Chapter Six: Roundabout!

[Kaerri]

Bren smiles, nodding approvingly at the faeries, as Powerpaw's gift becomes known. "That will come in very handy, I'm sure! I wonder... Powerpaw, for your list of experiments, you might want to see if human-sized gear, donned while you are human-sized, will expand to your true size."

Looking back at medium-sized Powerpaw, you see his eyes are wide, wide, wide! His whiskers, ears, and tail are sky-high! He begins dancing around in a silly fashion because one sniff of that catnip and your fuzzy goofy feline warrior is...

Bren's smile widens into a grin at the big fuzzy warrior's antics. "Ah... perhaps in the future he ought to move away from the cloud as soon as his change is complete?"

 

[Sherwood]

Luna's eyes widen in surprise at the transformation. "Just be careful when doing your experimenting. Donning a suit of armor at your smaller size may be fine, but if it doesn't grow with you, it could be very painful to have it bust off of your body when you resume your true size."

 

[Purr]

Bria hears this advice and points at Bren. "Oh mister mighty Bren sir! Do you have a spare shirt Powerpaw might be able to squeeze into?"

Spoiler

A shirt from either of Bren's outfits would do, but as you probably imagine, no one else in the team has anything to fit even the medium-sized Felane warrior.


The Daughters of Summertime turn their attention to Sabrefang. They giggle and cast upon her and giggle some more.


Sabrefang shifts nervously. "What are you three up to?"


"Well, you didn't help to free us..." "....But it seems kinda wrong to just leave you out.... "Especially after all you have done for Mielikki and her people, so here you go!" The Daughters twirl and float about, mingling their colorful trails of light until they form one color of bright gold. The powerful radiance of the spell they cast together fills your side of the Great Pool to the point of dazzling brilliance, and then the light is gone. Sabrefang quickly examines herself. Finding no outward change, she turns her attention to the Daughters and shakes her head in confusion.


They point their little fingers excitedly. "Go outside!" "Let your ears guide you!" "Your mouth will follow!"


Sabrefang, ever-feline, cannot help but be curious. She runs on all fours across the wood floor of the Great Pool and vanishes through the purple cloud of smoke hanging before the one door leading out of the Adventurers' Wagon.


A very short time later, she returns waving her paws, her voice filled with excitement. "I understand them! I understand the horses! And they understand me!" She puts her paws to her heaving chest as if in fear her heart were going to burst out of it. "The birds! I know what the birdsongs mean! I can speak with animals!"


"You sure can!" "As often as you like!" "Yeah!"


"Dat's great, Mom! Now you iz a Druidess of MOAR an' all da animals will knows it!" "Mini-Powerpaw" runs up and hugs his mother.


"Oh, thank you-thank you-thank you!" Sabrefang blows heartfelt kisses to the Daughters who beam in delight.


Sabrefang touches the enchanted armor-become-garment Bria loaned to her. "You did... you did something to this too!"


"We sure did!" The Daughters flutter over to Bria. "You'll like it too!" "We just know it!"


The only smile brighter and more-loving than the Daughters own belongs to Bria. "You three are so generous. You bless us with your gifts!"


"As do you with our freedom and cheer," they reply. "Still, we are almost finished." "Yup! Juuuuuust twooooo left!" The Daughters of Summertime turn their gazes on an unsuspecting pair of creatures who only stir when they realize they have just become the focus of their attention.


Sparkle having quietly and in full camouflage reappeared from Luna's spell book, nudges closer to her familiar. "Somehow, I don't think hiding from them is going to work." She reappears and hops off of Luna's shoulder...


...where Vardadraug steps up beside the pseudo-dragon. The very-different eyes of dragon and wolf are wide with anticipation.


I have just come to realize... We have no items to enchant...





Sparkle nods. "I think it is we they seem to be casting their faerie, wood-loving magics upon, my good canine."


Wolf and dragon look to each other... and share a deep gulp of apprehension.

 

[Kaerri]

Bria hears this advice and points at Bren. "Oh mister mighty Bren sir! Do you have a spare shirt Powerpaw might be able to squeeze into?"

"Yes, of course." Bren gets up and quickly goes to his room to fetch one of his spare shirts, returning while Sabrefang is off making her own discovery. "Here you are, Powerpaw. Don't worry if it doesn't grow with you after all, I can get more." He starts to say more, but is interrupted by Sabrefang's joyous return. "Oh, very nice! What an appropriate gift!" He settles back into his seat, awaiting the presentation of the remaining gifts with a smile. "You two may not have any items, but you certainly deserve a wondrous reward, for without your bravery the rescue would have gone very differently - if it had even been possible."

 

[Purr]

Vardadraug disappears in a great cloudy puff that smells distinctly of evergreen, yet when the cloud slowly fades, you do not see the puppy standing before you...

Spoiler

(Image credit: www.nickpeall.com)


Instead, you see the fully-grown wolf...

(Image credit: www.pinterest.com)


Vardadraug leaps straight up in surprise. My... my wolf-incarnation! You have had it all along? Stars alight! Why... Why did you not tell me?


