Well, in my continual effort to get ready for Anthrocon, I am getting some bags made. Since I am selling books, it would be nice for people to have something to carry their merchandise in. So! I have 3 bag types in mind:

1. Paper Shopping Bag
2. Cloth Totebag
3. Drawstring Bag

Since I have 2 Sweet Shoppe things, I was thinking about doing something with them, but I could do something with any of my characters across my series. I was thinking about drawing something for Night & Mhina or Thorn & Sahara, or someone else from the Lion Paws series, like Kichoro, Ja, & Adon or Neha and Leilani (there are 4 sons and just one daughter, so a mother/daughter picture might be cute). Ja & Leilani or Kit & Marian could be cute, too.
Of course, I could stray away from cute and do something more…saucy?
Or, I could do something more buddy-buddy, like Candy & Tange or Night & Thorn.
Or I could do something across series like Snow Leopard, Amber, Leilani, & Marian (all of the little girls from my main series) or Mhina, Kichoro, Sahara, and Lioness (a few of the lionesses from my series…although I feel kinda bad leaving Neha, a puma, out of the group…maybe I could add her and just make it a group of mothers…)

Ugh! Too many options and I haven’t even mentioned the Bella Mariposa crew. *cries* I don’t know what to do, y’all. I need help, a theme, a suggestion, a favorite character, ANYTHING! What do you guys think, any ideas? Also, any bag type preference?

...is available now on Amazon.

https://tinyurl.com/Sweet-Shoppe-Welcome

It's over 25 pages of Sweet Shoppe characters and themes for you to color and style in one coloring book. This book is appropriate for all ages, young and old. It's $5.99 and you can order it today. I hope you enjoy it.



❃Sweet Shoppe Journal Vignettes❃

Thanks so much for your help you guys! I really needed it. I read all of your comments and got a much better sense of what I needed to do with the character. I think she needed a little tweaking to make her appropriate for all. I really want this to be a coloring book for everyone of all ages to enjoy. So, I listened to your advice and modified her outfit a little. I do agree with pretty much all of you that said that there is nothing wrong with her design and that she is not overly sexualized. She is still wearing more than a person wearing a bikini and there is nothing suggestive about the pose. But, when it comes to children, I have to get into the mind of a parent. Also, a few folks pointed out that if I have adverse reservations about a thing, then I should probably listen to my gut. But, I couldn't have heard it without you guys, so thanks so much!

I am going to upload a full resolution version of the unedited Brandy's Place girl (her name is, Ginger), so you guys can print and color, or color digitally. It's just my way of letting you know that I appreciate you. ♡

Hey guys! I just posted an image to my gallery that I could use your opinion on. If you can take a second and give me a little advice, it would really help and I will be super grateful!!! *crying*

https://www.furaffinity.net/view/50868650/

*yawn* Well, I'm approaching the finish line with the coloring book. I've completed 20 pages and have just a few more to go. I need to draw. I need to get at least 4 more done, one of Sweetheart, Mint, Plum, and one more of Tange. I also want to add Coral (Candy's mother) and Diana (Sweetheart's mother) because I have Avalon (Alder, Arjuna, and Palm's mother). That would bring the total up to 26, which puts me over the 24 minimum that I had set for myself. There is one other image of Plum that I want to do, but then I'll pick one more additional image so that there will be an even number of pages that's also a multiple of 4. So, I think I'll be finished before the end of February. Once I finish the coloring book, I still need to edit the anthology and consider compiling the Sweet Shoppe vignettes into a book. Alright! I'm off!

...6 days late. ^_^; But, better late than never, am I right?! ...anyway... I am still here. Just busy working on this coloring book. I want to have at least 24 pages and right now...I have 6.

...*sigh*.

But, I am making progress. I think I will be able to make my deadline. I need to get it done, though, because I have not edited Night and Mhina's anthology. I need to have that ready to go by the end of May. I need both books done by then so that I can get them printed for the convention. I want to make the Sweet Shoppe miniseries, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time. I'm going to try, but my priority is getting this coloring book and the anthology done. So, I'm still here, just busy. ^_^

Anyhoo, how is everyone's new year looking so far?

