This side of the mountain is much less used by the Yodhsunala, and not accessible at all by pilgrims, so there isn't anyone to see Alptraum's approach. It also hides much of the history of the Yodh and the Sisters that they'd rather not let become common knowledge, especially the old shrines to forgotten demigods and to Rinala. And while the current incarnation of Sunala doesn't call herself Rinala, she does at least host the Yodhrinala - although the Yodhsunala often try to outdo them in healing, as a matter of pride.
After all the trauma of recent days, Alptraum is quite happy to just be himself, no longer under the claws off some capricious Goddess. He runs his hands through his long hair to smooth it out after flying, then cloaks himself in rolling shadow-robes to mask his otherwise rather mundane attire that he still has from Sylvania. It also makes him look more impressive to the locals, usually. Or ... it seems to summon pitchforks and torches. Today, though, he's hoping for impressive. After a deep breath, he head towards the collection of hospital tents.
The tent area isn't as communal as Gorphat City. There are no refugees here, only patients, visitors and attendants. As before, the tents are marked in triage symbols indicating the severity of the patients conditions.. with several tents set farther away from all the others for things that may be contagious or just too disturbing to the others being treated. An Acolyte with torn wings dumps out a bedpan into an open latrine not far from where Alptraum emerges.
"I hope there are not too many patients these days," Alptraum comments a bit flatly as he observes the rather dreary landscape.
The Acolyte's ears perk and she turns towards Alptraum. It's Zana of course, the same one he saved from ritual suicide on his first visit to Babel. "Oh! It's you!" the girl says cheerfully, and there's a flash of silver when she blinks. "We still get lots of patients! Just not always for very long."
Alptraum's brow furrows a bit as he tries to 'suss' out minds; a cheap way to count the patients. "Walking out instead of being carried out for eternal rest, I hope," he remarks.
There are probably a hundred or so in the camp, including the caretakers. None of them seem very ill however. Beyond the camp, the Pilgrim's Road has quite a few travelers on it though.
"Mostly!" Zana says, as she gives the bedpan a few good shakes to clear it all out. "We get a lot of injuries now. Not so many involuntarily dying sorts anymore."
"About one hundred here right now, in fact," Alptraum comments and blinks a few times to clear the 'sense' from his consciousness. "How are all of you coping? I am aware that this effort isn't popular with everyone."
"Oh.. I'm doing great!" Zana claims. "The Yodhsunala still compete with the Yodhrinala a lot.. they can perform stronger blessings, but the Yodhrinala are much better at treating patients in general. And I get to do whatever I want to help out!"
"Not everything needs to be a competition. The point is to help the people," Alptraum comments. "Which I am sure you know, I'm just ... I felt it needed to be said. How many work the tents, on average?"
"All of the Yodhrinala of course.. they have their own tent out here," Zana explains, and points to one. "Well.. I mean all of them on the mountain. They're in the city and other places too! There are four or five Yodhsunala regulars, and sometimes they drag others along if they can be useful. There are punishments for not tending to people if asked. That sort of makes the Yodhsunala who can't do blessings well a bit smug over the ones who can, since that was always lorded over them before.."
"What sort of punishments?" Alptraum has to ask, brow arched slightly.
"Well.. cleaning out the messes, usually, or having to stay silent for a day," Zana says in a whisper. "Or standing post on the Pilgrim's Trail. Or having to work for the Chief Preventer.."
"Ah yes. Her. She has the personality of an irritated grok," Alptraum notes. "Having to work for her seems a bit cruel."
"Well, nobody expects a Yodhsunala to be nice," Zana claims. "Except for me! But I'm the Yodhbarsunala!" She blinks again, slower, to show off her silver-painted eyelids.
Alptraum arches his brow again. "And that was done for...?" he asks, sounding both curious and a bit confused.
"The Yodhrinala did it," Zana admits. "They like having me around the patients. I'm proof of Sunala's Mercy, after all."
