A prayer spoken by Lilac Horneater

Last Child of the Grove of the Wardeness

Hi Mum. I’m okay. I’m safe. I miss you.

A group of adventurers found the Grove. They found Stumpy up at the entrance, and I got to say goodbye to him after they found me. I heard them howling in the library, and at first I thought they were raiders, coming to loot the Grove. I guess they did loot the Grove, but one of them was a druid himself! Apparently his mother used to work with you? But she’s gone now.

Just like you. 

They found me in the Everpool. I had hid there ever since… since you sent me there, during the attack. I would sneak out to grab mushrooms and fruits from the larder, then duck back in. I think something happened to me. I can’t leave my forms. It’s like I’m stuck. Or like… like my normal form has changed.

Anyway, the adventurers found me in the pool. I didn’t trust them at first, but after talking with them for a minute I could tell they weren’t like the ones who attacked us. The fiery ones. They were fighting against them, and thought that something in the Grove might help them. They wanted to get to the crypts. To… to where you are. I couldn’t go with them. I’m sorry. I wanted to. But I wasn’t ready.

So they left me with two very nice horses. One of them was very protective of the lady who was with them, but she convinced him to stay behind to protect me, which was very kind of her. The other horse looked like the night sky, but painted in the shape of a horse. He didn’t talk much– but I thought I heard him humming or singing quietly to himself as we waited for the adventurers to return from the crypts.

There was a lot of shouting and crunching noises from the crypt. It sound like that night, when the outer doors came crashing in and death flooded into the Grove. I hid under the starry horse, covering my ears against the noise, as I heard death coming once more, this time for my new friends who I’d only just met. 

I almost darted back into the pool, but the noises stopped. And soon after, my new friends returned, dirty and bloody and exhausted– but alive! They carried some sort of tablet with them, something they said was in one of the crypts. I led them to the larder, where we took as many rations as we could carry, and then to the living quarters, where they rifled around for a bit. I think the druid was looking for something of his mom’s. 

I’m going to leave with them, Mum. There’s nothing left for me in the Grove. I asked Stumpy, and he said I should go. I tried to convince him to come with me, but he said his place is here, that he has to protect it in case I come back. Or the other druid, I suppose– he was wearing your robes when he left. But I think that’s alright. You’d want someone taking care of them, and they’re still way too big for me. 

I wish I didn’t have to go. I miss you so much. But the adventurers say something is happening in the Goldwood, something terrible, and that what happened to the Grove is part of it. I don’t know if I can do anything to help, but I know I can’t hide anymore. Soon, there won’t be anywhere to hide. 

I am glad to not be alone anymore, though. The druid is trying to teach me some new spells from his own book, which I think was his mom’s from the way he holds tightly to it. They said I can ride whichever horse I want, and the dwarf even let me hold his axe!

I love you, Mum. I hope you’re happy, wherever you are, and that you aren’t worrying too much about me. I know I’ll see you again. I just don’t like the idea of how long it’ll be until that happens. But I promise I’ll try to be strong. I’ll remember your lessons, and I’ll make sure that by the time we see each other again, I’m someone you’ll be super proud of. 

Someone like you.