The Daughters of Summertime cursty together in apology. "It was a secret!" "We couldn't even mention it until we found a Druid!" "Yeah! You know how everyone in our society is all super-secretive about seriously secret secrets!" Together, their voices sound like a three-note chime as they sing out the word, "Sooooorrry!"


Apologlize not for keeping to your duty! Vardadraug runs around in circles, brushing up against Bren in terrific joy. I can polymorph into a full-grown wolf again! Oh, how I have missed being my normal size! Vardadraug looks up to Bren. Even when I traveled with the Light in the Dark, that form, however powerful and useful, was not as close as this one to my birth-form. Oh, how I have dearly missed being this size!


"And... what pray tell... has happened to me?" Sparkle speaks instead of sending. She remains where she was when the Daughters presented their gift. She appears no less remarkable than before, yet there seems to be no physical change whatsoever.


The Daughters huddle and giggle, pointing to her. They whisper in the dancing tongue of Sylvan creatures and point. But mostly, they giggle.


"You did do something to me, did you not?"


"Sure did!" "Seek inside yourself, egg-hatcher!" "Our gift for Vardadraug was without, while yours lies within!"


Sparkle glares, but not harshly, at the Daughters but then she softly closes her eyes and lowers her snout. Her wings and tail droop as she meditates on their words. Luna feels Sparkle's mind expertly close out all distractions, easily defuse her ego, and clearly see what is. Luna knows, there are many wizards and sorcerers out there that cannot so quickly calm their own minds; it is a skill born of constant practice and she has developed it. Then... as quickly as she slipped into silence, she wakens, her slitted eyes wide.


"By Plaguemist's addled brain! You have put magic in me!"


In what manner? Vardadraug pauses to ask.


Sparkle looks to Luna. "I can cast magic! Wait... Cantrips!"


The Daughters of Summertime spin and sail over to Sparkle, cheering and hugging her. She hugs back, bewildered.


They cheer. "Detect Magic!" "Detect Poison!" "Prestidigitation!" "You may cast these three cantrips!" "Only these three!" "They never did require material foci so you never need any!" "Just the words and the motions!" "Yep! And you'll cast them as if you were the lowliest of initiates..." "...Except that you may call upon their magic at will!"


Sparkle's reaction is priceless - she gawks. Her little mouth drops down and stays there while her eyes hardly blink. Pyri! she sends to Luna. I am now a spell-caster!


Rejoice! Vardadraug barks. We are blessed by the powers of Mielikki and her green forests everywhere!


Powerpaw claps his powerful paws together and smiles. "You iz magic dragon! An' big wolfie-face! How cools!" Then Powerpaw carefully takes off his chest armor revealing a well-muscled, one might call "beastly" chest and arms, complete with nicks, gouges, and (mostly) tiny scars all over - the body of a seasoned gladiator. Over this goes Bren's fine shirt and it fits the medium-sized Powerpaw to a tee. "Okies, guyz. Here we goes! Oh boy! Moar catnips!!"


The Felane warrior disappears once "moar" into a large, white cloud that smells strongly of catnip. There before you stands Powerpaw... in Bren's now large-sized shirt, complete with one increasingly-giddy Powerpaw. His eyes are rolling around and he is biting at nothing, perhaps at imaginary things... "Meeeoowooowooooo!" There begins a rumbling purr that begins in his chest that every last one of you inside the Great Pool can hear quite clearly. "Mom," he slurps. "You haz ta try dis! Meeowowowow!!"


But Sabrefang watches with a chuckle that sounds half-amused and half-concerned. "I know well-enough the effects of catnip, my son. You on the other hand..." she watches as her son begins licking the very air.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna lets out a wordless sound of delight as she scoops up Sparke and gives her a gentle hug. "Oh, dear one! I am sooo happy for you! Just think, if you can cast these spells now, perhaps, some day, you'll be able to cast even more! Just think about the wondrous journey you are starting on!"

 

[Purr]

The Daughters scatter when Luna picks up Sparkle, but then flit about nearby as they hug. Hearing Luna's words, they add some of their own. "Hold your pegasi!" "These cantrips are spell-like abilities, not actual cantrips." "Kind of like how we can poof-" the woodland faerie vanishes from Luna's sight and a scant moment later, she reappears, sitting on Luna's elbow, "-and un-poof!"


Sparkle nods her head in understanding. "That is why I need no spellbook nor scroll to learn these unlike a true wizard - the ability, like my natural chameleon blending or my poison stinger, is not a learned thing that can grow, but something innate!"


The Daughters clap at her response. "Yes-yes!" "You got it!" "Boy, she's quick, isn't she?"

 

[Sherwood]

"Oh!" Luna exclaims as she understands. "I see now. Still, it is a wonderful gift. Daughters, I must thank you once again for your kindness."

 

[Purr]

Spoiler

Location: The Road of Kings


Thursday, September 18th, 1118. Time: 2:30 p.m.


Weather: Windy and cloudy.


Travel time to Highwind: On day 3 of 14.


Travel time to Melshaef's Tree: On day 1 of 3.


"You're welcome, Bright Fire!" The woodland faeries hold hands again. "One more gift and we're done-done-done!" "Let's go!" The Daughters of Summertime race toward the exit of the Great Pool and disappear through the purple mist...


