Chapter 2 - Independent Learning

"I am glad to see they still teach some manners to the youth these days. Did you study at Alnerwick?" he continues talking before Tannis has chance to reply to the question.

"My suspicion is that this rot is the handiwork of Hadud. A curious old fellow that lives up near the headwaters of the Soverbot. He has cause now and then to travel across our woods. Two weeks back he strayed too close to the grove in his travels and was set upon by the grove's defenders. I called them off, but he no doubt got the fright of his life. And this is his payback. At least that's my suspicion. I always thought him a dabbler in necromancy."

"My hope that a little sweet talking might bring him to his senses. We all have a place in this world, and must find a path to live in harmony with it. How do you reckon to your powers of persuasion?"

"Tannis the academic, eh? Perhaps you should be back at school. Or in a library" his words are playful and said with a smile, not intended to touch upon Tannis' nerves.

"I can go myself. It is no trouble. " and then more to himself than Tannis, "Although I do hope that does not aggravate things"

"You might slow me down a touch" he muses, "but I would be glad of the company. And I am sure you'll be more help than you give yourself credit for. You can tell me about your school as we walk."

He looks to a patch of sky between the branches, as if to get his bearings "It is sixty miles as the sparrow flies to the headwaters of the Soverbot. It will take us a couple of days. We may find a farmstead that might accommodate us, otherwise we'll be sleeping under the stars. Your school teach you owt about that?"

"It seems you are already ready to go" says the old man, noticing Tannis's jesture with his ruck. "So let us be off" he begins walking. Although hobbling and relying on his stick, he maintains a reasonable pace, if slightly slower than Tannis would achieve on his own.

A few moments later, he acknowledges Tannis's question. "Leader" he turns the word over in his mouth. "I guess you could say that." he pauses "I might say friend. Or companion." he pauses again "I look after the grove. The grove looks after the woods. The woods look after me."

As the old man and Tannis walk through the woods, the old man will ask about Tannis's school, and how he came to be in the service of Denaothun.

The route that the old man leads Tannis remains close to the edge of the woods, allowing Tannis glimpses of the farmland in the valley below. The air is cool and refreshing, and Tannis notices abundant life within the woods - squirrels, sparrows, pheasant, a weasel, sable and deer all make an appearance, seemingly less shy than normal woodland life.

The old man listens intently to Tannis's drawn out answer. He turns to face Tannis occasionally as the tale is being told, and there is sorrow in his bright blue eyes. When Tannis is finished, the old man continues walking in silence for what seems an interminable period.

"I would caution you against telling that tale to every old man you meet in the woods" a slight smile flashes across his face before the sorrowful look returns. "But I have no use for your secrets, so it's safe with me." he pauses "It seems quite the pickle you have gotten yourself into. Not by your own doing of course. Perhaps you erred greatly in a past life."

"If we are to believe such thus things." he adds, talking more to himself.

He continues walking in silence for a few more moments before coming to a stop.

"I know it is hard for you now. But you might find in time that these have led you down a different path, perhaps even a better one. When a tree falls into a river, the water still finds a way to the ocean. And in time the tree goes back to nature, and the river is as it was."

He reaches into a aged leather pocket on his belt, and holds out a palmful of dark-skinned berries. "Here, have a berry." he says, taking one and popping it into his mouth. "You'll find them quite invigorating" he says as he chews.

The old man smiles. "You have trusted me Tannis, so I will trust you with something just as dangerous and powerful as any secret: my name is Passer"

"And I am happy to say that I have no wish to harm you, or anyone else."

True to his word, Tannis feels reinvigorated from eating a single berry. Any feeling of thirst or hunger is banished, and he feels ready to walk another ten miles.

"It is likewise a pleasure young Tannis" says Passer with a smile.

"The best description I have for Hadud is grumpy. He is a grumpy old codger. And he may very well be hostile. As to whether he's dangerous, I do not know the extent of his a dabbling. He certainly has some grasp of the necromantic magics. I do not know his story, where he came from or where he studied in the arts. He arrived in the valley one day, and has pretty much kept himself to himself."

"But with all people, there is always something they want. And if we can find out what that thing might be, and find some way to further that cause, we may be able to broker a deal."

"I know for certain one thing that Hadud wants, and that is to be left alone. His is the furthest dwelling in the valley. After his hermitage is wilderness, and dangerous wilderness at that."

"We shall see. And we can but try"

The afternoon progresses with idle conversation between Tannis and Passer, interspersed by periods of quiet as they walk through the woods. There is a gentle climb as they walk, and Tannis's glimpses into the valley below reveal the formerly salt-pan-flat valley floor giving way to greater undulation. The farms become less frequent, and there are pockets of trees and scrub in amongst the cultivated land.

Some time later, with the sun's light beginning to fade, Passer turns to Tannis. "What's it to be, shall we chance a farmstead or spend the night under the stars?" With a flourish of his fingers an ethereal image of a wispy cloud appears above his hand, and then disappears as quickly as it appeared. "Seems it will be dry"

"In that case, let us push on for another hour. We will find a suitable location in that time."

After walking onwards for nearly an hour, with darkness approaching, and the ground in front increasingly hard to see, the pair emerge into a clearing overgrown with briar.

"This looks perfect" says Passer "stay there a moment, whilst I make it a little more comfortable"

With that, Passer begins nimbly picking his way through the clearing in arcing paths. As he does so he begins to softly whisper words that Tannis cannot make out. After a few minutes of tracing these arcing paths, Passer stops at the center of the clearing.

"Come" he calls to Tannis.

As Tannis walks towards Passer, the briar parts like a crowd making way for a king's procession. Where he treads, the ground is soft with moss. And he feels a gentle breeze against his face, rich with the smell of wildflowers.

Reaching the centre of the clearing, Tannis looks back to see that the wall of briar has closed behind him, if anything more impenetrable that it had been.

Passer goes to sit, and the ground rises to meet him, forming a moss covered high-backed armchair.

"Please, take a seat" he gestures to Tannis to do the same.

Passer reaches out his hand and a bird-nest-like bowl is formed by the nearest plant. A moment later the bowl is full of fruits and berries. Passers takes a ripe-looking plum, and bites deeply, the juice dripping down his chin and adding to the stains on his formerly white gown.

"And help yourself to the food."