PART II - CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR EFFORT

Together, Callie and Vonn returned to her duffle bag, and Vonn once again rooted around in it, looking for something.

Jesca had been checking out Juniper’s pet, who was still distracted by its staredown with Pixyl. “May I pet it?” she asked Juniper, carefully reaching for it. “It’s kind of cute.”

“Of course,” the Dryad said cheerily. Then she added, wagging a finger at the plant, “No biting!”

Gingerly, Jesca started to pat the plantlings head, who seemed to greatly enjoy it. Soon it was leaning into her hand, enjoying a vigorous series of scritches. Pixyl simply rolled her eyes at the whole situation, still irritated at the little monster from the night before.

“Here we are,” Vonn said, straightening. She held up a long piece of rope, with several markings of different colors on it, spaced at regular intervals.

“A squeal of delight caught everyone’s attention, as Jesca giggled, now holding the end of the little plant creature’s leash. They were rolling on the ground playfully, the plant occasionally letting off guttural squeaks of joy. Juniper, on the other hand, was approaching, holding what appeared to be a walking stick that rose roughly to her chest.

“Isss that …?” Vonn started to ask, her voice trailing off and eyes going wide in disbelief at the sight of the wood.

“I remember saying your new bow could only have three runes and two enchantments, because the wood was just not that good,” Juniper said looking down at Callie, a wide smile on her face. “That just simply won’t do! So as a thank you for helping me, I retrieved this for you.”

“What is it?” Callie wondered aloud, taking the wood. It was slightly taller than Callie, and varied in thickness along its twisted and knotty length. It wasn’t particularly heavy, but it felt quite solid and strong, yet flexible at the same time. The wood seemed to give off a slight hum of energy, as if it was ready to do something, and needed only to be told what that something might be. It was truly magnificent.

By now, the other Rangers had gathered close, staring as wide-eyed as Vonn at the piece of wood. Even Jesca had stopped her roughhousing to take in the sight, holding the plantling in one arm as it rested its bulbous head on her shoulder.

“It’sss Heartwood,” Vonn said softly. “From a Dryad’sss tree.”

“Um hmm,” Juniper giggled. “You can make her bow from this, right?”

“Yesss, I … I can.” Vonn said slowly, taking the wood from Callie and running her hand slowly along its twisting length. “I’ve never ssseen anything like thisss in itsss raw form,” Vonn whispered absently. Quickly she added, “I should be able to work it, though.”

“Oh good,” Juniper bounced. “I believe you will be able to put more runes into that, as well as more enchantments.”

“My SSStars, yesss. At least five runes for sure, maybe even six,” Vonn confirmed. “Fizzzzlebek would know more about the enchantmentsss but I’m sure if anyone can add more, it would be him.”

“Marvelous!”

Juniper turned to leave, reaching for her pet, who leapt from a still-stunned Jesca’s arms. Absently, the Cheetahkin passed the leash back to the Dryad.

“Juniper!” Callie finally called out. “Thank you!”

Juniper turned, squatting slightly so her plantling could climb down to the ground. “It was my pleasure, Little One.”

“Mistressss Juniper, if I may be so bold …” Vonn started to ask sheepishly.

“Yes?”

“I … I do not mean to sssound ungrateful for thisss gift, nor do I wish to offend, but would you be able to provide more of thisss fantassstic wood?”

“To make bows for others?”

“Yesss!”

“And this would help you all to kill Demons?” Juniper asked, tilting her head slightly. Next to her, the little monster was mimicking his creator, tilting its head in the same manner.

“Yesss! Very much ssso!” Vonn eagerly said.

Juniper seemed to get a far off look in her eyes, as if she was thinking about the question very hard.

“Again,” Vonn started to say, “I do not wish to offend. If it is not possssible, I underssstand.”

“How long must they be?” Juniper asked suddenly.

“How long?” Vonn gasped, her serpentine tongue getting twisted around itself. “Um … um … all Rangersss are normal sssizzzed, except thisss Little One,” Vonn said quickly. “SSSo the wood would need to be twiccce this length for each bow that isss made.”

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“Hmm,” Juniper pondered. There was tension in the air, and a sudden worry that Juniper had been insulted.

“Forgive me,” Vonn finally said, bowing her head in shame. “I meant no offenssse. Forget I sssaid …”

“Eight,” Juniper said flatly, interrupting the Lamia. “I could bring you eight pieces of that thickness that are also twice that length, and a few more from time to time as well. I must be careful how much I remove from my tree, you understand.”

Vonn’s eyes widened. “Truly? You would do that?”

“Of course! I am here to help kill the Demons, after all. But there is one condition. The first four must go to Callie’s lovely friends. With all possible enchantments and runes, of course. Nothing but the best will do for our new Demon slayers!”

That made all the Rangers, as well as Callie, suddenly jump, mouths agape in surprise and disbelief. Magic bows for all of them?

“Absssolutely,” Vonn nodded vigorously, not even trying to argue or suggest an alternative. “I will work as quickly as possssssible, and could have bowsss for thessse four also done in about one week, onccce I have the wood. With as many runesss as I am able, of courssse.”

“Good,” Juniper said with a chirp. “I shall start to bring them back with me when I have time or I visit my tree to rest. A good afternoon to you all.” With that, she turned and began to walk away, her pet obediently at her side.

“Juniper …” Callie shouted after her.

