In the Grove...

The feeling in the air was crisp and magical as Efem entered into the Sacred Grove.  Every type of tree grew here.  There was the grand old Oak, bending Willow, sweet Maple, the thorny Hawthorne, evergreen Pine, ancient Yew, and many others.  Here is where the sacred trees lived and by their roots, talked to all of the other trees in the Realms.  Not just in the Realm of Wymsy, but in every realm and in every land.  This was the home of the Dryad's Root Connection.  

The Root Connection ran deep and far.  The only problem was that it was slow.  Most messages sent via the Root Connection were answered by some other service like the Flutterbys or the Bee-Gs since this connection was even slower than Snailmail.  The only reason anyone used this approach was that the Root Connection's knowledge ran very very deep.   The ancient Yew was thousands of years old and had heard lots of gossip (news) in it's many years.  This is what Efem needed.  "Knowledge from the past," she mumbled to herself as she walked to the stone platform in the center of the grove and stood, waiting for the trees to acknowledge her. ​

Sometimes she had to wait days for the trees to notice her as their world ran a little slower than hers.  "At least I am not trying to talk to rocks," thought Efem.  "I am sure I would be waiting longer," she figured, "but then again, I wonder what we would talk about?  Would I take what they say for 'granite'?" snickered Efem as she thought about how many other puns that would fit in the conversation.  "I wonder if the rocks would even notice the puns?"

It was as she was thinking about rock puns, that the Willow spoke to her.  Surprised because they have never noticed her this quickly before, she bowed her head and waited.  "Efem, we knew you would not be late...  Your coming here, was it just desperation or fate?"  The question caught her by surprise making her forget the questions she had made up on her way to the Grove.  "Desperation or Fate?  What did the Willow mean and how should she answer?" Efem wondered.

It seemed like a long time that she thought about the question, and maybe it was, but the Willow did not seem to notice.  Finally, Efem knew what she had to answer.  "Great Elder..." she started but stopped when the leaves of the Willow started shaking and a giggle could be heard on the wind.

​"Oh, Tree Mother, I think you should know that the Elder is on the other side of the grove among the vines... By the way, from her berries we can make great wine," smirked the playful Willow (as only a tree can smirk).  Seeing the look of shock on Efem's face, the Willow continued.  "Okay Mother I'll behave but a tree is not a rose you know...  Call me Willy and not the formal Willow if we must continue this show," finished the stately tree.

It took Efem another minute to remember what she was about to say and this time the Willow did not giggle.

​"Great Willow maybe it is both fate or desperation... but with the Grove's help and ancient knowledge, maybe you will be able to give me the much needed information," answered Efem.

With this answer the ancient Yew spoke, surprising Efem as she had never heard it talk before.  Usually it would sit and listen and in the many years she had been a Tree Mother visiting the Grove, this was the first time it ever spoke.  "The time is coming that a great change may occur.  We do not know if the return of the Dragons is what starts the change, but they are players in the game."  It took Efem a minute to realize that the Yew had spoken plainly and not in rhyme or verse. 

"You spoke plainly.  Why have none of you done this before?" she asked. ​

"We did it because we thought that is what you wanted.  It's a nuisance to have to make everything rhyme like the Wishing Well," answered the ancient Yew.  "Do you want us to go back to rhyming?"

"No... uhm... no thank you.  I would prefer this way.  Now, can you tell me more about this game that is being started and how the Dragons may be part of it?" as Efem sat down on the stone platform figuring this was going to be a long visit and happy that she remembered to pack a few things in her satchel.