Psalm of the Druid Priestess

by Hope Caster

The Maiden and the Cave Dweller

There was no country nor kingdom filled with more mystery and steeped in more culture than Thicket. Thicket was the land of the deer, better known to the ignorant masses as the Druids. They were a people with a special sort of magic that connected them with the plants and allowed them to speak to the animals that pervaded the continent. Though, not everyone in Thicket was a deer. Three families were made up of ponies. One such family was the Shy family, and there was no member more known in the Kingdom than Fluttershy.

Today was a very odd for her, as she had a day off. It was impossible for Fluttershy of Thicket to name the last time she had a day off from her endless studies and familial obligations. As far as she knew no one in Thicket, except for her father and brother ever had a day off. The forest and kingdom needed constant care after all, and every citizen had a role to play. Yet, here she was working in her kitchen, cooking not for her family but for a friend, which was odd in Thicket. Then again, most of her life was odd.

Her father was a man from Equestria through and through. If not for him meeting and falling in love with her late mother, he would still be living there. Her brother, despite being born in Thicket, was not interested in their mother's culture. This was thanks to their father, carting Zephyr breeze to the ports that were scattered across the outer edge of the continent. The sights and the people had captured Zephyr's heart, and Fluttershy was certain that once she married a good man, they would leave the kingdom in search of a life more accommodating to their tastes.

Not Fluttershy though. Her heart belonged to Thicket. The forest was pure, the animals gentle, and the folk were kind and hard working. However, she often longed to do more for her kingdom. As of now, Fluttershy was a novitiate, a priestess in training. Her one job was to study and grow, until she would be ordained, as her mother was before her. She also tended to her family's needs, such as cooking them meals when she could, while they spent their time cleaning after her and caring for the house and garden when they weren’t running a business.

Finally, there was one task that Fluttershy loved completing. It was tending to her closest friend, Discord. Like most of the things in her life, he was odd. Though, this was because Discord was a rare creature called a draconequus.

Today, she was bringing him three loaves freshly baked bread, two small cakes, fresh fruit from the forest, and two cucumber sandwiches, his favorite. She also packed some tealeaves, which they could brew once she arrived at his dwelling. Discord had a small spring close to his land, with fresh clear water flowing freely.

Sneaking past her father and brother, who were hard at work reviewing their ledger for an upcoming trip, she left her home and hurriedly made her way into the forest. She always did feel bad about hiding Discord from her family, but if there was one thing he liked, it was his privacy. Once she was deep enough into the woods, she slowed herself to a trot. She was alone with nature, so she may as well enjoy it. If there was one thing that the current priestesses were sure to teach their students, it was to appreciate the beauty of the woods.

Fluttershy took a deep breath of the fall air, as she felt her already joyous spirits rise high. The great trees that surrounded her, cast large shadows using their branches, that blanketed the forest floor in a gentle pattern of light and darkness. All around, leaves were in bloom and she could here the gentle flow of a river. The birds were singing, the small critters were prancing, and trees seemed to be healthy and strong. Surely, there was no better day for a picnic with Discord.

---

As Discord shifted in his bed, he let out a happy sigh. He was free. He had no job to attend to, no family to care for, and no friends that he needed to care about, except for one. Fluttershy was special case, though. All he had to worry about was finding enough food to eat and making sure that his fire stayed lit. And what made this life possible? He abandoned every responsibility and friend he once had and moved to a cave in a far-off continent. This might seem selfish, but he had a good reason for doing it. He and a few friends had a minor disagreement. Surely, he did the right thing.

His cave was comfortable enough. Spacious even, despite stalactites and stalagmites being littered everywhere. At the mouth of the cave, he, and more accurately his friend, had planted special flowers that warded off most insects, especially mosquitoes. He despised mosquitoes. They also looked nice as well, a deep purple with bright yellow centers.

His daily routine included sleeping most of the morning away, meeting with Fluttershy, doing what he described as “Discord Things” and before going to sleep to repeat the cycle. Some might say he was wasting time, and they would be right. He could afford to do this of course, he had upwards of a 200-year lifespan. Most draconequi had long lives and was only around sixty-one years old.