... but only for a moment.


Three tiny blonde heads pop out of the mist. "Um, could we get some help, pretty please?" "We're not strong enough to open the front door!" "Even with all three of us pulling on huge door-handle!! Aaaack!"

 

[Kaerri]

Bren smiles and ruffles the fur on the top of Vardadraug's (now much bigger) head. "You look wonderful, old friend. You say you can 'polymorph' into this full size; does that mean you can change back to puppy form too?" He glances at Bria, though continuing to speak to Vardadraug. "Both forms have their uses, and attractiveness."


Sparkle's excitement draws his gaze to the tiny dragon; her oath in particular ("By Plaguemist's addled brain!") startles a snort of laughter from the big human, but he quickly smooths his face into his usual smile as he listens to the faeries' explanation of Sparkle's gift.


That smile widens as he watches Powerpaw's enjoyment of the catnip-scented mist of transformation, but Bren also notices that the borrowed shirt changes size to match. "When he calms down, it might be interesting to see what happens if he takes off my shirt while in his natural size."


The faerie's antics and plea for help call his attention to them and their predicament. "Yes, of course!" He glances around to see if someone else is closer, but if the closest person is him (or the quite-distracted Powerpaw), he will at once stand and open the door for them.

 

[Purr]

Spoiler

Location: The Road of Kings


Thursday, September 18th, 1118. Time: 2:30 p.m.


Weather: Windy and cloudy.


Travel time to Highwind: On day 3 of 14.


Travel time to Melshaef's Tree: On day 1 of 3.


Let us see the answer to that question now, shall we? Vardadraug stands very still, not even moving a whisker. A moment later, he is surrounded by a billowy white cloud accompanied by the scent of evergreen. There before you all sits a tiny wolf puppy wagging his tail. It seems so! Another moment of concentration passes followed by another white cloud and then Vardadraug returns to his medium-sized adult wolf form. This is such fun!





Once Bren opens the way, the Daughters of Summertime speed on to the outside world. It is not long before Bronze, hard at work at his forge, looks up from his work and notices a familiar trio of tiny little blonde woodland faeries drifting and hovering about... and they are giggling.


"Hey, Mister Maker!" "Yeah, you with all the sweat and clanging going on!" "We're giving gifts to all of the Wanderers!" "Could we give to you too?"

 

[killfire]

"Oh Hello there! Sorry I get distracted when I work. Well lets see, I usually focus on The Forge, because I want to make my Dad proud. Problem is I don't know much about magic, and I also want to do something different this time. I sing ya see, and I heard of these people who's singing is magical and stuff, how about something that affects my singing in a good way? What cha all think... oh and..." Carefully holds out his hand and on it on a bit of paper is some warm bread slices, very small ones of course, with a bit of butter. "I keep something to eat for everyone here, specially the stew"

 

[Purr]

Bria looks about and seems to realize that the three little people most likely to get themselves into mischief were just loosed into the world. "Um... I think it would be wise if one of us keeps an eye on the Daughters... just in case, you know... they act like they have been and maybe get into trouble." The Ko monk wanders outside after them. Once outside, Bria sits on the steps of the Adventurers' Wagon and watches - Bronze can see her; she seems to be wanting to watch without being obtrusive.


The woodland faeries leap up and smile expectantly when Bronze states that he sings. "You can sing?" "Mister song-singer! Sing us a song!" "Yeah! We wanna hear you!"


What does Bronze do?

 

[killfire]

Bronze sings a song of green stuff, summer, spring, running water, green trees, sunshine, and all things that are good. With no accompaniment of course. When he's done, "So, what cha think?" with a silly grin of course.

 

[Purr]

The little blonde-haired beauties look back-and-forth to each other, grinning and smiling. "You sing from the heart!" "Plus, you've got a really big powerful voice for your really big powerful heart!" "We think your singing should be as prayer and protection for those you give it to." "Just be careful!" "Don't sing this too often, or you'll chance losing your voice for a time!"


Then the Three begin to a sing a song in return for yours. With this tune, they provide their gift to Bronze. =)

Spoiler

(This is Maire Brennan of Clannad fame - her background singers remind me of the Daughters' singing, whom we hear much of in this tune. =) )


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As for what the song does precisely and how often he can provide its benefit, Bronze will have to use it to discover that for himself, won't he? Congratulations on the gift! =)

 

[Purr]

Back inside the Adventurers' Wagon, Powerpaw slips off Bren's new large-sized shirt. The furry fellow experimentally holds out the garment at arm's length and dangles it to see if it returns to its original size. When nothing happens, he releases it, it falls to the wooden floor, and remains large-sized.


"Ooooh! Ain't dat somethin's!"


Outside the Adventurers' Wagon, Bronze hears clapping. When he looks to the wagon, there sits Bria on the stairs leading up to the front door. She is looking at him with a kind and very pretty smile. It is his song she is clapping for.


With that, Chapter Six: Roundabout comes to a close! See you at Chapter Seven: Melshaef's Tree and the Crown of Chains! Woo! =)