Strange. Ever since the incident with the boar, the tree had found itself alone far more frequently. It has been staying rooted in the spot so as to fully digest its meal, but every day it seems the squirrel has been venturing by itself somewhere. At first, the tree had not noticed anything, because its friend was just as curious as itself but much more mobile. It would wander off for an hour or two and sometimes bring back small knick-knacks as gifts, absolutely covered in dirt and leaves.

Now, however the only thing it was covered in was wounds. The tree was worried and confused, and yet it had no way to express it. It could not move with its friend, for whenever it tried the squirrel would stop. There was no enemy around so it didn't know how its friend was getting hurt nor how to help. For the first time in its relatively short life, it was utterly baffled and helpless.

What does one do when killing enemies or sheltering wasn't enough? How could it provide aid?

It did not know.

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Towering above the ground was said squirrel. It was clinging to a tree trunk, a familiar sight to be sure if only this one didn't seem to appear endlessly tall. This wasn't its familiar tree. However, that was exactly why it was here. Out of the comforting reach and safety of its mobile home. The encounter days prior had bothered it greatly.

It was helpless before the lumbering beast, a mere ant not even worthy of a second glance nor to serve as an afternoon snack. Was this how it was going to always be? Did it not leave home to explore the world? For refusing to be confined within the safety of the nest for the rest of its life? That was months ago that it had left, and yet had anything truly changed? Trading one cage for another?

No, on its journey with the strange tree it called friend it had watched closely every step of the way. The unconventional evolution of the tree. A tree could not survive without sunlight, such was common sense even to the lowest of beasts. They needed to grow tall and sprout leaves. Yet didn't its lovely tree lack any such traits? In the ever-present darkness of its greater kin, any other would've starved and rotted away, however it never yielded. Roots were the vital spot of any plant, that which must be protected at all cost for survival, so who would've imagined using it as its main weapon?

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It was stupid beyond belief, like washing your neck and showing it to your enemy. But it worked, didn't it? So who's to say that a small squirrel's stupid dream of reaching the sky wouldn't also come true? Besides its not alone anymore.

Which is why it couldn't keep being a burden. Which was why it was training every day. Getting up after every fall despite all the muck clinging to its once beautiful grey fur. Ever after its fingers began to bleed or its claws chipped. Such pain was temporary. Pride and effort, however, lasted a lifetime.

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It had come to a conclusion. It couldn't stop the squirrel from getting injured. That was simply impossible. No matter what it did, the risk was always hovering around them. Hidden enemies, accidents, even dumb luck. What it could do was minimize the chances of such happening. Which was why within 100 feet of the area they were currently resting at, was entirely devoid of life unbeknown to his furry hat.

Not a single ant nor blade of grass escaped its grasp. Anything which entered despite its warning was quickly beaten off or used as fertilizer. It was taking no chances in regards to the safety of its only friend. However that wasn't enough, and so it tried to figure out something to help. I dug deep within its core for anything it could use and finally stumbled upon something. Its conception. The moment life was given to it.

The Health potion.

But it had drunk it all. Was there a method to get more..? What else was there? It couldn't fully recall nor comprehend the circumstances which had surrounded it, however with its power vastly improving so too did its mental state. Rather than a scattered and erratic cloud of instinct and ideas, it now had a proper "mind". Granted, one akin to a child's but a mind nonetheless.

And so it decided to return to the place of its birth, in search of a solution, leaving behind a miles long patch of baren land within one of the most rich and fertile land in this world.