While some creatures might find draconequi to be horrifying sights, they were actually quite pleasant. Not the ones that Discord personally knew however; those draconequi could rot for all he cared. Nevertheless, the normal draconequi were mischievous, but not malefic, rude, but playfully so. Discord was a mismatch of animals, with a snake tail, a lion and eagle talon arm, a goat and lizard leg and two types of horns sticking out from his pony head. He had a tuft of white hair and a sole patch, though he was thinking of growing a beard.

He slowly lifted himself from the small, dust-covered cot, and stretched out his limbs. There was nothing like sleeping half the day away as he waited for Fluttershy. She was such a sweet little mare, that she seemed to make his chest flutter. He was sure that he was sick, but he kept it quiet. There was no sense in frightening her. Fluttershy had habit of worrying too much about him and it was suffocating. There came a slight rustle outside the cave, followed by soft grunts.

A smile crept onto his face. Fluttershy was right on time, as expected of his friend. He quickly crouched down low and did his best to stay quiet. There were several rocks to hide behind, and all he had to do was chose the right one. After that, he would pop out and surprise her. Discord loved surprises and knew that she loved them just as much. He waited patiently and Fluttershy soon came into view.

Some might find her breath taking, but he was above such thoughts. Her gentle, sky blue eyes would attract most stallions, but not him. Her voice could enchant most animals and men, but not someone like him. Her pink hair, which had flowers and vines woven into it were fitting, but not attractive to him in the slightest. Even her soft yellow coat and green dress did nothing to tickle his fancy, though he could see why some men would fancy her.

He chuckled to himself as he watched as his friend enter the cave, calling out his name.

"Discord?" She called. Fluttershy had on her back a basket, probably filled with all types of food for the two of them to enjoy.

Discord licked his lips at the thought of the feast, even as he slowly moved towards the entrance, circling to the back of mare. When he was behind her, he pounced, scooping her up in his arms, eliciting a sharp, yet quiet yelp. As he did so, his tail caught the basket and placed it to the side.

"Discord!" Fluttershy giggled, as the creature pulled her close into his chest, "let go!" She put her hooves against his chest but found herself incapable of pushing away from his gentle, yet strong embrace.

"Oh, but why would I let go? You know how much I love to see you," he said, resting his head on top of hers.

"Does the reason that you love seeing me have anything to do with the fact that I bring you food?"

"Maybe," He looked up towards the ceiling, trying his best not to seem selfish. His tail, however, wrapped around the basket's handle and lifted it towards him. "Since we're on the subject though, did you happen to bring anything good?" he asked, the hairs on his tail forming something of fingers that opened the basket.

"I have a few cucumber sandwiches, tea, and some chocolate cake."

Discord's smile grew three sizes. There was nothing better than one of Fluttershy's chocolate cakes, especially when she backed nuts into it. "Oh, such a sweetheart. How is it that a monster like me made friends with someone like you?"

"You're not a monster, just different. A bit lazy, but I find it sort of charming!"

That was something else he loved Fluttershy, she could never say anything bad about anyone. She was much too kind a soul for such things.

Still, seeing as she had just called him lazy, Discord now had to prove her wrong. He gently placed Fluttershy down and swiftly set a place for them to eat. "Lazy, I scoff at such an accusation!" Discord declared, putting out recently cleaned plates he kept in trunk. "Kind ma'am, you have wounded my honor, and therefore, you shall have second choice in what you get. Tis the honorable thing to do!"

"If you're going by what's honorable, wouldn't it be honorable to let the lady go first, even if she was rude?"

Discord's smile fell. "Oh poo. You're right. Very well, have your pick of the spread." He picked up the basket and began to spread the meal around the table, while the tea brewed. Fluttershy got a few sandwiches and poured herself something to drink, leaving the rest of the meal for Discord.

Discord greedily took everything else, save for the cakes, which he would share with Fluttershy. They always shared the dessert. They casually ate their meal, pausing to talk about small things, like their day or the animals that Fluttershy had seen while coming to visit Discord.

"Discord, I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get your pendent?" It was an odd subject to bring up, but she was curious about the trinket, ever since she first met him. He wore an old green tunic, with a sash around him where a faded and tattered quiver once hung. The quiver and the bow now lay in the back of the cave, covered in dust. The crystal hypnotized her some days. It would sometimes capture the fire just right and burst in a wonder of color and light. It was a magnificent crystal in the shape of a jagged cone and smoothed out at the tip. The top of the tip was a pure purple that slowly turned white as it came to the flat base. Holding it was a wire Discord had clumsily wrapped it, with a chain.

