The Lady of the Trees

 Brixly tugged a foot out of the spongy ground and snarled at the mud. Now she’ll have to clean these so her father doesn’t see her new boots all messy.

“Why is it so cold?” She lamented as the winds cut around her.

Signs of spring grew everywhere, yet the air still clung to that chill. Surely, the days would grow warmer soon.

“There you are!” She covered her mouth quickly, so as not to scare the chicken.

These dumb birds left the henhouse and would roost just about anywhere. This one was a good half-mile from their farm. Perhaps this bird would be a nice stew tomorrow. No more tracking her down.

No sooner had she found the chickens roosting spot did she find the reward, three fresh eggs. “Stupid bird, now mom will want to keep you alive. Why’d you have to go and lay so many eggs?”

Brixly leaned over and prepared to gather up the eggs when she saw something flash. Nearby was a small mound of snow, still melting. It was one of the last vestiges of the winter storm two weeks ago. However, it wasn’t snow that glinted in the morning sunlight; it was something sticking out of the top. A cut stone sat on top, sending glittering light into the trees.

“What’s this?” Leaving the eggs and disgruntled fowl, she examined this discovery. A perfectly cut, large black gem of some nature, situated perfectly on top of this mound. “This could be worth a fortune...or it’s just cut glass.” She muttered to herself as she hesitated slightly before grabbing the treasure. “What if it’s cursed?” she pondered. Finally, her curiosity and hope for fortune outweighed her fear. Grabbing the stone, she pulled it out of the snow. The stone itself was set on a small stick, like a tiny cane. Brixly instantly realized what she held, “A wand?”

“Of course it’s a wand, you dumb egg-stealer.”

Brixly paused and slowly turned back around. “Who...said that?”

The chicken roosted back on her eggs, “I did, you dumb girl.”

“YAH!” She stumbled back and fell on her rear, losing the wand in the motion.

The chicken cocked her head at Brixly and clucked, cawed, and clucked some more.

Brixly gingerly reached over and picked up the wand again. “Can you still talk?”

“Yes. Now, leave me alone, I’m nesting!” The chicken cawed loud and then looked away.

Brixly got back to her feet and then shook her head, “Not a chance. You’re coming with me.” She quickly grabbed the chicken and ran for the farm, leaving the eggs behind.

“MY EGGS! YOU STUPID GIRL! MY EGGS!” The chicken protested the whole way back.

***

Brixly burst through the door of the family farmhouse, landing her right in the kitchen. She presented the chicken to her mother and breathlessly exclaimed, “SHE CAN TALK!”

Her mother, elbow deep in cooking a big breakfast, paused in her work long enough to give her daughter a worried look, “What did you say?”

Catching her breath, Brixly held the chicken up further, “She can talk. Go on, say something.”

The chicken said, “This place stinks and is a mess.”

“SEE!”

Her mother cocked one eyebrow, “Sweetheart, I heard her clucking, and that’s all. Now, I don’t have time for games. Breakfast is almost ready. Put the chicken outside and wash up, you’re covered in mud.”

Setting a pan on the stove-top, her mother took out a bowl of eggs. The chicken said, “What’s she doing with those?”

“Why can’t she understand you?” Brixly whispered.

“PUT THOSE BACK YOU CRUEL BEAST!” The chicken yelled at her mother.

Her mother waved a dismissive hand behind her, “Honey, get that chicken out of here.”

“The wand,” Brixly remembered.

“What?” Her mother picked up two eggs.

Brixly had just shuffled the chicken under one arm and pulled out the wand when her mother cracked the eggs into the fizzling grease and the chicken went crazy.

“MONSTER! MONSTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? OH LORD SAVE ME! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THOSE EGGS! MONSTER! FOX!”

Brixly struggled as the chicken wrestled her to get away from this scene. The bird pecked and scratched while her mother yelled at her to get that noisy creature out of here.

Rushing outside, Brixly quickly raced into the henhouse and tossed the squawking fowl at an empty nest.

The other chickens all spoke, “What’s going on?” “Why is she in here?” “That Brat is getting mud all over the place.” “Stupid girl, I just nodded off.”

“All of you can talk?” She looked around the gaggle of nagging birds.

One said, “Of course, and I bet we have a better vocabulary than some dumb farm girl like you.”

Then the chicken she found told them all of what she saw in the dreaded kitchen. Before Brixly could ask another question, they were all going insane. They yelled insults, fell over each other in a flurry, screamed about their lost eggs, and some even tried to roll their freshly laid eggs to a corner to hide them. A few attacked her, pecking at her shins and arms. Brixly dashed out of the henhouse and slammed the door behind her, locking it tight. The cacophony inside still raged.

“The chickens, they’re revolting.” She said, worried about ever getting fresh eggs again.

A deep, melodious voice said, “I’ve always thought so.”

Brixly looked around and saw the cow standing near the fence, slowly chewing her cud. The look in her eyes was more intelligent than ever. Brixly asked, “Did you say something?”

“I did. Are you hard of hearing?”

“You sound like an old man,” Brixly said.

