Temple of the Twelve (Volume 2: Flight of Colors)

By Esmerelda Little Flame

Another enchanting, colorful fable that invites you to experience a spiritual awakening like you've never had before.

Flight, daughter of the Clan of Silver, has been called by the Twelve Colors on a quest of great danger--but great importance. In a world where the colors were long worshipped, spirituality, belief in magic and all that the colors represent is waning. Travel with Flight on a quest that will invoke the Twelve Colors and all they represent, in her life--and your own.

Journey into this magical, metaphysical novel, the second in the critically acclaimed TEMPLE OF THE TWELVE series, that challenges you right alongside the main character. Follow the Twelve on a self-guided course toward empowerment through color energy, embarking on a fresh spiritual quest that will challenge and strengthen you to become who you were meant to be.

---

Praise for TEMPLE OF THE TWELVE:

I can see this particular text being everything from a good read in and of itself, to the foundation of a pagan practitioner’s magical path based on colors and correspondences. - Lupa, author of Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone: A Primal Guide to Animal Magic

Magickal, beautiful, simply wonderful! - Maggie Shayne, New York Times Bestselling Author

The Author transcends all differences between various paths of Pagan spirituality and unifies them all. - Freyja Aswynn, Author of Northern Mysteries & Magick

Prose is music to the mind... weaves a whimsical tapestry of warmth and delight. - Silver RavenWolf, Bestselling Author of Teen Witch and Solitary Witch

...told with gentleness and love, this is a colorful story, full of music and reverence for the old ways. A lovely book. - Vila SpiderHawk, author of the Forest Song series

I felt such joy and affirmation after I finished reading this book. The lessons within the tale are beautiful and I cannot wait to learn more - Heather Pointsett-Dunbar co-author of the Morrigan's Brood series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Esmerelda Little Flame
• Release date: Feb 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311460448

Esmerelda Little Flame

Esmerelda Little Flame (ELF) lives in New England. She has been a writer since she was a little girl of five, drawing the story of two gerbils getting married because she could not yet write the words. ELF is a piano teacher who spends her free time devouring books, conversing with her dwarf bunny Nikita, and working on multitudinous writing projects at once.A lover of fantasy, magic, the realm of the imagination, and funky hats, Esmerelda is an avid tarot reader. Her passions include social work, empathic connection, and theatre. A lifelong poetess, one of her deepest missions is to bring out the poetry in all things.The author is currently at work rereleasing the first two volumes in the 'Temple of the Twelve' series and other projects.

Book preview

Temple of the Twelve

Volume 2: Flight of Colors

by Esmerelda Little Flame

Temple of the Twelve

Volume 2: Flight of Colors

© Esmerelda Little Flame 2015

Little Flame Publications

Cover art by Gina Marincik | Cover/interior design by Sarah Diemer

Smashwords Edition

First Edition

All rights reserved

Smashwords License Statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Forthcoming from the Temple of the Twelve series by Esmerelda Little Flame:

Temple of the Twelve, Volume 3: City of Colors.

Also by Esmerelda Little Flame:

Temple of the Twelve, Volume 1: Novice of Colors

Coming soon:

The Hearthouse Novels, Volume 1:

The Case of the Disappearing Castle (and what’s happening to my unicorns?)

CONTENTS

Dedication

Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

The Hearthouse Novels, Volume 1: Sneak Peek

Temple of the Twelve, Volume 3: Sneak Peek

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Dedication

I dedicate this series to the Twelve.

I dedicate Volume 2 to the color Silver…

for keeping the magic alive.

Pronunciation Guide

Planet of Chroinia: Crow-IN-ee-uh

The city of Jiza: JEE-za

The faerie, Gleisha: GLEE-sha

Town of Giansedi: Gee-onn-SEDD-ee

Song of Flight

I was born in a world so far away

so very far away from this one

but the forest, it claimed me back again

the way the forest has always done.

I hide, I am watching from behind the trees

I hide in the shadows that you make

Mother, you thought that the forest killed me

You thought me gone. That was your mistake.

Can you hear the Raven is calling you

Are you willing to follow her flight?

Even not knowing where she will lead you

Are you willing to trust her vision, her sight?

In my world I can see all the colors

because I am not afraid to see

I would share with you all of the colors

if you will only believe in me.

