a large leaf::Drogo's learnings

[Falonthas]

: the small elven boy sits on the hill near the playing badgers with the leaf in his lap: drogo we have to teach you how to write for the people who dont know paw prints  yes i see the badgers playing and i want to play to but this is important,im sure bris and rhizome want you to know how to write at least the basics so pay attention  :the small hand slowly makes marks across the leaf and in turn shows them to him:
  [SIZE=13]a b c[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]ok drogo look at these: holding the leaf up where he can see it: these are letters see a b c[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]ok now you try:handing drogo the leaf and the charcoal:[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]:looking down at the leaf and the marks then holding the piece like a stick and making some marks as he looks at the ones above:[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]a b c[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]:handing back the leaf and smiling at him the boy looks and takes back the charcoal:[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]no like these see how this is a circle with a little hook try it again       a[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]:handing it back to him once more and drogo stares at it for a bit then takes up the charcoal and makes a mark:[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]a[/SIZE]
  [SIZE=13]:the small boy looking as he makes the mark:  thats it now lets try the next letter[/SIZE]
 
  [SIZE=13]:the badgers continue to play in the grasses bringing stick for drogo to throw from time to time as he practices his letters with his young friend:[/SIZE]

[Falonthas]

..the stick crashes into the wheel of a cart moving down the road  toward hlint,the racing wolf pup skids to a halt as it watches the dirty human children and adults reel back at the sight of the pup,which causes him to look up curious before grabbing the stick and rushing back up the rise to where Drogo and the small elf boy sit with several large leaves out and some charcoal...

the pup yips and they both look to the wagons headed slowly into the town..

/elven/ seems more and more are fleeing the plague  that has come ,we have to watch over our friends even more closely now:stretching out a hand and scratching the pups ears as he lays down at Drogos feet.

:his attention back to the leaves and the boy as they practice making a D for his name which after some fighting will go with his paw print to be his name on papers and such:

the badger cubs rush up the hill and tackle the wolf pup as the mother badger lays down to the side of the glade watching them play for a time:

/e/ its time to keep close watch until we are sure our friends are safe from the dragon sickness

:the small boy nods and shows him the leaf with an E on it and then looks to him with his charcoal and shakes the leaf lightly: try this one now you can make your D very well

:a steady hand with the charcoal as he tries to make the mark like the one on the other leaf as he listens to the birds overhead and keeps watch over the wolf and badgers rolling in the grass playing:

he holds up the leaf with a form  of an E with slightly wiggly lines instead of straight ones:/elven/ how is that

the boy looks up  from the cubs and smiles:its getting better but we will still have to work on it

the shadows grow longer as the mother badger calls her cubs back to the burrow and they each nip the wolf playfully before rushing off to their mother, a rustle in the brush from the other side of the clearing is heard before a mother wolf appears the wolf pup dropping the stick back next to drogo and jumping up to lick his face before rushing off to his mother and a few yips from the mother wolf brings a smile to Drogo's face before they both vanish into the trees


/e/ the winds are still bringing word of change and wars to come my friend,these days wont go on like this much longer im afraid

:the small boy nods and holds up the leaf with another letter for him to practice:

[Falonthas]

: the gentle falling snow lightly covers the grass just enough to give a shimmer as the wolf pup and the badgers rush about and play near the hill chasing the stick of hickory and the ball of tied pine cones about the small elven boy and Drogo sitting atop the hill watching them as the light breeze swirls the snowflakes about:

the boy holds up the leaf to show him several charcoal marks as he looks to the playing cubs: snow is cold:a smile crosses his face:

" yes i know snow is cold" he replied in halting common
"but its time for a winter season is all and then when its over all will be reborn,it just will be a bit longer this time"

"but how long is a bit longer"the boy asked" i really hate the cold and that means the animals will hibernate and not come out to play"

"true but maybe they will come out from time to time"

:his gaze falls back to the playing cubs tossing the stick between them and then glances to the mother badger and the mother wolf laying near the forest verge watching protectively. a glance to the skies and the dust still swirling around mixing with the heavy snowclouds:

"it is going to get colder my friend perhaps you should go with your mother deep into the forest where the snows wont touch"

"but then i cant help you with your letters and cant play with the cubs" the boy said.

