Embracing the Forest Guardian

The subtle hint of pine needles and chocolate wafted from my palm, crossing the distance in a whirl of distorted light toward the human as they delimbered branches for their fire. "Speak your true name, human," I commanded. The human hadn’t planned this camping trip. Their ex-fiancée had broken things off last weekend. Amidst moving into a new apartment and sending terrible poetry about loss, they decided it was best to escape into nature. They ventured far deeper into the mountains than usual, avoiding places tied to memories of their ex. Sheltered in a small river valley with a waterfall, they set up their tent. As they trimmed the limbs from a fallen tree, they smelled the pine needles and chocolate, evoking memories of childhood and their mother’s cookies. "Cernunnos," they said without thinking, then stopped, confused. "What the hell am I saying?" They looked up and realized they weren't alone. I stood there, cloaked in white garments, with golden hair crowned with thorn branches and bright purple eyes. As our eyes met, I knelt, my clothing spotless despite the soil. Others emerged behind me, hundreds, all kneeling in turn. "Reborn in times of greatest need," I sighed breathlessly. The human stood, confused, their axe falling to their side. "Why do you not wear your antlers, my Lord?" I asked. "My what?" they stammered. "Your antlers, Cernunnos, protector of the forest," I said softly. "The forest has called you here. You carry his spirit." Despite their skepticism, something stirred within them, a sense of belonging. They felt a strange sensation on their head as antlers began to grow. The transformation had begun.