Alptraum smiles slightly. "I can make that a bit more ... effective," he comments. Then he also realizes something else; he could repair her wing membranes too for that matter.
"Really?" Zana asks. "You mean give me silver eyes?" Apparently that is one secret the Yodhbarada didn't keep secret.
"I could make you completely silver," Alptraum claims. "But yes, I could do that. I could fix your wings, for that matter."
"What do you mean.. fix them?" Zana asks, sounding uncertain. "They show that I've been spared from death.."
"You could fly again," Alptraum clarifies.
Zana takes a few moments to process this, chewing on her lower lip as she does. "Does.. does it have to be right now or can it be later?" she asks. "It's important that I be a symbol for now."
"No, it doesn't have to be right now," Alptraum says and nods. "Your eyes though, that could be done. Your choice, though."
The girl grins, and asks, "If I let you change my eyes, can you do me another little favor too?"
"That depends on the favor," Alptraum says. "What is it?"
"Well.." Zana says, then looks at her feet before looking back up. "Do you have your recorder?"
"Yes? Why?" Alptraum asks.
"Will you come play at this tent?" the Acolyte asks, gesturing to the tent she was emptying the bedpan from.
"That's it? That really isn't even a favor," Alptraum says. "I would have done that if asked any time."
"Well, in that case, follow me!" Zana says, and heads into the tent.
Alptraum rolls his shoulders and follows Zana in.
The inside of the tent is full of cots, and those cots are full of children (two to a cot if they're little) and some barely-teenagers. They've all got bandages, splints or casts on various parts of their bodies from basic injuries. The younger ones begin squeaking when Alptraum arrives. One of them has a Barsunala doll, possibly made by Zana herself.
"What did I just walk into?" Alptraum has to wonder. The poor squeaking ones ... Alptraum raises his hand and says gently, "Breathe. You don't want to pass out."
Some of the older children wrap themselves in their wings, but still stare wide-eyed. "Everyone, this is the Barsunala!" Zana says. "For real! See how he wears a cloak of night? He pulled me back from the Sea of Souls! And he's going to play us a song!"
Alptraum is trying not to laugh. Or blush, really; he isn't used to feeling famous in any sense. "Good day," he says as he unfurls the shadow ... just a bit ... to accentuate the description; ringing himself, the Yodhsunala, and the children, in rippling darkness. The Eee then settles himself on the floor between the cots so he doesn't seem as large.
"Do we follow him to the Sea of Souls when he plays?" one of the young boys asks Zana - without any apparent tone of alarm. "No.. that's.. that's a different piper.." the girl next to him points out.
"No one is going anywhere today," Alptraum promises.
Zana goes around the tent while Alptraum prepares, doing mundane things like checking on bandages and splints. They must be her tent, since everyone is younger than her. That would make her a sort of Yodhsunala babysitter - and probably the only one with the personality and temperament for it.
Alptraum sticks his hand into his own shadow. Mainly to get to his pouch, but he has to do it with a bit of flair since children are /watching/. His hand comes back out, empty. But, what he did is he's holding the recorder in his sleeve of shadow. Then then allows him to slide his hands apart and make it appear like the recorder itself is just appearing/growing out of his palms. An old sleight-of-hand trick, really. "So, what are your names?" he asks. "Not a question I often get to ask without reason other than I wish to know."
There are oohs and ahhs at the sleight-of-hand trick. The nearest, and youngest bat (gender indeterminate) chirps out, "Pickles!" as its name. "That's not your name," insists the slightly older child sharing the cot, to which the first replies, "But I like Pickles better!"
Most of the other children are more forthright in giving their names, but a few make up new ones (or else have very strange parents), like 'Zapp', 'Zazz' and 'Zoot'. At least those three looked like they might be siblings.
"So, are you sweet or sour?" Alptraum has to ask as he checks his recorder for damage. It is a hand-made instrument, so can be a little touchy at times. But, he's satisfied soon enough that it should work. He verifies this by blowing a few notes, then nods.
"Both!" Pickles claims before he's shushed by his cotmate.