"the cubs wont be playing for a while when they sleep,and then when the cold breaks there will be new cubs to teach to play catch the stick with,so dont think you will be missing anything,even ozy has noted the coming of something but wont go into details"

"i will go with mother but i will still come to the vale and see if the dust has broken and the animals have come to play alright"

"alright i will let the animals know that from time to time you might come to play if they happen to be awake"

:the young elven boy sighs as he packs up his leaves and pieces of charcoal as drogo rises to his feet:
"to us it wont be long at all  so dont worry" as he pats the boys shoulder with a firm hand and then pulls his cloak about his shoulders:

"alright until the snows break then Drogo and tell the other animals bye for me" as he rushes to the cubs and gives them each a hug before darting off into the thick foliage:

:a few yips and then the cubs and pup were gathered in by their mothers and returned to the woods as Drogo looked to the skies once more:

"not long to us but the humans they may not live to see the blue again" the cloak pulled tightly about him as he moves down the hill and checks for any tracks on the road that arent supposed to be there:

[Falonthas]

*a careful hand moves the charcoal over the leaf*
  the cold is sweeping in waves over the lands ,:the charcoal coalesces into these words as Drogo looks up and watches the short snowfall from the fallow flowerbed atop the hill:
:he glances down and continues to make careful marks on the leaf:  the cold has made many seek shelter,though many others seek only to kill and claim what does not belong to them
:rubbing the scar on his arm from the dwarven axe:
it seems many more of those who kill for hire are about the roads and forest verge these days,hoping for bumbling prey to fall closeby

:the charcoal moves across the leaf: too many of them now have sweet bliss with their gods for thinking an elf with a staff is a good target
:he chuckles: to many think that before and now even moreso

they may have their swords and axes,but they must find the cheetah before the claws rake the life from their bodies

i have learned how to merge with the trees to walk the continent in a breath instead of days ,this will come in handy to protect my friends from poachers and those with so called good intentions in mind

some of the ones i call friend have been having troubles of late as well
two are on trial by their gods,i never could understand why follow such a small aspect of nature when the whole is laying before you to explore

those who were sick of the dragon plague were cured and now walk openly again

i have also learned that my anger at the hunters is stirring more of my primal past,i can actually become the fire that takes their misled lives and make sure nature is shielded from ignorance and fear

i will work on seeing how i can use this to better my serving the oak and the heirophant,as i cant simpy go out and char every hunter now can i
well i suppose i could but then i would have them up in arms instead of seeing a few examples now and then found in the wooded paths


:a glance to the sky and the swirling dust glares back,and an outstretched hand gathers a withered pear from his pouch:

in time my friends all will pass and be whole again
until then we must sit and wait for the time to act

:the small yips and growls below in the field near the cows catch his attention and the small dog rushing about the lifestock garners moos and stomps of feet on irritation:

the humans love their pets even thought without them they would fall prey to the first hungry wolf because they keep them so citified

:placing his charcoal in his pouch and rolling up the leaf Drogo rises to his feet and slides down the slope on the grasses leaving not a mark of his passing as he moves to the north:

[Falonthas]

: a leaf is laid out across his lap as his charcoal makes the slow marks on the surface:

i have called for a meeting of the leaves that roam mistone

it is time we all know each other and not the few that i have stumbled across fresh from the grasses

