The Forgotten Zodiac

"Oh," Cinnoa blinked. She still couldn't quite put her thumb on it, but she knew the human was oddly familiar. "So long as he's friendly," She shrugged.

"Up we go." Verolen ushered Bermuda up the ladder, not in a cheery mood at the moment.

"Most interesting. I think there's a tree spirit nearby," Rush looked around as he waited his turn to climb the ladder.

"Yes, I sense her nearby as well," Eve said, grinning at Rush. "I should like to meet her."

"How can you tell?" Israel asked, almost simutaneously as Eve's words. He frowned a bit at himself for interrupting, then voiced the question again as Eve finished. "How do you know that there's one? Is it just 'cause this is a really big tree?"

"No. I can sense the magic. VCF is pleased, they've never seen a Tree Spirit before." Rush chuckled.

"Your friend is in luck," Versha, the tree spirit residing here smiled, appearing behind them. "My name is Versha. Spirit of the Tree of Seasons. I thank you for guarding my tree in my absence, Eve." She smiled brightly, her core glowing just as bright as ever.

"Oh!" Eve said, turning and smiling at Versha. "It wasn't just me, you know. Aries, Byrne, and Arachne were there. As was Rush, but well..." she trailed off, smiling at the Chimera slightly. "So it was you that gave the animals the ability to speak?" she asked.

"I decided that it was time for a Turning year, indeed." She nodded. "The forest is as much for the animals as it is the Druids. They forget that on occasion, which is why Turning years exist. A reminder that all live, sentient or not, is sacred, and that all things have a right to grow."

"Very wise. Even humans are less likely to strike down a crow if it scolds them in their own language." Rush chortled. "I wasn't much help, though."

"Stiff all winter, yes. I was watching." She smiled curtly. "Aries did her duty well, and Byrne also carries my blessing now."

"I what?" Byrne asked, coming up the ladder last. It had taken him a bit longer than the others, for he found that pulling himself up with a numb arm had taken more effort than he'd expected. He stood up and brushed himself off, then smiled at Versha. "Ah, hello," he said.

Versha dipped her head. "You carry my blessing. In return for your efforts to protect my tree."

"A blessing from a Tree Spirit. We'll see how that helps us." Rush shrugged.

"It's more than just words, knowing one," She chuckled.

"Figured as much."

Byrne nodded at Versha. "Ah, thanks," he said. "For whatever it is," he added quickly and smiling at her.

"Are you all coming, or what?" Eve called back at Rush and Byrne, waving for them to follow from the next room. "Even Verdi's faster than you two!"

"Sorry!" Rush called, grabbing Byrne's good arm and pulling him towards the second room.

"Ah, is this everyone, then?" The council was waiting. Versha stepped in behind Rush and Byrne, still smiling. "Well then. Now will you tell us, L'arc? To what do we owe this surprising visit?"

L'arc waited as the rest of his group filed in, then turned back to the councilman who had spoken. "Yes," he said. "I'll not... beat around the bush. I'm here because... well... it's the matter of my coronation," he said. "I'm of age, now, and the forest needs a leader. I... have come here in the hopes of your endorsement."

The council members looked at each other, somewhat nervously. "Eh...we'll take some time to consider it. But L'arc...this isn't a big city. It's only survived so far thanks to the distance from the fighting and whatnot. To have the coronation at all is risky...if anyone catches wind of it..." The eldest of the group murmured.

"We'll discuss it," The youngest stood, nodding. "L'arc, and...friends, why don't I give you a tour of Treefort?"

"You're the last council in any area I know of," L'arc said. "Aries is the sole retainer remaining from my father's time. Racheal, Nornan, Jemina, and Assegai are all dead. I... felt compelled to ask someone," he said. Turning to the next topic, he gave a nod. "I'm sure we'd love a tour," he said, looking to the others in the group. After a general consensus of nodding, he turned back to the council member. "Yes, please."

"We're not...really a council, L'arc." Versha murmured. "We only oversee this town. No others. And I do not think that our choices would reflect the choices of the whole of the forest..."

"What she says is true," The eldest sighed. "If Aries is the only council member alive, then why come to us?"

L'arc hesitated. "I... when I last came here, you said that the general knowledge of the public was that I was dead," he said. "This town is a place I need to reach. I've lost touch with my people, and it's my biggest regret," he said. "I... hope you understand."

Versha nodded. "A wise choice. I'll send word through the trees; the other cities must know that the prince is alive and going to become king. When were you planning to have the coronation, exactly?" She turned her glowing eyes on L'arc, but one of the council memebers shook his head.

"We'll discuss it. Go take the tour with Toroh. Just...give us a bit of time to consider it." He waved L'arc and the others off.

"Feh...should we knock some sense into him?" Rush popped his knuckles, his lip curled a bit.

"Leave it, Rush." Verolen tutted. "You can wrestle a bear later if you're that eager to fight something."

L'arc smiled slightly at Rush. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't think that'd be a good idea," he said.

Bermuda seemed to relax considerably as they left the council room behind them, and looked around the small city they had arrived at. He still thought the ocean was more beautiful, but the forest had its own beauty. Treefort was a nice place, he decided.

"Hm. I feel more violent than usual." Rush tutted as they left the room. "It's probably nothing..."

"It better be nothing. I thought you were joking," Verolen frowned. "Cut the aggressive act. You're not a brute, you're Rush. Right?"

"Of course. I'll sort it out." Rush shrugged, ignoring the fact that he felt much like wringing Verolen's neck for talking to him like that.

"So," Sylas grinned as he looked around. "This is Treefort."

"Quite," Toroh led the way across a bridge, but stopped halfway. From that point, they could see a great deal; more bridges, more hollowed out trees, and even some treehouses higher up. "It's mighty defendable. The main tree is slathered with special amber to keep it from being burned in the case of a fire, as are most of the other house trees. We have many people here, from Druids to Fairies, and even a small Viera family that took shelter with us only recently. Anyone and everyone that wants their hand away from the war. We've decided to establish contact with the small human camp to the west, so that we can better assist any human refugees that make it out this far."

"It's incredible," Sylas couldn't stop grinning.

Manny, in the meantime, was practially carried by Eve. He had a newfound fear of heights, and Treefort was very, very high up.

"It's all right, dear, you won't fall," Eve said, patting Manny's back comfortingly. She looked over the edge of the walkway and smiled. "There were many mountains where I lived as a child. This is not so high up," she said. "...comparatively."

Israel tapped Rush on the shoulder. "Hey, hey, you want to... are you okay?" he asked, his words trailing off as he saw the expression the Chimera bore.

"To what?" Rush shook his head, attempting to shake off his anger and frustration that had come about for no reason. "Sorry, Israel, I'm fine. Just a bit of...feral left in me. It's mad..." He muttered, looking down. "But I'll be fine. There's no chance I'll go back to that, I'll just have to fight off this short temper I have now...but really, I'm okay. What do you want to do?" He attempted a smile.

"Just... fly around a little you know? Maybe with Gabe and Verdi, they might like that..." he said, seeming to be a bit on guard.