In the tallest tree in the brambles...

[dazza555]

Drake sits on one of the branches, reading a book given to him by a friendly mage in blue. He let's out a sigh as he finishes the first chapter (an introduction to wyrms and wyverns) and closes the book, gently putting it into his pack, handling it with the utmost care. I must find those people that the mage in blue spoke of... He said they are hidden within these Woods.

He stands and whispers to the leaves;

"Carry my message to the one named Fynn or the one named Kavralla. See that they hear my plea. I, Drake Lamshaw of the High Forest, druid of Mielikki, seek your assistance. I seek the one that can teach me the knowledge of shape changing beyond the animal forms granted to me, find me here at the tallest tree in the brambles."

Satisfied, Drake begins the climb down.

[dazza555]

Drake sits reading through the second chapter... Though it does little to take his mind off the event of that day.
A real shifter came and spoke to me... And now a scary wolf man... Half man... Half wolf... Were man... Whom is a "good bloke" just big and scary wants to come speak with me.

he shakes his head, unsure whether he should cry or he should laugh
I'll be ready for when he comes... For now I need to practise being myself when I'm not myself

With that he descends the tree. Upon reaching the forest floor, he morphs seamlessly into wolf form. Sniffing the air, Drake-wolf seems to smile and nod resolutely. He prowls into the wood.

As an after thought, he wonders:

I hope Evalor's alright.

[elvishnation]

*A large silvery white wolf runs through the woods standing out amongst the greens and browns of the forest. The brilliant light blue eyes searching about and watching the wolf carefully. She follows quietly giving decent distance.*

[dazza555]

Drake-wolf turns to face the white wolf. (assuming it wasn't actively hiding from him)
Though there is a fair distance between them, he recognises it as not indigenous to these Woods. More confident in animal form than human, he tilts his head and then nods to the white wolf in a questioning greeting.

(OOC: if you are still able to communicate in druidic while in animal form he would ask the white wolf what brings it here)

((should the white wolf had meant to remain unseen this entire time, then Drake-wolf continues to prowl the wood, unaware of the presence watching him)

[elvishnation]

-Kav tilts her head up and howls then bounds up to him with gentle steps of a druid disturbing none of the woods bowing her head. Her body slowly stands shedding it's furr and shifting seamlessly into a graceful small elf with the same blue eyes. She smiles kindly to him as she speaks with a melodic voice-


The wind hath spoke of a druid searching. I bid you greetings one of the woods.

[dazza555]

Drake-wolf cocks his head in surprise. He stands, and awkwardly stumbles in to human form. A nervous smile visible under his beard, he bows his head respectfully to the elf before speaking;

"H-hello, sister of the wood. You uh... You humble me uh... With your uh... Presence."

He nervously bows his head again, trying a little too hard to be polite.

"Y-you uh... You would uh... Share uh with uh me... Uh... What you know uh... About shape changing?"

His mouth clamps shut and his eyes widen with anxiety as he realises the improper way to start was with request. Glancing about nervously bowing his head to Kavralla again, he begins with introduction this time;

"uhmm... I'm Drake, Drake Lamshaw, druid of mielikki."

He bows his head a final time, altogether unaware that he already told his name when he sent out the message.

[elvishnation]

-She smiles sideways and inclines her head-

A pleasure Drake. Come run with me through the woods a bit. There's a pond not to far we may speak around.

-She watches him the entire time seeming to be judging him almost suspiciously, observing his every movement.-

I wish to know why, when we arrive there, why you wish to learn of such and what you wish to learn it for.

[dazza555]

Together they walk to the ponds. Drake takes a deep breath to calm himself, as the nervousness subsides, he tries to explain on the walk the reasoning behind his desire to learn;

"In the High Forest... My parent's told me wonderous tales of beings... uh, people ever-able to change their form. They said we were uh, saved by one once. I was young... Um too young to remember. They said a heavy rain had caused the rivers to run wild. I fell in and was swept away by the current, unable to swim against it, I nearly drowned. A uh... Treant, plucked me from the water and placed me on the bank... then it shrunk down into an elf. My parent's caught up and thanked him. He simply nodded and smiled, turning to a raven and taking to the skies... Sometimes I wonder if he still watches."

He takes another breath, seeming to relax a bit more;

"If something like that... were to happen to someone else, and I was the elf... I wouldn't be able to save them. The animal forms available to me... they uh, they wouldn't grant me the reach or the strength... I know not of any fish capable of swimming against a current while uh, dragging a human child... I wish bring balance to the lands... but to also demonstrate the compassion and mercy that elf shape changer showed me that day."