Bris is busy with the bears and Rhizome with the Oak,and Legodia has her hands full with the poachers plaging her wood so i have to rely on myself and what i have learned in dealing with these trials of the humans and such

those who we call friends of nature have been vinidicated by the simple mind of the church
they may follow a dragon but they whine like a goat needing to be milked

i have in my posession the recipe so to speak that was gathered by the dwarves of vorax investigating the summer seed
the followers have asked to be included in the council Legodia spoke was upcoming, a gathering of all the druids to decide the path we will take in the future regarding the seeds

i told them that their attendance of the druidic council would be solely at the decision of the Heirophant and his High Druids and that i was but a leaf myself and could not make such a weighted decision

they await the word of the Heirophant as they should

if Rhizome wishes them to know when and where we meet im sure he will let them know

i have searched for the panther that led me into the nameless pit two weeks prior but each time i find no trace of her,only a lingering scent of cat but nothing to actually track her with

i also found out that the nameless pit didnt always not have a name
Arindor's Rest  , Ozy said it used to be called but now only the lower levels could still have that name apply

seems this Arindor and his friends died deep in the pit and one of his friends was a druid with a panther friend

was the panther i was chasing a ghost,it had a cats smell but it did vanish into thin air

maybe its time to wipe the vampires from their den and find out what happened to the ancient and his friends

:glancing up at the swirling dust: you will keep the stars from my sight for but a short while longer until we have found the way to end your flight in the air

:the sparrows chirp and swoop around his sitting place and the raccoons have all brought nuts watching his write on the leaf:

time to go back to your dens and nests my friends,i have to teach archery to one who is not allowed to leave his mate or she will kill him herself:a small chuckle: and ty would thwap you good to creighton if you dont learn to shoot well

:rolling the leaf and sliding it into his pouch along with the charcoal, he rises to his feet and chirps a farewell to his friends as he slips down the trunk if the large hickory tree and heads toward town:

[Falonthas]

:rolling out a fresh leaf and taking up his charcoal he begins to slowly make his letters:

dregar is still a foreign place
armed dwarves in prantz where no magic or elven is allowed
strange people moving all around  but not taking note of anything around them

met with another promising leaf and we started walking a bit
 tried to catch some of rhizomes herring but they swim faster then my arrow can fly while she meditated under a tree on the isle

took a rest near dalos lake when a giant came out of nowhere chasing something,we followed it and found it in haft lake standing over the body of a red haired girl and quickly returned it to the cycle,could it be that it saw the red haired girl when she was invisible

ill have to check with the animals that live nearby and see if they have noticed the giants having such a skill,it would be worth mentioning it to a few people that could post it for travellers

the renegades have come back  to spread their views upon the new leaves

several they have approached have firm roots in the service to the oak and following the heirophant but two i know of are bright eyed enough to stumble down the path they speak

i hope soon bris comes from her time with the bears so i can brief her on the current potential for strike the two have been preaching,she will know what to do

i did talk to one of the leaves about semantics and the difference between the light and the dark ways

thinking about it some of my actions could be seen as how the dark druids act and proceed since i have no qualm in aiding my friends when they are being hunted with healing or other magics,and the cries of the hunters go unheard when a fully restored cat or bear starts to pummel them into the mothers view

am i headed to that way,are my methods more of the dark ones?

i dont know and i must think long and hard before i can even answer myself
i am but a simple leaf even though nature wraps me in her touch with more ways to protect her and her creations

but i cant act with a simple view on things
i could just kill all hunters and then the one who hires them to poach hides and not care about them at all
but not all who hunt are doing so to just kill animals
they hunt for food and hides for clothing and bones for tools
i must see all sides of each conflict and make myself see them before giving into my primal urges
i must keep myself from becoming judge over a closed view

"open eyes and quiet mouths and the world shall spread wide at your feet"
the old one said so many years ago,it made not sense then but now it begins to

yes the boar could have been led away before it ran up to gore a city person
but the hide will clothe the orphan girl left with nothing at the hands of natures fury and the meat will feed her and her family until they have a home to call their own again

not everyone is at home sleeping in the branches
my own small friend who helped me with my letters,if he needed hides and meat i woud be the first to hunt for him and his mother

the cycle is eternal
and i am a watcher
a tender
a primal warrior
and then a watcher once more

a simple leaf in the cycle
a simple leaf in the great place that the oak has flourished

perhaps its time to make our ways known more for being taught instead of stumbled upon

when time comes all will come to the druids for care
it will be then when we as a whole must take the view from outside the viewpoint of one and weigh the needs of the entirety