...but, I probably won't be able to post much. I am making progress on the coloring book (2 pages done, working on the 3rd), but I can't post each page, of course. I've also finished the stories for Night and Mhina's romance anthology, but I have not edited it, yet. So, I think I'm on track.

I'll try to post something, even if it's just a little something. I am still debating whether or not to collect some of the Sweet Shoppe stories into a mini-series of short, chapter novels. I certainly have enough to compile a couple of chapter books and it would pair well with the coloring book. ...hmm...what do you guys think? Anyway, I'll try to upload something soon, even if it's just a sketch or maybe just one more coloring page so I can show you what I'm up to regarding the images being used to make the pages. ^_^ ♡

First of all...thank you so much to everyone that commented on my last post. I read each one and I really, really appreciate them and I really appreciate you guys, too. Thank you so much! *hugs*

It's been 2 weeks since I posted last, but I'm still here. A lot has been going on though.

1. DEVIANTART: After the stunt they pulled with the AI imaging, I have been removing my art from the site. Even though the damage has already been done, (since they have stolen the artwork of every single person on the site) to prevent anything else from happening, I'm just going to pull all of my stuff. The thing is, I really love looking back at old comments, so instead of deleting the art posts, I'm just removing the images, placing a placeholder, and archiving the submission. If DeviantArt ever gets their crap together, I've set things up so that I can restore all of the images, but for the moment, I really don't trust them. If you're wondering why I'm still there at all, it's because I make art and write stories as a career and, unfortunately, DA has a very large audience. SO! For the moment I'm slowly removing my existing images and I'll probably just leave either a collage/sample image, or just a handful of submissions with a link that will redirect them here. Ever since I joined FA, I've been consistently active over here and my art has been sliding a teensy, tiny, itty bitty bit more toward the furry side. ^_^; (...you folks did this to me! ...and I love you for it. *hugs everyone* ^_^) So, I'm still here and if things keep going as good as they are now, I'll always be here. ^_^

2. INTIMATE RENDEZVOUS: ...yeah, I've been working on this, too. Thankfully, I'm very nearly done with the writing and I'll be able to move to editing. For the moment, the anthology will just include the 4 existing stories that I have already written about Night and Mhina and one new story focusing on Thorn and Sahara that I'm finishing up, now. There's something about their shared past that I want folks to be able to learn. Their marital relationship mirrors Night and Mhina's, but when it comes to the children, there is a significant difference there that explains a big point about the world of Okanu.

3. COLORING BOOK: So, one of my best friends recently suggested that I take my Sweet Shoppe girls and make a coloring book for them. She pointed out that I have literally HUNDREDS of images from that series, so I should be able to take a few, touch them up/redraw them, and make a coloring book featuring my most colorful host of characters. So, after I finish this book, I'll be working on that. Some of the artwork is, of course, fairly old so they will either have to be redrawn or edited heavily. But, we'll see.

And, I think that's about all. The only other thing that I am considering (but haven't decided) doing is taking the Sweet Shoppe stories that I have been writing in my journals and the hundreds of pages of stories that I have already written (both the ones I posted here and the...I don't even know how many ones I've written in notebooks, but haven't shared) and turning them into books, too. "The Great Flood" on its own is a short novel, but "Miss Catriona Isles" is actually the first story in the series, canonically. Basically, if I can get a table at Anthrocon next year, it will basically be a bookstore. ^_^;

Okay, y'all, I'll be around! ^_^

Ugh...I just don't feel like doing anything lately. I've been in a bit of a rut. I tried to draw the remaining characters I have left to draw/update, but everything was wrong. I tried to write, but it's like I suddenly can't even read English. I realize I never actually took a break after the convention. I stayed home, but I couldn't help but work. I tried to rest and did a little, but what I really needed was to get away. Then I got sick and that seemed to last forever. That along with everything about the book and planning for next year, I think I shorted myself out.