That makes Alptraum laugh. "I like your doll," he comments to the one actually holding the small version of himself, and winks. Now, before things devolve into the chaos of children, he lifts the recorder and begins to play. His choice, something they have unlikely ever heard. A folksy song from Sylvania, one with an upbeat tune. The kind likely played through the harvest times when people are feeling happy for a change.
The children try to clap along at parts, but are terrible at maintaining a rhythm (especially the ones with broken wrists). Then they try whistling. There's no way they're going to just sit there while a jaunty tune is presented to them. One of the girls, at least, does a decent job of following along with the recorder.
Such music isn't really about keeping tune as it is having fun. And in this Alptraum helps by using his shadow cloak to 'play'' along with different shapes and movement, all in time with the music. At one part he even makes shadow people that dance to the tune. Also, in spite of agreeing to play just one song, he continues on to another when the first comes to an end. The second song is in the same vein as the first; a happier tune. There is enough sadness in Babel; it doesn't need sad music.
The children don't mind the extra music, feeling free to sing made-up lyrics and generally just be kids. It does cause one of the Yodhrinala to peek in though.. but she just grins and leaves them to it.
Alptraum keeps it up probably longer than he should, but it is unlikely the kids here have had much fun in a while. But, as with all things the music must come to an end. Mostly because his lips are going numb by this point. The recorder is tucked back away into shadow (and mainly into the pouch underneath it).
The children take a bit longer to calm down. Zana wades through the shadow to Alptraum, and asks, "Can you do the silver thing in front of them all?"
"I can ... but would it scare them?" Alptraum asks.
"Some of them have been treated by the Yodhsunala," Zana notes. "If they get afraid, they will just keep quiet."
Alptraum gestures before him. "Well, kneel here then," he instructs.
Zana kneels down.. and doesn't even ask if it's going to hurt.
And Alptraum doesn't say one way or another. He just puts his right hand in the middle of her forehead. One enigmatic smile later ... and Zana finds her entire body disappearing into Alptraum's shadow. Sure, he could just engulf her head, but this is more dramatic! Plus, it allows him a chance to really examine her in detail by kenning her completely; important if he wants to fix her wings later, after all. He tries to remain stoic through this, even if it does feel really good to lick her from the inside out. And once the kenning his done, his focus shifts to her eyes. That ... requires real concentration; eyes are difficult to change. But, at least the focus is mainly on the color, not the shape or structure.
The kenning reveals quite a few injuries - her skeleton took a beating when it fell into the waiting arms of the old statue. The bones were set and have healed, but it leaves a mark - a 'solid' chunk in an otherwise hollow bone. There are internal scars from other injuries and traumas as well - but on the whole, Zana is very healthy. The eyes are at least a familiar change, if not a simple one. It's mostly in how the pigments are lined up, and Eeee are all fairly similar in that regard, so there aren't any surprises.
It takes a bit of time, and hopefully the children aren't too freaked out by the 'procedure'. But, at long last he is finished and draws the shadow back, leaving Zana kneeling where she was.
Zana is.. stunned? She stares with her mouth open at Alptraum for a few moments, then throws her arms around him and kisses him right on the mouth in front of everyone. A kenning can be pretty arousing, and it just may be the first time the Acolyte ever felt something along those lines.
Alptraum goes mrpht! Ears go straight up, too! He didn't expect that! And egad, in front of children!
There are oohs and ahhs again.. but nobody really sounds surprised. The Seven Sisters are not a chaste lot.. so it isn't like the Barsunala should have that expectation. Also.. they probably don't have a very clear idea of what just happened, and think Zana is just thanking Alptraum. "Hey, her eyes are silver now!" one of them points out, and that's all they focus on from that point.. not where she's got her tongue. But Zana does realize what she's doing and pulls back, her ears blushing furiously. "Uh.." she stammers.
And Alptraum tries to fix her embarrassment by grabbing her and kissing her right back, just as deeply so she won't feel like she did something wrong. When that ends, he's trying to look like nothing happened at all. "You're welcome," he says, somehow managing a straight face.
