The New Druid

Una Landed on the giant root stumbling over her webbed feet. She looked out over the rocky landscape devoid of all life. A suitable place for monsters like wolves. She closed her eyes and pictured herself, but the magic did not work. She pecked at the wood frustrated, the tree had told the truth, becoming a human was impossible. She shifted into a cat and lurked forward through the rocks.

An occasional weed got in her way, and she saw a mouse scattered into the cracks. She wondered about the rodent realizing why it was so scared. Cat’s ate mice, Predators eat prey. The circle of life. She empathized with the mouse's terror, It’s how she’d feel soon when she faced down the wolves. She gulped nervously remembering the monsters. How could she ever understand them? She hated the wolves, even more so for the curse, how could they do such a thing to the village. After what they’ve done it would be better if they were dead.

She looked over a large cave and saw a bushy tail wagging. She had found the wolf’s lair. Now what? She didn’t have a clue about how to communicate with them. She wouldn’t even be able to ask them to lift the curse. As if they would be so gracious. But if they had something they wanted what would it be?

A small white mouse crept into the cave. The pack of wolves all laid asleep. One got up to stretch it’s back and the mouse froze stiff. The awake wolf walked towards the cave, whimpering in pain. Its ribs jutted out from its skin and its stomach rumbled angrily. The wolf pouted and Leaned on its paws and continued to whine. A second wolf got up and walked to the others side, It licked its head, and rested its chin on top of the other. The mouse scurried out, with tears in its eyes. Una hated the wolves. She hated them and yet, she cried sharing their pain. The wolves were starving in this land, the rocks did not provide the nourishment they had needed. And their numbers were dwindling.

Una understood why they had been cursed, and what she would have to do. But how would she save the wolves? She couldn’t just lead them into town, she wouldn’t risk lives. But what if she delivered them some food? It may not last forever, but it should get them to undo the curse for now.

The mouse blinked and it morphed to a gull in a rainbow mist. She flapped her wings and took flight, the wolves growling hungrily behind her.

If you eat me we’ll all starve. She thought. and the wolves seemed to understand. They laid their heads flat and looked up at the bird with wet eyes. Una Ignored the monsters and flew away. She knew they were suffering, but she couldn’t forgive them.

The gull took flight and soared around the grand elm. The giant tree had three massive roots that extended into the ocean dividing the Island into three almost equal pie-shaped lands. The shadow of the tree covered the entirety of the rocky cliff portion of the island. The section looking towards the sunset was almost never in the trees shade, and the passing clouds would clump up in the trees causing constant rainfall. The gull soared above the treetops, rain peppering her wings. She was getting heavier and heavier with the water sticking to her feathers. There was a hole in the forest top ahead and she dove for cover.

The cat landed gracefully on the branches and shook its wet fur. The trees were buzzing with nervous bird chirps. They were colorful with long beaks and they hopped from their nests prepared to run or fight. Una didn’t want to deal with any bird attacks so she cautiously leaped from branch to branch. Up ahead she heard a familiar noise. It was people.

“This damn rain it lasts almost all day. Every cursed day.” Said a man in a black hunters tunic. A gold circle hung from a chain on his neck. He was a mainlander. But the mainlanders had promised to stay off the island, what were they doing here? The cat prowled closer to hear more.

“Quit your whining, this island has way more wildlife than you’d find in a hundred miles on mother earth.”

“When we first got here I’d believe that. But it’s getting harder and harder to find the damn hoofers.” The first man took a seat in their sheltered camp and pulled out a bloodstained knife. He cleaned it, obsessively inspecting each jagged edge in the blade. “This runt is the first we’ve caught in two days.” He pointed his knife at a young moose doe.

The other man pulled a green poncho over his head and walked to the moose kicking its legs. He shook his head with a sigh. The one with the knife chuckled lightly, and his friend turned around annoyed. “What? You remember the time we tried to skin the one still alive. Beast nearly broke my neck.”

The one in black sharpened his knife, still chuckling. “It flailed once and you soiled yourself. Those were the days. We were pulling In more coins then ever, well all good things come to an end as the boss says.”

The one in green huffed as he pulled the doe into the covered shelter. He fell backward in one last pull to drag the corpse in completely. He wiped his brow and said, “You think this Island is going to last much longer?”

“Haven’t you heard? The sheep aren’t growing wool.”

“The village won’t survive if they don’t have any wool to trade.”

“Exactly, Armund has made sure they were dependent on Mother Earth.” The one in black said pointing his knife at the doe. “Even if they try to hunt for coin, we’ve already taken most of the wealth out of this forest.”

The one in green shook his head. “I’m too young to have seen other islands. But do you think this is right?”

The one in black carved into the doe’s flesh with practiced precision and grunted. He was too focused on his task to respond.

The younger man picked up a mug and some coffee and set it over the fire. he poured water from a sack into the mug. “It just doesn’t seem smart y’know. We know the Grand Elm is a Demi, why do we have to kill it? Look how much it’s provided us.”

“It’s provisions are running out.” The elder said without looking up from the doe.

The younger starred at the water waiting for it to boil. His face contorted in thought. “Maybe we took to much? What if we limited our hunting? These woods can’t thrive if the company always has ten men hunting.”

The man in black rested on his knees and looked annoyed at the younger man. “Are you being blasphemous. You know the Earth Mother demands us to kill all false gods. If it’s not them it’s us.”

“You can’t seriously say that. When did the Earth mother claim such a thing.”

“She is the one true god and I’ll cut you down right now if you suggest otherwise.”

The younger gulped. He poked at the coffee as the water started to bubble. Una could see in his eyes that he wanted to rebuttal but fear had put a muzzle on him. The cat hissed in anger as the two men fell silent. She would have to deal with more than just the wolfs if she wanted to save the village. The mainlanders were trying to snuff life out from her land, She had become a druid, but would she be able to stop them? She slunk away from the camp and headed towards the village. She’d have to do something to make them see. They had to know that they were being fooled. The mainlanders we’re trying to kill them all.