The Last Flowers Ch. 15

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~*~:~*#A#*~:~*~

The surprise sapling wasn't the only thing that slowed the group's progress. The terrain in this part of the forest was undulating and craggy, forcing them on long detours. The ominous presence of the tree was beginning to seep into the landscape. Amaranth felt tension creep across her chest. She'd never seen this one. It was the oldest members of the tribe who'd found its location. As the sorcerer could not force his way far into the forest, he'd had to travel by road to get here, with the nymphs stalking him along the tree line. On their return journey, their older sisters would have gone straight to the central garden. They never had a chance to discover poor Baby Petals. It was a horribly sad situation. She was such a cute bloom. Everyone would have adored her.

"We're getting close," Flora said.

Laceleaf turned around to face the group. "This is as far as we should go until we're ready to attack."

Rozenwild looked up at the trees. "We can't attack now. Not in this wind."

Amaranth took in the fluttering leaves and swaying branches. The gusts could pick up embers and drop them far out of reach. No one wanted to start that sort of blaze.

Flora nodded. "We may need to wait until tomorrow."

"The elhuvens are tired. Better they go in the morning when they're fresh," Amaranth said.

"Let us rest here then." Laceleaf set the axe down and came over to Dendelyn. She placed a hand on her back. "Tell us if you need us to retreat."

Dendelyn looked up at Laceleaf and leaned against her. She didn't want to be the reason they had to backtrack.

Aster and Kerensa started building a fire so they could extinguish the lantern they'd stolen from the village. They had spare tallow candles, but they couldn't afford to run out. A flaming torch was enough to transfer fire a short distance, but they'd needed something longer lasting to bring it this far. It had taken Willow a long time to get that first fire going, something they couldn't do in close range to the tree.

Everyone sat down and they went over what had changed for tomorrow. It wasn't a lot. As they had no idea how close she could get, Sarielle had been given a supervisory role that carried little purpose. Kerensa also had experience of the previous attack and could lead the elhuvens. They already knew their roles to switch to should she be unable to continue. Aster and Kerensa looked confident, but Amaranth was worried about how Hevani would cope. It could be detrimental to her progress.

"You can back out if you need to," Amaranth whispered to her.

"I can do it."

Amaranth took her hand, rubbing her thumbs over her smooth skin. "Promise me you will, if it gets too much."

Hevani put her other hand on top. "I've been through much worse. This is me finally getting my revenge."

"Okay." Amaranth gave her a weak smile.

She was worried for her, but if this is what Hevani wanted, all Amaranth could do was be ready to give her whatever she needed on the other side. Hopefully that would be just a celebratory hug and an alleviating fuck. If not, then she'd be poised to address the damage. She'd known all along that it would be a long path for them both. Hevani was never going to cast off her inhibitions with a single romp as Sarielle had done. Her chastity stemmed from a paralysing fear of doing wrong and the consequences that followed. When simple mistakes came with such grave punishments, deliberate disobedience was unthinkable. While Amaranth hated seeing her pain, she was glad Hevani had been drawn to her over some of her sisters. Laceleaf wasn't without compassion, but she lacked the warmth Hevani needed. Ellowyn was the opposite, highly affectionate and empathetic, but she was also sensitive and innocent. With Hevani that empathy would leave her an absolute wreck. Upon hearing anything sad she'd burst into tears and need consoling. Hevani needed someone who could hold her and listen. Amaranth could do that. Although, she knew Flora was a better match given her airy personality and natural healing abilities. She had this glorious energy that inspired people. Ammy didn't, but she was going to try her best to be what Hevani needed. Right now, that was a friend, counsellor, protector, mother, keeper of secrets. She didn't entertain the idea of lover being on that list just yet.

The tribe shared fruit as they settled in to watch the orange and reds dip below the trees. The nymphs could sleep anywhere. For them, shelter was only necessary in storms if you wanted to rest without being pelted with rain. Although the weather was getting warmer, Hevani was still susceptible to the cold. Amaranth tucked her and Evadne under the blanket they'd brought and lay beside them as she had done the previous evenings. Her sisters had made a lovely den for the elhuvens without mates and that was where Hevani had been sleeping. Amaranth picked a quiet moment to ask her if she would like to share a den with her instead. The elhuven admitted she'd prefer her over Evadne but she didn't want to leave her alone if Abelia didn't return. Amaranth didn't want that either, so she'd been sleeping with the two of them in their den. It didn't bother her having an extra elhuven to mind. Evadne hadn't spoken to her much, or anyone really, from what Amaranth had seen. But she was appreciative of Amaranth's kindness and that was all that mattered.