:the charcoal stops as he reaches the bottom of the leaf:
:glancing up and smiling as the birds chirp down to him having been watching the whole time as his mind journied across the isles of thought:
come my friends its time to play
:a steady hand rolls the leaf and slips it into the pouch and sotes away his charcoal in the small leather fold on his belt:

[Falonthas]

:a large leaf is slowly rolled out and the charcoal taken in hand:

ive never been told before that following those appointed above me makes me a renegade for following their words

well that has changed after my meeting with the young leaves to aid them with any questions they may have when the druid arm of the vahkar decided to pay a visit

for one that basically as a young leaf was told by her own lips that she was first and high on the isle then when faced with it blatently denies such
and then moreso tells me that my actions make me more renegade then her

the leaves got discouraged and  it will take some time to gather them again as they all went their own ways to learn how they feel about what they heard

its true that we mostly lead solitary lives surrounded by our animal friends more then other people,but in some ways we have to be able to meet and talk with others whether cityfolk or not

any that dont try to make ways to get your words across is failing in their duty to the oak in my opinion
my common is good enough now that my words have meaning to even the slowest of city dwellers

they call me renegade for following words given to me
a shame they cant see their own faces in the water when they move to throw blame elsewhere

my views may have shifted to the extreme in some regards but the sielwood and high forest is not plagued by waste as much for the hunters know i will hear and fear repercussions

the new ones are taught by their teachers that if they abuse nature dont be surprised if they are hunted themselves

it may look like a harmless badger or wild cheetah until it turns and rakes their body with shocking claws or flaming teeth

the hunters have been taught
more then the vahkar can say since their forest is ransacked daily by those that hunt the wolf packs they so love their bodies left to rot in the weak sunshine

they should tend to their own woods before they try to influence the young ones who are not yet strong enough of roots to fight their manipulations

or maybe ill have to ask word from the oak about how i can remove such a plague from our midst as there is enough to deal with then those without the broad eyes to see the whole by loving their small view so intently

my travels take me to alindor more and more and the wolfswood has become more familiar each passing day

the dinen still hides many remnants of the war with blood,and when found they are dispatched

perhaps one day when the cloud has been removed all the isles shall revel in the newfound sunlight and no fear of armies trapsing through the safety of the canopies

the plague from within shall be dealt with,
i await word as to simply how

:the leaf is rolled carefully and slipped into the pouch as is the charcoal put away as he slides down the trunk to the soft grass below and moves north:

[Falonthas]

:the leaf is set out in the diminished sunlight no actual beams making it through the dust swirling overhead:

hmm,never underestimate a small sharp eyed foe

found kat and jharl and a few others in lorindor after chasing some mushroom men who were chasing a traveller

aftre all was said and done a trip to roldem was at hand and i looked forward to visting the bears again or at least i would have

seems there are more problems then the obvious still plaging the smaller isles, rogue groups of trained monks who ambush better then any dancer of shadows i have seen
and the marshs near the watch tower
the berries are good and larger then other places but the guardians can see through the reeds themselves

:rubbing the scar on his side that still aches with a cold spasm once in a while: arrows tipped with the icy tundra itself
and they can hit you from  100 paces before you can even spot them to chase them down

i owe them a nice visit when i happen back that way to have a very warm and firey talk

the isles are recovering but slowly

strange things have been seen and heard of late
dead walking where they ave never been seen before

lights over lakes
what do these things mean
not really sure but i will be on guard to find out

[Falonthas]

