"These damn druids keep coming up to me with their questions like I am a master of dreams," Chip said.

His fox companion coughed. Halfway through the second day of marching and the pair at the front had gotten question after question about his drawing from insistent initiates.

They had to jog to the front of the line to even speak to him. one initiate, a fox named Andrea, asked him questions only because he had a fox ranger candidate with him. It was blatantly obvious that she was pining for the male fox when she wouldn't make eye contact with Chip even on her fourth visit, after many promises to yes yes, actually give her a private reading.

Andrea had no affinity for this burrow which miffed her, and she let Chip know.

"Most foxes are either Nithe House, you know luck and war, or Raven House. I had hoped that I might be a dreamer, perhaps even a master of dreams but it appears that is not the case," she sighed.

The clear open pathway between the massively tall trees opened up as they spoke. A large field surrounded by a river on one side and larger roots on the other stood in their path.

"Well maybe you will enjoy the benefits of… I am sorry I don't understand the difference, Miss," Chip said.

For the first time all day, Andrea locked eyes with Chip.

"House Raven druids are tasked with the raising and caring of the creatures of the land, especially the blessing every conscious being gets when they are in their third year," she said, as if reciting by rote.

She turned back to regard Renard again. The male fox was inspecting the water, and he looked fairly confused.

"Let’s move on, I’m not seeing anythingI can catch and eat,” Chip said, “More’s the pity.”

“Spring told me something,” she said conspiratorially, “She said that… your druid is able to create the ranger bond.”

Chip pursed his lips. Renard scouted ahead to the edge of the clearing where a cairn of stones stood about half again as tall as the fox.

“This is of course true, and I wouldn’t keep that from you sister. Why do you ask?”

Behind them, the druids followed onwards and it seemed that more than one creature was happy to see the cairn.

“I need to make sure that I get that,” she gestured to the cairn, “specimen to consider me as his druid.”

Renard circled the cairn as the two came up. It was only a brief walk from the water. Chip idly wondered if the tides ever came in. The land was very flat here and the water wasn’t very deep at all.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Going around the cairn, they saw a puzzled fox inspecting a large round table and a fire pit that wasn’t apparent. Both were inside of a low wall of stone, with exits on four sides.

Chip looked back to see Sam calling a halt as the druids gathered by the cairn and the stream, filling their flasks.

Andrea motioned for Chip to follow and the two moved back to the stream. He filled his waterskin watching as Sam took report from Renard. Ortho stood right behind her, impassive and looking as if he’d been enjoying a nice nap. Sam leaked resolve over the bond.

“I think, about your problem, that you might want to talk to him first,” he said.

“I couldn’t! Then he’d know and I would be so embarrassed and…and…” she said.

Chip washed his paws off, then splashed his face.

“I had no idea that my wife,” Chip said, “Was interested in me, until she made herself a part of my life. And now I’m following her Raven knows where, but it took one of us saying something. Plus I’m sure he needs a druid.”

Andrea frowned, her whiskers dropping low.

Then she turned on the puppy eyes.

“You want me to ask him for you because you’re afraid of being rejected and you only want me to tell you he’s interested if he is… but then you’ll know either way.”

Andrea sputtered.

“He… you…” She said.

Chip pulled the fox away from the River.

Renard was heading towards Chip, probably with some important news.

“Renard!”

Chip waved.

“Ah! Monsieur Ranger Chip!” Renard said.

“Talk to this druid,” Chip said, almost bodily shoving Andrea into him, “She needs some guidance.”

Andreas' eyes went wide.

“Why it would be my pleasure, Monsieur,” he said, turning to her, “And what kind of issues are you having, madame?”

Chip could feel the daggers from Andrea’s eyes as he walked to the gaggle around the cairn. At least she hadn’t been trying to get him to draw from the deck for her, although it would be good practice.

From the fire, into the frying pan, Chip thought as five initiates made a beeline for him. He was only a bit faster as he reached Ortho and Sam, and it seemed that his debrief was over. The initiates sat a fair bit away from the group.

Sam sat cross legged next to the cairn, with Ortho supervising. Bonsai and Oak both sat on either side, meditating.

Chip noted that all of the ranger candidates except for the tied down Renard were in a small circle in front of the three. In two neat rows they sat in formation.

Ortho clapped as Chip arrived.

“So good of you to join us,” he said, “Candidates, this is another of the ones that came to me already with a bond, now…I don’t mean to tire you all out, and this is only to make sure that you can defend yourselves. Does everyone have a staff?”

A pile of staves in front of oak and bonsai numbered more than the amount of candidates they had.

“These four,” Ortho said, gesturing to the otters and beavers, ”Have already given me an indication of their martial prowess, and although I find them lacking, we’ll be doing three on one against each otter.”

The candidates gasped.

“And two to one with the Beavers.”

A whoop came up from the watching initiates.

Chip gulped.

“Give me the first three,” he said, holding staves to pass out.

Every paw or claw shot up.