"I.. I.. wish I had a mirror," Zana admits after she composes herself. Then whispers close-in, "Was that.. how Kindly Ones.. uh.. do it?"
"No, not really," Alptraum admits. "That is just the side-effect of examination."
"Examination?" Zana asks, silver-eyes going wide.
"I now know you, inside and out. You were pretty severely injured," Alptraum notes quietly. "It's important for me to know, should I ... fix you later."
"Oh.. oh.." Zana says. "It felt.. uh.. did I do okay? It was nice."
"You did fine. I am told it feels rather amazing," Alptraum notes, amused.
"So.. you've done this to other girls?" Zana asks, with a little bit of disappointment in her voice.
"Not often," Alptraum notes. "Why?"
"But I'm the first one you saved right?" Zana asks isntead of answering.
Alptraum's right brow arches. "Yes?" he offers.
Zana smiles again. "That's good! I mean.. it makes me special, right?"
"Of course. Why would you think otherwise?" Alptraum asks, confused.
"Because.. I'm not the only one anymore," Zana says. "You save lots of people now, don't you?"
"Zana, every life is special and important," Alptraum says gently. "But if you question yourself, look around you. Look at those you have saved and those you care for." He taps her in the middle of her forehead. "Anyone who has done that doesn't need me to be special and important; they became that on their own."
"Ah! Like the Yodhrinala!" Zana realizes. "They don't have their goddess anymore but it doesn't matter, they still help in her name."
"I suppose so," Alptraum concedes. "Are you ... upset you aren't the only one I have helped?"
Zana shakes her head. "No, it was just nice to be the first and only one for awhile," she says. "I was younger and less mature back then, of course!" she adds.
"You are the only one with two silver eyes," Alptraum points out.
The Acolyte puts her hands to her cheeks and smiles wide. "That's right! This really does make me the Yodhbarsunala!"
Alptraum has to laugh a little at that. "You're cute," he says.
"Well.. you're handsome!" Zana counters.
Alptraum laughs again. "I should probably be going and quit distracting you from your duties," he says.
"Will you be around again?" Zana asks.
"In shadows and dreams, I am always around," Alptraum says, sounding ominous. "But more specifically, yes, I will be around."
"Good! You cheer up the place," Zana says.. and pats Alptraum on the butt underneath the shadow. "Go be cool!"
This surprises Alptraum. "That is possibly the first time anyone has ever said I cheer a place up," he points out. "Rarely are people glad to see me."
"We live in a giant mausoleum," Zana points out.
"Of which I am a living representative, where I take the souls of those gone to the Sea," Alptraum counters and leans in. Mostly to get close enough to swat her on her backside. "And occasionally make people feel really good."
"You also bring people back sometimes," Zana says with a giggle. "And.. you're one of us. You're alive."
"Mostly," Alptraum admits.
"We're all mostly alive," Zana claims.
Alptraum takes Zana's hand and puts it right over the back of his right hand, then arches his brow. "This is what I mean," he says.
"It's cold," Zana says. "But.. you're the Barsunala. One hand in the world of the living, one in the world of the dead, right?"
"Right," Alptraum says.
"Maybe that makes you more alive though, because you can see it from the other side as well?" the Acolyte suggests. She's really trying to be a Yodhbarsunala, maybe.
"It makes me strange and creepy," Alptraum says as he withdraws his hand. "In most eyes, anyway."
"Everyone needs some strange and creepy once in a while!" Zana claims. "Oh.. whatever happened to that mean Yodhgorphat that talked me into.. you know..?"
"Phlagaea? She is still alive and well," Alptraum says as he stands to leave. "Why do you ask?"
"Is she still around?" Zana asks. "I.. owe her.."
"Owe her for...?" Alptraum has to ask. "And no, she is far away now."
"For.. changing my life, I guess," Zana says, all smiles.
"A new High Priestess presides over the Temple of Gorphat. I hear she is quite ... foul in appearance and smell," he adds.