“I guess I do, to your ears. We aren’t all human, you know. And, this is only the second time I have spoken with your words.”

“Second?”

Just then the pig strolled over, “What’s all the hubbub?”

The cow answered, “The chickens are in a tizzy...again.”

“Again?” Brixly asked.

The cow nodded, “Oh, they get worked up over the silliest things. They’re dumb animals.”

“Real dumb.” The pig added, “But, they ain’t my problem.” He strolled on his way.

“Wait! Why can I understand you, and the cow, and the chickens for that matter?”

The pig turned around and looked at the black wand in her hand, “That thing.” He left her.

“He’s kinda rude.” She commented.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just lazy.”

“I heard that.” The pig yelled from around the corner.

“You said this is the second time you’ve spoken like this. When was the first?”

“About three years ago. This beautiful woman came through here, in the night, and asked me to tell all the others to stay as far away from the pastures as possible. I could talk to her, and she understood me. Changed me for a moment, like now.”

“Who was this person?”

“I don’t know. She was dressed in black, had flowing black hair, and a kind face. I cannot say she was human, she didn’t look like any human I’ve met. Though, I only know the few that milk me and feed me.”

“Dressed in black?” Brixly whispered to herself.

Just then several loud thumps rang out from the trees in the distance. Distinct animal bellows followed, and flocks of birds were rustled.

“That doesn’t sound good.” The cow said.

The pig stuck his head out from around the corner, “What was that?”

“Dunno.” The cow responded.

“Anything big and ugly stomping this way?”

Brixly propped herself up on the fence and said, “My dad’s running back here. He looks worried.”

“As long as nothing will interrupt my sleep.” The pig left.

“See, lazy.”

The pig yelled, “One of these days!”

Brixly climbed the fence and ran out to meet her father. The cow followed behind her, not running. Her father stopped and held his knees, breathing hard.

“What’s wrong?”

“They...they are...coming.”

Brixly asked, “Who’s coming?”

He put a hand on her shoulder, “The tuldroms to the north, they are migrating this way. And, I think I saw the yisiks moving this way from the south.”

“The tuldroms, but they don’t migrate through here?”

Her father nodded, “They are large and single-minded. Whichever is the easiest path, they will take it. The yisiks normally migrate through here, but they’re easily agitated and if they cross paths, they’ll fight.”

The cow said, “Tuldroms are ten stories tall, yisiks will be squashed.”

Brixly answered, “But, yisiks move in packs of hundreds, maybe thousands during migration. Tuldroms usually only amount to five or six.”

“Who are you talking to?” Her father asked.

“The cow...uh...I can explain.” Before she could begin her tale, all three heard the crunching, crashing sounds of trees. To the north, they could see the stony heads of the tuldroms coming.

Her father pushed her toward the farmhouse, “We have to get out of here. If those two meet and a fight breaks out, a tuldrom could fall, and that would crush everything here.”

Brixly spoke to the cow, “Head back to the house and...”

“Yes?” the cow asked.

Wait.” She turned to her father, “How often do the tuldroms migrate?

“Once every three years. The yisiks move every year.”

She turned to the cow, “The last time you met this person, was it about this time of the year...three years ago?”

“Yes.” The cow answered.

“What are you doing? Why are you talking to that cow?” Her father asked.

She turned and held up the wand, “I found this wand. When I hold it, I can talk to animals, and they can talk to me. I don’t understand everything. However, I think someone who uses this wand must have something to do with this migration situation.”

“A wand. There has been no sorcerers out here in years.” He looked at the wand, “But, a sorcerer and their wand are never far apart.”

“If we can find her, then she might stop this.”

“How do you know it is a her?”

“The cow told me.”

“Of course she did.”

***

Brixly climbed up the same hill she first found this wand. Her father and the cow had returned to the farm to get everyone to a safe distance in case the worst happened.

“Hello!” She called out, but no one responded. “I found a wand! Is there a sorcerer out here?” Still nothing.

She passed the nest of eggs and what remained of the snowbank where this wand had been. Skidding down another hill, she looked for signs of life. “HELLO! I FOUND A WAND!” She held it up and wiggled it in her fingers.

Just then a nut hit her in the head.

“Ow!”

Then another nut hit her in the head.

“What the?” rubbing the sore spot she heard a small voice.

“Hey, hey, hey! Girl, girl, girl, girl!”

A chipmunk skittered over branches and held up another nut, ready to throw.

“Stop!” She held up her hand.

“You see! Good, good, good, good. Come!” He dashed away.

“Wait!” She ran through the trees, fighting to keep up with this creature.

The moment she lost sight of him, she came face to face with a new sight. Dozens of wild animals stood around a tree. Several deer, a cougar, squirrels, rabbits, some honswallows, and two old yisiks.

The yisiks, an ape-like creature, came to her. “You’ve been yelling?” One asked in an old, dry voice.

“Yes. I found this.” She held up the wand.

“Come, she needs you.” The old creature led her to the tree.

Leaning up against the trunk, passed out, was a beautiful woman with long black hair, and a long black dress. Her skin was like porcelain with glowing marks of leaves and flowers.

