The Lord of the Wood stepped into the circle around the Great Oak and looked into the eyes of each of the others gathered there. The youngest and strongest that were left had been summoned and here they were. Children. In the world beyond the Wood they would be thought of as mature, but here, they were infants; the eldest had only just seen his thirtieth winter.
�The Council of Elders has decided that should this fight go badly for us, steps should be taken to insure the survival of the Sacred Wood. You who are gathered have been chosen as the protectors of the Legacy of the gift we received from the Sacred Mother herself in the beginning. You will each step forward and receive the seed of the Great Oak; your task will be to guard this seed and to find a place where the Empire has no power and plant the seed there. What we ask of you will not be easy, but it must be done to insure the survival of the Wood. You have a long and difficult journey ahead of you; go with the Blessing of the Earthmother.�
Each of the chosen stepped forward and took a pouch containing the seeds of a new wood. Each one looked stunned by the enormity of what was being asked of them. The Lord of the Wood was somewhat happier at seeing this; if they had looked any less shocked he would have doubted their devotion to the task. The last and youngest of the chosen reached the altar where the last pouche lay, but did not take it.
�What troubles you, young Teucer?�
The young hunter looked at him with doubt in his eyes.
�How will we know when it is safe to plant these seeds, Lord Elder? No matter how far we go or where we hide there is always the chance that the Empire will come again.�
�You must do what you feel is right. The Sacred Mother will guide you.�
Teucer nodded, picked up the last pouch and followed the rest of the chosen out of the circle.
Once they were gone the Lord of the Wood picked up his spear, called the rest of the Elders together and headed for the eastern boundary of the Wood, where he knew the Empire troops were massing for the assault. At the edge of the circle the he looked back one last time at the trail the chosen had followed. Just children. The last children of the Greenbough.