I am keeping alive the ancient ways

but the world, it changes anyhow

I dance with wolves and I fly with ravens

I am known by another name now.

Can you hear the Raven is calling you

Are you willing to follow her flight?

Even not knowing where she will lead you

Will you trust in her vision, her sight?

Sister, I will bridge the distance to you

I will find my way back home again

Sister, wait for me, keep watching for me

Keep believing in me until then.

Somewhere between what has been and will be

between tomorrow and yesterday

if you can touch the moment, you’ll touch me

and you will hear how the colors pray.

Can you hear the Raven is calling you

Are you willing to follow her flight?

Even not knowing where she will lead you

Will you trust in her vision, her sight?

Chapter One: Flight, of the Clan of Silver

Finding Home Chant

(to be used when you aren’t sure where you belong, who you are, or where home is.)

Your heart will lead you home

if you follow its song.

Your heart will lead you home

where you truly belong.

***

The dream had come again.

Careful not to wake her grandmother from her own Dreamtime, Many Stars lay quiet and motionless. For a few moments, she absorbed into her mind the images from the dream. She absorbed the reality around her - the cave, the blankets that covered her, the breathing of her grandmother, the chill of these last nights of winter.

Once again, she had been ripped abruptly from the Dreamtime by this dream. It was always difficult to transition from one level of the self to another level so quickly. Still, Many Stars understood the benefits. When ripped from the Dreamtime thusly, your images from the dream were startlingly clear. They crossed over into your conscious mind with great force.

Yes, she remembered this dream – and all the ones like it that she’d been having for a moontime or more.

In this dream, Many Stars was a mother.

This was a powerful emotion for Many Stars. This past autumn, she had lost a baby.

Flowing River and she had not married, although she had wanted to marry him, wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything before.

She should have known that the intensity of her longing was born of desperation. A part of her knew she would never marry Flowing River, and she denied that truth with passion and violence. Of course she would marry him; he was her true mate.

It was when she told him about the babe in her womb that Flowing River spoke the hard truths to her. He wanted to leave the clan, go to a village nearby and join the world. He was tired of the hard life of the clan. He did not wish to face another winter in the caves. The clan was dying, everyone knew that. The clan was holding onto a time that was long since gone. Flowing River would not die with it.

There was no fear for the baby. The clan would care for mother and child, and Flowing River knew this. Yes, it was hard to be a mother with no mate, but all the clan would protect Many Stars and the babe.

Safety was not the point. Loneliness was. Crushing, life-draining loneliness.

He left the camp that very night, believing it more cruel to linger. The loneliness was like drowning, and for awhile Many Stars was not sure she would survive it. Grandmother and the elders grew worried about her.

It was in this pain and loss that she lost her babe. It was as if the pain of losing Flowing River was a huge wave of cold water sweeping all over her, and it swept the babe away.

The babe was lost in a sea of blood and tears. Now it looked like Many Stars would not survive the blow. But she had resigned herself to never marrying.

Her mate had left. There was no other. Nor would there be a child born of their love – for Flowing River had loved her as his mate. He had begged her to leave with him.

That, she could never do.

Then autumn passed into winter, and winter was fast passing into spring.

And Many Stars dreamed of a daughter. She dreamed over and over again of a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes. The child had been a member of the clan in several past lifetimes, and rejoiced to be amongst them again. But the babe was not born of her womb. Many Stars was her foster mother.

Thinking all this to be the torment of a broken heart trying to heal itself, Many Stars had said nothing about it to anyone. She assumed the dreams would pass, as her heart healed and released the dreams which would never come true.

But the dreams did not stop; they seemed to be getting stronger. And they were so real. She could smell the babe. She could feel her breath on her cheek. She could recognize her anywhere, anytime, and her heart was full of Motherlove.

She was this child’s mother, this child who did not even exist. This child who haunted her dreams had not been born into the clan in the past five years.

Many Stars lay in the darkness of the cave, thinking about these very strange things. Her arms longed to hold her daughter. She wondered if grief had at last undone her.

No. This dream meant something, she was sure of it. Something more than the ravings of a rejected woman in love.

Alright, then, so be it; she would seek answers. Tomorrow, or whenever the time felt right, she would go to the elders and ask for their advice and guidance. She would go directly to Silver and ask. Silver was the patron of her clan, and this dream-child was a clan member. Surely Silver would help Many Stars understand these dreams.

