PART XXI - INTROSPECTION
Having returned to the form of an Ogre, Tazrok found himself not feeling well, much as he had after the punishment assembly the day before. He had a headache, and he found his thoughts jumbled and confused. He told the others he needed to sit for a while, and took up his spot under the tree again.
They rested for a time, talking in subdued voices about the Unicorns, or Tazrok’s Brontorn form. Curious, Melga asked what was going to happen when they revealed their forms to everyone. Rowani replied that it had become a tradition that new Druids would learn their forms at the same time as the entire recruit body. In part, it was a fun surprise for everyone, including the Druids, but also so nobody would panic if they saw a Druid-turned-animal wandering through the compound. Apparently there had been … incidents.
“So we all just turn into each animal at the same time?” Melga asked.
“That’s right,” Rowani replied.
Melga looked over at Tazrok, who was still resting his head. “Let’s do Tazrok separate, after the rest of us. I want to see his new forms, along with the looks on everyone’s faces, because I think his other forms will be really interesting too.”
Wallir and Bratig quickly concurred, and Rowani reluctantly agreed. She was reluctant because even though the Ogre was unique, she didn’t want to give the impression to the rest of the recruits that he was somehow different, from a Druid standpoint at least, than the other three. Of course, the fifth form sort of ruined that idea, so the entire plan had probably been spoiled.
They sat a while longer, Tazrok continuing to rest his head against the tree. With a groan he sat up fully, and stretched, his huge arms long enough to nearly wrap around the tree itself.
“Thank you,” Tazrok said, seemingly out of nowhere.
“For … for what?” Bratig asked, confused.
“For giving…” the Ogre began, his face getting puzzled for a moment. “For giving support.”
“Of course,” Wallir said, still a little perplexed.
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Tazrok shook his head. “You treat me like Druid. Helps. Being Druid was shock, and I handle bad. Ogres are slow of brain, not like Druid should be. But you all still support. Mean much in here.” The Ogre thumped his chest with his giant hand. “May end up bad Druid, but have accepted the way. Will try special hard. This, I have decided.”
Nobody was quite sure how to respond. Tazrok was generally not much for words, his inspirational speech the day before notwithstanding, and certainly not much for conversation.
Melga walked up to Tazrok, placing her tiny Dwarf hand on his arm. “You’re one of us, even if it’s a surprise. We’re here for you, whatever you may need.”
“Thank you,” Tazrok said again. “Us go now.”
The Ogre stood, and they walked back towards the rest of the camp, Rowani leading the way and Tazrok bringing up the rear, taking small steps so as to not overtake anyone. They walked slowly, simply drinking in the forest around them, closer to nature now than they had been on the walk in. All four recruits had a newfound appreciation, respect, or maybe even love, for the balance that was the world they had stepped into. Perhaps it was the encounter with the Unicorns, or maybe just their first real steps on their Druid journey, but they felt like they had become different people than they were when the day had started.
The Unicorns had had a profound effect on Trainer Rowani, even if she didn’t let it show to the others. She had spent most of her Druidic life as an Adventurer or eventually as part of the Army, and as a result had never really developed the true oneness with nature that more healing- or ritual-centric Druids would. Sure, she could talk about the importance of balance and communing with nature to recruits, but it had never really been her path, which made her an excellent choice as a combat trainer.
Rowani was nearly seventy, growing old by Beastkin standards, and the twilight of her years was something that had been occasionally on her mind for a while. Her continuing work as Trainer had generally allowed her to ignore it, but the Unicorns had affected her significantly, and she found herself feeling slightly lost and melancholy. She knew by the time the Unicorn mother had left and entered the forest that this would be her last training class, and it was time for her to find her next path in what little life she had remaining. What that meant, she couldn’t say yet, but she knew it was not going to be here.
The five Druids left the forest, stepping back onto the training grounds where they had left. The sun was beginning to slide towards late afternoon, and the four recruits were finding themselves exhausted, despite doing very little all day except sit under a tree. It was a mental fatigue, and more than anything they each wanted a little time alone to self-reflect. But, they still had tradition to uphold, and despite how tired they felt, they were equally excited to find out their new animal forms.
As they walked as a group towards the bleacher area, where they were planning to just relax until it was time for their form reveals, they spotted a crowd of almost twenty recruits all in various stages of laughter. Curious, they walked closer, finding one of the craziest sights any of them had ever seen. They saw a tiny, meter-high Gnome with bright pink hair waving two wooden practice swords in the air and chasing the poor, terrified Catkin Dregorio, while screaming, “Come back and fight me, kitty!”