Emrys nodded to himself, this was going well. But then he felt something across his face, it was the little raspberry bush and it had left its mark. Or rather, thorn on his face, he wanted to scream and curse. That thing was more of a pest than he originally thought. Emrys quickly looked towards Audery, who was fighting two shrubs of her own, and she was doing not much better. The tree apparently noticed that he was distracted, by the shrub. It swiped at him, knocking the air out of his lungs. Emrys smashed against the ground, his arm that was still felt the after effect of the Ghast's poison screamed like crazy. He staggered up, and jumped towards the tree. Chopping away all its branches.

"Now we have enough fire wood," he mumbled to no one in particular. The little raspberry tries to leave his little thorns, but it fails by bumping against one of the branches instead. But to Emrys that didn't matter, he was over this fight. He once again kicked the little shrub, that it went flying. All the way into the burning fire, Emrys believed that he could a vague sound of screaming. But that was probably all in his mind, he glanced over to Audery. Who was still fighting one of the shrubs. He rushed over to her, his blade ready to strike it down, and he did just that. Ending the fight. 

*******

Audery and Emrys sank down to the ground, this was their second fight that day, and it had all drained all their energy. A large breeze went through the clearing, a large amount of leaves started to circle around. When the wind died down, a woman was standing right in the middle of the circling leaves. The leaves fall to the ground, when the woman stepped away. 

"You survived," the woman snapped at them. Audery tried to get up, but she was struggling. Completely out of energy, if this druid wanted to strike them down. She would win, the fight, without even trying that hard. "But you have proven yourselves, and I will leave the three of you alone. But if you are not gone in the morning..." She looked at them, and didn't have to finish her sentence. They both knew what she meant, they will be dead if they didn't listen to her. They didn't answer her, but their silence was answer enough for the druid. "Nothing will attack you tonight, rest up and then leave. Never come back to this trail." The wind picked up and the leaves that had fallen to the ground started to circle once again. The woman disappeared, and the magic that the druid had cast was gone with her. Emrys fall to the ground completely, not able to keep his eyes open, sleep took him in its grip. 

The next morning came without mercy, his whole body ached. Mister Albury, who had claimed that he slept like a baby, didn't suffer the same pains as Audery and him. The lucky bastard, pun intendant. He had heard that the painter was Audery, a long-lost bastard uncle, and he was happy for her that she had recovered a part of her family. One that didn't marry her off to an old fart, with multiple wives. But the walk back to Spheros was not as easy as their walk towards the Londosa trail, which was in the most western corner of the Faded Forest. But he noticed the overnight changes, this forest seemed to come a live once more. He could understand, after what happened with the servant of Dakara, that the female didn't trust anybody outside her druid circle. The poison that had plagued his arm was completely gone, something that couldn't be said about the scratches and the other wounds. He longed for a nice warm bath and his comfortable bed, he knew that sleeping on the ground was part of the Adventure's life, and to some extent he loved it. Only this became to the extreme, he didn't fall a sleep on just the ground. He was knocked unconscious, which was a complete different story. The sign that marked the trail came into view, they were almost there. But the wind picked up once more, the sign that the druid was near. The leaves in front of them started to spin, but this time a man stepped out of the tornado of leaves.

"Greetings, travellers. I am Bryn Tamblyn, first druid of the Londosa circle." The druid bowed slightly, his head. "I want to apologize, for the actions of a member of my circle. Hyacinth was out of line, I still can't believe that she attacked you. When I send her out to thank you." Audery shook slowly her head.

"I can, the last person that set foot in your domain, cast the circle out and changed this forest to such an extent that nature didn't have a place." Audery said. "But I can assure you that we wouldn't enter this part of the forest unless we need to. First druid Aiden Fugler, of the Clerrood circle, will tell you as much." Bryn tilted his head.

"You know Aiden, well that was a surprise I didn't suspect to hear today. But it those not matter," Bryn then looked at Emrys. "You are Emrys Mildenhall, am I correct?" Emrys nodded, glad that the man didn't address him as Lord Mildenhall's younger brother. "Your brother has always been a friend of the forest, and I do not want a battle between him and my circle. As thank you, I want to extend my hand to him and the people of Spheros. I will come to the city in a fourth night. To discuss such matters with him."

"I do not speak for my brother, but I will relay your request. But I have no doubt that my brother will lend you his ear and time." Emrys said. The druid smiled, only his smile didn't reach his grass green eyes.

"Thank you, and I know what Hyacinth has told you. But she had no right to ban the three of you, so the three of you are always welcome. As long as you respect the forest," which sounded reasonable in Emrys's ears.

"Thank you, first druid Tamblyn," Audery said. "I do not want to be rude, but we can better go. Otherwise, we will not reach the city before nightfall. We will await your visit to the city."

"Of course, and again thank you," The wind picked up once again, this time Emrys knew what was going to happen and was not surprised when Bryn Tamblyn disappeared into thin air.

"Audery, I know that you want to talk with my brother as soon as we arrive into the city. So please..." Emrys started.

"I will relay the message, Emrys. After I give your brother a piece of my mind." She said, he tried to place a smile on his face. But it failed, his body was hurting too much. 

Tree strikes first towards Emrys, it misses

Audery attacks shrub 1, it hits it those huge damage

Shrub 2 attacks Audery, it hits and those damage

Emrys attacks the tree, it hits, damage

Shrub 1 attacks Audery, it misses

Shrub 3 attack Emrys, it misses

Tree stikes at Emrys, it misses rolled a 1

Audery attacks shrub 1 and misses

Shrub 2 attacks Audery, it hits, a thorn in her somewhere 

Emrys attack the tree, hits tree is standing on his last legs 

Shrub 1 attacks Audery, and misses

Shrub 3 attacks Emrys, it is a hit, he also has a thorn somewhere

Tree attacks it hits, and it those much damage

Audery attacks shrub 1, it hits and she kills it

Shrub 2 attacks Audery it hits some damage was done

Emrys attacks the tree, it hits and kills the tree

Shrub 3 attacks Emrys it failes

Audery attacks shrub 2, the thorn is hurting her and interrupts the attack

Shrub 2 attacks Audery, it misses

Emrys attacks shrub 3, shrub 3 dies some heroic death

Audery attacks shrub 2, it hits, but he is still standing

Shrub 2 attacks Audery, misses and those himself some damage

Emrys rushes over and attack shrub 2, he kills it.