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#6

Aurora

I stirred the pot, gazing at the surroundings for anything else for nutrition. I located some rose hips and cotton tails. My meal would be fibrous but nutrient. Collecting some extras for the morning’s meal. I wrapped it away in my pack for later. Satisfied, I set the pot aside to cool. I found a soft spot in the long grass that I gently trampled down to make camp without being too close to the damp shore or too close to the un-trampled grass. But still near a tree, if rain set in, I’d have some protection. The moon rose to wax fuller still. The maiden rises into The Mother. I sat sipping at the broth of roots and herbs. I found a few medicinal and questionable herbs. By questionable, I mean hallucinogenic. As if I'd need them, I stored them in my bag between wax paper. I had some basic salves and creams, just in case. But since some of them are hard to find, I gathered them despite my lack of need for them. I hoped for a breakfast bunny in the morning. The protein would be a blessed gift for the energy of the body to continue toward its destination.

I pulled my journal out and began sketching the next page, a woman myself in a pool surrounded by watery wolves, My pencil paused, and my attention caught on the largest wolf. The one with the cobalt blue eyes. Where in the natural universe did wolves have blue eyes? I was in my solitary world thinking when I heard a lonely howl in the near distance that was answered miles away. A wolf, apart from his pack, communicating over a distance.

I finished my meal. I then washed out the small pot and retrieved my finally dry sweater from the rock. It had chilled with the night air. I pulled out the protection talisman and repeated it as I had the night before. To be safe, I may have to start trapping at night for pelts to keep warm if this turned into a long journey. I laid out my sleeping bag, using my pack as a pillow, and drifted off to the sound of the small waterfall. I dreamed vividly of wolves bounding through the snow. In much clearer detail. Their patterns and colors were visible, yet hard to track in their fury of movement. Two birds flew through the trees a raven large and black as night, the other a dove small and white as the shining moon. The sun was high and bright and spring flowers blossomed throughout the clearing. The hum of the earth filled my being ‘Your time is near’ a voice whispered on the breeze, jolting me awake.

Startled, I sat up feeling off-balanced, and struggling to get my bearings. My heart pounded in my chest, hoping against hope that the theory I was afraid to believe in was true. Reaching into my bag, I clutched my journal and pencil and began wildly sketching the scene with the birds. Then I wrote in all caps SPRING. The tether tugged. Was I going to be on this journey through spring? Alone in the woods. I only had a sweater and a rain poncho. I had little with me and would need many breakfast bunnies to survive the winter in cascades. My mind whirled in a slight panic and started running off all the things I'd need to do. This wasn't your weekend Knowing. This was a pilgrimage. I’d better check the snare. I sat up and pulled my boots on and wandered to the tree with the gnarled gaping roots. Sure enough, there was a little blessing.

Taking the animal over to the stream, I began by washing it. "As pure as the water, as pure as the spirit." My mind hummed, "As ye lived, I will honor ye by living. As you have blessed, I shall bless another, may The Mother honor your spirit through your descendants, for you shall live on always within me, blessed be, ye kindred spirit." I pulled the ceremonial hunting knife that had been my father's from the pack. Along with the cooking pot. Placing the rabbit's throat over the pot and slicing it, I let out a breath, all The Mother’s creatures held value. The easy death of her creatures was something I would never get used to. Positioning it so that it would drain into the pot. Which took some time to finish. Then slicing my palm, letting a few drops of blood mingle with the rabbits collecting in the pot. I swirled and mixed it with a finger and drew on the back of my hand a circle with a spiral. I did the same thing at the center of my temple. A breath of energy rippled in the hum around me as the rabbit's spirit joined The Mother to be reborn. I sent my mental thanks.

As for this journey, I was going to be quite the wild-looking thing before it was over. I reignited the fire with my intent and began putting the pot over the fire. I added some roots and vegetables and herbs that I had gathered the day before. After putting the pot over the fire, I began stirring. This is not going to be the most appetizing. However, being raised knowing that if you use every viable part of the animal, you would let nothing go to waste. Nutrients of the bones would go to the Earth after making a broth. The pelt would warm your body. The blood and flesh would feed you and give you strength. I let it boil. I had this growing up. We were not brought up to be shy of the old ways.