“Who is this?”

“The Lady of the Trees. She is our friend and ally, but she is weakened.”

The other yisik said, “Give her back her wand, you thief!”

“Is someone there.” The Lady asked.

Brixly quickly came to her and held up the wand, “Yes. I found this in the forest this morning. Is it yours?”

“My wand. Please, place it in my hand.” The Lady opened her hand while it lay on the ground.

Brixly placed the wand in her hand and waited.

Those delicate fingers wrapped around the wand and the color of her skin changed. She grew healthier looking by the moment. The animals all seemed to grow exuberant, but Brixly could no longer understand them.

The Lady of the Trees sat up, “My strength, it has returned. Oh, thank you, young one.”

Brixly said, “I don’t know who you are, but I believe you can help me and my family. There is this problem.” Before she could finish her request, the loud sounds of the toldrums echoed through the forest, scattering some of the more skittish creatures.

“Oh, dear. We have little time.” The Lady waved a hand at the deer, and two bucks approached. “Get on!”

Before Brixly could even think, the yisiks helped her and the Lady up on the bucks, and they were off at top speed. When they left the forest, Brixly’s buck turned and headed for her home while The Lady sped toward the stomping monsters.

The buck skidded to a stop right near her father and mother, who were herding the animals away from the farm.

“Honey, are you riding a deer?”

Brixly dismounted, and the animal bounded away, as though it was now frightened of them. “It’s a long story.”

“We have to get going!” Her mother grabbed her hand.

“Look!” Her father pointed toward the monolithic creatures in the forest.

Suddenly a great wind whipped around them and howled among the trees. Leaves gathered together and formed a giant recreation of The Lady of the Trees. She held out her hand and the toldrums stopped and looked at her with curiosity. She spoke to them, but her voice was hard to hear clearly, it was like a loud thunder rumbling across the valley.

“What’s going on? Who is that?” Her mother asked.

“She’s called The Lady of the Trees. The wand was hers. I suppose she’s trying to stop them from coming this way.”

“And, she succeeded.” The father stated.

The tuldroms all turned and changed course.

“What about the...” Brixly asked when the massive woman made of leaves burst apart into a squall and met the hoards of yisiks coming out of the trees. The gale turned them aside and they rushed in a new direction.

“That was efficient.” The father said.

“Would someone care to explain what’s going on?” The mother asked.

“I’d love to, but over breakfast, I’m starved.” Brixly smiled and took the rope around the neck of the cow and guided her back toward the farmhouse.

***

Evening came and Brixly went about her chores. The morning's activities replayed over and over in her mind, but she didn’t stop worrying about them

“Good evening Mr. Pig. Perhaps I could convince father to get you a pillow, since you are so lazy.” She chuckled and dumped a bucket of slop into the trough. The pig turned over in his mud and continued snoozing. “Guess you like it this way.”

Leaving the smelly pig she found the cow chewing her cud. “Sorry for not milking you this morning. Father said he forgot as well, so busy with all that happened. Well, you know about that. Sad, I didn’t get your real name. Ms. Cow will have to suffice.”

About the time she was ready to unlock the hen house, the winds around the yard grew abnormally strong. Leaves swirled about as a large bird swooped over and deposited The Lady of the Trees before Brixly.

“Ah, good evening.” The Lady said.

“Oh, it is an honor.” Brixly bowed.

The Lady laughed, “I’m not royalty, you do not need to genuflect.”

“Oh, sorry. I hope everything went well.”

The Lady sat on an overturned bucket, “Thanks to you, everything turned out fine. I’m sorry to spread so much fear among your farm. When I conduct this meeting here, normally I do so when all are asleep. However, last night, as I pass by on the ravenhawk, a gust took me by surprise and I lost my wand. The ravenhawk lost his intelligence and dropped me. Without my wand, my injuries could have been fatal. But, a hero stepped up and helped me.”

Brixly smiled, “That was me?”

“Yes. And, it was no happenstance. My time as the sorceress of these trees is passing. The wand needs a new holder, and it chose you.”

“Me? But, I just picked it up. It could’ve been my dad.”

“He might have held it, but it gave you the ability to understand the animals. That is special. That means it has picked you to be a sorceress.”

“You mean I can talk to the animals again?”

“Yes. But, the first lesson I shall impart is this. The ability to speak with them is a magical gift. You’re sharing some of your consciousness with them. The intelligence they have when they speak to you is borrowed from you as the magic happens. Once the magic is gone, they’re a lot less than you. Don’t mistake magic for real souls. These creatures are beautiful and serve a great purpose in this world, but you are greater than them.”

“I think I understand. This makes having steak for dinner a lot less traumatizing. Though, I didn’t mind eating chicken for lunch.”

The Lady laughed, “Here,” she handed Brixly a brown wand, “Use this, I shall teach you about magic for a time before you can truly wield my wand.”

“Wow.”

“Now, I must go, there is still much for me to do this day. I'll return and begin your training.” The air swirled and leaves gathered around them.

Before Brixly could ask about their next meeting, a distant voice said, “I will find you in your dreams.”