Nature's Gift

Back in the lodge, Night was at Kevin's side, chanting and trying to keep him cool with a cloth and some melted snow. Kevin was mumbling strange words, evidence to Night that he was now in the spirit realm. He saw a few tears stream down Kevin's face, and wiped them away for him. It had been nearly 24 hours since the quest had begun. During that time, Night had been able to hear bits and pieces of conversations that Kevin was having in the spirit realm. Now, as he continued to comfort Kevin, he could tell that Kevin was dealing with his greatest demon. Suddenly, Kevin screamed...

"No! Don't leave me... don't die... I love you..."

In both the spirit world and the mundane world, Kevin wept deeply. Night's heart broke, as he suddenly realized what Kevin must be facing now, and he wept with him. He knew this pain himself, and he knew that it was always the most difficult to face. He had faced this same thing on his first vision quest... reliving the pain of that loss, re-opening the wounds to allow them to heal properly this time. In his heart, he wished that he could spare Kevin from this pain... but he knew that facing it was necessary... for it was the pain and emptiness that had become one of his demons.

As his tears subsided, Cat curled himself lovingly around Kevin's shoulders.

"He will always go with you, Kevin. Always in your heart... and he will answer you when you call to him. The ancestors never leave us. His love for you knows no boundaries... it is eternal and it is in every breath you take." Cat purred softly, wiping Kevin's tears with his tail.

The world began to spin in brilliant colors once more, and Kevin soon found himself under water. He struggled to swim, but could not. He couldn't breathe or tell direction. Cat had vanished, and he was alone. He fought with his mind, trying his best not to panic. Then, just as he was about to resign himself to his own death, he heard Night's words echo in his head. "Trust your self to know the right thing... Trust your self... Water is the life giver... the great cleanser... it also has the power to take life... It must be respected..."

He calmed his mind and willed his heart to slow down, reducing the need for air. He allowed the Spirit of Water to speak to him. He trusted that it would not kill him as he floated in its depths. His mind was suddenly filled with images and words, which told the story of how Water came to exist, and how it alone had shaped the Earth. He felt the great power of Water, and he was humbled by it. Feeling the deep sense of respect for Water's power that he had felt on the footbridge, he welcomed it and caressed it as he reached his hand out before him. A few moments passed during which he felt warm and safe... re-living the experience of the womb... before the Water suddenly pushed him up, through its own surface.

He was abruptly lifted from the water by two great talons. As he soared through the air, he looked up to see that Eagle had joined him. Eagle looked down at him, speaking to him in a harsh, shrill voice.

"The element of Air, Kevin. Trust your self to fly... Air will sustain you if you trust it to..." Eagle said as he let go of Kevin.

The Earth rushed up toward him as he fell through the air. He tried to scream, but Air took his voice. Finally, with a great deal of focus and concentration, Kevin relaxed and let himself trust Air to save him. His fall began to slow more and more as his trust grew. Instinctively, he lifted his arms like wings and relaxed fully into the Spirit of the Air. He began to rise. Air was lifting him up! Breaking into a huge smile despite himself, Kevin lifted his legs up behind him, causing his body to move into a horizontal, face down position. Above him, he could feel Eagle's presence as he willed himself to fly. He was now soaring through the Air, feeling each subtle nuance of the currents and using them to soar ever faster... ever higher. Eagle was working hard to keep up with him, but finally matched his speed. As the two went higher and higher, Kevin began to feel the most wonderful feeling of warmth. Eagle now looked at him with surprise as they both saw the Sun directly in front of them. Only Eagle could fly into the Sun and not be harmed. That was part of Eagle's healing magic. But Kevin was heading straight for it, and Eagle was bound by Spirit to go with him.

They flew directly toward the Sun, coming close enough that Kevin could feel his skin begin to blister. The heat was suddenly more than he could stand, and with a cry, he and Eagle both began to fall back toward Earth. He tried to fly once more, but Air would not support him now. His eyes grew wide as he watched the Earth grow closer by the second, and he wondered how he would survive this time. Suddenly, at the last possible moment, two great talons grabbed him once more, lowering him safely to Earth. Looking up to thank Eagle, Kevin was surprised to see that Eagle was no longer there. Instead, he was greeted by the face of Raven.

"What happened?" Kevin asked as Raven perched on his shoulder.

"You have out grown Eagle and Cat, Kevin."

"What does that mean? I don't have a spirit totem now?"

"Yes, you have a spirit totem. You have me... I will be your totem now."

"Thank you, Raven... What about Cat and Eagle? What happens to them?"

"They are now shadow totems, and will be near if you should call. Their medicine is yours as long as you honor them... but I will be visible to you always... I will be first to come in any hour."

"Just like you do for Night?"

"The same."

"Is the quest over now?"

"No... there is one more element you must know... the Spirit of Earth... and one final demon..." Raven squawked, and the world seemed to melt before him.

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