There they were, in the forest, and it was a fine day, and now the fog has come around Danielle and Amy and Tanya. Despite the darkness all around, the slim path is still bathed in dappled light.

Amy glares at the fog, not the least bit impressed. "Go away," she mutters. Not that it listens.

Danielle frowns as soon as she sees the fog, an expression which only deepens as it surrounds them "Hello" she greets. Yes, she's talking to inanimate objects again but hey there was a an animated rocl moments ago and it seems more warranted than previous occasions

The fog says nothing, but there is an answer to Danielle, "Hello," says a voice in the trees, tiredly.

Tanya just sighs, as if this is not even the worst thing she thought might happen. Today.

Amy turns to observe the tired trees. "Hello," she echoes. "Who goes there?" Okay, she may have been taking lessons from Gavin, truthfully. A glance to Dani and Tanya, and a half shrug.

"I do not go," says the voice. "Famed for it, if for anything."

Danielle also looks about for the source of the voice. Granted, she started the conversation but was only half expecting f an answer. "You are famous for staying put? I am danielle of Amber. I may be somewhat famous in places you've likely never heard of"

"Are you a tree?" Amy ventures, curious now. Because well, not going does suggest rooted.

The voice goes on, and they can follow it to a tree, which has an androgynous body made of wood cut into it - or grown from it. The face, formed as if by a master carver who left the hair as natural bark, is speaking. It stares straight ahead, and the lips hardly move, but that is where the sound is coming from. "I am Miriadala, the Dryad," she says. "No mere tree, but all that a tree means, given form that can be comprehended."

"Hello, Miriadala, I'm Amy," is the petite blonde's own self-introduction. "Pleased to meet you. I think."

"And I you. Could you move a little so my carved eyes can see you? I used to bend more, but the winds have gone..."

Danielle smiles "We've no wish to disturb sacred, but in truth we were searching for wood suitable for making a wizard's staff. Is there any such here it be permissable take. I'm willing to do services in kind

"Oh, plenty of wood. We're a huge forest," Miriadala replies. Tanya does her best not to look around the limited area. The dryad goes on, "To be truthful it's so long since I spoke that I'm not sure about services any more. Or even if I should grow tree ears."

Amy blinks, but she moves to where she is more in front of the eyes. At least as she can. If they are way above her height, that's not something she can do much about at the moment. "I think if you are hearing us, you maybe don't need to grow extra ears?" she offers, sounding a bit unsure.

The tree sways a little in a breeze that is not there, and the face tilts down towards Amy. It is at eye height for a normal human. "Ah, thank you."

Danielle smiles "Yes, only do what is necessary for your own comfort. we're fine" She begins to scan the area nearby

"It's been a few hundred years, you see," says the Dryad. "And in this bit of the Forest Sauvage that's a long time."

"That's a long time for us too," Amy says. "I haven't even lived that long yet." Young'uns! She tilts her head up, regarding that face in the tree, as unmoving as it might be. "Is there anything we might reasonably do that could help you? Or rather, I guess, are you in need of help, what with all this Fog?"

Danielle blinks "How is it that no one has come here in all that time. We must've come quite a bit farther than we realize. Did you guide us here?

"No, but this is a path, and all who go through the great forests find it some time," Miriadala replies. "I suppose the fog's been keeping people away. Perhaps they do not wish to travel."

"I think the fog has been keeping people away. It turns them in circles, so they get lost and can't find their way out," Amy observes. "That most likely makes it a lot more difficult for folks to find their way here."

"the fog is a bit of a mystery to us." Danielle admits "seeing you have been here for quite some time. Do you have any idea what is or why it's here. it seems to us a very unnatural fog"

"I have my theories," the Dryad says. "I think it is an expression of creation. All of creation grows and therives and changes, until a change destroys all and we begin again. I'm not the first Dryad, you know, or even the hundredth. Of course, in this forest it's hard to tell what time is."

Amy pauses and glances towards Tanya, who has been really quiet. She is still there, right? Then at Dani, and a brow arches, as she looks back to the Dryad. "Growing and changing and dying is all very well," she observes, "But we kind of were hoping to prevent everything all being destroyed all at once. That seems somewhat radical."

Filinia murmurs, "We might be about ninty percent too late."

Tanya murmurs, "We might be about ninty percent too late."

Miriadala gives a sigh with a certain timbre to it. "I'm pretty sure it's all a cycle, so you can probably wait and creation will begin again? It might be scant help, but at least it's a little."

