//------------------------------//
// Summons 
// Story: Warped Paths 
// by Morikain 
//------------------------------//

	When I finally returned to awareness in my own body, I was curled up at the tree's base with a beam of sunlight striking directly in my eyes. Cursing at the fact that I had to wake up every morning with a painful lance of light as my wake up call, I push myself up to my paws and stretch out my muscles before giving myself a good shake to clear the dirt and leaves from my fur. Trotting silently through the orchard, I pass Applejack and her brother without them noticing and head for Ponyville. Slowing to a walk once I pass the first houses, I head towards the center of the town in the hopes of finding something that would interest me.

Rounding a corner, I find myself staring at a large tree with windows and a door in the side facing me as well as a balcony about half way up. Staring at the tree for a second in surprise, I finally shake my head. "And I thought Kelethin was bad about tree houses. At least their homes were separate from the tree." Walking up to the door, I debate on how I am going to knock since paws were a little too soft to do the job and I didn't want to shape shift in plain sight. Thankfully my debate was cut short when someone cleared their throat behind me and I turned to find Twilight was standing there. "Yes?"

Twilight frowns slightly before looking between me and the door. "What are you doing standing at the door of my home? For that matter, why aren't you over at Sweet Apple Acres with your friend."

I shrug slightly and smirk. "I saw a tree and wanted to take a look since not too many places have anything to do with nature inside towns or a city, and I left the orchard before I got drug into helping with whatever chores they are going to ask of Lutano." Stepping aside to let Twilight get to the door. "Though you didn't strike me as the kind of... pony... to live in a tree."

Twilight smiles and opens the door with her magic. "It's the Ponyville library actually. Princess Celestia put me here when I was checking the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration."

I arch an eyebrow in confusion. "Princess Celestia?"

Twilight nods. "The white alicorn you met as you were leaving yesterday, she is also my mentor in magic."

I nod slightly as I recall the alicorn. "That reminds me, Lutano and I will need to be leaving soon. Celestia mentioned sending a summons for us and I don't really feel like dealing with royalty while I try to find a way to open a portal back home." 

Blinking in surprise, Twilight frowns. "Why do you want to avoid her? She may be able to help you in getting back home."

I shake my head quickly and chuckle. "I'm not putting my trust in a being that I know nothing about. Not to mention our first meeting was less than impressive." Stepping away from the tree house and onto the road. "I will be content to experiment with my portal until I figure it out, since if this is just another Plane like I suspect it to be than I can just open up a portal and go home. I just need to find a place with a strong enough connection to nature or a druid's relic."

Twilight's head tilts slightly to the side but before she can say anything, the door to the library opens and a small purple lizard steps out holding a scroll. "Twi, you got a letter from the princess." Handing the letter to her, he heads back into the building and closes the door. 

I stare at the door for a second before shaking my head and deciding not to ask then turn to leave. Before I made it three steps though, Twilight appears in front of me with a pop and flash of purple light. Seeing the smile, I had a bad feeling about the letter she just received and sigh. "Let me guess, the letter is about me and Lutano?"

Twilight nods. "You are expected to be at the castle tomorrow by noon, apparently you are being watched so they know exactly where you are and if you are a threat to Equestria."

I blink a couple of times before frowning. "They are watching me, everywhere I go?" When Twilight nods, I curse. "Just great, that means that I can't just ignore them and hide... Fine, send her a reply telling her we will be there." Shaking my head, I turn and head back to the orchard. "Only my luck would have us go from dungeon delving to trying to escape a new world."

As I reach the gate to the orchard a few minutes later, I leap the gate and hit the ground at a fast trot. Thankfully, I could hear the loud crack of hooves meeting wood so I knew where to go to find either Applejack or Macintosh. As I near the source, I spot Lutano with a basket of apples on each shoulder and walking back towards the barn. Falling in step beside him, I stare straight ahead. "We have our summons already. Apparently the royalty have a way of keeping an eye on us without having to actually have us followed."

Lutano snorts slightly. "I'm not surprised." Aiming a smirk my way, he continues. "You did threaten one of them after all. Even if I added to it, you made the first aggressive move."

Shrugging slightly, I let myself revert back to my true form. "That may be, but I don't like the idea that they can keep an eye at us from a distance. Anyways, since we can't escape them we will be heading to meet them tomorrow in Canterlot. Which means you will need to put something other than that pink robe on." When his eyes narrow at me, I chuckle. "Not permanently, just for the meeting for appearances sake."

Lutano sighs and sets the baskets by the door of the barn. "You aren't going to let me out of this one, are you?" When I shake my head, he grumbles before nodding. "Fine, but what about you?"

I arch an eyebrow at him. "What about me? My normal robes are close enough to dressing up so I will be fine." Looking over my shoulder at the trees, I spot Applejack coming and continue quickly. "I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go so be prepared for anything, that means weapons are coming with us."

Lutano stares at me for a second before shaking his head. "You do realize royalty usually have their guards confiscate weapons?"

I shrug slightly. "And I can tie them up with roots and just walk by. These ponies don't seem to have any experience fighting at all so we should have no problems forcing our way past if we need to. Even if we give the idea we are preparing for a fight, they at least are aware that we won't be pushed around."

Applejack finally noticed me and walked up to stare me in the eyes. "Who are you and what are you doin on mah farm?"

I smirk slightly and in a swirl of leaves take on my wolf form. "You already know me, and I am here to inform Lutano of our upcoming meeting with the princesses. Twilight just got a summons from them for us."