"They take all the sick people though," Zana adds. "It makes things a little easier here."
Alptraum nods. "They do. The High Priestess is quite pious and devout to her duties," he agrees. "Now, I really must go. I have to deal with Razaka; she is ... upset over the tree. I need to see about moving it somewhere."
"A lot of pilgrims want to see it, so.. be careful with Razaka!" Zana advises.
"Do you have any suggestions on where to move it?" Alptraum asks.
"I don't know anything about trees," Zana admits. "But probably somewhere away from the main temple or the tombs."
"And no feelings on it, silver eyes?" Alptraum asks.
"I haven't actually seen it," Zana further admits. "Does it have fruit?"
"Yes," Alptraum admits.
"Does it taste good?" the Acolyte asks next, smiling sweetly.
Alptraum shrugs. "I have no idea," he admits.
"Well.. might still be useful! So maybe near the tents here," the girl suggests.
"I will see what I can do," Alptraum says and bows deeply to Zana. As he comes up, he whispers just to her, adding, "To you. Later." He smiles impishly, then slips away, leaving her to wonder just what he meant by that.
There are some Yodh outside.. not directly next to the tent, but next to others. Now that they know Alptraum is there, they seem to be waiting to see what he's up to.
Alptraum resists the urge to go Booga booga booga at them. Instead, he simply says politely, "Ladies."
The nearer Yodhsunala nods in acknowledgment. "Barsunala," she greets noncommittally.
"Everything well?" Alptraum inquires.
The Yodh looks confused at the question. "Here?" she asks for clarification.
"Of course. And in general," Alptraum says. "I will be seeing Sunala later today after all. I can report."
"Donation levels are acceptable for what is needed to support.." the Yodh says, and then gestures to the tents.. "... extra activities."
"And are you pleased with how things are going?" Alptraum asks next.
"My pleasure or displeasure is of no consequence," the woman says. "The work of Sunala is all that matters."
"It matters, as it affects performance of duty," Alptraum counters. "But as you like. I will convey what you have said, and my impressions of subcontext."
"Of course," the priestess says, sounding none-too-thrilled at the concept. But the Yodhsunala are not exactly a bubbly bunch.
"You could try smiling now and then. I'm her son and I manage it," Alptraum adds as he heads in the direction to find the queen of cheerful herself, the Chief Preventer.
Away from the tents, there are more pilgrims to encounter. Some of them bow their heads at Alptraum's approach, and others seem uncertain of how to react. A group of them is stopped and staring at part of the temple complex.
"Is something the matter?" Alptraum asks those that have stopped.
One of the pilgrims blinks and notices Alptraum, then just points to where a tree is growing up out of a hole in the ground.. or rather, a hole in the roof of the mostly-buried bunker structure that makes up most of the complex.
"Ah yes, the tree," Alptraum says and goes to inspect said branch up close. "My fault, I'm afraid."
There isn't any 'fruit' yet, but there are flowers. It doesn't seem likely that this one will start producing bodies at least.. so long as nobody feeds it any. Still, it is impressive if only for being the single tree on the mountaintop. The roots clutch onto a stone table below.. the one where the pseudo-srinala had been kept.
"And if you excuse me, I have to go see its current caretaker," Alptraum apologizes. He heads for where he remembers the door to the complex being.
The door is still where Alptraum remembers it. First going down to visit Zana in the infirmary, and then marching out of it again after learning of the more mercenary pre-emptive funeral practices that helped to support the temple.
Alptraum rubs his forehead as he enters. While he could announce himself, he decides not to. Instead, he focuses on sensing ... and trying to find the grumpiest mind here.
The area seems abandoned. But it isn't that surprising that Razaka would move the infirmary away from the mess caused by the alien tree. Still, it isn't hard to find Razaka in the vicinity. And to hear her. "What do you mean he went off to play with the pig-charmer?" the Chief Preventer is asking another Yodhsunala. "If baby-Skekos can't scare them off, put some armored barsunala in place! I don't want gawkers just hanging around and getting in the way."