Flora headed away from the group, taking Abelia with her. She hadn't had a den since she was a new bloom as she liked sleeping under the moonlight. Since discovering Abelia could tolerate her night melodies, she'd constructed a cocoon-like shelter for her in a secluded part of the garden. It was narrow and slightly curved so Abelia could withdraw into it like a snail while Flora slept next to her outside. There was just enough space for them both to squeeze into it to hide from heavy rain.

"Don't go too far," Laceleaf told her.

Flora nodded. "We'll be right here."

Laceleaf was a little more tense than usual. That tree really bothered her and she wasn't shy about her impatience to see its demise. She certainly wasn't happy about that axe coming along with them either. Amaranth couldn't blame her. She could remember the day they'd carried her into the sapling garden. Her skin was stained with blood sap and despite her long limbs she looked small in Angelonia's arms. It was chaos. Everyone was so upset. Ivy had tears in her eyes while she tried to comfort her injured daughter. Ellowyn was trembling she was so frightened. Amaranth was horrified. She'd never seen anything bad happen. The two of them had only seen joy and beauty from their safe garden bed. Her own nymph mother, Gwynevera, realised how much it was distressing them and calmed them with her soft voice while she stroked their trunks. Ellowyn was too young to recall much from that day, but Amaranth would never forget.

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~*~:~*#A#*~:~*~

A tiny sound of distress interrupted Aster's dream. Someone beside her twitched and a heel connected with her shin. She opened her eyes, taking a second to remember where she was and realise the sound had come from Dendelyn. The nymph sat up breathing hard. She frantically checked her hands and ran them over her feet.

Aster pulled Dendelyn against her and kissed her forehead. "You're okay."

Rozenwild crawled over to them. "Bad dream?"

Dendelyn threw her arms around her. "The elhuvens were gone and everyone was dead. I was the only one left."

"Shh, it's all right."

"I haven't had one for a while. I thought I was doing better."

"You are. But being so close to the hex tree is bound to stir up some bad memories," Rozenwild whispered.

"I'm still afraid of turning into a tree. Even though I know I can change back, I'm still scared."

"We're all scared of being trapped again."

"Is everything all right?" Laceleaf asked from the darkness. Her pale skin and hair made a ghostly form as she crawled to them. She picked up Dendelyn's ankle and ran her fingertips over her foot, feeling the shape of her toes. "She's a bit dry, but not at risk of changing."

Rozenwild got Dendelyn to lie between them. With her and Aster on either side, she calmed down and fell asleep once more.

***

The lantern handle dug into Aster's fingers. Every step brought them closer. Each breath she drew was heavier, laced with more pollen than the last. Her skin felt hot and an ache had started between her legs.

Abelia sneezed. "Urgh, my nose."

Flora urged her to keep walking. "It's not much further."

A little cry of distress came from Dendelyn. She was lagging behind and looked like she was in pain. Aster reached for her hand and Rozenwild put her arm around her.

Laceleaf turned around. "Dendelyn?"

"Stay here, Dennyflower." Rose patted her back.

"But..." she looked afraid at the prospect of being left behind.

Aster kissed her cheek. "We'll be back soon."

She turned away from her and continued towards the tree. Sage's belt cut into her delicate skin and teased her labia. They'd prepared their various defences before setting out that morning and Aster's groin was paying for it. Due to her non-virgin status, she hadn't been trapped constantly in one like her friends. She couldn't imagine how they tolerated it. She would have taken a horse and fled rather than suffer this. Maybe if they'd put her in one she would have been the one to lead an uprising instead of Sae.

"I don't feel well," Amaranth admitted, fanning her face with her hand.

"This is far enough," Rozenwild said.

Laceleaf and Flora glanced at each other and nodded. Amaranth sank to the ground, shoulders hunched like she was going to throw up. Rozenwild knelt beside her and rubbed her back. Aster brought the lantern over and passed it to Flora. The nymphs were going to get a fire going and light the sticks they'd need later.

Laceleaf held out the axe for Aster. "Be swift and true."

She took the sturdy handle in her hands and faced the rest of the elhuvens. They stood waiting, each holding an item for their task. They'd decanted half of each potion into the empty bottles as a failsafe should one get broken. Kerensa and Hevani carried the liquid embers. Abelia and Evadne each took one containing the herbicide. Aster joined Kerensa at the front and in a silent agreement, they all they set off together.

