Druids and the Wooden Heart

On the next day

Spirit sat up straight and looked around. "What is it?" He looked down and saw that he got his cloak thrown in his face.

Leaf was walking around and searching for her own cloak. "Come on Spirit we have to hurry we have to go before the sun rises. Have you seen my cloak?"

Spirit stood up and looked around but couldn't find it. "No I am sorry." He turned to Bite. "Hey wake up! We have to go!"

Bite slowly stood up stretched his back and looked around still a bit sleepy. As Bite was up he saw something brown behind him. "Leaf I think there is your cloak."

Leaf turned to them "Where? Oh so it was really behind Bite. Switch told me it would lie there but I didn't want to wake Bite up."

Spirit gave Leaf her cloak and smiled. "Hey don't be too nice. He became lazy enough the last year. Next time just wake him up."

Leaf chuckled and wanted to response as suddenly Darren came inside. "Are you two not finished yet? Hurry you two we want to leave in the next ten minutes!" He left the room again and left them alone.

Leaf put on her cloak and Spirit put on his traditional cloak from the zebras. They grabbed their saddlebags but before they left asked Spirit Leaf one last thing. "Why is it that Darren never counts Bite in?"

"I am not sure. I think that has something to do how he looks on Timberwolves but you should ask him yourself one time if you want to know more." She explained him.

They both put on their saddlebags and pulled their hoods up and Bite, who was now also fully awake, walked next to them as they left the tent. They looked around but neither Darren nor Switch were there. Spirit looked at Leaf what they should do now.

Leaf just pointed to the direction of the exit. "They are probably waiting outside for us. Come follow me."

They walked back to the spot where the entrance had opened as Switch and Spirit firstly came to this place. They stopped and Leaf pulled out the same rune Switch used to open the path. Leaf activate the rune with her magic.

The thorn wall began to open and Spirit wanted to ask. "How does this works?"

Leaf gave him the rune and began to explain. "Well we use theses runes every group has a slightly different one to open the wall at a different spot so that won't find out the identities of other druids by accident. When we leave we take the rune for our entrance with us and when the whole wall will be gone. That reminds me, here your own team rune."

She gave him a rune and Spirit looked at it for quite some time. Leaf was already walking out as Spirit had a last question. "But what about the tents? Wouldn't they still be here?"

They waited outside till the entrance had closed again and Leaf explain while she pulled the rune out of the dirt. "No the archdruid brings them away. I don't know how he does that but he does." She put the stone from the dirt in her bag and pulled off her hood and so did Spirit.

Spirit and Bite nodded understanding and they walked for a few seconds till suddenly."Hey there! You three really let yourself time!"

They jumped around, except Bite who already turned around, to see Switch standing behind them. Leaf gave him a death glare. "Stop that Switch you know that I don't like to be surprised like this!"

"Oh come on it was fun. See I got one laughing." He pointed at Bite who chuckled quietly. Leaf just turned around and began to walk again.

Spirit turned to Bite. "You smelled him?" Bite nodded. "You knew what he was up to?" He nodded again. Spirit sighed and mumbled to himself. "And you put all afford into your concentration that I couldn't read your mind right?" Bite nodded again.

Switch walked to them and smiled. "That was fun but we better go now before Darren goes without us." Spirit and Bite nodded and they followed the same way that Leaf went.

Suddenly, after while walking, stopped Bite, Spirit. He pointed at Spirits bag and send him a massage through their bond. "The plant, Switch wanted to give the archmage the seeds." "Oh you are right. Hey Switch I just remember you wanted to give the archdruid seeds for the magic plant."

Switch continued to walk. "I know and I already gave him a bunch of them before you woke up. So don't worry." Spirit and Bite were both very surprised and stood still for a minute then quickly followed Switch. As they reached the edge of the forest they saw Darren and Leaf waiting for them.

Darren stood up. "Good you are finally here we have to go. But before we go I have to talk to you Spirit."

They all nodded and Spirit walked to Darren. "What is it?"

"Nothing big. Just to let you know here at the druids we won't teach you like a student. You are here to learn by yourself. We will answer all questions we can but we won't show you your way. That is up to you!" He explained.