:fastening the new leaf to the roll kept in his pouch he takes out his charcoal stick and begins to write:

the scourge of alindor i heard one person say--Milara summoned us and gave us an ultimatum

a gathering was present Plen Lalaith Talen even Ozy

the travel to his canyon lined in bone to his tower was rather uneventful considering his minions were not to attack
seven years alindor shall be free from his touch,though i think it should have been more

alindor will have a chance to find itself again and nature will be able to flourish as much as it can with the dust

the seeds,though we still have to find that balor that got to the summer one first we are close to finding them all

to fix selians destruction

raven summoned me by eagle and i went directly to the wolfswoods to see her

seems there is a bowl and it was found by bearers of knowledge
the small gnome cideous told me they found it after raven found them and healed them
they then took it to the witch

rumor has the sisters being reunited for something
though it may only be six of them if the queen does indeed pass

many young faces around and catching them early is helping the animals survive with a few exceptions

their scars will heal and their memories will last till their end

rain mentioned that whe the seeds are gathered and the council is convened that druids should listen to all who wish to speak

but how many times do they not listen when druids wish to speak
when they kill our friends and leave their skinned corpses to rot
even if the cycle claims the meat and bones if you kill you use what is there

churches
kingdoms
baronies
duchies
 they wish to speak when druids hold council

maybe the Heirophant shall allow it
maybe he wont

but perhaps its time to have the churches,kingdoms,baronies,and duchies begin to listen to druids

or maybe druids will simply let nature reclaim what they so frivolously call theirs

there are ones much wiser then i who will give final answer to this
perhaps one day the oak will call on me to make such choices
but until then the heirophant and the oak is who i serve
tending nature and her creatures
be it with claw and tooth or by elemental wrath

its time those of the cities remember to respect those of the oak

:the birds swoop down dropping berries and nuts chirping away as they circle and play in the pale light: yes my friends its time the wilds stand up for themselves

:rolling the leaf into place it slips into his pouch and the charcoal stick beside the roll as he slides down the trunk of the tree silently into the grass below:

[Falonthas]

* the charcoal moves across the dried surface of the leaf*

such a small thing to have so many wanting it
*looking down at the small seed secured in his pouch* ill never understand human greed,they want everything but yet wish to give nothing in return

they wanted the seeds to tap their unknown power
a shame they forget druids dont answer to temples or thrones or anything else they try to come up with

the monk of aragen has asked to see the seed in order to write about it,i dont see any harm in such viewing and it will gain us access to the other writings they may have that enhances what we have at the oak

we still must wrest the summer seed from the balor lords talons
is it acting on its own free will
or is it one of selians pawns

and why does it want the child the dragon worshipper has laid claim too

what could a child have that a spawn of the abyss would crave
unless its blood is something not what is seen
or its soul perhaps

*stretches out along the branch watching the bustle of the humans below ,a caravan of wagons with craft goods headed to the town*
such a hurry they run about like ants but no central goal in mind
just gold and drink
some of them should be dwarves
*chuckles to himself*
humans i wonder what would happen if they just went away
of course then the halflings would eat all the pie and the dwarves would  drink all the ale

who knows* glancing down again and seeing a family with a cow and two pigs tethered to their wagon* looks like a some stragglers from alindor not welcome in the renewed baronies* his gaze resting on the fine health of the animals as they pass content with their keepers* at least they treat them well

time will tell if we have begun the right course to the vision the shifter had
a thriving nature and no dragons in the air.....hmm a shame cause ozlo was nice enough maybe the vision just meant the fully grown chromatics,since the hatchling metallics wont be of any consequence for another century at least

perhaps we can make the world safe and still have them grow and share the world
i hate the thought of killing a species completely even if they do have alterior motives

when the dust breaks then we shall see who is ready to stand for the world and who has fallen in the darkness

* glancing to the raccoon sitting at the trunk with its nut in paw chewing contently* ready to go wander my friend i know where some nice berries are even without alot of sun
* the raccoon chitters back that berries beat nuts anytime and when were they leaving*

now if your ready small one*placing the charcoal and leaf into his pouch and slipping down the trunk to the leaf strewn ground below.the marks in the road of the wagons the only unnatural thing upon the earth.  a glance to the end of the wagon train and a smile crosses his face before settling his furry friend on his shoulder and they head north near the lake to the berry field*

