Roxi can't believe how much fun she is having. Her power is incredible and growing. Using trees to cultivate nature is the best kind of cheating. Not as much cheating as using a family heirloom to capture a dragon. That talisman is plain unfair… which adds to her joy immensely. She hated the hand she was dealt, and now the deck is stacked in her favor.

Demons bound to her family or the dryads are doing her bidding, trees are harvesting power for her, and the dragon is destroying his own home. The day is brilliant. It could be brighter. Darkness and nature aren't the most compatible forces, but that is a minor problem that will resolve itself in time.

The dryad's tree gown sways as she adds a hop to her step and prances through the forest — taking her sweet time on her way to the one building left standing. It's only a matter of time before the smug face of the so-called shadow queen gets a mouthful of humble… dirt? No something more humbling than dirt. Whatever, it didn't matter. Roxi has more important things to do before she meets Genevieve, like laughing.

"Excuse me, pretty tree lady…." Roxi's laugh takes an involuntary snort at the interruption. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt you," says a man beside a dead cat. The man is smiling almost as much as she is, which diminishes her smile slightly. Why is he smiling? Her smile is extinguished when she sees the pesky goblin druid besides the dark-cloaked man.

Two lancers, a life druid, and a death drifter — whatever class that is — dare interrupt her gloating? The goblin is too confident if he thinks he will beat her again. The nerve.

"Why are you interrupting me?” She asks, annoyed that she has to ask. “I'm no longer corrupting your precious forest."

"Aren't those your trees with glowing eyes?" Asks the drifter. His voice is smooth and a bit softer than she expected from the gruff-looking man. His confidence is a complete facade, but he pulls off the look nicely. She might even worry the rook is hiding some powers if not for his rushing heart and uneven breaths.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She decides to toy with her prey. The man is just too cute to destroy immediately. But not pretty enough to keep as a toy or a pet. He could be taller, for one, and she is more into the dark gray skin tone of the valkeers than the dark brown skin of humans. But that is being pedantic. No, what ruins the man's allure is that he is interrupting her moment. So typical.

"Damn. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I'll be honest. I saw the trees running wild, and then I saw you dressed like a tree — as much as a person can dress like a tree — frolicking and, like a fool, figured there's a connection. By the way, my name's Jack... shit!” He shouts the last part of his name and rushes his last. “I-mean-Jim. And this is Cru."

Jackshit Imeanjim's right fist tightens and shakes a little at his side. Roxi stretches out her senses looking for the attack the man signaled for. No attack comes. Maybe he's got one of those conditions where he has uncontrollable shakes. If so, that might get him another point of cuteness. Still not enough. The man has to die.

"Look nice tree lady, mind if I call you Treena?" Jackshit asks, full of endearing sincerity.

"I rather you not."

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"Well, I don't want to keep calling you tree lady."

"You don't have to call me anything. I'm just going to kill you anyway." That last bit came out a little harsh. It is true she will kill the man. She didn't need to say it like that, though.

"I rather you not. Anyway, Treena, can I have my dragon back?" Twenty percent of her joy is swallowed when the man — Jack, finishes speaking. The nerve of the cowering drifter. Who does he think he is? This is becoming a lot less fun while at the same time becoming a different kind of fun. And just like that, fifteen percent of her lost joy is rekindled.

****

By the empty heavens, I wish people were more forthcoming with their names. Sure, I know her name is Roxi. It feels wrong to use her real name when she never gave it to me, and Treena is an excellent name. Possibly a top ten name I've created so far. However, Roxi doesn't seem to like it, and Cru is just altogether uncomfortable.

There is an uneasy tension between Roxi and Cru. I know the two fought. Cru shared the experience with me while we were traveling. I foolishly figured the tension would have been buried when the dryad died. Death is, by all accounts, a natural release of all things.

My heart is beating fast. I don't want to blow this encounter with the leader of the demon invasion. The dryad is an impressive figure. The tree dress alone is a marvel to behold. It's like she’s wearing a tree while, at the same time, she is the tree. I know nothing about fashion, but I think this gown is one to kill for. Even the golden glimmer flowing from the dress is intoxicating.

Wait…

Is she putting some nature spell on me?

Counter! I don't know if that is how I resist the spell — if it is a spell — but I put some focus on keeping my mind clear. Has she still yet to respond? She must really hate the name Treena.

"Fury is now my pet dragon, so you can tell the shadow hag her only friend is mine until death do us part." There is some edge to the last of her words, and Roxi's smile becomes even more empty.

"Hey, hey, that's uncalled for. Genevieve's a friend. Keep it kind or well, consider me displeased." Fetch, I'm losing it. It’s never good to claim the moral high ground in these battles. That's one hill that won't give you any advantage. I'm completely exposed to an impending barrage of snide remarks. And they come in the form of wicked laughter.

"So the bitch has a new pet. How cute. I guess she won't miss the dragon much after all. However, she might miss you when I take you as well." I know the dryad is taking her shots now. It's my fault for setting her up so well. Still, the tree is spitting out some mean shade. I try my best to keep my calm. Defending Gene's name is more self-fulfilling than helpful to Gene. Still, I'm a sucker, and this is low-hanging fruit.

"Oh, come on. That isn't even original. Gene's got wolf blood. Do you think that's insulting? If you're gonna sling slander, put some effort into it. Hundred years of brooding... that's the shot you take? Besides, isn't Draxxo the one that should be under fire? He betrayed you. Not Genevieve. If anything, Gene saved you from a world of disappointment. Sorry, I shouldn't have said that last part. I got carried away. I didn't mean it, Draxxo." Great, now I'm a hypocrite and apologize to the one demon that isn't in this realm.

I've spat out enough words now that Roxi needs to take a moment to digest them all. If I'm not mistaken, she might have just vomited a little in her mouth. Which is always a lousy metric for conversations. A couple breaths later, she responds. "This is no longer fun. You both die now." So maybe she wasn't absorbing my words of reason.

Once again, I blew it.

The good news is that the worry about having a good conversation is gone. Any fool can fight, and I'm nothing if not foolish. Of that, I'm absolutely confident.