paces before they opened into a small clearing about fifty feet wide. In the middle of the clearing, four men sat patiently on a thick log. Evelyn walked him over to them.
“Elders , I have brought with me Rundo. He is a self-trained druid of great skill. He is the companion of one of the dwarf leaders and he brought warning of a coming war. After hearing the news I thought it best that he present the information to you personally,” Evelyn said, and then stepped to the side so that Rundo stood alone in front of the four old men.
Three of them had long , white beards that hung down over their chests. The fourth’s hair still was gray, and he had a clean-shaven face showing skin that didn’t quite hold to the bone like it used to. One of the white-bearded men in the middle spoke to him in a weak voice.
“Brother Rundo , would you mind telling us what brought you here?”
“Of course, but can I ask why people keep calling me ‘brother’?”
The old man smiled. “I apologize . I forgot you are a self-trained druid; they are not common. All druids are the children of Kalise, so in that sense we are all brothers and sisters.”
Rundo nodded. “I came here to warn you that there is an army marching north from Tiefes Loch. We won back the mountain of Shinestone and killed most of the orcs that had infested the place, but then the dwarves of Tiefes Loch turned on us. They are going to march north, in force, to take Shinestone. The mountain is preparing for the attack, and I came to advise you to move your people out of the path of the army, because it will be too large for you to deter.”
The gr ay-haired man spoke next. “How long until this army will be here?”
“It is a month ’s trip on foot, but it will take an army closer to two months to make the distance. If they haven left yet, we predict they will in the next few weeks. So, by our estimation, you have two to three months before they reach these woods. I am going to Patria next. When we find out the army is close I will fly back to Shinestone and warn them. I can stop here and let you know if you want. That would give you a few weeks’ notice to move the community,” Rundo told them.
The one in front who had spoken first spoke again in his raspy voice. “That will not be necessary, Brother Rundo. We will send out our own scouts. But you are welcome back to the community anytime. Thank you for bringing us this warning. We need some time to talk this over and figure out how we should deal with this.”
Evelyn led Rundo back out of the clearing. People continued to point and whisper as they walked back through the camp, but no one approached them. Brother David was waiting with Erica when they got back.
“Brother Rundo, I have told the camp not to bother questioning you about the elders. The Elders will choose how they want to deal with this situation. But we would appreciate it if you would share your news with the others.”
Rundo nodded his head. “It is your community. I will do as you ask.”
“Thank you,” Brother David said before walking away.
“Erica , we will be back in a little while,” Evelyn told her sister.
Erica smiled and nodded. Evelyn took Rundo’s hand and led him off into the forest. “Where are we going ?” he asked.
“I thought we would get away from there for a while. Everyone is watching us. It is a bit uncomfortable, and I like it out here ,” she said.
Rundo walked next to her through the forest , opening himself to the magic around him. The forest was full of it. The auras completely surrounded him. The magic was amazing. He walked through the forest in awe, just taking in the life of it. It was untouched here.
“Rundo , I am worried,” Evelyn said beside him.
He stopped and looked up at her. “About what?”
“I am worried about you. I know we will be safe. If it gets too dangerous, I know we will get out of danger. The community moves easily. This isn’t even where the main community is located;
“Elders , I have brought with me Rundo. He is a self-trained druid of great skill. He is the companion of one of the dwarf leaders and he brought warning of a coming war. After hearing the news I thought it best that he present the information to you personally,” Evelyn said, and then stepped to the side so that Rundo stood alone in front of the four old men.
Three of them had long , white beards that hung down over their chests. The fourth’s hair still was gray, and he had a clean-shaven face showing skin that didn’t quite hold to the bone like it used to. One of the white-bearded men in the middle spoke to him in a weak voice.
“Brother Rundo , would you mind telling us what brought you here?”
“Of course, but can I ask why people keep calling me ‘brother’?”
The old man smiled. “I apologize . I forgot you are a self-trained druid; they are not common. All druids are the children of Kalise, so in that sense we are all brothers and sisters.”
Rundo nodded. “I came here to warn you that there is an army marching north from Tiefes Loch. We won back the mountain of Shinestone and killed most of the orcs that had infested the place, but then the dwarves of Tiefes Loch turned on us. They are going to march north, in force, to take Shinestone. The mountain is preparing for the attack, and I came to advise you to move your people out of the path of the army, because it will be too large for you to deter.”
The gr ay-haired man spoke next. “How long until this army will be here?”
“It is a month ’s trip on foot, but it will take an army closer to two months to make the distance. If they haven left yet, we predict they will in the next few weeks. So, by our estimation, you have two to three months before they reach these woods. I am going to Patria next. When we find out the army is close I will fly back to Shinestone and warn them. I can stop here and let you know if you want. That would give you a few weeks’ notice to move the community,” Rundo told them.
The one in front who had spoken first spoke again in his raspy voice. “That will not be necessary, Brother Rundo. We will send out our own scouts. But you are welcome back to the community anytime. Thank you for bringing us this warning. We need some time to talk this over and figure out how we should deal with this.”
Evelyn led Rundo back out of the clearing. People continued to point and whisper as they walked back through the camp, but no one approached them. Brother David was waiting with Erica when they got back.
“Brother Rundo, I have told the camp not to bother questioning you about the elders. The Elders will choose how they want to deal with this situation. But we would appreciate it if you would share your news with the others.”
Rundo nodded his head. “It is your community. I will do as you ask.”
“Thank you,” Brother David said before walking away.
“Erica , we will be back in a little while,” Evelyn told her sister.
Erica smiled and nodded. Evelyn took Rundo’s hand and led him off into the forest. “Where are we going ?” he asked.
“I thought we would get away from there for a while. Everyone is watching us. It is a bit uncomfortable, and I like it out here ,” she said.
Rundo walked next to her through the forest , opening himself to the magic around him. The forest was full of it. The auras completely surrounded him. The magic was amazing. He walked through the forest in awe, just taking in the life of it. It was untouched here.
“Rundo , I am worried,” Evelyn said beside him.
He stopped and looked up at her. “About what?”
“I am worried about you. I know we will be safe. If it gets too dangerous, I know we will get out of danger. The community moves easily. This isn’t even where the main community is located;
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