Chapter 5

Drovo

“It’s a beautiful day for a long walk.” One of the females walking behind me commented as we made our way to the kala. I walked in front of Kayla as I led Jelly down the path, smoothing out every tree root along the way. As long as I was around, Kayla would have a smooth ride in her mobility device or chariot, as she called it.

The whispers of the leaves reached my ears as they swayed overhead. Strong tree trunks lined either side of the path and I could feel the energy of each one of them flowing through my veins. Each root drew nutrients up from the ground providing itself with the life and strength it needed.

The teal topped trees draped with vines sang happy songs as we passed by. I brushed my fingers through some tall ferns as they told me their gossip of the day. The forest has never been a quiet place for me. It was full of songs, and whispers, and the laughter of flowers.

I loved it here. Inside the mountain I was home, but out here in the forest I was free.

Even though the energy of the forest flowed through me, I did not control the plants or the trees. They did not obey me like I obeyed my Savrix. Instead, they listened to me because I listened to them.

Even before I first shifted, I could feel the spirit of the trees. Even then I began listening to their songs. I didn’t know what I was hearing, but I listened all the same.

Axon and I had struggled the least when we first shifted. He had his parents for comfort and support and I had the entirety of the forest to listen to me as I wept and to hold me when my father had turned his back on me.

That first night we’d spent outside the valley, I laid down to sleep and vines coiled around me to keep me safe and warm. I woke the next day to a jagwa, a mere hand span from my face. Its body was lifeless and limp with vines wrapped tightly around its neck. The forest had protected me from a danger that I hadn’t even known lurked in the darkness.

“Yes, I think tomorrow is a good day to journey to the ship.” Tarak’s words cut through my thoughts.

“The weather looks clear and the sooner we can find out if there will be enough rations for the winter, the better.”

“I can be ready to leave by tomorrow,” Taylor agreed.

It had been established that Taylor would go to the hu-man’s space ship since she knew where the hidden cabinets were located, but they hadn’t yet chosen who else would journey with her.

“I’d like to go too if that’s ok,” Kayla volunteered and my heart nearly stopped beating in my chest. What if she got hurt? What if something happens to Jelly, and she has to pull the chariot and walk with her limited energy? What if- a thousand scenarios ran through my mind.

“I’d like to go too.” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could even process what I was saying. I didn’t mind going, but I hadn’t intended on it. But if Kayla was going, then I was going. I would not leave her unprotected. While the other males of my dekes were capable fighters, no one would look out for Kayal as I would.

Tarak nodded his head and asked, “Brexl, would you consider going as well?”

Brexl was an obvious choice for this journey. His fighting skills were unmatched. The group would be safe under his protection.

He looked to Taylor and then to Tarak before silently nodding his head.

It was settled then, Taylor, Kayla, Brexl, and myself would journey to the spaceship tomorrow.

It wasn’t much longer before we got to the stone wall that marked the kala. It looked like a landslide had caused a wall of rock to fill the narrow gap between two hills.

A ladder lay flat on the ground beside the wall and Tarak picked it up and held it steady for Gab-bae to climb on.

One by one we everyone in the dekes made their way up the ladder and down the stone slope to the bottom.

Kayla was the last one to go. She had been standing next to Jelly, petting him and looking concerned.

I approached her to ask if she needed help up the ladder when she said, “I didn’t think about how Jelly would be out here all alone while we were all in there. Do you think it’s safe enough out here for Jelly to be tied up like this?

Kayla pointed to her beloved pet who was happily eating the grass near our feet.

This area wasn’t safe for us, but Jelly was an animal who knew when danger was near and when to run away from it, but I didn’t think that would be a sufficient answer for Kayla.

She worried her lip as she looked back at Jelly again.

“Is there anything you can do to protect Jelly?” she asked.

I took in our surroundings as I considered what to do.

“I have an idea, but I’m going to need you to step away from our furry friend.”

Kayla did as I asked and took a few steps back.

I closed my eyes and called upon the seedlings nearby. Their souls were tiny little lights that sprinkled the soil. They looked like twinkling stars in my mind’s eye.

I called upon them to grow big and strong. To draw energy from the soil surrounding them. Almost immediately, saplings shot up from the ground. Three on each side of the bafilo. I gave the saplings permission to draw even more energy from the earth and I felt the nearby trees lend some of their energy to the young trees.

Kayla gasped as the small trees grew big and strong around Jelly. They would protect the bafilo.

“Jelly is safe now. No beast will be able to slash through these trees.”

Kayla smiled and squeezed between two of the trees to give the animal a hug. It reminded me of the hug she’d given me earlier. I didn’t know how to react when her warm body pressed against mine—it had been so unexpected, like living in a dream for the briefest of moments before she pulled away.

“Thank you Drovo.” She turned her smile to me and in that moment I would have called upon a thousand seedlings to grow to their full height if it would make her happy. Anything to keep that smile on her face.

“Are you two ready yet?” Talia called to us from the top of the slope.

“Coming,” Kayla called back, and we made our way into the kala.

