“They are coming,” the most ancient of the old ones announced. He could sense the creatures gathering at the edge of the forest. He could feel the death they brought in their wake.

“Is there nothing we can do?” the second asked. She was almost as old as he was but still retained hope. It was something not even age could shake from her.

“No,” he answered gently. “I wish there was. But none are safe now. The time of shadows is upon us.”

“This is outrageous!” cried the youngest of the inner circle. “We are their elders. They have no respect!”

The eldest turned his face towards the sun and fought the urge to laugh. “And when have the young ever respected their elders?” He asked with just a hint of irony.

The youngest of the inner circle snapped to attention. “It was never my desire to offend, great one,” he said with sincere regret. “If I have ever done so, I would –“

But the eldest waved off the apologies. “There is no need for that -- especially not now. You were never one to bend in whatever direction the wind blew. I respect that and have always valued your steadfast opinions.”

The youngest seemed to accept his peace offering and, in his desire to get past the moment, returned to the subject of their discussion. “Is there nothing we can do?”

“What would you suggest?” asked the eldest. “We are past our prime. We have no voice that they will hear. Once they honored us, it is true. Once they sought shelter in our arms and revered us. But that time is past and they now believe themselves without peers.” The eldest paused as he let the thoughts form. “And perhaps they are. They have harnessed the wind and the water. They have made tools of metal and fire. And what have we done? We have borne witness to the changes and have managed to outlive our age. Perhaps this was always our destiny.” Then the ancient one’s face hardened. “But that does not mean we should embarrass ourselves by raining acorns down upon them in some childish attempt to stem the course of time? No, it is better to die with dignity.”

The three ancient beings now turned their attention to the arrival of the intruders. The small scampering beings were swarming through the forest, calling out to one another in their high thin voices. They brought tools with them and they laughed as they prepared to make their assault on the ancient ones.

“Then, I await you at the time of rebirth,” the second said to her friends with almost a casual air. “In the valley of our ancestors we shall meet again.” She then closed her mind and withdrew from the discussion.

“I will not go down so easily,” the youngest declared fiercely. “They will need to work to topple me.”

The eldest smiled inwardly. To each his own way. The eldest cleared his mind of all thoughts and prepared for the final journey of his soul. He’d often wondered what lay beyond the veil. Now, he would find out. When the first of the axes fell his trunk shuddered from the force of the blows, but he did not break. His great branches swayed but they did not bend. He’d lived a long life. His roots went deep. Even without resisting he would not be easy to fell. Such are the way of things – for a tree.