Chapter 1 - Kamilah

     

     The fantasy world is well known in books and movies but are all creatures just a story? Do people who are not quite human truly exist? For some the answer is a resounding yes, but for others, well sometimes they get to live the tale.

     A tall woman moved across the rough cracked ground feeling every crevice and stone beneath her bare feet. The land around her was dying, she could feel it, save for the one spot before her. 

     She gazed ahead at the small oasis that sat defiantly amid the parched ground and the scorching sun and as she stepped onto the last of the grass that was being pushed back by the desert ground small bits of flowers began to spring up at her feet. A small pool of water was the only thing keeping the large tree before her alive now but slowly and surely that source was drying up as well and she just knew that soon the tree would be next and all life in this area would cease to be.

     “What will I do with you,” she said in a sad tone as her brown gaze drifted up into the flowery branches. At one time this had been the center of a town, a large park filled with life from plants to animals but the people had begun to forget about nature while using more and more technology every day. The humans had let the oasis dry up until nothing would grow on its own any longer but this wasn't happening just here, all around the world this was going on. Nature wasn't the only thing that was being affected by this though more so than the flowers and trees one group dwindled so severely that only one remained in the world. The woman tilted her head as she stared up at the large tree and smiled before moving closer and placing her hand on the trunk. Closing her eyes she called out a name so softly that it merely sounded like the wind and the flowers of the tree began to rustle.

     
     Within moments a noise of bare feet landing on grass sounded as if someone had jumped from the branches above her and the woman tilted her head leaning sideways to peer around the tree trunk just as a pair of brilliant green eyes did the same from the other side. A surprised look came over the green eyed woman as she moved around the tree carefully looking around. “Mother?” she questioned as she approached the other woman. 

     The brown eyed beauty took the young woman in her arms hugging her, “Hello Kamilah, my sweet little tree nymph.” Kamilah pulled away from her mother, Nature, and her eyes widened as she noticed the parched land that was once completely different. “What ..?” she questioned looking to Nature and the woman gave her a sad smile. “Many things have changed while you were asleep dear one. Your sisters... are gone, and you are the last of your kind here.” Kamilah let out a soft gasp as her eyes filled with tears, though she had been asleep for many years it had felt like only yesterday when she had last been in the human world with her sister dryads helping the world around them to sprout and grow. “Why  ... why did you wake me?” she asked as the tears slipped down her tanned cheeks. “My dear Kamilah,” Nature said as she cupped the girls’ cheeks, “You must be the one that brings the dryads back into this land or your kind will cease to be.”

     

     

     Kamilah stood beneath her tree for a long time after Nature had left contemplating what she had been told. Darkness began to fall and the cold night air caused her now human flesh to pebble. Her sisters were… gone. Kamilah felt her chest clench at the thought and she shook her head to clear her mind that she was alone. For them she was doing this, for them she would keep her kind alive and she would live on. That was the main duty that Nature had bestowed upon her, bringing one hundred Dryad children into the world.

     One Hundred. The number had frightened Kamilah when she first heard it and she wasn't sure that it had really come out of Natures mouth, “One hundred?!” she exclaimed looking at Nature as if she had gone crazy. 

     Nodding Nature tried to calm her down, “This is a lot to take in Kami, I know, and I know I keep putting more and more onto you but look at how long you have lasted,” she stated gesturing towards the flourishing tree amid the nearly barren landscape. “You are strong and one hundred may seem like a lot but in order for you to do this, it will take a sacrifice on your part. I know you will be able to do this.” Kami looked to her tree standing so strong and she placed a hand upon its bark taking in some strength before looking back to Nature, “What happens after all of the children are born?” Nature smiled knowing that the young woman would do well with her challenge despite how hard It may seem to her.

     Although Kami tried to ask as many questions as she could Nature did not have much time to be with her and explain everything and she was starting to look a bit irritated which Kami knew not to bring out Mother Natures wrath. She did let her know some vital information about how dryad children worked though such as only one dryad could be born from one human ever. Mostly dryads were female, as Kami knew, but occasionally a male dryad or Satyr was born and she was told that may happen as well. As a dryad the time from getting pregnant to birth would be significantly shorter than normal human time and so having many children wouldn't be a problem. She had also told her that there would be other things that would happen but Kamilah would have to take those in stride as Natures time in her human guise had come to an end. 

     Kami shook her head, watching Nature disappear had been agonizing as she realized she was truly alone in this world now, it was so much to process that she didn't quite know what to do.  

     She turned back to her tree and leaned against it as darkness surrounded her completely now and like a comforting embrace she felt the warmth of the tree flow through her connection to it and she fell asleep mentally exhausted.