Chapter 3 - Dreaming of You

I took Moondris upstairs and stayed with her to make sure nothing happened. The whole night I couldn't sleep thinking that somewhere out there Anthra had been thinking of me too. The vial was around my neck and it felt warm against my chest, the chest that beat furiously with love for someone I didn't even know. My deep thoughts of longing turned to doubt. Why me? What could I have done to impress someone in such a time. How did she feel for me what I felt for her with such a chance encounter. I dismissed these thoughts once I felt the warm glow of the vial once again. There was no reason to question why afterall, for it was, and for now that was certainly more important than anything else.

The next morning I woke up and Moondris was not in her bed. My first thought was that of panic, then I remembered who she was. I got up and walked down from my room at the inn only to be greeted by my teacher.

"Leraar, I...", I began but didn't get to finish my thought.

"You've been busy, Ueki."

"Yes sir, I'm afraid I had an unexpected visitor last night."

"I know... I heard of the commotion at the tavern from some of the other druids."

I couldn't begin to think what my teacher was going to tell me next, but I was quite surprised by his next words.

"Its good to have some contact with the outside world, I trust your visit was memorable?"

"Indeed master, I am glad for the experience.", I said, unsure of what to make of his statement.

"Very well then, I trust you are ready to begin your slumber? We have preparations to do and I'm afraid I don't have the time to wait around for you to be ready.", he said, surprisingly calm.

"Yes, I am indeed ready."

"Good then let us prepare.", he said as he turned and exited the inn.

Without even the knowledge of where Moondris had gotten off too I made my way after my teacher, but as I got closer to the door the innkeeper grunted. I turned towards him and he handed me a note.

"That lady with the huge lion left this for you.", he said as I examined the note.

In a scrawl it simply said "Thanks for takin care of me, Mr. holy man, I'll tell Anthra  you were a good host! (I won't mention that you don't drink though, no worries!) and thanks in advance for paying my room tab! -Love Moonie"

As I looked up the innkeeper already had his hand outstretched and as I paid him I found out that apparently there is a very exorbitant charge for pets staying overnight. Especially ones that like to growl at the other passing guests.

After the rites and preperations were completed Leraar left me with one peice of advice. Keep my mind clear. It should have come as no surprise given his approach to druidism but he seemed to ephasize it quite a bit.

As I laid my earthly body down and began to concentrate on the Emerald Dream to forge a connection through the earth I was laying upon, reaching my consciousness to Ysera, for one last moment, my last worldly thought was of that beautiful priestess. The priestess who returned my feelings, and the longing for her company once I was to wake once more.

---

Before me was a path, long and winding and as I set my feet upon it I felt a warm breeze pass my skin. My senses seemed to be heightened and the breeze itself smelled faintly of cinnamon. After what seemed like seconds and years at the same time I came before a great rock, hazy and covered with moss. The world seemed to shift this way and that, yet there was no feeling of discomfort or vertigo. Before me a voice called out, in both my ears and my mind. It sounded like a waterfall, deep and ominous as it spoke.

"Ueki Dreamstar, Druid of the Claw, you stand before me seeking my wisdom do you not?"

Unsure how to answer I simply thought back "Yes, great one, I seek your teachings, should you choose to grant them to your humble servant."

"Leraar has taught you well, your respect serves you well, come, drink from the sap that is our lifeforce, from nature in its most pure. Learn what you can from her and give to her your promise to serve her always. Only then will you obtain the true powers of the druid, only then will you be worthy of the knowledge she grants to those who stand freely upon her.", just then a great wind sprang up and the flapping of great wings could be heard. Landing on the rock before me was a great being, the Green Dragonflight, as mighty as he was ominous and as massive as he was wise. As he sat before me, he dwarfed the rock that I had already thought to be the largest thing in sight. With the gesture of a mighty claw he bid me walk past him, and so I did into the depths of the Emerald Dream.

Days passed in mere moments as I drank in the knowledge of an entire earth, taking it in and understanding it, using it and revering it at the same time. Though there was no way of knowing how much time had passed in the real world every so often, when I could no longer control it, my thoughts turned to Anthra. Seeing her in my dreams doing day to day things. I would imagine her beauty lying in the sun, shimmering on her alluring lips or the wind blowing through her scintillating hair.

Time and my training continued each day learning more than the last. A few more times I conversed with Ysera and he explained to me the connection between the night elves and nature, communication with animal spirits and the purifying of the earth.

One day, through all I had tried not to think of Anthra, my thoughts turned once more, only this time was not like the others. I saw Anthra, in a strained sleep covered in a cold sweat. She tossed and turned as if she was in the deep of a nightmare. A shadow crept over her and she tossed restlessly trying to get away from it. A shadowy hand reached out to her and she cried out in pain, my mind reeled and my body was in pain from what I had seen. For the first time since my long trip into the Emerald Dream things were not as they should be. Somewhere, my Anthra was suffering and here, in this dream, I could do nothing about it.