Many Stars felt better having made this decision. She realized, as the relief began to flow through her, that she had been fighting this. She had not wanted to ask about the dream-child for fear that she would be told the child was born of her pain and longing. Though she had said to herself that she was being honest by not sharing the dreams - telling herself the dreams were false – it was not so. She had been trying to keep the dream-child all to herself so that she would not have to give her up.

It was time to be stronger, and face the elders and their wisdom. Face Silver.

Many Stars closed her eyes and asked for the Dreamtime to return to her. There were many hours until morning, and she wanted to sleep.

But the Dreamtime did not come to reclaim her. She lay awake in the dark and thought of the child. Such beautiful blue eyes. She could smell her skin again; the scent was so strong that her hands and her heart clenched.

"Daughter, daughter, where are you?" the spirit of Many Stars cried out.

In the darkness, her mind stared into those blue eyes.

"Mother," the eyes said to her. "My mama."

Love filled the heart of Many Stars, Many Stars of the Clan of Silver, Many Stars, granddaughter to Spiderweb, Many Stars, mate of Flowing River who was gone.

"Flight," she whispered in her mind. "Your name is Flight."

Nearby her, Spiderweb lay quiet and motionless as well, and Many Stars did not know she was awake. The eyes of the old one were wide open, staring at the shadows flickering on the cave walls.

Watching the images they formed, and taking them silently into her heart.

***

Silver came to her before she even had a chance to go to Silver.

A day had passed since Many Stars’ dream, and she had been too busy to seek out the elders. She had been almost too busy to dwell overmuch on the dream.

Almost.

It was evening. Night had not yet fully draped her mantle around her children. Many Stars wanted some quiet, and so she retreated to the shadowy cave. She melted a big container of snow over a little fire so that she and Grandmother might have water the next day. Quietly she hummed as she melted a little bit of snow at a time.

And then, she was there.

Many Stars was of the Clan of Silver, but not everyone saw their patron with physical eyes. Some only sensed the presence as male, female, animal, or pure energy. Many Stars had seen her before as a Lady, but not often, and usually at important crossroads in her life. Quieting her racing heart as best she could, she put down her bowl of snow and bowed her head to her Lady.

I am here to serve, she said softly, using the traditional greeting of the clan.

Silver wore a coat of silver fox fur, but this was not surprising, because she had appeared to many of the clan as a silver fox. The slightly feral eyes looked into hers.

"Daughter, my daughter – her name shall be Flight. And she will save the twelve clans from dying out entirely. Without her, the time of the clans is over. If she returns to the Clan of Silver, the twelve clans will live on. It is not definite, not written in stone – but at least it is possible that the clans can survive, if she is one of us.

"Without her, there is no chance.

Flight must come home.

Many Stars tried to form some clear thoughts and words.

Lady, how is it that I am meant to be a mother? My mate, Flowing River, has left me, left the clan, and I am not healed enough to lay with a man. I do not know if I ever will be.

Silver’s long silver hair glinted in the firelight. So did her eyes, and Many Stars was mesmerized by the flickers of colors in them.

All of your questions will be answered at the right time. Bring my daughter, Flight, home.

And then Silver was gone.

Many Stars sat in the silence of the cave, staring at where she had stood.

***

The dream that night was even more upsetting. This time the child spoke, not with words, but mind to mind.

"I want to come home, Mama."

"You are not with us now?"

"I want to come home."

"Where are you?"

"You will find me. Take me home."

***

Days passed, and there was no right time to speak of the dreams. Many Stars had learned to flow with the rhythm of the life of the clan. She knew she would know when the time was correct to speak.

And so, she waited.

But the elders came to her instead.

It was the night of the New Moon. Though it was still too cold to sleep outdoors, Many Stars wanted the feel of earth beneath her and to have some solitude. Her dreams were becoming more and more troubling, and she wanted to be alone when they overtook her, and close to the rhythms of Mother Earth. If anyone could help her with her dreams about motherhood, Mother Earth herself could.

And so it was that she found a patch of earth beneath a tree that welcomed her, where there was no snow, only dead leaves and grass. And there the Dreamtime claimed her as its own once again.

***

Many Stars.

The gentle voice was insistent in her mind. When she would have simply gone deeper into the Dreamtime, the voice called again.

Many Stars.