"You have the Earth Mother's blessing," Flora yelled after them.

From here on they couldn't stop. They needed to get the job done before the nymphs changed, before Dendelyn changed. Aster hated thinking of her alone back there. Could she see the other nymphs?

"This is unbearably uncomfortable," Evadne said in a breathy tone.

Kerensa gave her a look. "We know."

"At least you have rings. Try doing this hike in a belt," Aster spat.

"Aster." Kerensa gestured for her to stop.

She snorted. "Forgive my intolerance of her complaining how horny she is when I'm developing crotch welts."

Abelia stifled a laugh and then interrupted herself with a double sneeze.

"It's going to get more difficult the closer we get. Just try to focus and help each other." Kerensa made eye contact with each of them. "It's probable this tree has never been attacked before, so we should take it by surprise. It knows where you are and can hit you if you stop, but it can't predict how you'll move. So stay away from its branches and watch out for vines."

Their pace was quick, their determination, anxiety, and sexual urges spurring them on. Aster checked over her shoulder and was shocked by how far they'd already come. She could just make out the nymphs several hundred metres away. Ahead, the ground gently sloped downwards towards a waterlogged dell. Her feet squelched across the sodden ground and she caught the first glimpses of red through the trees.

As they drew nearer, the trees grew sparse and the air thick. A golden-red haze lingered. The sickly scent was so strong it made her dizzy. Her mouth was dry. Part of her wanted to rip the chastity belt off and stuff something up her cunt. She scolded herself and concentrated on her steps. She was getting too far ahead. Kerensa had slowed down considerably. Abelia too was nearly at a stop. She stared spellbound at the sight emerging from the woods. Awash with orange and red, the hex tree rose tall, radiating power in every direction.

Aster saw Kerensa stumble and caught her before she fell. "Are you all right?"

"I feel really weak," Kerensa breathed. Her face was sweaty and pallid. She took in the distance before them and grimaced. "You might have to..."

"Take over?"

Kerensa gave her a guilty look. "Sorry."

"No need for that. You sit here and orchestrate the battle." Aster held her arm to help her down.

As soon as Kerensa bent her legs, they buckled and she fell to her knees. She waved Aster away. "I'm fine." She looked at Abelia. "Get the poison out."

Abelia plucked her bottle's cork free and splashed some of the blue liquid over her hands. She smeared it over Evadne's, dripping some on the ground in the process.

"Don't get it on Kerensa," Aster warned.

Hevani slid the axe from Aster's grip and swapped it for her bottle of embers. Aster tucked the bottle down her top and held out her palms so Abelia could pour some of the herbicide over them.

"Do the axe," Kerensa instructed.

Aster let them finish up and started to walk towards the tree. Nothing grew from the tainted ground they crossed. All the trees were grey hollows. Their adversary stood menacing, alone in a circle of its own fallen leaves. The trunk was wide and bumpy, twisted and warped as if it grew writhing under the strain of the toxic magic entombed inside its bark. Its five giant limbs erupted from the centre, lush with vivid orange leaves. Like its sibling, each low hanging branch was tipped with a stacked collection of glossy red fruit. The vine spiralled around the limb was waiting to shove them into the holes of unsuspecting creatures. Aster's mind drifted, imagining it filling her up with its seeds. She was getting close now, just a few metres. In the distance, she heard Kerensa shout, but her attention was on the nearest branch. A vine unspooled and slithered across the ground. Aster got on her hands and knees, letting the woody vine snag her ankle. She flipped her skirt out of the way and pulled the old-fashioned belt's chain to the side of her crack. A vine from another limb was already fumbling between her legs. She watched it from underneath amid the strings of her juices hanging from the belt.

"Evadne, what are you doing?" Kerensa yelled. "EVADNE!" she growled with bile. "Aster!"

"Aster," Abelia repeated, much closer.

It jolted Aster to her senses and she tilted her head to see what was going on. Abelia looked panicked. A few metres away Evadne was on the ground, submitting to the pleasures the tree had to offer.

"Ah, bollocks. There goes the plan."

