The New Druid

Una raced up the glowing river, her father breathing heavily on her back. The cool blue light of the river started to glow. She was close. Cathal needed to hang on just a little longer. There was movement in the bushes up ahead. Una stopped and pointed her nose to the sky. She knew what was coming. The Moose stepped out from the bush and stared. Una growled and showed the beast her fangs. The moose didn’t blink. Una knelt and rolled Cathal onto the ground. She straightened her spine and let out a long howl. The moose too a nervous step back. Seconds later another howl could be heard. And then another. The air filled with howls. The moose bowed to Una nervously and raced back into the woods. Una raised her brows in surprise. The moose had been so terrifying before. But now it was just another animal. Finally, she understood what it meant to communicate to the animals, and she felt a little less lonely with the wolves in the jungle. Their calls signaled they were still alive. She howled again, with a happier tone, and she received another response. Una turned back to Cathal with a smile, But it faded quickly when she saw how pale he had become. She had to hurry.

The stream flowed from the massive door. Una pained at the memory of the last time she and her father were here. She walked to the door and set her father down. She entered the tree and took her human form.

“Grand Elm.” She shouted.

The metal spout in the roof started to seep rainbow mist. And the wisp came down the hall to Una. “Druid. Excellent work, I expect nothing less from my vessel.”

“Grand Elm, my father he’s outside and he’s dying. You have to let him in.”

“Why? If his life is necessary just bring him one of those mushrooms.”

“You’re wrong, he’s not conscious like the wolf was, I can’t make him eat it if I’m not in this form. Please, I have to speak to him, I never even told him goodbye.” Tears formed in Una’s eyes.

The wisp was unmoved, hovering in place. “No. Only the druid, or a successor, may enter. That is the law of my magic.”

“Please just this one time.”

“Una--”

“No, I won’t be silenced, you have to let me speak to him.”

“The answer is no Una.”

Una’s nose flared and dashed towards the fourth bin. “I will eat this, and you will lose your druid. Unless you save my father so he can to replace me.”

“Is he worth everything?” The tree asked.

“I answered this when I became a druid. I’ve already given up my life for him once, I’ll do it again.”

The wisp turned blue and floated by Una’s eyes, it hovered over to the door. “Fine, just this once.”

“Thank you,” Una said. She ran to the door and pulled her father in. She rested him on the reading chair and quickly prepared a mushroom. Cathal was ghost white and his breathing was staggered. Una fed him the mushroom cap, and color flowed back into his face. He took a deep breath and his eyes opened wide in surprise. Una cried and rested her head on his knee. He rubbed her hair softly as he did when she was a small girl. She looked up with wet eyes and laughed at Cathal’s enormous smile. Emotions overwhelmed her and she leaped into her father’s arms.

“Dad.” She cried.

Cathal buried his head in her shoulder and began to sob. “Oh Una, I thought I had lost you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I almost--”

Una pulled away to show him her smile. “No, you didn’t know. It’s alright now.”

Cathal’s lips quivered and he wiped the tears from his eyes. “You were right all along. About everything.”

“Don’t say that. I should’ve listened more. I’m sorry I was such a troubling daughter.”

“Was?” Cathal laughed.

Una looked away from his gaze, it was too painful. “Father, I can never leave this place as a human. I’m the druid now. It’s my duty to protect this island.”

“Then I’ll visit you. Every day.”

“You can’t, this is only an exception. Humans can’t come here.” Una was wrapped in her father’s arms.

“I can’t lose you again.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll always love you.”

“Una. I love you too.” Cathal said as his eyes began to flicker closed. The wisp floated around his head and turned pink.

“Time is up. I can’t keep him here any longer.” The wisp said.

“I understand.” Una lifted her father from the chair and carried him to the door. She set him down gently at the entrance kissed him on the forehead. “Goodbye, father.”