Something in the voice told her that she was needed. It was important. She bowed her head to the mists of the Dreamtime.

"I honor your wisdom, Land of the Sleepers, but I am called back. I shall return to you."

Many Stars turned away from the Dreamtime and began to walk the path back, back to the world of her body.

***

The large, striking brown eyes opened slowly. It was not good to separate too fast from the Dreamtime if you could help it. Pieces of your spirit might be torn from you, and remain there, if you left it sharply. Had there been real danger, however, she would have been fully awake in seconds, for her spirit would have known.

The figure above her came into focus. For a few moments she let the earth beneath her, the sky above her, the bones within her, tell her where she was. Who she was.

The figure waited for her in silence, respectfully allowing her to complete the return from the Dreamtime.

Greetings, Crystalline. I am here to serve.

The use of her friend’s name let her know that Many Stars was fully in her body and aware.

Greetings, Many Stars. I am sorry to have to call you from the Dreamtime. May you return to it in peace. The Council of the Elders has need of you.

Many Stars sat up, brushing grass, leaves and dirt off her skin and heavy robe. Crystalline handed her a cup of water and a piece of bread, as was traditional when a person was called from the Dreamtime or Vision, and needed to ground and center themselves.

Many Stars felt an urgency, but she knew better than to neglect her grounding and centering. She drank the cool water, feeling it travel down her throat, imagining it flowing through her body. Silently she said her thank you to the water spirits for sustaining her. The bread had been kept warm on the hearthfire.

Spirits of grain and earth, thank you for sustaining me.

I am Many Stars.

This was the signal that she had grounded and centered, and could be expected to be of full and clear mind.

Crystalline answered with the traditional, Blessed be Many Stars of the Clan of Silver.

But Many Stars could sense that her friend was preoccupied.

As the Messenger of the Council of Elders, Crystalline was not always told the reasons and meanings behind the actions of the council. Often, however, she could sense the energy of the council, whether they explained or did not, and even if she did not have a conscious understanding of their purpose, Crystalline had a subconscious one. Tonight, every cell of the young woman was vibrating, giving off the information that the council had vital business. The quivering energy was contagious, and Many Stars began to be very curious.

Quickly, she followed the council messenger into the forest that surrounded their campsite. Both of them walked silently, but with haste. Some of the clan were sleeping in tents, most were sleeping in the warmer caves.

As they walked, Many Stars said a prayer for her people, that they might thrive. She wanted to ask Crystalline what she knew of the goings on tonight. She remained silent, sensing that Crystalline did not really know much, and was not free to speak of what she did know. Soon they walked in the rhythm of clan sisters, attuned to the forest, attuned to each other, needing no words. Many Stars allowed herself to release her curiosity and nerves, channeling them through the hard soles of her feet, through her warm boots, into the earth. She would know what she needed to know soon enough, and it was not good to greet the council in a state of impatience. Impatience runs counter to the flow of life, which has a rhythm for all things.

So therefore, Many Stars paid attention to the birds and the animals that were out, to the energy of the trees as she passed them. Impatience also led to disrespect, because you were not present to what was around you. To ignore the night around her was a spiritual slap to the night itself.

Still, a buzz of excitement hummed at the center of Many Stars, and she allowed it to be there. It, too, was part of this night. Whatever the council wanted with her – it was vital. She could sense it, stronger and stronger, as she neared the sacred circle.

As was polite, the messenger entered the circle area first, to be sure they were ready for their guest. Many Stars heard Crystalline announce that she had brought Many Stars to them. She heard one of the elders bid her to bring Many Stars into the circle. Crystalline bowed her head to Many Stars, who answered in kind. Messages passed between their eyes of the eternal friendship of clan sisters. Then Crystalline faded back into the trees, and Many Stars stood alone before the council.

There were thirteen of them, one for each of the moons of the year. They were the oldest of the Tribe of the Silver Dove. As Many Stars took her place in the center of the circle, next to the sacred fire, she felt such love for them all. These old ones had souls of such beauty they caused the breath to catch in her throat.

I am Many Stars. I am here to serve.

The thirteen sat in silence a few moments. It was Many Stars’ own grandmother who spoke first.

Greetings of the Dark Moon, Many Stars of the Clan of Silver, Tribe of the Silver Dove. This night, your life changes.

Many Stars felt her heart stop in her chest, then start racing. With such words her grandmother greeted her? With such words the Council of Elders greeted her?