By heating it, I hoped to stave off the pungent metallic taste of iron while driving out some of the chills of the morning lingering in my bones. I sat there staring deep in thought. “I wonder how many rabbits it would take to get me through the Winter because I know it is going to be extremely cold,” I whispered with a shaky breath.

Deep in thought. Sipping at my blood stew. As the thick consistency rolled down my throat, I barely tasted it. I scrapped the last of the vegetation out of the pot and washed the spoon and pot out in the pool. As my body warmed from the inside out, I licked my lips. I ended the fire, sending the energy to reverse back into the universe, only barely warm coals and cold embers remaining.

Today my heart was on a journey looking for my brother. I might just find him. I might just find out where he spent the last 6 years. What then would we be returning home to Aunt Bess? Would he want to go home when I find him, or would we be plagued with two different destinies altogether, passing by each other for one last moment? Only she knows, only she can understand. She will reveal when the time is right. I tied the rabbit to my pack. I’d have to stop early enough to process it today. And every day until this was over. I would hope that breakfast bunnies were a thing because it was turning late fall and I'd be surviving on bark tea before I knew it. Today it began drizzling. So, I paused to pull out my poncho. This was the weather I was expecting. The constant pitter patter of raindrops. The chill could seep into your bones. A shelter was necessary tonight.

His pov

The way she woke had me bristling. It was like a horse shooting out of the holding cells of the Kentucky Derby. Her energy was exciting, frantic, and held a sense of foreboding all at once. The wilder part of me was full of excitement with her, even though there was something there I didn't like. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep my distance. I yearned not just to be near her, but to be acknowledged in her presence. To get to know her. To learn about my mystery woman. Boy, was I blessed if she was who I thought she could be. I’d better not screw this up, I thought, huffing out a breath. I’d conceded, if she wasn’t mine, I was still intrigued. What harm was getting to know her, anyway? Let’s see what fate has in store.

She grabbed the notebook immediately, scrawling something along the pages. I sat up alert in the shadows. She seemed exasperated and determined all at once. When she went to check her snare, I followed almost too close. Her mind preoccupied left me worried and nervous. When she came up to the animal, her shoulders slumped. I could sense the gratefulness deep down, but she also seemed sad about taking a life. How could I even sense her feelings? When I watched her take care of the animal, listening to her prayer to The Mother. I knew I needed to get her home. To my home, where the only witch I knew resided, and spoke the same words. She NEEDED to meet Diablo, even though or especially since her powers were greater. She whispered about the upcoming cold. So softly I could barely hear her. I didn't have long before I’d have to convince her to follow me. I was sure. For the winter, I needed her safe. I gave myself one more day to make a plan. If she wasn’t who I thought she was, she could bunk with Millie if she chose to stay. Goddess only knew that woman needed a friend.

This was a lot. How do you tell someone Hi I’m me and you are you and you may be MINE by the way? And that means for life. How would you like to be with someone like me? Come meet my people? I scoffed at myself. She took off like a bat out of hell on a mission. Tucking her things away and throwing her pack over her shoulder.

Following her out of camp, I struggled to keep up with her today. She was darting off the path to gather, and I had to keep back. It wasn't so much the ground she covered, but she was following some unknown force, veering off trails now and seemed to have a heightened urgency to pick up every other damn plant she came in contact with today. I was glad when she pulled out the poncho. She'd at least be dry. I panicked a few times, losing sight of her. The rain fell in heavier droplets. I was having a harder time picking up her sent. A few times I reached my mind out, brushing hers to have a sense of her location. It was in one of these distracted moments when I hastily changed direction toward her. Crack! Sharp pain flared in my left leg. Unintentionally, my consciousness rammed into hers.

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