Yesterday, I was supposed to be writing, but I was so distracted that when I was at the computer, I literally just stared at the screen. Then I thought about orcas and how much I wanted to see them again. I went to Seattle to see them last year and it was wonderful. The San Juan Islands were lovely and incredibly peaceful. But more than that, seeing the orcas was magical. So, I've wanted to go back to see them...but even more relaxing than staying at a quiet little island is going somewhere where you are relaxing and essentially being taken care of...and by that, of course, I mean a cruise.
So, with my mind wandering, I started looking up places to see orcas.

One of the other places to see them in high populations is Norway. I was looking into it and on certain cruises, you can even swim with them. That would be amazing!! But, I really couldn't figure out how to get from the airport to the docks. ^_^; Granted, I was also a little tired so I couldn't really focus, but also...also...ENGLAND is right below there!! And I've wanted to go to England for I don't even know how long!! Then I tried to see if I could go from England to Norway or vice versa, but that just ended in me looking into vacation packages to London. But, it seems the best time to go to England is June - August. But, to see the orcas in Norway, the best time is to go is in January.

*sigh*

So, I went back to paying attention to my first plan, my beloved orcas. Apart from San Juan and Norway, another EXCELLENT place to see orcas is ALASKA! So, fun fact, England, Alaska, Kenya, and Japan are four places I want to go before I die. So, going to Alaska actually fulfills two things; seeing orcas and going to one of my buckets list places. AND I can do the most relaxing thing of all...I CAN GO ON A CRUISE! I don't care what anyone says, cruises are awesome! It's like being at an all inclusive hotel that floats on the sea and carries you from one incredible place to another. You don't have to do anything at all except relax! You don't have to go out to eat, you don't have to walk around to see the sights, you don't even have to leave your room if you don't want to (I mean, I will, but I'm just saying if you didn't want to, you didn't have to) and best of all, you're on the ocean. There's plenty to see from your stateroom window and since what I want to see is on the ocean, they said that you will almost certainly see plenty of wildlife from the ship!

...so as not to bore you and to not make this journal a novel, I'll continue this another time. Bye! ♡

...also, I'm going to try to be productive today...

...finally! I've been using my iPad recently and it has been great! I love the app and the way I can take it wherever I go, but I wanted to get back into making YouTube videos and I need my laptop to do that. So, after taking a bunch of time getting things setup, everything is ready to go. I might do one of the characters that I haven't finished yet via a video. I won't be doing all of it because they take hours for me to complete, but at least I can draw for 30 minutes to about an hour. I know I can stream on YouTube, but I haven't looked into how to do that, so for now, just a video upload. I hope you guys will enjoy it.

Also! One of my best friends recommended a project that I can do...a Sweet Shoppe coloring book! So, over the next few months, I'll be going over old artwork to see if there's something that I can tweak/update and add to the book, or I'll just have to draw a bunch of new things. But, it should be fun, either way. ^_^ ♡

I think I lost a little momentum ^_^; I only have two characters left to illustrate for Night and Mhina's main cast of characters (Tod & Shade) and four characters left to illustrate for Hybrid: Gods and Demons (Lion, Cougar, Bear, & Wolf). I feel like I tripped at the finish line. So, I'm going to try to finish those in the next two weeks. For the Hybrid men, it's a charter redesign/update, but for the boys, it's a character design from the images in my mind for them, and that's actually a little bit more difficult. Still, I want to get those done so I can work on a few other things in concert with these.