[Falonthas]

*a fresh leaf is rolled out*
several things of late have come to pass and not all are good
it seems that we may never find out the childs implication in this mystery of sorts
not that we could get her from the ink plattered paladin to begin with without a fight

all but one seed is safe
but now there is this bowl and if used wrong it could create a toxin so deadly even the oak might not survive
but if its used right it might create something to aid natures recovery,perhaps purify the pit where blood fell and end this cursed dusk

i have to check on the rumor i heard through the trees about the t'oleflor telling us the forest will heal on its own,and not even selian can stop that
the cycle procedes
with destruction comes new life reborn
and then it spins once more

perhaps kire has a point
let them kill each other and not worry about it
nature will cycle back and then they will be gone and nature will be whole once again

maybe i need to clear my head
too much of these humans clouds my insight at times
but some of them are my friends
but i cant let them cloud my judgement either

the oak is my guide always has been
to tend and care for all natural things,some good some bad
i remember watching the goblins who plague the town one day for hours just watching though how primitve they are but true to themselves at the same time
the goblins protect the nests along the ridges,anyone comes close the goblins will sound the alarm and then the mother falcons come swoftly to protect their eggs
they do service to nature by just being themselves
hmm
once the bowl and last seed is in hand it will be time for the council

i must go with a clear head
if the forest will cycle and heal itself
what great healing will the seeds create
the world suffers from the dust
even my magic helping the farmers only keeps the most hardy of grains alive
enough to scrape them out a meager existence
but they deserve better
the farmers have toiled hard and they hurt the worse
the city has their immense storehouses and such wonders
but the simple farm has their field and maybe a cow or pig

a open eye is one that sees all that lies before him
the obvious
the hidden
the withdrawn
the overall state of being

we sit at the crossroads
how our steps lead us in the next few years is vital to the vision of the shifter that comes into being
the seeds
the bowl
the three sisters who would plague the land for their own self interests

perhaps its time for the keepers of the balance to show them who they are up against when they attempt such actions
a united oak and land
all leaves showing that the world is the important issue
not petty god bickerings
or who holds what piece of soil

*sliding the newly rolled leaf into his pouch and the charcoal beside as he slides down the tree trunk and moves to the north*

[Falonthas]

a fresh rolled leaf is brought out and placed on the stone as he stretches out charcoal in hand beside the small waterfall:

the deep woods have done me good
my head is clear once more instead of the worries of the people and the cities and other things clouding my sight
the few months with that cute little elf brought back my feral side the cities tried to store away

i know now that i cant let them hinder my service to the oak and the druids appointed above me
the human tongue kept me bottled up hiding my  heritage from myself

i will use it still but only when needed
my tongue is elven and so it shall be from now on

many have flourished while i was away,their greater abilities earned as they honed and practiced their skills

my dabbling in the glades has revitalized my soul
the cool waters washed away the taint of the temples and human cities

i must send a bird to Bris and Rhizome to let them know my head and eyes are clear once again
i will not be pushed and prodded by the cityfolk into making unwise decisions

the elders shall guide and my little elven maiden shall sate my anger with her cooling touch when i visit her in the trees

the fire is burning bright
the water flows from my limbs
the air a whispering touch
the earth steadfast beneath my feet

the oak clear and strong in my mind and senses open to all natures touch

*a swallow swoops down and chirps its greeting before lowering his head to a stroking fingertip* hello my friend its good to see you too

the chirping brings several other birds down circling and chirping their own woods to his ears*

yes my friends Drogo has come home
*slipping the charcoal back into his pouch and rolling the leaf into the small ivory tube in his belt and rising to his feet*

glancing about and then dropping silently to the leaf strewn ground below his steps bring him toward the forest verge*