Welcome Back! Everyone depicted in this alternate universe, thousands of years in the futuristic past, are of age and has agreed to the their story being presented today. If your story is added, you will also have to agree.
Team1: Heran, Evaine, Niviena, Ewlene, Yesime, Anders, Isabella
Team2: Sabina, Annalise, Desa, Abigale, Amber, Treya, Ivana, Joan
Team3: Katelyn, Beau, Alexandra, Triss, Abby, Jenna, Amelia
Team4: Jacob, Dustin, Jamison, Anton, Petra, Erika, Regina
Merchant Ship: Saedin, Agitha, Cassandra
Merchant Ship2: Severan, Penelope, kids, Emma
Other: Nikolas, Sandy, Tia, Ninhersag, Grayson, Cinthia
Readers: Soviet, Boulder
With nothing to do after the meal, and wanting to work it off a little I started with a walk and then started jogging after a bit, doing a circuit around the forest, something I should be doing almost daily until I can have others pitch in and help, I can reach out further in both plant and animal sense all the way to the farmhouses north of us when I'm standing near the town Hall, but I can't, see anything. The entire point of this endeavor is to enjoy the sights and sounds, stop and smell the flowers, fix a few broken items, Clean up the undergrowth if this place actually had any, and the usual care and feeding of the woods.
Speed is steady on the way down and around Saiden's farm and then a right turn towards the west, and then practicing some of the new spells I've noticed, upping the pace as I got more comfortable, Feeling out all the new abilities when it came to both woodland life and travel, gliding through the channels, down the valley and then up the other side where the cats were resting without the slightest pause or effort to get up the hill, cresting the top I flew through the woods and even as clean as it was I was retching on the ground after slamming into a tree, the pace going from a jog, concentrating on the last movement spell I'd received went from a run to much faster than any sprint I've ever attempted, that was much too fast for what I thought was either possible or prudent. Twisting trying to get out of the way and brushing past the edge, shit, if I'd have hit that tree straight on I could have been killed.
The pains in my hip and face were a reminder to take it a bit slower, laying there trying to figure out what exactly has changed, and anything new, which, was almost everything, why was I suddenly trying so hard?
Fiona saying I had all this power and nothing to use it on, kept nagging at me, in the woods I could stay hidden, move about with an arsenal of spells readily and able to handle myself against anyone. In the ruins, I'll be a sad weak healer that could summon food and water, and wield a bow I probably won't use often without fear of hitting Soviet in the tight corridors, the same as when my old team would delve underground. Healers are crucial to a good team when things go sideways, and they always make sure to stroke your wimpy ego, but once you've kicked ass, going back is difficult.
'You need to pick a Circle.' Cinthia says as I lay there for a moment.
'That I know about, obviously I'm going with the forest or moon over the arctic or coastal or, I forget the others.' I think back to all of this being covered as not all of us were Rangers. Those that had belief went the way of the druid, The circles were the area of focus a druid would choose to shape their abilities.
'Can we go through them, I believe I have an idea, but there are so many.' I say and start ticking off the different circles available from Minerva's teachings.
'Circle of the Stars, I understand as it had an archer in it, but it would be redundant.
'Circle of Dreams, sounds creepy, but it does have the dream teleport thingy.'
'Circle of Spores is kinda gross and has that animate dead that would get me into the same trouble that other guy and his ruins Soviet and I are going to clear out, no thanks.'
'Circle of Wildfire has a picture of you next to it,' I say as Cynthia was prone to fire whenever possible, and something when not so prudent, 'plus a ton more on top of it, and I'm not a fire type.
'Circle of the Land is what? I know the forest is in there, along with coast and arctic?' I ask as this one and the Moon were the two we were taught the most of, but the circle of the land was rather large.
'Desert, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, it would make you a spellcaster.' Cinthia answers and waits, I know she is expecting me to ask about the dozens of spells, but I can come back to this if the Moon isn't what I remember.
'Okay, Circle of the Moon, THIS is the one where I could use Wildshape not only during the day, but as combat and have so many options, wolves, bears, oh, jaguars, or basically any animal I have known. This is the one that feels right.'
'Sure, how about you try your first wild shape, this one only needs a short rest to do it again for you, and you are going to take me up as an eagle at some point and go hunting, I've been thinking about that for weeks now.'
'Weeks? How, nope, never mind, how do I cast wild shape?' I figure she'd just tell me that if she was allowed to tell me, she would have.
'Concentration, focus your will, but you can't cast your other spells while in that form, yet, you can cast entangle and then go wolf or become a bear and crush, an owl or eagle for flight. You can also cast your concentration spells, transform into a cave bear and maintain the concentration.
Bear sounds cool, might try that later but...
'Wolf huh?' I think of Allo, to actually BE a wolf, I knew druids could do this back home, but I didn't have the belief needed to take the Druid path, and the archer part of the ranger abilities are still relevant, 'That does sound amazing.' I sit for a moment and then stop, 'what about my clothes?' Don't want to end up walking home naked.
'They'll be fine, just do it.' I can hear her exasperation, such a small amount of patience.
'Hey, that seemed like a very valid question, I can't just slip into you when I'm naked.' After a pause, we both laugh and then laugh again for laughing together at the same time. 'You know what I meant.'
'Sorry, your clothes will return when you transform back to this form, I'm just a little stressed over tomorrow, which is why wild shape could help if you need the strength and health of a bear.'
The first thing I see is my paws, they are white, with grey legs and turning I have a pretty large grey body, and my fluffy tail has a white tip. Normally they're black until you get older.
'You're an Alpha already, so the size of your body matches your being, and the average wolf only makes it to fourteen or so years in age, you are old. You have access to a larger Dire Wolf, but Mistress prefers you stay more natural to these lands.'
It takes a moment to get used to four legs and then, wow, the speed, feeling of the air on my fur, and there's so much of it, enhanced hearing and smells are mind-boggling, able to hear the people in town from here and extremely increased smell to the point I could smell that a berry next to me was not fit to eat while running past. Most of this I knew from my time with my best friend, all of my Ranger spells on animal and plant sense, were easily outdone in wolf form.
Noticing the pack taking an angle to cut me off as I turn to the north, they were a good distance away but it wouldn't take long, my current speed was fast and controlled.
The pack comes up from my left so I stop and wait. He moves up front and I can feel him puff up and snuff at me. Now I can differentiate them by smell but, I don't want to approach his pack too close without permission.
'Calm your tail, it's unbecoming of an Alpha.'
'Oh,' I try and get it to stop, but it's not listening to me. "Can't, I've never felt so, good.' I say after a moment of trying to force it, though embarrassed at the situation, it feels too good right now, and he laughs in his chest.
'Yes, you look and smell better.' He sits for a moment and his mates are still as statues, quick glances at each of them without staring, they are definitely staring but he doesn't seem to care.
'Your mate, she is well? We could hear her last night.'
'Avoiding her, for now, to let her adjust to a sudden change.' I reply and it sounds dumb when you say it out loud, well when you send it to another.