Kayla

I knew Drovo was powerful. I’d seen him in action before, but I was beginning to wonder about the true extent of his abilities. In mere moments, he caused five trees to grow from seeds to towering behemoths. What else could this dryad shifter do?

“Gather around everybody! I’m going to explain the rules!” Gabby shouted over the crowd.

Everyone quieted down and Gabby began, “You can only hit each other on the arms and legs. Once you’re hit on a limb, you can no longer use that limb, meaning if you’re hit on the leg, you have to hop around or drag the injured leg behind you. Once all four limbs have been struck, you’re considered dead and have to leave the field of battle.”

“How are we picking teams?” Taylor shouted.

“Hmm,” Gabby tapped her chin as she pondered this. “Everyone line up and I’ll count you off. Even numbers are on one team and odd numbers are on the other.”

We did as she said and she counted us one-by-one. I couldn’t hold back my grin when Drovo and I ended up on opposing teams. I was going to kick his ass.

“Blue team over here! I have your face paint!” Neelu called out. Everyone on my team received a smear of blue pain on our foreheads, while the opposing team received orange paint on theirs.

“Is everyone ready?” Gabby called out. “Are your flags planted firmly in the ground?”

“We’re ready,” I replied in response.

“We’re ready too!” Drovo shouted and gave me a wicked grin.

“Alright! Let’s battle!”

A war cry rose up from the women on both sides and, although we hadn’t planned it, the women from both teams attacked the men first. The guys all looked like deer in headlights, not having a clue what to do with us.

Brexl was the first to be taken down, and then Axon shortly after.

I caught sight of Drovo and, with a light wack on his leg, took my shot.

“I’m going to get you for that!” He said with a childish gleam in his eye.

“You can certainly try!” I cried out as Drovo hopped toward me on one foot.

I couldn’t contain the peels of laughter that escaped my mouth as I was chased down by a hopping Drovo.

The long-legged fiend caught up to me and tapped me in the arm.

“Told you so,” he smiled and I wacked him on the other leg.

“Take that you walking tree!”

Drovo fell before me and I liked the sight of him on his knees way too much. His head came to the perfect height for certain activities. I shouldn’t be thinking of him that way, I really shouldn’t.

He wore an unreadable expression that looked like a mix of longing and desire. We both just stared at each other for a long moment before Jax ran between us and tapped both of Drovo’s arms.

The dryad shifter feigned his death in the most dramatic way possible, throwing himself to the ground as if the younger sirret and truly dealt him a fatal blow.

Jax and I both let out more peels of laughter at Drovo’s antics. Jax’s laugh was surprisingly deep for one his age. It was a low rumble that nearly reverberated through the ground. It made me wonder what his voice would have been like if he could use it.

“Hey! That’s against the rules!” Gabby protested as Tarak lifted her off the ground and into his arms.

“I am the Savrix. I make my own rules.” The leader of our dekes smiled and then kissed Gabby soundly and her protests quickly turned to little moans of pleasure.

Julie caught my eye as she weaved in and out through the opposing team, and I held my breath as she made her way closer and closer to the orange flag.

“I don’t think so!” Orsu bellowed as he lightly tapped both her legs, but she wasn’t giving up without a fight. She crawled toward the flag with all her might, but then Rhaz tapped both arms, marking her as out.

She rolled onto her back and sighed. “It was worth a shot.”

“You were very brave my mate,” Orsu smiled as he helped her up. “Even I wouldn’t have dared to charge into battle against so many foes.”

“It’s not a real battle,” she blushed at his compliment.

“You were brave, all the same, my little mate.”

“Someone stop him! He’s almost to our flag!” Taylor cried out, and I turned to see Lumod with his long red hair blowing in the wind like a shampoo commercial, bolting toward our flag that was waving proudly in the wind.

Talia and Sozu both leapt in front of him. The two of them worked as a team to tap all four of his limbs in record time.

“Let’s go!” Talia yelled. She held up her hand and Sozu met her with a firm high five.

Because the focus had been on Lumod, no one seemed to notice that Sarah had gotten past nearly every member of the orange team. It’s always the quiet ones that are the sneakiest.

Rhaz caught sight of Sarah, however, and I thought for sure he’d intercept her. But Jax was quick to step in front of the young teenager, preventing his friend and mentor from taking her out. Rhaz stopped short and Sarah was able to get the coveted item.

“I did it!” Sarah shouted as she jumped up and down. “I got the flag!”

Jax smiled at her as if her victory was his own.

“Nice move, Jax,” Rhaz patted the young sirret’s shoulder. “I think you’re about ready to go out hunting on your own.”

Jax’s eyes grew wide with surprise and he hugged Rhaz tight.

“Well, it’s not up to me,” the badger shifted laughed. “But if you think you’re ready, I can speak with your sire and Tarak on your behalf.”

Jax nodded his head aggressively, barely holding back his joy.

“Best two out of three!” Tarak announced, and we all cheered.

“Let the battle begin again!” Gabby shouted.