"I'm in no mood for your nagging, woman." He continued his forced march to his study staring only at the road ahead. "I'll be leaving you soon enough and you can go about warping the minds of your people."

Her footfalls fell behind as he picked up pace. Suddenly, the ground swelled up around him, plants entwining around his legs before he had a chance to move them. Thick stems and budding flowers stood around him as an uncanny display of nature.

Her footfalls caught up to him again. "You stubborn old fool." The Mother Druid wormed her way through the labyrinth of tangled roots and flowers. She was wearing a few scraps of leather hide that, unfortunately, didn't leave much to the imagination. She was very angry, though, with color showing through her thick brown skin.

"You act as if yours is the most true way and disrespect all else." Clamoring through the vines she finally met with Shep face to face. Her slightly acrid breath inches away from his reddish brown stubble.

"I have been watching you... for years." She pinched his cheek and tugged like a mother reprimanding her child. Shep struggled against the thick stems while suddenly feeling quite abashed and insulted. "All you can do now is dismiss me? Call me a nagging old crone and be done with me?"

"By Cuthbert, woman. Get off me!" He drew up his arms to bat her arms away, but she was much quicker than he.

"Do you think that I would have allowed you to be here if I didn't want you here? You're a fool for what you believe. A blind fool." She studied his eyes and let go of his cheek. "I am here to tell you that you have succeeded. And you wouldn't stop to give me even a moment of your time." She plugged a twig from the seething tangle of plants and ineffectually rapped the side of his left leg.

"What do you mean?" Shep's voice cracked slightly. His incredulous tone sounded like more of a statement. "I've had the ear of one man and he has no

intention of following Cuthbert. My entire time has been spent with me looking like a fool." Why did he feel like a child again? Being scolded by his mother because he tracked mud into the house?

"Ye Gods." She looked to the sky and shook her head with disbelief. "Are you done wallowing like a calf in the mud? You are a man of your God... show some dignity!" Shep gulped. If he was watching this spectacle it would have seemed absolutely ridiculous, but being in the situation, that was a whole other matter.

"Stop dancing around woman, and get to it! Have your say!"

"You have taught Corman your ways. To be a man of God. And I wanted to congratulate you," She trailed off slightly, "And, perhaps, thank you." She paused for a moment, again looking into Shep's eyes.

"Do I have your attention now?"

She reached around the holy man's legs and gently pushed each of the binding roots away from him. They seemed to melt at her touch as she efficiently moved aside the rock hard roots that had held him. Strange magics, Shep thought, and an even stranger woman.

"Come with me, we must talk." The Mother Druid took Shep's hand and began to lead him into the darkness. He followed unable to understand what was happening, but being curious enough to see where it would take him.

---

Corman had learned much from Shep. He never intended to betray his Gods, but wanted to learn the way of this Cloverman. If there was not power in his Gods then he would be without power, but he had to at least try.

He stood silently outside of his hut, staring to the sky. He opened himself up, feeling and receiving. He felt the strands of his orlog moving ahead of him and