“Yes?” the Dryad said, looking back.

Callie didn’t know what to say, or how even to say it. On one hand, she didn’t really have a full appreciation for what Juniper had brought, except by proxy from Vonn’s words and expression. She sensed, though, that providing this, and promising more, was a sacrifice by Juniper of some kind. Because of that, Callie simply couldn’t properly express how grateful she was. With no good words able to come out of her mouth, Callie simply ran up to the Dryad and hugged her, hands around her thighs. With effort, she uttered a wholly inadequate, “Thank you!”

Before Juniper could respond, Jesca joined in, hugging Juniper as well. A moment later it was Kaisess, and then Shul’an. Even the grouchy Thucax finally melded into the group hug. Each Ranger added their own quiet “thank you” to the moment, each having no proper way to express their gratitude.

Something bumped Callie’s butt, and she looked down and back to see the little monster-plant had joined the hug. It was wrapping its spindly vine arms around Callie’s waist, its head nestling in the small of her back, seeming as if it was trying to mimic everyone else. Callie smiled and looked at Pixyl, who was awkwardly standing off to the side. “Do you want to get in on this action?”

“I’m g-g-good,” the little Pixie said, waving Callie off.

The giant hug continued on well past awkward, but finally broke up, giving the confused Juniper some air. The Rangers all stepped away, slightly embarrassed for themselves, but still stupefied by the prospects getting a magical Heartwood Bow of their own.

Being the first into the embrace, Callie was the last out, and finally stepped away, peeling the gropey vines of Juniper’s pet off her rear. “No!” she hissed, shaking a finger at the little guy. “Don’t go grabbing people like that!”.

“And g-g-give her back her waterskin,” Pixyl said flatly, glaring at the handsy monster, apparently having seen something Callie had missed.

“What?” Callie said, perplexed. But looking down to her belt, sure enough her water was no longer hooked on. “Give it!” Callie snapped, holding out her hand, and stomping her foot.

The plantling seemed to pout and then opened its fang-filled mouth, revealing the unharmed waterskin. With a flick of its head, the thief tossed it to the ground with a thump.

“You tricky little thief!” Callie growled, snatching up the surprisingly dry waterskin. A thought came to Callie. “Yeah … tricky …. trickster ... I’m going to call you Loki!”

“What’s a ‘Loki’?” Jesca asked.

Callie paused for a split moment, before wrapping the truth in the lie that was needed to keep her ruse. “Just something random that I’ve remembered sometime in the last few days. A fictional god of mischief. Perfect for this thing, I think!”

“Loki,” Jesca said, kneeling down and scritching the plant once again. “I like it.”

“Then that shall be his name,” Juniper said, a light tone in her voice. “But alas, we must return so that Trainer Eirlys can instruct me on how to unsummon my … Loki.”

Vonn cleared her throat. “Little One, I do not wish to rush you, but …”

“Oh! Right!” Callie said, suddenly feeling guilty about getting distracted, even if the Heartwood was something wonderful. “Sorry.”

Everyone waved Juniper and her newly-named pet off and Callie returned her attention to the Lamia. Vonn had Callie stand and pull back on the bowstring, elbow held high, aiming at a hay bale for safety. Using the marked rope, Vonn used it to measure several different angles , working to get the perfect size zeroed in for crafting the new weapon. Once she finished with Callie, Vonn quickly retrieved a standard longbow, before waving the rest of the Rangers over one-by-one, taking their measurements as well.

“Withhh more runesss available, do you have any thoughtsss about what you may want inlaid into it?” Vonn asked as she measured.

“Honestly,” Callie said with a shrug, “I think I just want you to surprise me. You're the expert so I trust you to do what’s needed, and the surprise would be fun.” An echo of agreements went up among the other Rangers.

“Then I shall endeavor to make it an exccciting ssssurprissse. I will consssult with Trainer Reynard, as he might sssee a weaknessss in each of you that a ssspecific rune would be able to aid.”

“I wonder if we should make one for him too?” Callie asked. “I wouldn’t want him to feel left out.”

“Asss he is retired from the battlefield, I sssuspect he would passss on having one made for him,” Vonn said. “I know if I were in his placcce, I’d rather a Heartwood Bow go to a new recruit in a later term, to maximizzze its usefulnessss in the war.”

All measurements now completed, Vonn bid good afternoon to each of the recruits, excusing herself and rushing quickly back into the forge area like she needed to take something out of the oven before it burned. Actually, it was probably a variation on that exact thing.

Callie caught Fizzlebek’s attention and waved, indicating they were all leaving. He was busy working with the Dwarf that caused the explosion, disassembling the wreckage of whatever had blown up earlier. He returned the wave, shouting out that he wanted to talk some time when it wasn’t so busy. Callie called back a promise, and together the six recruits started to head back home.

The other Rangers split off to see the new tree that had entombed the medical tent, while Callie and Pixyl continued their way back towards the recruit houses and the garden.

“Should we shower?” Callie yawned, eyeing the bathhouse, but with her heart really not in it. She was just so tired.

“I need to soak my w-w-wing,” Pixyl responded with a yawn of her own. “And we stink, too.”

“I suppose. Bath first, then food, then sleep,” Callie ticked off on her hand.

“Perfect,” Pixyl agreed, looking up with an exhausted smile into the most-perfect exhausted eyes of her best friend.