“Whereis she?” I heard a strange voice say with authority. I stripped down andsilently shifted into my wolf. I shifted so fast you could barely hear thebones cracking before I was on all fours. I took a deep breath in through mysnout. They didn’t smell human. I crouched on my paws and then sprang out ofthe tent. I took a quick scan. Six large Native American men with spears werearound Alma. I quickly darted in front of her and growled at the approachingmen. Nahuel wasn’t here. I would have to protect Alma on my own. I loweredmyself into a crouch, ready to spring.
“Aurora,no child! They are friends. They’re here to protect you during the visionquest.”
Themen looked at me with amusement. They lowered their spears.
“Shewas going to protect you,” one of them said to Alma with respect.
Almapatted my head. “It’s okay, child. Go and change shape. I’m okay.”
Ihuffed. Well now I felt stupid! How was I supposed to know some big, burlywarrior guys were invited? They didn’t tell me. Kai’s energy was frantic. Hesensed my fear and thought I was hurt. I took a deep breath and shifted in mytent. I calmed down and sent Kai a text that I was fine. I put on my protectionnecklace Nahuel made me and then my clothes. I walked outside to find all ofthe guys telling Nahuel what happened. Well, no way to make this less awkward.
“Shehas a warrior spirit,” one of them told him.
“Wolftotem,” another said.
Icleared my throat loudly. “Sorry about that. No one told me six big guys withspears would be coming.”
Theysmiled. One of them, who wore a feather headdress and looked like the leader,stepped forward.
Hebowed. “Your first instinct was to protect Alma. It shows you have a good soul.We will be honored to stand guard at your ceremony.”
Iblushed a little and nervously played with the ends of my hair. “Oh, wellthanks. Why exactly do I need guards?”
Werethey expecting vampires?
Nahuelwas rubbing white chalk paint on his face. “When we do a vision quest likethis, we open a portal into the spirit world. Sometimes other things comethrough. Bad things. These are my brothers. They will protect the earth fromevil coming through our portal.”
Myeyes widened. Okay. Sometimes I was sorry I asked questions.
Almamade an egg, black bean, and salsa burrito for herself. My mouth was watering.She looked at me with pity. “No breakfast for you. You will need to fast. Sorry,child.”
Ifrowned. Instead, I chugged some cold, crisp water. The men were painted uplike warriors with white tribal markings across their skin. Nahuel came to sitbeside me. He carefully drew two lines of chalk onto my cheeks. Alma hadbraided the sides of my hair back and out of my face, the rest hung loose.
“I’mhungry,” I told him.
“Metoo, but we must give up all that it takes to live in the physical world andrely on the strength of Spirit to sustain us for the duration of the quest.”
Mystomach grumbled. “Okay.” I just had to trust that there would be an egg, bean,and salsa burrito waiting for me at the end of the quest.
Nahuelwas grinding a small green dried root or herb in a stone bowl. When it was afine powder, he added it to a boiling water pot that hung over the fire.
Ilooked at him skeptically.
“Medicine.”
Igrew up around natives. It was hard not to in these parts; it was their landfirst. I knew that ‘medicine’ meant drugs. There was a hallucinogen in that tea.Peyote probably. Maybe mushrooms. I also knew that it was a sacred part oftheir ceremonies and hadn’t yet heard of anyone dying from it. So I guess I wasabout to have an interesting experience. Nahuel let the tea boil while he gesturedme over to a creek that ran along the side of the property.
Hesat cross legged next to the creek and patted the ground next to him. I satdown. He moved so that our knees were touching. He placed a hand on each of myshoulders and looked me straight in the eyes.
“Ihave a great respect for you, Aurora. You were a human girl that knew nothingof this life and you have taken up your new responsibilities well.”
Themoment became serious very fast. I nodded. “Thanks, I appreciate you guiding methrough this.” It was true. He had been there from the beginning, alwayswarning me or helping me.
“Amedicinal vision quest is not to be taken lightly. We do not casually takewhite women into these.” He smiled.
Wow.A sense of humor! I laughed. “I promise not to embarrass you.”
Hesqueezed my shoulder and his face became serious. “I’m not worried about that.Taking the plant medicine will open your spiritual sight. You haven’t exactlygrown up with the knowledge we have. You will be overwhelmed. You will meetyour higher self, your Devi soul, you will know your purpose. So many thingswill be revealed.” So, he really did think I was a Devi.