"This? Oh, it's just a token from my home country. It's all very sentimental. Sometimes I wonder why I even keep it."

"Oh. You never talk about your home. What was it like?"

Discord began to rub the back of his head as he thought about the question. "I don't like to talk about it. I didn't exactly leave on good terms with everyone."

"Oh, I understand. My father is usually at odds with my teachers, the guards and everyone else in the village, so is Zephyr. Do you ever miss it though? You're home I mean."

"Sometimes. I think I miss the power more than anything."

"Power?"

"Oh, my sweet, little Fluttershy, you have no idea what it's like!" Discord said, biting into his sandwich. "Back home, I was effectively a god! I could create everything sans life with a snap of my fingers, I could cast all the spells I wanted as if it were nothing, and I lived in a mansion! But now look at me now, rotting away in a cave, hoping that I'm not forgotten by my only friend and left to starve."

"But can't you cook or forage?"

"Me? Oh Fluttershy, I think we both know the answer to that."

"Is it because you're too lazy?"

"See? You do know me. If I'm honest, I'm glad I left. Out here, I'm free from all that responsibility everyone wanted me to have. Not to mention all of them were just the worst!"

"I don't think responsibility is that bad, and they probably just thought that you needed to do your part."

"Says the girl that wants all the responsibility in the world," Discord said dryly. "Aren't you shy? Don't you need to interact with people on a daily basis with what you want to do?"

"Yes, but everyone in Thicket is so nice! And I won't do much, I'll just answer questions when people seek council. I can do that easily. It's talking with them outside of that that I have trouble with. I don't want all the responsibility in world, I just want to do my part for my kingdom. That's how it is in Thicket."

Discord scoffed. "It's work though. I don't understand how anyone stands work. It's so hard and boring and hard! Much easier to goof off."

"But it's essential," Fluttershy responded. "Not to mention fun in some cases. Especially in Thicket. It's our duty to make sure the kingdom and the forest stay healthy. Sometimes that includes taking care of cute little animals. Just on my way, I saw a bird flying for the first time!"

"Essential? For some maybe. Around here, the forest is doing just fine on its own, thank you very much! No druids or deer needed."

Letting out a small chuckle to herself, the two continued to talk long into the day, until Fluttershy noticed the shadow's outside growing longer and deeper.

"Oh, Discord, I think I might need to start getting home," she said standing up from her seat. Almost instantly, Discord collected the plates and put them in her basket before handing it to her.

"Say no more, my dear. Don't take too long. I don't need anyone asking too many questions! Like where you've been."

"I know. I'll see you tomorrow!" Fluttershy said, as she left the grove.

Discord waved goodbye before heading back to his cot, laying down and resting until later that day. He would do then a few Discord Things, and it was safe to say that it wouldn't take very much effort to do them.

As she left the grove, she wondered how long it would take her to reach home. By her estimate, it would take two hours if she were quick about it. Fluttershy was not a very strong pony, not in the slightest. Though she could fly, she was not swift, as her father said that ponies in Equestria were. While she ran through the thick woods, she stopped a moment. There in a hollow space in a tree slept a mother rabbit and a litter of kits. She watched them for a few moments, which turned into a quarter of an hour, before shaking her head clear.

I can't admire them for long, she thought to herself. Her father while loving, would be furious with her if she were home after sundown, especially when they discovered her absence. While she kept that thought in the back of her head, it did not stop her from stopping several more times to smell the flowers that grew in small patches of sunlight or admire the animals that scurried around the woods. She truly was a slave the forest's beauty, as most people were in Thicket. The smell of beeches, pine, maple and oak, the sounds of the trickling streams and rushing rivers, the feeling of the breeze through her hair was nothing short of enchanting.

One event stopped Fluttershy cold in her tracks. In a noose, slowly being strangled, there was a fox cub. It struggled and squeaked as it tried to escape, but only succeeded in tightening the noose around its neck.

