It was hard to concentrate to see the path in front of her. It rather was a small and clearly visible path, but it was almost as if the path itself was constantly suggesting to follow other paths. As soon as Dera'nahs concentration slipped, she was certain that another path leading off was the right one. Only by holding tight to the wooden pendant to focus her mind was she able to track the path which was currently following a small brook upstream.
It was now a day since she had left the city, following the counsel of her mother. The past events with the group of adventurers and mercenaries had left her uneasy and she was not certain anymore that she could resist the powers that were against her. The golem was the last straw. How could she fight the enemies of Mother Nature, when she was up against forces so powerful they could create such a monster? Her mother had assured her that this was exactly what she had to experience on her path of becoming a wise woman and leader amongst the Killoren and wood folk. She had to know the powers her opponents could wield to prepare herself properly against them. On the question of how she could prepare with the little knowledge and wisdom she so far had, a path had manifested itself in her mind and, trusting her mother, she had left the group and followed it into the forest outside the city gates. After she broke the connection to her mother, she got the impression that she had achieved some important step, but was unable to see what or how.
On the afternoon of the second day, with three restless animals in tow that did not leave her side anymore, Dera'nah stepped into a clearing on the side of the hill which she had slowly climbed over the last hour. The clearing was dominated by a large oak with impressive roots coming out of the ground downhill from the tree. The water of the brook fanned out and trickled down over the largest root which formed an almost circular arc on the right of the tree, creating a small waterfall which continued in a cascade of ponds that finally continued as the brook she had followed. Although the beauty and peace that this place emanated clearly reached Dera'nah's mind, it was hard to concentrate on the details and it took all her willpower to really look at the scene in front of her. Once she concentrated, she realised that the root formed the roof of a small hut or burrow that was half covered by the waterfall. To the right was a small patch of garden. Despite the constant feeling in her head that this was just a wild field of flowers, she could make out distinct patches of well-tended herbs. It seemed that only the specific area she currently concentrated on was clear, while the peripheral vision still implicated just a grassy area with flowers, and there was a constant urge to follow the path that left the sunfilled glade. Somehow knowing that this was the goal of her journey, she continued onwards and soon could make out a small shaded circular area, formed by the root as a roof, the tree trunk on one side and waterfall on the other. The path led to a door that went into the tree next to a small circular window. As Dera'nah carefully approached the patio area, it suddenly felt as if she entered a bubble and she could see clearly without concentrating. Surprised, she looked around and turned back and could see a well-trodden path behind her, leading through an area with planted fields, she could make out grain, corn and some kind of cabbage with a quick glance, and a herb garden with an impressive variety of plants, many unknown to her. She started turning back to the door when she heard a melodic voice that reminded her a bit of the sound of slowly running water or calm waves: "Ah, hello my dear. You finally made it! I already feared you won't make it on time. Come in, tea and biscuits are ready!"
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