I am here.

Her calm voice belied the turmoil within, but Many Stars had long since learned the art of self restraint.

In the shadows and the flickering light from the sacred fire, her grandmother’s face looked ancient, as if she were part of the trees themselves.

Many Stars, my granddaughter, Silver has told us of a spirit who has been in this clan many, many lifetimes. You know of this spirit.

It was not a question.

Many Stars fought to keep her mind focused, to stop it from racing wildly. Grandmother knew of the child? The council knew?

Focus, said her grandmother sharply.

Many Stars closed her eyes and focused. Her grandmother began to gently send her images and feelings. She mentally communicated to her what this spirit was like. In lifetime after lifetime, this spirit had served the clan with such selfless devotion that Many Stars had to fight a swell of tears back.

Yes, they had known each other before, she and this bright, shining clan sister.

And now this amazing, loving spirit was to be her daughter?

Grandmother spoke.

In this life, the child was born outside of the clan to a family who loves her deeply. She is four now, and a twin. And she wants – she needs – to return to the clan.

Suddenly Many Stars was buffeted with all the longing in Flight’s spirit to join the clan again. It was so intense that she could barely remain standing. This feeling was the most overwhelming of all – the feeling within the spirit of the young child that she belonged with the clan again. It was her place. This was not the selfish longing of someone for a life path other than their own destined one. The child was feeling the energy of the Universe – and it wanted her as a Daughter of the Tribe of the Silver Dove.

There are some things that cannot be faked. A need, a destiny like this, was one.

But how could this be? Why was the child born outside of the clan in the first place? Why would the Universe give her to parents who loved her if it did not wish her to stay with them? What could the purpose possibly be for pain like that?

Many Stars tried to swim up from the emotions she was all but choking on. She tried to comprehend the situation. She was a woman now, and she needed to do the right thing for this clan sister, whatever that might be. Even now. No, especially now that she was born outside the shelter of the clan.

Why? she managed. Why was the child born into a family only to take her from them? Why not just allow her spirit to be born one of us from the start? The world outside the clan will try to destroy all traces of the old ways in her. Why was she put in this danger?

Many Stars looked at her grandmother for guidance, but found the expressionless, almost cold face of one of the elders of the council where she had wanted a tender grandmother and comfort.

We cannot know the ways of the energy of the Life Force, her grandmother said. "We cannot know the minds of the Twelve. But I have been given this – the child is meant to be a bridge. She will bridge the world of the twelve clans, which is dying, to the new one that is taking over. She needs her connection to that family, and they need her. When she becomes a woman, she will need them to link the chain which will stop the ancient ways from dying out entirely.

Especially her twin sister. She will need her sister, for if this child is one end of the bridge, her twin stands on the other end."

Many Stars looked at her grandmother in amazement. The old one seemed to be a part of the trees and sky, part of the energy of the planet itself. But at what cost? Where was the heart, the compassion? To take a child from her parents…

Twisted Branch, another of the council, spoke.

The spirit of our clan sister wishes to return to us tomorrow, while the energy of the Dark Moon is still at peak. Soon we must leave this place for our summer campground. We have camped here almost too long already, and it will be dangerous to stay once our sister has been brought home. There will be one chance, and it will be tomorrow morning. The stars have spoken. If we do not take her home tomorrow, the door of opportunity closes. After that, if we try to take her, we will fail.

All the blood in Many Stars turned to ice.

No, she whispered. I will not take her from her parents and her twin.

Her grandmother spoke again.

"Many Stars, Daughter of the Tribe of the Silver Dove, you are the one who is meant to be mother to this clan sister of ours. You and only you. We know of your dreams, we know she has been calling you. We know Silver herself told you that this was the destiny of the child.

"And your destiny, Many Stars.

"But it is your choice. A daughter of the twelve clans is forever free. Should you refuse, there is no place for the child here. No right or destined place. Should you refuse, the child remains with her parents. And no one will speak a word further of this.

But it is you who will have to live with the choice, you who will have to live with what happens to the clans without this spirit among us.

You have a burden of guilt before you either way, Many Stars, for you will either live with the guilt of taking this child, or the guilt of seeing the old ways unable to hold on any longer in Chroinia. Only you can choose."

Many Stars began to shake.