Fluttershy felt a dagger plunge into her heart as she watched the terrible sight. Not one soul in Thicket ate meat, so no one in Thicket had a need to hunt. In Fluttershy's mind, this had to be the doing of gargoyles and centaurs from the eastern and western coasts, the people of the northern kingdom, Dawn Peak, or hunters that lived in the forests against the wishes of Thicket. What angered Fluttershy most was that hunting in Thicket's land, which encompassed most of the continent, was strictly forbidden. Putting aside her anger though, just as it maybe, she quickly disarmed the trap and saved the fox. Fluttershy did her best to tend to his wound, making a mash of certain plants to ease the markings on its neck, and sent it off on its way, receiving a most humble thanks.

By the time she returned home, the sun fallen beneath the trees. She opened the front door to her family's home slowly, as not to make a sound. Fluttershy thought that, if she could make it to her room, she could avoid any questions that might involve her trips. It didn't matter how quietly she entered though; her father and her brother were there waiting for her. She could feel her father’s glare drill into her while her brother’s soft cackles grated on her nerves.

Her father was a bearded man with a steely gaze when angered. Her brother, who had something queer in his makeup, towered over her and was a few inches taller than her father. Zephyr Breeze seemed happy, even smug. He was a bit of a problem child a few years ago, coming home drunk in his late teens on some nights, and so it filled him with joy when it was his sweet, innocent, perfect little sister in trouble.

"Hi, Daddy, Zephyr," Fluttershy said, sheepishly smiling. "I'm home."

Her father's glare hardened, causing her to shrink.

"I-I know. I shouldn't have sneaked out, or at the very least been home before sundown it’s just-"

Her father held up a hoof, silencing her as he pointed to a spiral stair case, leading to a higher section of their home.

"Someone's in trouble," Her older brother sang, snickering to himself as she marched herself past him. She tilted her head upwards, as if to let him know how little his opinion mattered to her. Fluttershy went up the stairs, and gently hovered into bed. She let out a sigh as she nestled into her sheets and covers, knowing how much trouble she was going to be in when she inevitably snuck out tomorrow to see Discord.

She suddenly felt a small something jump into her bed, before nestling itself against her cheek. It was a small white rabbit, and a friend that she'd had since last year. He was an odd thing for her to have. As pets were frowned upon in Thicket. However, her status as a novitiate and pony granted her some leeway with their customs. "I'm fine Angel," she lied. The bunny looked at her glumly, as he pointed a paw downstairs. "I took too long getting home, he has a right to be angry."

There came a series of squeaks and thumps.

"No, that’s just being Zephyr. He's always a little smug when I get in trouble."

There came another squeak and Fluttershy gasped loudly, before stifling a giggle.

"Angel, language!" She said through her hooves. She smiled, which elicited a smile from angel. "Don't worry, they'll be over it by tomorrow. They always take a day to calm down." It was something that Fluttershy adored about her home. Nothing was ever out of order, and everything and everyone was predictable. It gave her a sense of control over her life. A nice laid out plan for her for her to follow. She would take her father's disappointed and worried look without complaint, visit Discord the next day, and come home before sundown if she didn't linger to appreciate the forest. For now, she resigned herself to stay in bed with Angel until her father called her for supper.

Author's Note:

A new story featuring Fluttershy, Discord and many more characters yet to come.

Please leave a like and favorite and, as always, criticism is always appreciated.

Comments

[kurusagi16]

Interesting premise so far, and I'm curious to see how Sir McBiggen and Garbunkle are added to the story (if you are indeed including them). There are some grammar mistakes and points where you left out a word or mispelled. One example is where Fluttershy says she should have sneaked out, when I think you meant to write shouldn't have. If you go back and reread it, I'm sure you'll see the mistakes I'm talking about. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to more.

Real quick, I'm not sure if this'll be helpful to you, but if you feel like getting some inspiration, I find music helps. Try the Hollow Knight Soundtrack, it might give you some ideas.

[Hope Caster]

9743306
Thanks for catching that. I must have read through this at least fifty times by now and I still miss things.

I'll keep that in mind, (I've heard pieces of the OST, but I've never actually played the game. I'm cheap so I don't like buying games all that often).

Glad you're excited, and I hope you what I have in store.

[Marina Stars]

I really love this concept. I've been looking for a while to find a DnD/Dungeons and Discords/Fluttercord (I'm assuming it's Fluttercord) fic. I'd have attempted to write one but don't know enough about the game to feel comfortable writing one yet. Maeby one day. Until then, I will happily enjoy this fic. It's heading in a great direction so far! Can't wait to see what you come up with!