Chapter Fifteen
Ambrosia
Kull burst out from nowhere and sprinted towards us. His cry of warning made me tremble with fear. My throat grew tight, and I shrank behind Typhon. It was another reminder of how ill-equipped I was for this wild world. We had become so civilized that our instincts had been neutered and we didn’t deserve to be in the wilderness. I wondered if our distant ancestors would have been ashamed of us for removing ourselves so far from our instincts. They may not have recognized us at all. Kull joined us and stood beside Typhon. They both bared their teeth, ready to fight. I imagined it was the members of the pack, coming to hunt us down. Perhaps they were going to use this opportunity to kill Typhon and Kull, dragging their bodies back and using them as examples for anyone else who dared drift away from the norm. And what fate awaited me after this? Not a pleasant one. I shuddered as I tried to push the thoughts away from my mind. I would rather die than be held prisoner. The longer I spent out here, the more I was beginning to come to terms with the fact that I might never get to return to my old life.
And yet, in a way, I had lived more in these brief moments than I had in the preceding years. I had indulged myself in a way that I had never been able to before and I had experienced raw pleasure the likes of which had only existed in fantasies for me. Did this make it worth it? I wasn’t sure. I was still coming to terms with everything I had done. When clarity reared its cool head, I was filled with a sense of shame but when I looked deeper; I asked myself why? I hadn’t hurt anyone. I hadn’t cheated on anyone. The only thing I had betrayed was some strict moral ideal that was a leftover from a controlling authority who didn’t want people to embrace the fluidity of their sexuality. It felt wonderful in the moment, and I had always advised people to trust their instincts.
But now all of that was in jeopardy. I didn’t know if I would ever get to be with Typhon and Kull again and it felt as though there was still plenty I could explore with them. Typhon had promised to protect me. Now, that promise was being put to the test.
I heard the sounds of rustling approaching us, which must have been what Typhon had sensed when he became startled. Kull murmured something to Typhon, but I wasn’t paying attention. I peered towards the forest and watched the leafy fronds move. Then, figures began to emerge. One by one they came before us, surrounding us in a semi-circle. They weren’t wolves, however, at least not the wolves I recognized. They were dressed differently as well, clad in outfits made of leaves and threaded together with vines. Their bare skin was smudged with dirt and their feet were bare. Leaves were twined through their hair as well, and some of the women had their breasts hanging out, showing that they had different ideas of modesty than I was used to. Bows and slings were slung over their shoulders, while others wielded short, stubby swords. Kull and Typhon growled, ready to take the fight to them. I could sense that they were ready to shift. I put a hand on their shoulder.
“Wait,” I said. I thought perhaps I could help after all. If this descended into a fight, then Typhon and Kull were going to die. There were just too many of the others for it to result in anything else, but I had performed conflict resolution with so many other people before. Why shouldn’t I use it now?
I stepped in front of the wolves. “What do you want?” I called out. Their leader stepped forward. He was a strapping man, his muscles looking as though they had been carved from stone. He walked with a swagger, confident in his bearing, no sense of hesitation at all.
“We want answers. We want to make you pay,” he lifted his hand and pointed directly towards Typhon and Kull. I could feel them bristling with tension. They were primed for a fight, but I wasn’t about to let that happen. I held up my hands, the universal sign for defusing a situation.
“I think you’ve got the wrong people. We don’t know you,” I said, and then turned back towards Typhon and Kull. “You don’t know them, right?” I asked in a sotto voice. They merely growled.
“Perhaps not personally, but we know their kind. Wolves have no place in this forest.”
Typhon then laughed. “We have every right to be here. This is our territory.”
“Only because you have claimed it falsely. Our memories are long. We remember a time when this place was free of violence. You have brought nothing but destruction. We know what your plans are. You’re going to help us prevent your war.”
His words took Typhon and Kull by surprise. I wasn’t displeased by what he said as it gave me an avenue to explore. If we could find some common ground, then perhaps there was a way out of this after all.
“Wait, you know about the war? Who are you?” I asked.
“My name is Vali. I am the leader of the dryads, protectors of the natural world. We are called when there is strife in the world. Wolves threaten the balance of nature. We are here to stop them, so you will give us the answers we seek, or you will pay,” as Vali said this, the other dryads took a menacing step forwards, and readied their weapons. I gulped but swallowed my nerves. I lowered my hands and held them out in front of me. I made sure to keep my tone even, and I mirrored Vali’s posture and body language, a trick that would help him to trust me.
“Vali,” I said, making sure to use his name as this would also help to create a rapport. “You’ve got this all wrong. Typhon and Kull are wolves, yes, but they’re not the ones driving this war. If anything, they’re suffering at the hands of the wolf responsible. He is who you want, not us. We’re just minding our own business out here,” I said.
“And your name is?”
“Ambrosia and I’m not a wolf either,” I added, hoping that perhaps this would influence whatever Vali did next. He stroked his chin and bore a thoughtful expression.
“You are opposed to the warmonger?” he asked.
“Yes. Look, we don’t want to fight. There’s no need for violence. It would be a shame to stain this beautiful scenery with blood. We might be able to work together, yes? Perhaps you could take us back to your camp and we can speak about this war and how to prevent it. Believe me, I don’t want wolves running amok either because my people are going to be targeted as well. We have a mutual interest in staying alive.”
One of the dryads sidled up to Vali and whispered in his ear. Vali listened and then nodded. He looked around, considering the matter for a moment.
“One wrong move and we will send you back into the arms of your goddess,” Vali said. Arrows and swords glinted as he spoke, warning us of a dark fate. “If we get any hint that you are planning to betray us you will never be free.”
The dryads came up to us and bound our hands with vines as thick as rope. Vali made it clear that we were not going to be trusted just yet. A few of the dryads dropped behind us to keep a watchful eye on us as we made our way to the dryad’s grove. My eyes widened when we arrived. The forest thinned, revealing an area that was suffused with a soft, natural glow. The ground was covered in soft moss. A few people were sitting around, and they stirred when they realized that we were approaching. Then I noticed noises. I looked up and I was shocked to find an entire village nestled in the trees. Homes had been built into the branches and bridges had been built to create a network of paths. Small lights flickered. It was an astonishing feat of engineering, quite a contrast to the blocky, wolf-made stronghold. This place was clearly made with nature’s blessing, working with the flow of the natural world rather than bending it to their will. It was a beautiful place indeed and I felt blessed to lay my eyes upon it. It was like something out of a fairytale and once again I was stunned to come across something quite wondrous.