He stops to laugh; "I've never considered that the shape changer may not have even been elven. Hm."

He shakes his head, trying to get back on track; "Balance is necerssary, but compassion and mercy sometimes deems it uh... necerssary for us to intervene. Otherwise, nature and society would destroy one and other..."

He's quiet for a while after this. Uncertain if any of what he said has made any sense.

[elvishnation]

-She smiles softly to him, giving him a look of reassurance-

You are very lucky then friend of the woods. Shifting is hardest to learn at first though once you have it down it seems easier.

-She settles next to the water, crouching watching over it.-

You have to get to know the animals. Learn them. Learn their movements, how they move, why. It takes time and patience. Just as anything with nature. You learn that it matters not what one looks like, the body is merely what contains your spirit your heart which is who you are.
Please feel free to ask any questions. eh I suppose I did not properly introduce myself.
I am Kavrala.

[dazza555]

He ponders this and nods, he looks into the water, attempting to see what Kavralla might see.

"Yes, Kavralla... The mage in blue mentioned you, he said you know each other."

He pauses briefly, wording his next question carefully;
"You are... Or uh, were a druid once? Of whom from the uh... Nature gods did you worship?"

He thinks again before he asks more questions;

"what was the first shape you took? How did you come into this path? Why did you choose it?"

He studies the pond some more. Resisting the urge to turn into a badger and burrow his troubles away. No more running he thinks to himself.

[elvishnation]

One is always a druid unless you break the oath. I follow Rillifane and Fenmarel the nature gods of the Seldarine. How I came to the path is a bit mm Something I am less open about. I chose it because I wished to have such freedom. To be more one with nature and because of how I came upon such path. The first I took was a dragon wyrmling.

[dazza555]

He nods, listening closely, hanging on to every word spoken by the elven shifter. He doesn't press her for further information out of awe, fear and respect for her privacy.

Staring into the pond, he thinks of things he could become;

"you of the lone wolf..." He says; "it must be invigorating to be granted near endless freedom by the uh, the things you can become... An elf warned me of the responsibility of such power. She said you have to control your shape, not have it control you. It is uh, sound advice. I wouldn't want to uh, become something I could not control. The uh... Insuing carnage would be... Counter productive to mielikki's dogma of balance."

He looks to Kavralla; "did you ever struggle to maintain control?"

[elvishnation]

I never really struggled much with control. There were forms, one more specifically that I took on to break through a fear and great disliking for that would have possibly hindered my peace, and patience. Some forms seemed practical and would help in one way or another. Be it sneaking about, blending it with certain groups, certain strengths versus another form.

Like I said just remember yourself. Know who you are, your soul. Know and pray to your god and keep that god close to you. There are many about that would aid you. You never are alone even when it may seem you are. The winds wrap their arms around you, the birds sing a calming song, the rivers a symbol of the path, and the wolves cry out to the skies in greeting to others.

-She smiles softly and gazes about the area before laying back on the ground her slender body, wearing little as usual but seeming at complete peace while talking.-

I do strongly believe in freedom for all things.

[dazza555]

It seems like a year... But it's only been months. Drake Lamshaw returns to the life of adventure...

...he shan't quit this time. There is too much to be done. But Drake is patient, like many of his kind, he knows the importance of patience.

The time spent reflecting wasn't time wasted, it was necessary. For only now could he understand, truly understand, the world needed people like him. As much as it needed plotters, tryants, kings and knights. His role was just as important.

For if there was no them, there would be no him.

He runs his hand along the bark of the great tree he used to frequent, he looks north, into the dark wood. Narrowing his eyes, Drake growls. A mighty dire wolf strides to his side, it has it's eyes set on the dark wood also.

His ironbark armour clacks as he secures his shield to his arm and draws a fiery scimitar.

Taking one last look at the beautiful bramblewood about him, he sets forth at a determined pace, Anton the dire wolf at his side.

"Into the dark, where Malarites wait, we stride and pray, that it's not too late." He chants as he marches, his expression fearful, but resolute.

[dazza555]

Drake re-enters the Bramblewood from the North. He bears many injuries from cuts to scrapes to bites. Anton limps close behind him.

With a sigh of relief, he pulls his hood back, his expression tired but triumphant.

The victory against the Malarites was hollow compared to the loss of the Druid of Silvanus... and short lived when he saw the smoke over Greatgaunt..