"A-hem," Alptraum calls out as he heads in the direction of that voice. Razaka would not be a good innkeeper, that's for sure. She would practice customer abuse. As for the pig charmer ... only one person that could be, Trystle.
"You!" the Chief Preventer declares, pointing an accusing finger at Alptraum.. which gives the other Yodhsunala a chance to escape and see to Razaka's requests. "Where have you been? Tell me you can get rid of that thing that is taking over my infirmary space!"
"First. Voice down. Remember who you walk to," Alptraum advises and raises a finger. "And yes, I probably can have it moved somehow. I know many people, and have contacts in the Mage's Guild itself that may be able to help with that. As for where I have been? Dealing with important matters."
"Don't tell me you are putting on airs now, Alptraum," Razaka says, in a more cordial voice. "This is my domain. I don't care what changes happen outside, or that Sunala says we must heal people.. that's been my job all along. But here.." She gestures to the ruined section, and seems tired. "This was my infirmary. I cared for that srinala. I was next to her when she erupted. Nobody warned me. It was a shock. I thought it was an attack!"
"It wasn't exactly what I intended either, but at least you weren't the one next to the monster that created them in the first place," Alptraum points out, satisfied that he isn't being yelled at at least. "We all have our difficulties to manage, unfortunately. I came to see the tree after Sunala Herself informed it it was complicating your work to see about its situation and so that I can request help in its removal from the appropriate people."
"Good luck," Razaka says with a bit of bitterness. "The damned thing doesn't respond to anything I've tried, and I used to maintain the medicinal herb garden. It isn't even rooted, just.. clinging to the stone like a lichen. I tried to chop a root with an axe and it moved out of the way. It isn't a proper tree. It is far too willful."
"I have skills no one else does," Alptraum points out. "Take me to the tree."
"Why not.." the priestess says, sounding defeated, as she leads Alptraum back to the ruined area. Some of the partition walls have collapsed, and there are timbers set vertically to keep the roof stable in places. But there's no mistaking the stall at the center of it all, where the srinala was kept. The stone 'bed' is still visible between some of the roots that cling to it, and the trunk looks like a bunch of Nagas twisted around each other as it rises up through the roof.
Alptraum circles the tree, peering at it curiously. "The dryad went all out," he remarks a bit dryly. He reaches out to touch it. Slowly, though, in case it reacts dangerously. "All of them did something like this," he notes, "It obliterated much of the General's fortress from what I heard."
There some movement in the trunk, as if two of the sub-trunks parted for a moment when Alptraum touched it. "What is a dryad?" Razaka asks.
"Tree spirit," Alptraum explains. "A bit randy, truth be told." Now that he's touching it, he tries to envelop part of it in shadow to try and ken it.
This causes a reaction, as the tree shakes. The twisted trunk parts again, and a wooden-faced humanoid girl-child pokes through to say, "Stop that!"
"So it talks now?" Razalka asks with a sigh.
"Well, then stop bringing down the building," Alptraum retorts, sounding as if this was perfectly normal. "You can't stay here."
The 'girl' hides behind one of the twining trunks, and just peeks around the side. "Why?" she asks.
"Because this is a hospital, not a plant nursery," Alptraum tells it. "There are better places."
"That one tried to chop me," the dryad accuses Razaka.
"Because she wanted to protect her hospital. She didn't know you were alive. Well, more alive than a regular tree," Alptraum points out. To Razaka, he says in a requency the tree probably can't hear, "You might want to apologize."
Razaka looks shocked at the request. "I most definitely do not want to apologize," she replies at the same frequency. She then turns to the tree, and says, "You should have revealed yourself sooner. Now, how do we move you?"
Alptraum rubs his forehead. "Apology might have helped," he thinks. "There are some tents outside where a lot of children are," he says, "You would probably be happier there."
"Children?" the young dryad asks. "Can you climb up and show me?"
