Jade Fern Grove circle of life

She stopped to sniff at a frond dangling over a well-worn game trail, searching for the freshest scent. Druid’s nose then dropped to the earth, her muzzle hanging low as she quested forward with soft steps. There were many small animals in this grove, it was just a matter of narrowing down the best prospect.

Druid lifted her head and let out a wordless exclamation when she saw a familiar figure drifting through the trees. “Etienne left to help his sister,” she recalled Heda saying. She couldn’t guess what he was doing here, though perhaps he was hunting too. In any case, she would not miss the chance to catch up with him.

Etienne! she called out to him, frightening a songbird out of a nearby tree.

She ignored it as she pushed through the undergrowth, eager to get to him. Partway there, something must’ve snagged on the fresh, sensitive scar tissue on her haunch. It smarted so badly she stopped in her tracks, though swiftly she pushed through the pain to reach her friend.