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Shepherd's Echo
Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Inconsolable screams filled the space between the trees. It was a grating and harsh noise, so much so that the birds took flight from the warmth of their nests, and the squirrels awoke from their winter’s long slumber with squeaks of discontent. They tried most things they could think of, but nothing could soothe the tiny infant from their wrathful laminations.

They had some minor success when they held the baby in their arms, close to their chest, with their core exposed. The baby greedily soaked up the warmth, reaching up with grasping hands and an open mouth, batting at the glowing stone. Apparently, the baby did not find what it was searching for, as they immediately began to bellow their displeasure, ensuring that anyone within half a mile would know of their plight.

They were not ignorant of the needs of suckling infants. They had been there when the first creature crawled out of the warm oceans, breathing in the fresh air and touching the dry land that had never known the gentle caress of the sea. They had seen how some creatures would lay their eggs, leaving them to the fate of the wilds, while others would nurture their young, caring for them until they grew too large to latch onto their teat.

They knew that the infant needed to eat.

I am sorry, little one. I do not have what you desire. They thought to themselves, brushing the wailing infant’s head with their leafy hands.

They looked around themselves; nothing but empty trees and snow-covered brambles could be seen. They were alone. It would take too long to find a surrogate mother; the baby was already weak and starving. There was only one thing that they could do.

A wildflower bloomed from the palm of their hand; its petals were long and soft and as white as the snow around them. It turned on a thick stem of verdant green, its petals closing towards the bright yellow pistol until only a tiny opening remained. They moved their hand and the flower up to the infant’s toothless, screaming mouth, letting a single drop of transparent, shimmering nectar fall into it.

Quiet fell upon the forest, bringing relief to many unseen ears. They held an unneeded breath, waiting impatiently for something, anything, to happen. It was a risk to make their nectar for something so small, even as weak as they were; it would be filled with their magic and able to quickly burn away the sensitive insides of living beings.

They had to get the mixture just right…

The baby smacked its lips hungrily before reopening them and rooting for the source. They let out the feeling of dreadful anticipation as they placed the end of the flower completely in the baby’s waiting mouth, letting her suckle until she was full.

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A feeling of warmth spread through their body, distracting them from everything else around them. All they could see was the life cradled safely in their arms. It was a unique feeling, one of so many that they had experienced since awakening from their self-imposed hibernation, but it was the one they enjoyed the most. They decided, then and there, that they would ensure that this child was able to grow, to live, and to thrive in this world.

The following days and weeks were the longest yet most fulfilling of their existence. Watching over the world's life was a crucial role, one that was just as integral to the world as it was insular to them. They had always been so far removed from the everyday lives of the beings they guarded, never growing close to them in any meaningful way or doing anything more than interfere on such a grand scale as to be completely outside the realm of their understanding.

It was impossible for ants to appreciate the tree that shielded their hive from the harsh rays of the sun.

It was telling how fast things had changed. It wasn’t lost on them how easily they had latched onto the first creature they had connected with, how easily they had fallen in love. Although love was alien to them, animals did not love, at least not in any observable way. Some beasts would nurture and protect their young to a certain extent, but almost any of them would put their own lives above those of their young, an act that any would see as direct opposition to the very definition of the word.

That wonderful and distressing feeling grew within them every moment of every day, causing them no small amount of concern. Every slight noise and unexpected movement sent their mind spiraling into a whirlpool of worry, searching the small babe for any sign of their discomfort, never finding anything of note other than soiled greenery or angry snowflakes that had found their way onto her nearly bald head.

They learned how to differentiate her cries over time, and the new knowledge allowed them to worry much less and focus more on the forest moving around them. They had been walking since that first morning, moving ever east through the seemingly endless trees. They had no set path to follow, but the destination was clear in their mind.

They needed to find more of the child’s kind.

Although it pained them to think of the little one in the arms of another, they knew better than to stunt the child’s growth due to their selfishness. Animals needed to be around others like them, socializing and learning how to be what they were meant to be. This one would be no different.

They were beings of wood and magic—immortal. Although they could indeed nurture the child into adulthood, the result would be anything but. She would know how to be a wonderful mage of nature, and a passable tree if she put herself to it, but a man, she would not. Her knowledge of their society would be non-existent, and she would struggle to integrate with them should she ever need to. That was something that they would not allow to pass.

They followed the rising sun in the morning, putting it to their back as it fell toward the horizon. Many times, the beasts of the forest, some more hideous than others, would give in to their hunger and make an attempt on their lives, but, although limited, their magic was still powerful, and with each creature that fell, it would only grow stronger. They also added many more forms to their collection but still found the first to be the best when caring for a growing child.

But it was by far the slowest. That was why winter was nearly over when they found what they had been searching for.