Spirit tried to make sense of it and just nodded. Darren there while called the other. "Ok we will go directly through the town to save time. Try not to draw any attention to yourself and keep in mind Spirit, the druids are suppose to stay as a secret."

Spirit nodded and they turned to the town. Switch quickly changed his appearance to the green winged pony before he followed them.

Just as they entered the town whispered Switch to them. "Tell me immediately if you see a magic hunter! Just look out for ponies in blue cloaks and white masks."

They all walked as quickly as they could and were able to left the town without a encounter with any pony. As they just left the town sighed Switch. "I glad we came out so easily. I wonder what happened if somepony would have seen us."

Spirit chuckled a bit. "Well worst case would be a surprise party with the whole town."

Switch raised an eyebrow."Really?" Spirit wanted to explain but Darren walked between them. "We have no time for this. Now come."

Switch rolled with his eyes and wanted to reply but Leaf hold him back. "Come Switch you know that wouldn't lead anywhere." Switch sighed and nodded.

Spirit and Bite looked just back and forth from Switch to Darren. Then they looked at each other and just shrugged.

They keep heading to the west till the sun was going down again and they had to stop and make a camp fire. Leaf and Switch went to get some wood while Darren, Bite and Spirit build up the tents. As they were finished but the other still hadn't returned began Darren to read the notes Spirit gave him.

Spirit and Bite started to meditate and went through about what happened. "So we finally fulfilled our last task from our teacher." Bite agreed to that but had also something else in mind. "But what is with Darren. He acts like I was not a part of it." Spirit also agreed to that and tried to calm Bite. "When that happen again I will ask him about that, don't worry." Bite wasn't really satisfied but before he could say anything they heard Darren.

"Spirit could you come for a second?"

Spirit walked over to him and bowed almost automatically. then remembered that he wasn't in front of his old teacher. "What is it?"

He pointed at the pages Spirit had copied in the crystal empire. "Where did you got these information?"

Spirit looked at the page then remembered it. "That was when we were in the crystal empire. I found a book with a black cover. I couldn't read a single word but there were a few pages loose between the pages which I could read."

Darren eye went wide. "The book in which you found this had a black cover and was written in a different language? I have to inform the archdruid!"

"Inform him about what?" They heard Switch ask. They turned around and saw that Switch and Leaf had come back.

Darren grabbed the page and spread his wings. "Spirit found a dark book and an information that could be important. I have to report that to the archdruid I should be back in a few hours." With that he flew away and left the others back.

Switch laid the wood down and turned to Spirit. "One question, does he meant the book you read in the library? With the black cover?"

Spirit nodded. Switch chuckled. "I think I should have told him that I already told the archmage about that book."

Leaf laid her wood to the wood from Switch. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you told us earlier?"

Switch leaned against a tree and shrugged. "Because it didn't seemed necessary. I mean I told the archdruid."

Leaf sighed. "Fine but I don't think that Darren will be happy to hear this."

They continued to discussed for a few minutes while Spirit and Bite started the campfire. They had a few problems but as the fire was finally on gave Spirit a sigh of relief. He and Bite walked a couple of feet away from the fire and began to meditate while the other finished their discussion.

After a few hours returned Darren, who instantly walked over to Switch. "Why didn't you inform us? You know we do these meetings for a reason!"

Switch stood up with an serious expression. "I told the archdruid. That is enough. If an information not important for us, why should I tell you about it?"

They began to argue and to Spirits surprise very calmly. He turned to Leaf and raised an eyebrow.

She whispered to him. "They both have different views on how to act as a druid. For the most time they tolerate the ways of each other till a certain point. Wait a moment."

Leaf walked between Switch and Darren . "So, that is enough. You two know that this will not lead anywhere. Just stop it, okay?"

Switch looked a bit down and nodded while Darren also nodded shortly. "You're right. But I want to be informed next time!" Switch nodded and Darren walked to his tent.

As Darren was in his tent Spirit could hear that Switch whispered something. "If I think it is important." With that Switch sat down next to the fire and dropped his disguise.

