[Worm]

Though Laurel was hot with fear-fueled anger, he still had the light of Driseni inside. As he watched the human gasp for air, his emotions became as twisted as his vines. He wanted to see her die by his hands, as they had done so many times before to his own people. If only he could fillet her flesh and keep her alive and in agony. But something deep inside kept him from killing her. Driseni would not allow unnatural death in this sacred forest. Yet, she allowed it to happen over and over again to her followers.

"It is in Driseni's honor, that I not kill you." Slits in his wood glowed like eyes all over Zentha's restrained form. "Though I would much prefer if all of you elven pets would die. Die the way that you condemned my people to." His roots tightened around her throat, face turning red under the pressure. Then, he dropped her. All of his vines whipped back into his pandora's box of a wooden shell. "Where must you travel to? I will make sure that you exit this forest without so much as turning a leaf." He loomed over her weakened state, ready to attack again if needed. If he saw even a glimpse of flame, he would kill any and all in the way. Sacred lands were depleted, and Driseni be damned, he wouldn't let them take it all away.

As he breathed in, the cracks in his bark sealed. As he breathed out, green mist poofed from the cracks. He sensed something or someone else near. Another outsider infiltrating the forest. While the small village of dryads communed in peace towards the edge of their sacred forest, Laurel was defending the front lines. Even though each of his family members were old enough to have experienced the cleansing fires, they assumed that Laurel was paranoid. They fought back with peace, as Driseni would. But would Driseni really allow her people to be slaughtered, her sacred lands to be destroyed? Laurel felt power within every splinter of his body, he knew that this was the right thing to do.

With a gentle hum, he forced wind to whip through his hollow parts and through the forest. It was a subtle distress call which treefolk would recognize. Hopefully, they would care. After all, who knew what else was creeping in their forest?