I'm going to see if I can share some shorts from my YouTube page. I've neglected my page for a while, but I want to get back into it. Anyway, these are 30 second videos of my drawing process. ^_^

https://youtu.be/czVjrePDa30

Well! I have finally sorted things out and now, "The Carpenter And The Nightingale" is available as an Ebook AND paperback!

tinyurl.com/2mrd7xtb

The Carpenter And The Carpenter (paperback) $22.99

Also, to those of you that have already purchased the book, I would love and really appreciate it if you could leave a review/rating on Amazon or Lulu. It helps out a lot, so if you have a minute, that would be great. Thanks so much! ^_^

Well, that was the last part of the Great Flood. I had written a bit more, but I think I will leave it cryptic. ^_^ So, in between character designs, I think I might do a few adoptables. I still don’t want to do cats, because I have a LOT of cats in Sweet Shoppe and I don’t want them to look like any existing characters. But, small mammals (mice, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, etc) would be nice. Any suggestions?

He could not believe what he was hearing and yet, it was the only thing that could possibly make sense of…everything. The tremendous power she held, the vast knowledge she possessed, truly, it was a marvel. There was no doubt, no question as to the identity of the reverent one standing before him and his family. Indeed, the legends of the first ones as they were told to him were laughably inadequate. It was ironically comical.

The woman sighed, placidly. “Thank you so much for coming to this temple and allowing me the pleasure of being able to have such a robust dialogue with you. I will not forget this day and all of you precious young ones. But, even though I will keep this memory always, it is better that you do not.”

Night and Mhina quickly exchanged glances, before Night asked, “What do you mean?”

She sighed, once more. “I must thank you, yet again.” she began. “It is somehow freeing to disclose so much, to share a wealth of knowledge to ones so young and know that such words are well received. Still, it is too much for you to know and in time, this mass of understanding will undoubtedly cause you to suffer through unnecessary hardship. I thank you, though. It was good to have such a meaningful exchange with you all.”

“But, what do you…” Night started to say, when suddenly, his consciousness was withdrawn from him and he, along with Mhina and the children, collapsed to the ground. In an instant, they had fallen into a deep slumber. As they slept, memories unnecessary for them to recall, were gently purged from their minds by the tremendous power of a new, mystical figure that had appeared behind them in the dimly illuminated enclosure.

---

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“The aura of my children emanated throughout their lands and it was that power that transformed the wombs of the female cats they encountered. Though those females would continue to breed among their own kind, as they always did, through the change in their bodies, the resulting offspring shared the form we possess today. They are the ancestors unequivocally shared by ever member of our people, save for myself, my mate, and our children. From them, every other member of our race was born and among those newly created ones, my children found their mates. My children were elected to lead their respective realms and thus began the lineage of the royal families of these lands.”

Once again, the revelations were met with silence, for once again, the tale of their beginning was far greater than any legend and completely beyond comprehension. An origin story exceeding belief, yet at once, completely believable. In fact, it explained everything. The birth of the first animalians, to the manner in which they began to flourish, to the conception of the royal families, there was an explanation for it all. …except.

“So,” Tange, the brilliant girl that she was, began, “that girl that saved her sister was…I mean…is a princess?”

The gentle lady smiled and shook her head. “No, only my firstborn children led their kingdoms. My mate and I produced many, many children throughout the years. They were happy to support their older siblings without yearning to sit upon the thrones, themselves. They found great joy in their lives. And, when they chose mates and made families of their own, that happiness was multiplied beyond measure. It is from them that that young girl’s power was drawn. Although, strictly speaking of bloodlines, she is as much a princess as any of the sitting monarchs across all these interwoven lands. If only she knew the depth of her lineage… But, as I said, history’s truth is often lost to those not a part of it.”

“…wow!” Tange breathed. “So, there are lots of princes and princesses that don’t even know they’re princes and princesses?”

The priestess smiled, in her motherly way. “Yes.” she said, knowing very well the heredity of the company she presently shared. “Now then,” she said, turning to Night, “I believe through answering this young one’s queries, I have answered yours, have I not?”

She sighed and paused for a moment, then continued. “I wandered this lush, green land in solitude for countless days and nights. I began to realize that though I longed for death, I would not, or rather, I could not die. So, I continued to wander aimlessly. In my heart, I cried. In my spirit, I cried. And in my sorrow, my cries were eventually answered.

