The forest was blazing. Flames licked around the trunks of trees. Fires flashed over outcroppings of moss-covered rocks. The forest god Cernunnos himself ran to the edge of the forest. He lifted his clenched fists to the sky and roared with anger. A column of flames arched toward him. The orange heat pushed away from his forest and tauntingly encircled him.
Cernunnos bared his teeth and tried to unsuccessfully grab at the licking flames. A great fireball burst from the center of the forest and rammed into him, disappearing into a violent blue burst.
The god of the forest fell backward, the breath knocked out of him. He stumbled and swayed back to his feet. A hot wind blasted over him. His robe billowed open like a flag in the hot current of air, exposing his muscled hairy body to the heat of the fire. His sweaty hairy chest glistened with the light from the blaze. Ashes pasted themselves to the curves of his muscled torso as drops of sweat ran down them.
The air stilled and his robe fell against his ashen body. Cernunnos fell to his knees in exhaustion, breathless. He was helpless as small fires combusted and danced toward him. Flames engulfed the forest god's horned helmet. Cernunnos threw back his head and screamed as his helmet exploded into a shower of sparks and fell from his head as a scattering of black ashes. He reached up and ran his hand over his head - he felt only his damp long locks of hair, no wounds or burns.
He picked himself up and began to run again. Sparks from the forest swirled in the air around him and then fell onto his robe, like tiny meteors from the heavens, each one burning into the fabric. He ran toward a clearing ahead of him.
Suddenly, his robe burst into flames and disappeared into a white cloud of ash; yet the fire didn't singe one hair on his body. He stumbled and fell into a patch of grasses; he rolled over and then looked up at the moon.
His eyes looked back toward his beloved forest succumbing to the fire. The muscles in his jaw and neck tightened, as he fought to hold back his tears. But he couldn't stop himself. Ashes mixed with his tears. He turned back to the moon above him so big and bright, and then looked down to the horizon.
Moonlight cast itself over the sea, shining on every wave coming toward the shore. He gathered up his strength and pulled himself to his feet. He made his way to the sand of the shoreline and fell onto it. His naked body, used to soft moss, could feel every sharp grain. He lay in the sand, closed his eyes, and cried again for his dear forest.
His tears were so great they formed a small stream which flowed to the bay. His warm salty tears swirled into the cool seawater. He did not notice as the waves became larger and flowed further up the beach. They lapped against the soles of his feet, washing away the dirt and soot. Another wave then covered his feet. The next wave caressed across this ankles and up toward his thigh. The largest wave of all gently caressed his torso. Cernunnos used his palm to gather some water and rub across his face. The water cleansed him.
As the waves diminished and began to flow back toward the sea, a pale smooth muscular hand grabbed his foot. It was a firm grasp that melded into a soft caressing touch. The forest god wasn't startled, but felt suddenly comforted and closed his eyes. The hand made its way up his muscular hairy leg and across his thick thigh. Its coolness felt good as it slipped over his firm buttocks and onto his lower back.
Cernunnos sighed deeply. He felt the hand glide across the dark hair of his tanned torso, smoothing the wet hair. A hand combed through his golden mane of hair, slicking it back from his forehead.
Cernunnos opened his eyes. Beside him lay the pale sea god Nuada, a length of coral around his neck. His smooth wet muscular body glistened in the light of the moon like a pearl. His black hair hung in damp ringlets around his sculpted face, his square jaw framing a gentle smile.
Nuada was looking at Cernunnos' chest and moved a cool hand into his thick chest hair. He could feel within the forest god's chest his heart beating fast. Nuada looked up into the Cernunnos' green eyes as a rumble of far-way thunder could be heard. Light and heat from the forest flames seemed to diminish a bit as a cool ocean breeze swirled past the two as they laid there.