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~*~:~*#E#*~:~*~

The pollen was overwhelming. The air was heavy with it. The dense smell filled Evadne's nostrils and her skin burned. Her pussy drooled down her legs. She rubbed her thighs together, feeling the piercings mash her nether lips. Her body craved to be filled. The yearning urged her forward, responding to the tree's lure. A vine slithered around her ankle and pulled. Evadne toppled backwards, instinctively tightening her grip on the bottle. Her other arm helped break her fall so she tumbled onto her back. The tendril dragged her closer and she let go of the glass, letting it slide down her ribs onto the dirt. She didn't need it. She just needed this tree to fuck her.

"Evadne!" yelled a voice. It sounded surprised. Other voices shouted too, but she didn't really hear them.

A vine searched her, prodding between her legs. Evadne rolled onto her knees and stuck her butt in the air. Her hands grasped at the leaves covering it and tore strips away. The tip pressed against her butthole and pushed. The slimy appendage broke through and wormed its way inside.

"Oh, yes."

She arched her back in bliss as the vine burrowed into her stretched hole. Having anything in her was good, but she needed more. She wanted something huge pounding her pussy, ravaging her hole.

A yelp came from her mouth as she was ripped off the ground. A blur of sky whizzed past and she was slammed into the dirt as the vine wrenched free.

"Evadne, get up!" Kerensa's scream pierced her brain.

The air had been knocked from her lungs and she struggled to suck breath. She rolled onto her tummy and tried to crawl. A vine came down hard on her calf with a crack. Another whipped her shoulder.

"The bottle," Aster shouted.

Evadne searched for the herbicide. It was lying in the dirt a few feet away. The tree still had her by the ankle. She grabbed the vine with her damp hands and it recoiled. Evadne lunged for the bottle and popped the cork. The tree was mad with fury, flailing its branches wildly. One chased Aster as she darted around it, drizzling black syrup everywhere. Hevani grunted in rage as she brought the axe down into the trunk. Evadne circled the tree, leaping between the sweeping passes of two branches. She ran to the trunk and began emptying the contents of her bottle around its base. Abelia was busy on the other side trying to splash the liquid into the gashes Hevani made.

"Hold this." Evadne shoved the bottle at Abelia and grabbed a low branch. She used it to scale part way up the tree and reached down. Abelia went on tiptoe to pass her back the herbicide and Evadne poured the last of it into a fresh wound.

"Abelia watch out!" Kerensa yelled.

She'd forgotten to keep moving. A vine snagged her leg, yanking it out from under her. She landed face first in the dirt. Hevani was swiftly by her side, swinging the axe clean through the vine and helping her to safety. Fruit plummeted from the tree's branches.

"Take it." Kerensa said, crawling towards them with an outstretched arm. Aster danced around the tree to snatch the bottle of embers and hurry back to spread it.

"Run to the nymphs," Kerensa ordered the rest of them.

Evadne jumped to the ground. A limb swung her way. She tried to leap over it, but part of a branch caught her foot. Her arms flew out to break her fall. Her chest hit the dirt next, followed by her knees and feet. In a second, she was back up, bolting out of there before it could come back for another go. She chased after the other girls. Kerensa threw her hands in the air at her and screwed up her face. Evadne was going to get a talking to when this was over.

The nymphs were waiting with their lit sticks. Abelia and Hevani had already grabbed a bunch and were on their way back when Evadne caught up. They stopped to pass some to her and Aster.

"Here," Abelia gave her half of her handful, without making any weird faces at her.

"What were you doing?" Aster asked with a bewildered smile.

Evadne shrugged and started walking back. While they were gone, Kerensa had crawled to a safe distance. She grinned at them as they arrived and spread out her arm in invitation.

"Throw."

Evadne took a bit too long deciding how one should throw a flaming stick. The other girls all launched theirs before her. She settled for 'lob hard in that direction' and the stick sailed through the air. It went off to the left among leaves.

"Get closer," urged Kerensa.

They all lined up for another shot. Off the twigs flew. One hit the tree's trunk and lit up a surge of flame.

"Yes!" Aster cheered as Kerensa let out a whoop.

Flaming projectiles rained down, hitting leaves, bark, dirt, and branches. The tree was painted with flame. Its limbs sagged. Fruit tumbled from the branches. The fire ate its way along the bark. It circled the trunk, encompassing the entire thing. Blackened vines hung limp. Blazing leaves and twigs fell to the burning ground below. The heat forced the elhuvens back. Smoke rose high above the forest. Evadne had never seen so much fire or flames so large. As if possessed by the gods themselves, they devoured the entire tree. With an almighty crack, the trunk split and the fire turned blue. Black smoke poured out as they continued to retreat.