Bear and I sat on the edge of a canyon. It was at night; the land is frozen, but the clouds and moon are not. Bear and I sit on the canyon edge.
Bear: “That used to be a river, you know.”
I have nothing to say. I want so badly to take in the moment. To rewind. To better appreciate, knowing what I know now. The moonlight and shadows in the canyon looked like water. I find myself standing beside the river.
Stag’s silver patch is growing larger, silver threads weaving through the grey-blue-black sludge. The Alchemist and Ram are near the tree where the red-orange light had been, under smaller trees and in a green dappled light. The Alchemist is focusing on something intently, the Ram is pacing and talking animatedly. It seems like the Alchemist is ignoring Ram, or half-listening. Golden light still glows inside the bones and the fire is still burning. Ram turns to face me, and I can feel excitement radiating:
Ram: “I have something to show you.”
We race through old growth forests, mountains, across rivers, from hilltop to mountaintop. Flashes of forests, cities from above and through, but primarily nature. Their words are the essence of anticipation:
“You have no idea how big this world is going to get; it’s going to be great.”
I wonder how I can be ready for this. My pieces are so scattered.
Ram: “Drink water. smoothies. Read. Go to the river.”
With “river,” we are at the canyon.
The clouds are starting to move. Bear and I stand, no longer sitting on the edge of the canyon, but standing looking into it. A Wolf approaches from the right and slightly behind. It is small, then so large it covers the moon, then the size of Bear. We turn slightly to face it, Bear is calm. I am curious. The Wolf has no defined edges, it is black and grey, charcoal and silver. Yellow eyes, black eyes, grey eyes, deep eyes. Taller than Bear, with long legs and incorrect proportions, the Wolf bends down. It licks my face before disappearing. It’s unclear if it walks, runs, or dissolves.
Bear looks at the canyon again.
“That used to be a river.” [And yet, despite everything, there is life still here.]