I enter The Grove, but not before saying "There is beauty even in a storm."
"Meow" says Sese before she enters The Grove.
Sensei was sitting on rock, meditating. I sat in front of him, cross legged. For 30 minutes I also meditated until Sensei clapped his hands. This signals that meditation is over. Sensei had long curly brown hair that covered his ears. His face was very pale and looked middle aged. His most notable feature, however, was his deep brown, green and white striped scarf. He then looked to me.
"What did you feel in this meditation, Aust.?"
"I felt very peaceful and calm, Sensei."
Sensei closed his eyes and exhaled. "Do you know that The Ceremony of Oak and Holly is within this month?
"Yes, Sensei"
"You have been stuck in the same spot for almost a year. I have felt this place is too close to civilization and it is distracting you from your spiritual path. In order to further your training I believe we should go to a place where I was apprenticed as a young Ovate. There, we will be fully consumed on your training and not be distracted by suburbia. Pack your belongings, send a message to your sister and go back to the willow tree when you are ready. I will be waiting." Sensei Baker walked up to a tree, placed his hand upon it and said "gehenbaum." He then pushed his hand and then his body through the tree and eventually was gone.
I walked away a couple yards from the grove and spotted a chipmunk searching the ground for nuts. 'cheep' 'cheep' I chirped to the chipmunk. I took out an apple core from my pocket and offered it to the chipmunk. The chipmunk stared at me for a couple seconds. After it decided that I wasn't a threat, it scurried over to me and quickly gnawed at the apple core.
"Tier-Nachricht zu senden" I said as I waved my hand over the creature.
The chipmunk stopped eating and listened for directions. I took out a small slice of paper and pen from my other pocket. I quickly wrote
"Will be gone for training. Probably will not be back for a whole month.
To my dearest sister
Relena"
I folded up the paper into a small square and plucked a stem from a nearby grape vine. I tied the note to the chipmunk's back, placed my finger lightly upon the chipmunk's head and mentally sent it pictures and directions of where my sister would be. I released my hand from the chipmunk and it immediately scurried away with the note.
"Meow"
"No, you cannot eat him."