Free Rains

The first sporadic drops of rain on the leaves woke her from her dreaming. She tried to smile, but the bark wasn't wet enough yet to make her supple. The drops fell faster and heavier, and soon she could open her eyes. With deep sadness she saw that her closest sister was gone – the lightning strike in the last storm had been too much to recover from. Soft mourning hums thrummed from the others all around her. She hoped the rain would continue long enough to free her- it had been so long! Oh how she longed to dance beneath the waving branches, and along the shore – the thought of moving made her heart ache for the one who would move no more.

The clouds above thickened, and the rain became a downpour that flowed in tiny rivulets down the bark and freed her and her sisters. Lightly they tread over dampening soil to the empty husk of the fallen one where she lay, split nearly in two. One by one they solemnly stroked fingers light as spring leaves over the lifeless bark, and sang their farewell. But loss was loss; one day they would all be forever still... now, she was free – free! Even the death of one of their own couldn’t contain the pure joy of freedom!

Lithely they danced in intricate moving circles; slowly at first, touching one another, renewing their bonds after the long drought. As the pouring rain refreshed their trees, they moved faster and their dance became more fluid as they leapt between the trees, singing and laughing.

A ray of yellow sunlight split the clouds, and as the rains slowed, so did the dance of the dryads through the sun-dappled shade. Growing silent again, they wound their way back through the dripping leaves, each to her tree. The clouds cleared and full sunlight warmed the glade. The willow dryad sat nestled between the roots of home, glowing in the sun. Her skin stiffened to the bark of her somnolent state, and closing her eyes she slept, and dreamt of rainbows.