Mu’Yan Fleetfoot contemplated the swirl of violet energy hovering before her. Master Treesinger told her that her people knew these masses as shortcuts through the Otherworld—realm of the fey folk. She felt emanations of living forces radiate from the glow. Taking a moment to meditate on her lessons, she decided and stepped into the whirling radiance.

Light filled her senses, and she screwed her eyes shut. Brightness filled her head, and a moment later, she plopped gently onto a spongy surface. As the dazzle faded from her eyesight, she blinked until she could focus on her surroundings as she rolled into a sitting position.

The same forest stared back at her. Only the colors were all wrong. Instead of the brilliant greens of early summer, the trees were varying shades of pinks, purples, and hints of blue. Mu’Yan hesitated, taking in her surroundings. And that was when the frog spoke.

“Mu’Yan Fleetfoot,” the creature croaked. “Finally you arrive for your last test.”

“Wha … ?” stuttered the elf, climbing to her feet.

“Wish you to continue as a druid growing, no?”

“Yes!”

“We then begin.” The frog hopped along the path. It did not look to see whether Mu’Yan followed, but began talking as it jumped. She hurried to follow.

Listening carefully to its odd speech, the young elf committed as much information to memory as she was able. When she felt overwhelmed with knowledge, the creature stopped and uttered an incantation. A pink, purple, and blue energy dome surrounded the unusual pair.

“Sleep,” it said. “Knowledge you will dream.”

Mu’Yan dreamed of a blue fairy fluttering around her head, telling of the various paths a druid could follow. As she spoke, visions of each course unfurled. She knew then that she would have a choice to make before she’d be able to meet with her master again.

When the dreams concluded and she returned to herself, the frog handed her a piece of what looked like glowing bread. It tasted like nothing she had ever eaten before. Calming energy flooded her body as she downed the last bite and drank from the canteen her guide provided.

“You, I bid sit. Listen to what says the forest.” With that, the creature popped out of existence, though the field surrounding her remained.

The spongy surface molded itself to her contours as she lowered herself to the ground, folding her legs beneath her. When she was comfortable, the young elf slid into a meditative state. She felt strangely safe in this peculiar forest.

More knowledge flowed into her being. More paths unfolded before her. She chose and trod a path until her amphibious guide appeared again with more of that divine bread and water.

The pattern repeated itself until she remained in the sixth vision. Mu’yan chose the druidic path she would follow—the Moon Path. The images continued as she embraced her true nature.

An ethereal badger waddled its way into the dome, one she recognized. It favored one paw enough that the druid noticed.

“Greetings, momma.” A smile lit the elf’s face.

The animal gazed at her until Mu’Yan had the presence to cast the spell, letting her speak with and understand the critter. A vision of Mu’Yan morphing into a badger filled her head as soon as the magic was complete.

Not sure exactly how to perform such a transformation, the druid contemplated what she had seen. Thinking back to something Es’Sala said all those years before, the young elf tried to envision what life would be like as a badger. With the help of a badger friend, she grasped the life of such a beast, but the magic drained her after each lesson.

“You must first think like the animal you wish to become,” the shaman had told her.

It had sounded so easy when she said it, but Mu’Yan could not put aside her elvish nature long enough to complete the action. Frustration grew as the lessons continued. Each rest, the fairy returned, and more knowledge poured into her head. When she woke, the frog reappeared and croaked even more cryptic instructions. The druid absorbed it, filing the information away. She would meditate on it all as the need arose.

Her frustration mounted as rest after rest passed with little progress. Despite the fey sustenance, the efforts exhausted her. Until one day, it just … clicked.

The badger walked into the bubble and greeted Mu’yan. As this happened, Mu’yan’s legs and body became shorter, her claws grew longer, and her head flattened and changed shape. The elf transformed into a small fur-covered caniform.

That was when the real lessons began. Mu’Yan learned more about the species than she ever wanted to know. Her new “mentor” shared all she knew about her cousins: the bears, raccoons, foxes, and dogs. She showed the druid how to dig a burrow, what foods to avoid, and what senses signaled danger. The elf even learned how badgers identified each other as friends or foes.

A panther slunk into the protective dome when her teacher had spent her limited knowledge.

Again, she cast the spell, allowing her to understand the animal. By the end of the lesson, she could transform into almost any cat she had seen. Her learning continued until she could change into any land animal she had laid eyes on. As long as that critter could not fly or have a particular affinity for water, that is. She had limitations, after all.

That last rest in the Otherworld was the most peaceful she had ever spent. The fey bread and water eased her exhaustion, leaving her ready to face her forest once more.

A portal opened, and she stepped through.

“What took ye so long?” asked Master Treesinger, with a twinkle in his eye.

“Taking a shortcut isn’t always the fastest way to reach your destination,” she said.