Eyes wide, Applejack shakes her head in disbelief. "Why are tha princesses callin for ya? Did ya do somethin?"

I shake my head. "No, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and we are a possible threat at the moment... Well, Lutano is at least. I'm usually the one trying to avoid fights while he rushes head long into them if he gets bored." I pause to think for a second before continuing. "Speaking of bored, I have no idea of what I am going to be doing today, do you have anything you could use help with? I may not be able to do things that require heavy lifting but there are other things I can do."

Applejack puts a hoof to her chin as she thinks before smiling. "You said that yer a druid and work with nature, right?" At my nod, he smile widens. "Well, ah have a sick tree that ah haven't figured out what's wrong with it. Do ya think ya could do somethin fer it?"

I nod and gesture for her to lead the way. "Sure, don't know if I will be able to cure it but I will do my best."

Trotting ahead, Applejack takes only a second to make sure I am following before leading the way to the farthest spot in the back of the farm. As soon as she stops though, she whirls and glares at me. "Now what are ya really? Ah've never heard of somepony who can change what they are without bein a unicorn."

I blink a couple of times in surprise before laughing. "Just what I said, I am a wood elf druid. While we can shape shift, it's very limited in options unlike what you are probably thinking of. We were allowed the forms under the terms that we protect nature."

For a second, Applejack stared me in the eyes to search for any signs of a lie but when she didn't find any she finally sighed in relief and gave a slight smile. "Good, ah really didn't want ta have ta run ya off. Anyways, the tree is right over here." Gesturing to a tree behind her with brown leaves and blackened bark.

I frown slightly at the sight and shift back to my original form to lay a glowing green hand on the trunk of the tree. After a few seconds my frown deepens and I pull my hand back. "Your tree was poisoned by something, though I can't tell what exactly it is." Kneeling down I dig my fingers into the dirt at the base of the tree and my eyes and arms take on a dark green glow. After a few seconds the glow fades and I cough a couple times before spitting out a black gel like substance. "Ugh, no matter how many times I purify something like that I will never get used to that."

Appearing at my side, Applejack eyes the substance with disgust. "What exactly did ya do?"

Pulling a water skin from a pouch, I take a long pull before responding. "I took the toxins from the earth and tree, purified it and expelled it. In order for me to remove the toxins though, I had to first take them into myself. It's not the most commonly practiced method of healing the land but it is the fastest."

Applejack frowns slight after a second. "But if ya take the stuff into yerself... doesn't that put you at risk as well?"

I nod once and cough again, spitting out another but considerably smaller amount of the black gel. "It does, but I have a few spells to clear poisons from my body which is a lot easier to do than curing nature. Your tree will make a full recovery though, is there anything else you need?"

Applejack shakes her head. "Not really, with yer friend we should be finished a lot sooner than normal." 

I nod slightly and chuckle. "He hasn't caused any problems for you, has he? He gets a little strange sometimes if he gets bored."

Applejack shakes her head. "Nah, he grumbled a little bit at the start but he took a bit of a liking to hauling the baskets and wagon around fer us. Said somethin about it bein good trainin or somethin."

I chuckle slightly and shake my head. "That doesn't surprise me at all. If you don't need anymore help, I am going to find a quiet place to meditate. Cleansing things takes quite a bit out of me and I never fully recovered all of my mana as it is."

Applejack nods slightly though I can see the confusion in her eyes. "Well... if ya want, the house is pretty quiet about this time. If ya want to rest there while we finish the work, ah can let you know when we're done and ya can figure out what yer doin."

I shake my head slightly. "I'll pass on that but thank you. Lutano already knows that we are leaving tomorrow so I will be going to the Everfree. Hopefully I can regain my full mana as well as relax if only for a few hours before I have to deal with Celestia."

Applejack frowns slightly at me as she starts back towards where she left Lutano. "You sound like you are expecting a fight, or starting a fight."

I shrug slightly and look around at the trees as I fall in step beside her. "Back home, even someone you thought was a friend could stab you in the back so I learned very quickly to always be prepared for betrayal. Add on to that with the fact that I don't know your princess and she has already made a threatening move against me and it just makes sense." I chuckle slightly before continuing. "It's kind of funny really, in the two hundred years before I entered the Merciful Ones, I was a very calm person that had never once been in any kind of a fight. Now, five years later I am in fights constantly and have more distrust for other people than I ever though possible."

Applejack's eyes widen to comedic proportions. "Yer two hundred and five years old?!"

I shake my head quickly and laugh. "Nope, three hundred and fifty actually. I didn't leave my home in Kelethin until I was a hundred and forty five. And before you ask, I am still fairly young for a Wood Elf, we can live well past six or seven hundred years."

Applejack shakes her head with a stunned expression. "And ah thought that only alicorn's could live that long, them bein immortal and all."

I nod slightly in understanding. "It always comes as a shock when the other races find out just how long the elven races live." Stopping as I hear Lutano curse about something, I turn away from Applejack and towards the direction of the edge of town. "I am sorry to cut this conversation short, but I am going to take my leave."

Applejack nods and gives a short wave. "Stop by again if ya are ever in the area. I'm interested in hearin more about yer world."

I smile slightly and nod in agreement. "I have plenty of stories to tell if I ever am, farewell." Turning towards the gate, I take off at a slow jog towards the distant forest once I clear town's edge. Shifting into my wolf form once I leave sight of the town, I notice there is something slightly off about the feel of it before shrugging off the feeling as I pass into the forest.