A Mighty Oak | Druidic Training

Carnyx had returned to Cybele’s Garden to receive more training with Cybele. There was just a natural connection with the goddess, a motherly level that he enjoyed. Flourishing under her tutelage ever since that first visit, his garden had looked more vibrant. Roots stronger within the ground to withstand storms if they came through his neck of the woods. The flowers he grew lasted longer than those on the market, which he always gifted some to Vanessa, Briar, and Reece. Carrying the produce he grew in his garden from practicing, pomegranates and figs, thinking that maybe she will turn them into jams or preserves for baked goods.

Dolly didn’t show any interest in learning how to harness this magic ability, leaving him to take up the mantle. But, she had been coming by to talk to her and learn the history to write down in a book so no moo would be left in the dark about her again. She had work to do at the library, hence why she hadn’t come with him this time around and that suited him just fine. Arriving at the patch that would lead him to her cottage, he willed the flowers to reveal the path to her home.

His bark like hooves treaded as the undergrowth shrinked from his approaching form. The vine was squeezing his bicep like a python every time he used the magic, aggravating him when he zoned in on the plants and losing his focus when he used it for too long. His visit today would see if she could offer some insight on why that part of him constricted the blood flow to his arm. Since he was a child, it had never caused him an issue until he started to practice this wonderful magic. Rotating his left hand, he flexed his fingers as he tried to loosen it.

Focused on that, he didn’t hear when Cybele had opened the door with a gentle smile, “Carnyx, what a lovely surprise to see you. Are you here for another lesson?” Snapping out of it, he turned back to her and nodded, “I am. I look forward to today's lesson as always.” With his other hand, he showed her the basket as gestured for him to come inside, “I practiced growing fruit from last week’s lesson. I thought you might enjoy these since the basket Dolly and I brought you seemed pleased.” He placed it where the last basket was on the counter.

“Carnyx, always happy to see you visit, and you did quite lovely on the homework I gave you.” Cybele had split open one of the pomegranates to see it was a vivid dark red on the inside of it. “Vanessa didn’t want to come with you today?” She asked, causing him to sigh, “she did. But things at the Greedy Cauldron have been busy since her learning of the natural magic. Her potions have improved in quality since she has been able to grow her own ingredients.”

“That is wonderful news! When you see Vanessa next time, please tell her to bring one of her potions! I would love to see how she has been applying her magic outside of our lessons.” Cybele gestured to her table for both of them to chat before going on with their lesson, which had become the norm since he started to come visit, regardless if there was a lesson or not. Being in the presence of her, almost as if nature had taken on a body, was incredible. “I was thinking we could try working with trying to grow trees.”

“There is a difference between orchard trees and trees like elm and oak?” Carnyx asked, “yes. With orchard trees and bushes, their bark isn’t as strong like the hooves on your legs or the horns on your head. You’ll be able to make stronger wood, even maybe use natural trees to make your cottage look more natural.” She thought about it, “though Dolly tells me you built your cottage inside of a hill. I’m quite interested in how you managed to do that before learning how to do this natural magic.” Carnyx coughed and looked away, “long story, but it’s comfortable and big enough for me to move around comfortably.”

“But I need to replace the door, hopefully with the wood I grow will be wide enough for what I have in mind.” Ending the subject there, they sat at Cybele’s table chatting and visiting, enjoying the company of one another. He was updating her about the tending he had done in her garden that others used, about how Rune and Vanessa were semi-decent after Rune had taken them to visit her, and the other doings of Jasper, Reece, and Briar. His tail swayed happily, enjoying the time that was being spent.

-&-

“Ah!” Carnyx hissed in pain, gripping his left wrist. The tree he was sprouting went back to being an acorn that he planted. “Carnyx? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Cybele with worry asked him, noticing he was slightly hunched over, tugging at the vine that was part of his flora mootation. She gently sat him on a stump and took his arm, running her fingers over the vine to ease the constriction of it. “Shhh, relax, it’s okay, take a deep breath.” She rubbed his arm to help restore the blood flow as he caught his breath from the lesson.

They sat there until they both were comfortable and the vine had eased once more. “I know you are eager to learn, but you can’t rush the growth of a tree. Have you seen the many rings of a tree that has fallen over from a storm or due to rot?” Cybele questioned him, causing him to nod. “It takes time to form those rings, all the harsh winters to hot summers, from spring showers to their leaves falling, they require time. Time to form the roots, the bark, their branches that reach the sky. With this, you can also help shape and form the tree.”

She stepped back and demonstrated on her own sapling, closing her eyes as her fingers guided the sapling to grow over him and provide shade for the both of them. The wind blowing the newly budding leaves, “you can’t rush progress as much as you want. It won’t be as strong as you want it to be, let the energy flow naturally. Your flora is an indicator, it can help guide your magic if you listen to it. Now, try making your acorn grow again. This time, do it slowly and ease into it.”

Taking her word for it, he hesitatingly reached out with his left hand again and focused on the acorn. Closing his eyes, he imagined it just sprouting, with two large leaves coming out of it. Next he pictured it starting to grow taller with a few more branches, thin as a stick, but it was progress. “You’re doing good. Keep going.” Cybele’s soft voice encouraged him, he thought of going bigger. Thinking of the shield he saw in a book as a child, he imagined it like that. Branches spread wide with a trunk as thick as his waist.

With the vine starting to give small pressure, he let up and opened his eyes to see the tree from his childhood book. It looks exactly like the emblem on the shield. He ran his fingers down the rough bark, a slow smile gracing his face and feeling like a child, he turned to Cybele. “I did it.” She patted his arm, giving him a proud look, “yes you did! You listened to your magic and made this. I am so proud of you! I think Vanessa will be a little jealous that she missed out on this lesson.”

This large moo just kept smiling at his work, amazed that he had done with her guidance. “You may want to head home Carnyx, it’s getting late and I don’t want you walking in the dark.” She was sad that their time was over and the visit was done, but he understood that their lesson came to an end. Cybele was leading him back to where he entered her home, “keep practicing and don’t rush it, it looks like you have a good indicator on when you need to stop. I’ll see you in a week for another visit. And if you see Rune before Vanessa, tell him I told him to behave.”

She smiled and they parted ways, Carnyx ready for bed as he felt drained from the exercise from today. Yawning, he stretched as he walked through the garden and returned back to his little cottage. His scent of oak moss was embedded into the home, the wooden structures inside keeping the shape and foundation solid as he stretched. Taking off his cloak, he sat in his recliner, thinking he would just take a short nap to recharge and then get ready for bed. His eyes shut and pretty soon, he was snoring softly, just exhausted from today’s lesson.