Danielle begins "I think perhaps she's suggesting but Tanya beats her to it. "Well, i don't have any children but I understand birth has its discomfort . perhaps that would explain why things are in a bit of upheaval

Amy blinks, and then blinks again. "Oh. Well if it's already happened recently. Recently-ish. I guess that's fine." she says. "But I'd still like to keep it from happening /again/."

"It's only a guess," says the Dryad. "It could be that there's an attack in progress and things are well elsewhere. Three hundred years is only half a lifetime, even for me." A tree cannot shrug, but the branches wave slowly, and creak.

Danielle hms "It's not as if destruction has to be complete in order for creation to begin. Afterall we've scene evidence of both in our time here. Over a year for us, but only an eyeblink for miradadala I'm sure"

"Three hundred years of fog, I suppose," Miriadala replies. "So half a lifetime. But still, trees are good at patience."

Amy nods her head at that. "Certainly. And I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, some destruction is required to balance the creation or something. But - this, as entertaining as it is, and thought provoking, is not getting us that staff-wood. Miriadala, do you have any thoughts for a good bit of wood that we could use to make a staff?"

"Oak, straight, about twenty years," says Tanya.

"I could make some, I suppose," replies the Dryad. "If you came back in twenty years."

Danielle hms "Well that would be more of a delay than we hoped. Are there no oak in the forest at present?"

"Only what you can see," says the Dryad. "If they agree to be cut then you can take them, but it's not really for me to say."

"I'm not sure I actually can talk to them," Amy says, somewhat startled by the thought. "Is that something you might be able to assist with?"

"Oh, of course," sayd the Dryad. "And they'll answer within a season!"

"Good enough for me, if we can find the way back here," Tanya says.

Danielle says, "pose frowns slightly and shrugs "patience is a virtue I've been learning to cultivate. If it's acceptable to the Colnel, it works for me"

Danielle frowns slightly and shrugs "patience is a virtue I've been learning to cultivate. If it's acceptable to the Colnel, it works for me

"The only question will be if we can return here in a season," Amy agrees with Tanya. "I wonder if we can work out a path or something. Or some sort of marker to make it easier?"

The Colonel sighs. "I can tag it," she says, "But that always comes with a risk. Still, it's worth the attempt for a decent staff." She looks half persuaded, which is 50% better than usual.

"Alright then, " Danielle curtseys to the Dryand "It appears we'll return in a season to see if any trees have agreed to give wood for a staff"

"I look forward to this," says Miriadala. "And to seeing the fog lift and visitors come."

Meanwhile, Colonel Tanya is using her right hand and a wand in her left to make something invisible in the air. It's small, probably no longer than her thumb and maybe shorter.

Amy flashes a smile at Tanya. "That seems fair," she says. "Though if you could teach us to do that, you'd not need to." A pause. "Assuming we /can/ learn that."

"This? It does rely on knowing how your eyes are opened to magic. I'm creating what I suppose in mundane language is a logical statement. 'This thing was made by Tanya Garin.' It has enough of the link to me that I can use it, but not enough that people can extract what my name is. My... inner name is a hard concept, but the magical flows that make me. I use myself as the key and this as the lock, but never the other way around."

Tanya shrugs. "Different people seem to do things differently here, but this works for me and if you've got different words for it, that'll be hard to teach."

She is concentrating on magic, and therefore more talkative. The colonel goes on, "Not impossible, of course. We just need to build the lexicon from non-shared conceptua."

Danielle nods "I am always up for learning new magic. , though perhaps it would need adapted. Most magic I know comes from manipulating what exists. The trouble with elemental markers. is they don't stay put. Ice melts and so on but power and magic can be sensed so it will leave a signature of sorts

Tanya says, "Find some pure gold and take up making jewellery for a bit, then. Gold's really good for permanent work and if we can make a few circles, I'll show you how mine works a bit better. Most of my tools are wearins out and remaking them has a cost. For me, at least."

Amy considers the comments from both for a moment, and then she nods. "I think that it's probably a good idea to learn what we can, and see what works. Because I think we're going to need all the help we can get."

Tanya sighs. "Great. I get to learn yet more methods. I gave up homework when ... well, I never gave up case-work, I guess." And she touches the tip of her wand to the Dryad, who giggles.

"That's the spirit," Amy says, with a laugh. "Should we go see if we can find some more of those herbs that can be used for healing?" A look at the Tree-Dryad. "That is, assuming it's okay with you, of course."

Danielle nods "it's good to have goals to work towards

It takes some times for the Dryad to bow at the waist by which time everyone has already left and some birds have started to build a nest.