Spirit looked at Leaf who simple sat down like nothing happened. Bite nodded in Leafs direction and he and Spirit walked to her. "How could you interfere their discussion? They are higher in rank."

Leaf wanted to answer but was interrupted by Switch. "That is because we don't have a higher rank than her. To be exact you have the same rank as I or Darren. The druids measure your decision value for everything separately. Only the archdruid has always a higher rank."

Spirit looked even more confused. "How do you mean that?"

Switch sat up and pointed at Bite. "For example if we have to handle with Timberwolves your opinion on this subject had more value than mine or Darrens but in the end the archdruid always has the last word."

Spirit nodded and looked in the flames. 'Very interesting. I thought that they had a clear rank system.' He looked at Bite who nodded and Spirit expression turned surprised. "You heard what I thought?" Bite nodded again there while Switch started to make soup.

Leaf looked between Spirit and Bite. "Is that why your auras seems to melt together. I hardly can tell apart which aura is which." She closed her right eye and looked at them with her normal eye. "Much better. This magic vision annoys me from time to time." She smiled and Spirit smiled back.

After a few minutes called Switch everyone to eat. They sat down around the campfire and ate their soup. As Switch gave everyone a bowl Looked Spirit in his bags and remembered something. "Oh could you remember me to get more magic blossoms?" They all nodded and Spirit pulled out the smaller version of the plant and laid it down.

He tapped on the back head of the plant and caught the powder with Bites bowl. Leaf there while laid her bowl down again and looked at the plant. "Can I look at it?"

Spirit simply nodded and Leaf grabbed the plant with her magic and levitate the small plant and looked at it closely with her rune eye. "This looks so strange. The magic in this plant seems to move all the time, I heard of this plant but isn't it normally bigger?"

Spirit nodded while laying the bowl with the powder in front of Bite. "That is because that is a version that Zecora had breed to make the plant transportable. Bite and I helped her a few times but for the most part it was her work, she just gave it to me."

Spirit began to eat his soup but was stopped by Darren who looked at the plant for a moment than turned back to Spirit. "I must admit that you already do great work as a druid by breeding such a unique plant. Even when you just helped out!"

Bite gave a small growl. While Spirit put the bowl down again and ask in a slightly annoyed tune. "What about Bite?"

Darren turned back to his own soup and answered. "What about him?" Before he drank a bit of his soup.

Spirit raised an eyebrow and tried to sound as calm as he could. "You never include Bite. Do you have something against him?"

There while was Switch leaning back while drinking his soup but still listening to every word. And leaf had put the plant down again and looked back and forth between Darren and Spirit and Bite.

Darren shook his head. "No I have nothing against Bite. As a living being he deserves our respect and guarding but he is not a druid!"

Spirit jumped up and Bite slowly stood up too. "Why is that?" Spirit asked angry. "He did the same I did! He livid almost the same live I did! Why should he not be a druid?"

Darren drank again a bit of his soup before continuing. "Because druids are the guards of the nature not the nature itself!"

Both Spirit and Bite where surprised by that answer and just raised their eyebrows. "Explain that!"

Darren he waved with his claw over the forest around them. "Let's say that there was a forest were every two years a storm comes that kills every tree. Now one tree grows so big that it protects the others from the storm. Does that make him a druid? No, it doesn't. A druid isn't the nature itself it is the force between the nature and all things that want to hurt it."

Darren drank the last rest of his soup and stood up. "That makes Bite, from my view not a druid, only a help. And these are my last words to this topic." And with that Darren left them and walked in his tent.

Spirit turned to Leaf and Switch. "Is he serious?"

Switch nodded. "He is always serious."

Leaf petted Bite on the back. "Don't worry, I sure you can convince him otherwise." She turned to Spirit. "Don't take that to personal. Darren is just a bit old thinking nothing more."

Switch stood up. "Anyway let's get some rest. Good night!" He walked in his tent and closed it. Leaf also said good night and walked in her tent. Now Spirit and Bite were alone. Spirit looked at the stars for a few minutes and fall asleep.