She wandered through the trees, pausing to close her eyes as she inhaled the scent of the forest. Only here did she feel truly at home. Opening her eyes, she smiled up at the majestic trees, her eyes caressing the boughs that formed a canopy above her. She stood quietly, listening to the bird song around her. Spreading her arms out wide, she twirled, out of sheer joy. She laughed, the sound spreading through the leaves about her. Still smiling, she slowly opened her eyes again. Her gaze brushed over the plants around her, taking each leaf, each stem, and each bud into her very soul.
She breathed deeply, considering laying down to take a nap, when a small sound caught her attention. Spinning, she strained to find the source of the noise. Stepping lightly, she moved through the thick undergrowth, careful not to break any of the branches as did so. She came to a clearing - a beautiful doe lay in the centre. It looked up at the girl with sad, limpid eyes. Approaching slowly, the girl gently stroked the doe's side, only then noticing its injured leg. Tears pooled in her eyes, as she felt the pain of the deer. She had to help the poor creature somehow.
Stroking the doe to calm it some, she cast her mind back to the healing spells her mother had taught her. She reached to the pouch around her neck, removing certain herbs, placing them around the deer. Murmuring under her breath, she searched for a branch to use as a splint to keep the doe's leg still while she cared for its injury. Finding one laying under a close tree, she ran her hands over the smoothness of the wood. It had been there sometime, the broken end no longer raw, its sides smoothed by wind and time.
She moved back to the doe, looking into its eyes as she spoke to it. "I wish to help you, gentle doe, but this may cause further pain. I am sorry, for that is the last thing I wish to do. But it must be done to help you recover."
A tear slid down her cheek as she spoke to the deer. It moved its head and rested it on the girl's lap, understanding that the girl had a pure heart and only good intentions. She paused to stroke the doe's head, apologizing once more, then moved back to the task at hand. She laid the branch down by the deer, then started tearing strips from the hem of her gown. Moving quickly, she tied the branch against the doe's leg, keeping it still while she inspected the injury. Her hands were gentle and swift as she moved them over the leg, gently rubbing herbs into it.
Realizing she was short a key ingredient, she turned her back to search amongst the foliage for it. Upon turning back, she found she was alone. The doe had gone. There was no trace of her. Frantically searching, the girl wondered how the deer had managed to run, with her injured leg, not to mention the splint still on it.
Hours later, dirty, disheveled and disheartened, the girl made her way home. Tears slipped down her face unnoticed. She felt she had failed in her duty to protect and care for Nature. The poor doe needed her help, and she had failed. She went into her hut and lay down, falling asleep, bitterly disappointed in herself.
The next day, the sun rose bright and shining, slowly waking the girl from her deep slumber. She rubbed her eyes and walked to the door, to give thanks to the Goddess for a new day. As she opened the door, something caught her attention and she stopped suddenly. Laying in the doorway was a branch, and strips of cloth, matching that of her gown. Beneath it was a note. Sitting in place, she hurriedly read the note.
"Sweet girl,
Your pure heart and love for Nature has not gone
unnoticed. The doe you were caring for is now well
again, thanks to your kind attention. We wish to
bestow a gift upon you, in gratitude for all that you
have done. Take this tree branch. It has been imbued
with Nature's powers in order to help protect you in
your travels. We wish you safe journeys and Nature's
protection always.
Nature's Caretakers"
Stunned the girl lay the note down next to her, and slowly picked up the branch. It was that which she had used for a splint for the doe. She ran her hands over it. A deep throbbing emanated from it, it's heat warming her hands. She turned it over in her hands, feeling its gentle power caress her. No longer did she feel ashamed or a failure. The doe was well once more, the Caretakers had been watching out for her.
She smiled happily and turned to walk inside. Picking up the note, she noticed a few more lines she had previously missed. Reading over them now, she realized it was instructions to empower another tree branch such as this. But the magical powers would only come into effect when the branch was held by someone who was a true lover of Nature at heart. One who had sworn to protect and care for Nature always. A smile played across the girl's lips as she thought to herself, "I know just such a one who deserves such a wonderful gift."
~Aiyana