The Dryad 114 Pride & Prejudice

After about a day of travelling, it was proved that my earlier worry about Fume burning my forest recklessly was moot. Her control of just burning the leaf litter was impeccable. She never seemed to burn too much of one type of litter before she moved on to the next. She would comment saying something like "crispy," or "that one has zip," which did not make much sense to me.

The little bit of leaf litter was a small thing. Maximus had already done so much damage, what did some burnt underbrush matter when she misstepped. I was also able to start feeling my pond clearly. This did not reduce my anxiety. So much death had spread over my pond. My home for centuries was ruined. But that was the least of my worries right now. Ivy was hurt and needed help. The spiritual strength of my pond had been so disturbed by the battle and Ivy was losing strength from her wounds.

I needed to act quickly. But even at my best the pond was still two days away. I hated to admit it, but I really only had one choice and Ivy was more important than my pride.

"Tide, I need your help," I said, biting back my discomfort. I would not be able to make it fast enough. This was the best choice. "Ivy, the dryad at my pond, is very hurt. I need you to go to her."

As I said those words excitement filled Tide. This was the first time since I was just a little sprite that I had asked Tide for help. "I will go there right now," she said, starting to rush off.

"Wait," I said, calling after her. With a surge of my powers a branch bent down in front of her blocking her path. A smooth pear-shaped growth formed under the branch. "Take the vial and make her drink it. This should be able to heal her, but I need you to take it to her. She is too far for me to reach with my powers… and you are faster." I mumbled the last part not wanting to admit it.

"But I could just adjust her spirit," Tide said looking at the vial with a puzzled expression.

"Adjusting spiritual paths is too risky. Why do you think I hate it so much? This medicine will work just as well. You don't have to spend any energy and there is no risk. You were always trying to get me to solve my own problems. Here is my solution," I reb.u.t.ted.

Tide looked like she wanted to refute again. But before she could say anything, Cocoa spoke. "The key to being helpful is finding out what they need." There seemed to be some back story in her words but I did not press them.

At first Tide looked disappointed, but after a moment her fist tightened around the vial and she said, "I will get this to her as quick as I can." She turned and started to hurry off into the woods. "Come on Fume," Tide called back.

"Why me?" Fume puzzled.

"You are just as fast if not faster. And I want you with me just in case you find a dry spot." Frustratingly, Tide's idea was really good. I wish I had thought of it first.

"I can control the flames," Fume complained, but started to catch up with Tide. I guess she was more complaining at the accusation than the idea.

As soon as Tide and Fume were out of sight, I stumbled to my knees.

"Are you alright?" Cocoa cried, hurrying over to my side.

"It took more out of me than I thought it would to grow that vial that far from me," I grumbled.

"You first ones are so unfair," Cocoa pestered back. "I was watching what you were doing. That medicine was quite intricate. It was made out of four different plants."

"Six," I corrected.

Cocoa just rolled her eyes and continued. "That fits my point even more." she cried, throwing her arms to the side. "You used a, what is that called again... Fir tree, to make a medicine comprised of ingredients from six different plants, dozens of strides away from you, in a few seconds. Even if I was touching one of the main ingredient plants, it would still take me hours to make that. And fir was not even one of the ingredients!" She was sounding rather exasperated by the end of her rant.

"I did use the fir for some flavoring."

"You know, you are really not helping your case," she sighed slumping next to me. "So I guess that makes it six active ingredients, and how many inactive?"

"Only four." I felt somewhat sheepish. "It wouldn't have tasted good with less."

"Why were you even worried about the flavor of the medicine?" She shouted up to the sky as she flopped back onto the ground. "It does not matter as long as it works." She then took a breath. "Getting back to my point: you first ones have so much strength to spare. It is so unfair. I want to be able to do that! I would not be able to do that in a million years. And you are complaining about being weak in the knees."

"If you could do that in a million years from now you are way more talented than I am." I could not help but retort. Though this was the first time I had tried to do it at all, I was much more than a million years older than her. But for some reason I did not feel like being done digging my own grave, to borrow a human metaphor. "And why not make it taste good? The medicine was done before I finished talking."

"I forgot about it, you were talking about it at the same time." She started flailing her arms and legs like a toddler not getting what they wanted, "You were not even focusing on what you were doing." She then fell still. Was she filling the grave I had dug for myself?

"Are you done?" I asked after a moment.

An eye peeked open. "I guess so. I was able to see a trace of a smile on your face. Don't worry so much. Tide will take care of the dryad. Ivy was it?." She then pulled herself out of the grave and asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

I grabbed her arm and pulled myself up. "I should be fine to start walking again," I replied, shaking off the fatigue.

"I still say it is not fair," she grumbled.

"I think it would be more unfair for you to be able to do it at such a young age," I said as we continued our path to the pond, "How do you think we would feel if you caught up so quick?" I said, as I used my powers to follow Tide's rush through the woods.