I think you're right in the sense that its not the tree bark that she moulded but the elephant that was used as a shield against the lightning. I don't think Storms is helping them there. Her consciousness is in the sky in contrast to Xaviers which was locked below ground. They had to take stairs upwards as opposed to go down the stairs.
The elephant was moulded as a shield cause if you look at the same panel theres the same bright white flash of electricity while Emma is moulding the elephant
The elephants eye is always that colour even when they are flying on it earlier.
If you look as well all of this happens before entering the tree so they are completely exposed so the swirly bits in the background must be the elephant as you can see it distorting