"Yes?" Alptraum replies hesitantly. Then, well, he tries to climb up on what remains of the dais and then climb up the tree. "If this tree molests me I will be unhappy," he thinks.
It may be too young for that, since it doesn't seem to do anything. Of course, Razaka is probably looking at Alptraum's butt if he's dropped the shadow cloak any.
Alptraum thankfully has not. He has learned modesty! Or mainly he spends too much time naked as Nicora as it is.
At least the tree is easy to climb, and soon Alptraum is on top of the roof. The people who came to gawk at the tree now gawk at him as well.
Alptraum points in the direction of the tent Zana was caring for. "Right over there," he tells the tree. He's trying to ignore those staring at him now.
The dryad's face forms on the side of the tree trunk.. and squints. "I can't see that far," she admits. "Is it far?"
"Not that far. A few minutes of walking," Alptraum claims.
The torso appears next, sticking out the tree, and reaching out an arm. "I've never walked before. Guide me?"
Alptraum takes the offered arm. "All right. That I can do," he agrees. And if the dryad can ... he tries to ease it down to the ground before climbing down himself ... then starts in the direction of Zana's tent if all goes well.
The dryad doesn't 'move' through the wood so much as flow. Eventually the tree raises one root to test its footing on the damaged roof. Razaka can be heard shooing away anybody still near, as she also distances herself below. Gol-Sotot made a lot of mess when it went walking, but it didn't have to climb out of a hole. The younger tree moves very slowly and carefully.
And Alptraum moves slowly as well. "If the ceiling collapses Razaka may try to kill me," he thinks glumly. "Or kiss me if the tree leaves. I am not sure which fate is worse."
The crowd grows, but keeps its distance. It isn't easy leading a tree, since the dryad doesn't seem to know exactly where its roots are going, causing Alptraum to sidestep to avoid being stepped on. At least it clears the structure without causing too much more damage, although the grounds keepers will be cross at all the soil being churned up. To complicate things, there isn't a straight unobstructed path to follow. But at least the tree moves a little faster with practice.
"This way, just ... be careful ... " Alptraum has to say a few times as he guides the tree down the mountain a bit, towards the tend encampment; in the direction of the children's tent specifically. "Hey, I got it to leave//" he thinks, now wishing he had someone to tell the pun to.
It takes almost an hour to traverse the path, until they reach a clear area near the edge of the tents. There's more of an audience now, as both the Yodhrinala and their more mobile patients come out to watch, including Zana and the children.
"So ... everyone. This is, well, a tree. A dryad, really," Alptraum tries to explain. "I suppose you could call her sprout. She's going to move in next to, well ... the tent here. It's a better place for her."
Once the roots have dug into the soil, the dryad lets go of Alptraum's hand and hides in the tree trunk again.
"It's a magical walking tree then?" Zana asks.
"Well, to put it simply ... yes," Alptraum agrees. He leaves out the part where the adults try to seduce people.
"It's a nice tree," Zana says, and there's a chorus of agreement from the other children. "Are there any special rules about.. uh.. feeding it or climbing or using the shade?"
"Well, ah, ask it," Alptraum suggests. He's no arborist, he has no idea what the rules are for dryads!
"Wow, it talks?" one of the children asks.
"It can, yes. No trying to cut it though," Alptraum warns.
Alptraum pokes the trunk of the tree.
The trunk unwinds enough to let the dryad peek out. "So many people," she whispers, sounding shy.
"It's okay, though. They won't hurt you," Alptraum tells it. "This one here is Zana," he adds, gesturing to Zana.
The Eeee waves, and approaches the tree to pat the trunk. "Hello! We'll take good care of you, so don't worry," she says.
Alptraum pats the trunk. "There. It will be a lot better over here and I am certain the children will keep you company. It will also make Razaka happier now. Well ... less angry. Her infirmary can be repaired," he tells the tree. "Well, I expected that to be harder, really," he thinks, "And it seems Trystle is off causing problems again by making yet more off friends! Fitting. I hope she is doing okay. I will have to peek in sometime."