"When Flowing River left, and I lost his babe, I saw that I would not marry, not have children. Do the Twelve use my loneliness, my vulnerability?"

Yes, her grandmother said, They do.

Then she said no more.

Twisted Branch spoke again.

Flowing River followed his chosen path. It is better that you do not have more time to think. Time to think would only tear your heart apart more. Now is the time for instinct. Yes or no. It is kinder this way.

Many Stars went to her grandmother, forgetting all the correct protocol for being in the circle of elders. She was simply a young woman who wanted her grandmother.

Kneeling before Spiderweb, she begged, Grandmother. I cannot make this decision!

Her grandmother put a hand on her cheek, wet with tears and sweat.

"You do not make the decision. The Life Force does. You are the instrument only.

Know this. If you take the child as yours, her family will grieve in the worst kind of pain. If you do not, the union between our dying world and the new one will not come to pass. Understand this – I am speaking of the Twelve being forgotten and left behind. Only this child can play the part written in the stars for her.

Then let Chroinia wither without its Divinity to guide it. If our world is so foolish as to deny the Life Force, perhaps we deserve what we get, snapped Many Stars.

There was silence around the circle, then another elder spoke. He was an old man named Grey Owl, and had always been as another father to Many Stars. She had lost her own parents as a child, leaving her alone with her grandmother to raise in her old age. This made it even more impossible for Many Stars to cause another child to lose her parents, because she knew what that felt like.

Grey Owl said sadly, Yes, perhaps we do deserve it. But Chroinia birthed a daughter who could make a difference. In this child, Chroinia speaks. Through this child, Chroinia asks that the ancient ways not be lost entirely – even if they must change.

Many Stars looked at Grey Owl with eyes wide in shock and horror. Did no one understand?

Enough, said Twisted Branch. Enough of human chatter to flood your mind, poor child. Many Stars, stay here and speak with Silver. Only our clan patron can help you now. Our voices are howling winds in your ears. In Silver’s love and light, may you find some peace this night.

They rose, and one by one left the circle.

Before her grandmother left, she turned back and said, I love you, Granddaughter.

Many Stars could not answer.

Spiderweb disappeared into the forest, and within seconds Many Stars was suddenly alone, beside the sacred fire.

In the darkest of confusion, she wept.

Lady Silver, help me.

In addition to Silver being the patron of her clan, she was one of Many Stars’ personal patrons as well. It was not usual for Many Stars to hear or see her directly, however. Others of the clan were more gifted with that sort of Sight. She had only seen Silver a handful of times since she had been born, including the last time, when Silver had told her about the child. Surely she would come now. Surely she would not leave her alone. Many Stars had never needed her more.

A quiet voice inside her said, No. Silver has said all she has to say. There is no more she can tell you. You are alone with your choice. But you are loved.

Alone, Many Stars stared into the flames and waited for the dawn.

***

The little girl played dolls with her sister.

Papa had made the dolls of wood. He had carved beautiful faces on them. Mama had sewn pretty dresses for the doll babies, and used soft brown yarn to make hair.

The two dolls were just alike, because they were twins, like she and her sister were twins.

Serenity was never without her doll in her arms. The doll was named Serenity, after herself, and Caroline’s doll was Caroline.

Serenity and Caroline knew what the other was thinking, without saying a word.

Mama said twins were like that.

Mama was baking in the kitchen. Papa was in the woods, gathering branches for his carvings. The brothers were outside, playing.

Nity. Nity. This was what Caroline called Serenity. She found Serenity hard to say.

Serenity looked at Caroline, but all of a sudden she was possessed of the strongest desire to be outdoors, like Papa and the brothers. It was so strong, she could not sit still.

Without a word to Caroline, she wandered out the door.

Bye, Nity. Bye-bye, Nity. Caroline did not follow, which was highly unusual. Usually where one twin went, the other always trailed after. But this time, for some reason, Caroline just stayed quietly indoors, preoccupied with playing with her doll.

It was a bright, warm, sunny day, and Serenity smiled to be outside. She was only four, but Papa had taught her so much about the forest already. She knew many things about the plants and animals, which made her proud.

The little girl danced a bit for the joy of being outside, whirling her doll around in her arms, spinning in a circle. When she got a little dizzy, she stopped and caught her breath. She was laughing happily to herself with the sheer joy of the day, when she saw it.

Serenity had never seen a bird like this one. It was such a bright, brilliant blue, and its song was not one she recognized.

She wanted to learn more about it so she could tell Papa. Her smile grew as she pictured how proud he’d be that she had seen a rare bird, and remembered to study it.

I must be very quiet, so I don’t scare it.

For a bit she watched the bird, and when it flew off, she followed it.

She was captivated by the fact that the wings had three shades of blue. She was trying to memorize its song so she could sing it to Papa.

The bird flew from branch to branch, but never too high or too fast for her to lose sight of it.

Of course she had been taught never to wander too far from the cabin. She was a big girl of four, and she knew to stay close to Mama and Papa and home. There were big animals in the forest, and some did eat little girls. It was a big forest and easy to get lost in.

But the bird drove all thoughts of these things out of her mind. It was so pretty, and its song just so beautiful. Serenity sang to it, and it sang back.

She had a pretty voice, she loved music and was very good at singing. She mimicked the bird’s song perfectly.

Papa had often said that she had a true gift with wild animals. They were not scared of her the way they usually were scared of people. It seemed sometimes as if Serenity could talk to the animals, and they talked back.

This bird, for example, was playing a game with her, seeing how well she could copy the song. And playing catch-me-if-you-can, the way she and Caroline liked to play it in their back yard.

I’ll catch you, pretty bird, she said very quietly.

After awhile, she began to get just a little tired of chasing the bird from branch to branch. Right around the corners of her mind was the realization that she was very deep in the forest, deeper than she’d ever gone before. But it stayed in the corners of her mind. She was not scared.

No, she was not scared, just getting a little tired. Before she had the chance to get scared, before she even realized fully that she was lost, a woman appeared from behind a tree.

Serenity had never seen anyone like her. The woman was taller than her family, with darker skin. She had black hair and deep dark eyes. She was wearing a simple dress such as Serenity had never even imagined. It had seashells sewn into it, and beads and feathers and pretty colored stones.

Mama had taught her it was rude to stare, but Serenity couldn’t help it.

The lady crouched down so her face was level to Serenity’s. She smiled gently at her, and then something strange happened that Serenity did not have words for. It was as if something deep, deep inside Serenity went right. It was a thing she did not even know had been wrong, and she had no words for it. But it suddenly went right, inside her.

The woman held out her arms to the little girl.

Now, it was not that Serenity did not love and obey her parents. She was a good girl, and she loved them very much. She knew that she wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers, much less go anywhere with them. She would never have hurt or frightened her parents for anything in the world.

But at that moment, there was only one thing she could do. Her whole self knew it was right. She didn’t understand it in her mind, but little children don’t always have to understand everything in the mind, to know things.

She knew that she had to run to this woman, and hold her tight, tight, tight, and not let go.

With a little cry of delight, she ran into the woman’s outstretched arms. Serenity felt safe, so safe, in those strong arms. It was also nice to feel her warmth, because the last weeks of winter were still cold.

Then the woman ran off, deep into the woods, on very silent feet. Serenity had no words for it, but what she felt was that the woman’s feet understood the forest. They knew where to walk to make no sound. They knew the fastest and easiest and best trails.

I will learn about the forest from her, Serenity thought.

As the woman went deeper and deeper into the woods, Serenity was not afraid or confused. All she was aware of was the strength and comfort of the arms that held her.

In Serenity’s arms, she held her doll.

It seemed to her as if all of life was perfect, when loving arms held you, and your arms held someone you loved very much, and the day was sunny and bright, and a beautiful bird sang in the trees. The beautiful bird flew ahead of them as the woman ran. Serenity kept her eyes on the bird the whole time.

It was so very, very beautiful.

***

Within an hour, Many Stars reached the camp where her people were waiting for her.

She arrived in silence, and instantly the camp began to break itself up.

By the afternoon there was no sign that they had ever even been there at all.

***

Many Stars was to say of it afterward, that she did not remember that morning in the usual way. Her mind shut down, and she was not really forming thoughts. She did not say, I shall go to the child – or - I am not going. She did not rejoin the clan, she saw no one. Nor did she eat or drink. She spoke her morning prayers, she made sure the evidence of the sacred fire from the night before was cleared away properly, with thanks given to the spirits.

But she was not really there at all.

Her grandmother told her, later, that she entered the campsite in silence, handed the child to her, and fainted to the