“I began to sense the presence of another, another that I could keenly feel was just like me. I followed that feeling and thanks to the mercy of the Great Spirit, it led me to my beloved mate. Like me, he was born from a distant ancestor of our people. He had also outlived his family and was living alone in destitution. And, also like me, he began to develop a sixth sense that led him to me. We found each other and put an end to our seemingly eternal loneliness. We have been together ever since.”

Nothing at all that the woman before them spoke, made even a fragment of sense. Born of an ancient being that dwelt in an ancient past, not even the legends of the first ones spoke of something so fantastically outrageous. Everything she had imparted to them was nothing short of phenomenal! It left them speechless.

“As for as my children,” she continued through the reverent silence, “their destined counterparts emerged on the islands they reigned over, long after I had given birth to them. As I said, on the lands they journeyed to, there were none like us. There were only the primitive ones, beings like my mother and siblings. Though we did not share a resemblance in form, we did share a common species. As differing as we were, we were all still cats. It was that undeniable bond that caused the bodies of our primal kin to change.

“Yes.” she answered, simply. “All of my children served as the foundations of all of the ruling families of these isles. Save for my first son, many of my other children left this island of Calico to populate the other islands of this region. As their numbers increased, the people looked to my children for guidance and direction. In time, they designated them with the titles of emperor and empress, then upon their children, they titled them as princes and princesses.”

“How did they populate the islands if they were the only ones there?” Tange wanted to know.

“Before that,” Night interrupted, “the royal families of Catriona Isles have lineages that span millenniums. How is it possible that your children…no…how is it possible that any of you existed at the onset of that era?”

The priestess shut her eyes in thoughtful contemplation. “I believe that in order to answer your question, it is prudent to address hers. You asked me, little kitten,” she said, turning her attention to Tange, “how it was that my children were able to fill the land with our kind. Though they did not father or give birth to them all, it was the very presence of their life-giving auras that gave life to them all.”

“Their presence?” Tange mused, her thoughts still mired in confusion.

The priestess smiled and gently nodded her head. “Allow me to explain; upon the lands my children set foot upon, there were met with no others like them. They were unique beings in distant lands. There were only the primitive relatives of an ancient past, the creatures from which my mate and I emerged.

“While I slept within the safe haven of my mother’s body, the Great Spirit reached into her womb and poured its power into my unborn form. When I was birthed into this world, I was unlike my brothers and sisters. While they ran through the fields and scaled the trees on their many legs, I struggled to merely stand on two. In short time, I vastly outgrew my brethren and stood well above them all. But, just as I outgrew them, I also outlived them.

“I watched my mother grow old and wither away into the soil. My brothers and sisters had long since abandoned my mother and me to begin their lives independent and anew. Over the years, I continually came across their bones and skins rotting in the dirt. In time, I found the lifeless bodies of them all. My mother, my sisters, my brothers…they were all dead and I was alone.”

The woman chuckled, fondly. “No, she is far younger than my grandchildren. They, too, have left the husks of their mortal forms and now dance among the spirits.”

“So, then is she your great-granddaughter?”

The priestess shook her head. “No, she is still younger by far.”

Tod made a puzzled face, then frowned. Something didn’t make sense. “Miss…ah…” he began, recalling that the woman hadn’t any name, “Miss Priestess,” he improvised, “you lived longer than your children, and your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren and you said that the girl in your story is a lot younger than they were. So, why’d you live a lot longer than all of them? Were they sick, or something?”

The gentle woman shook her head. “Nearly all of my descendants lived to their natural end. They lived long, happy lives and when their time to rest finally arrived, they closed their eyes on this world and journeyed to the next in peace. But, though many of my family have deceased, many more still live. That beloved girl, her sister, and even the members of what you call, the Royal Family all belong on the branches of my own family tree. The blood of the monarchs of this island flows directly from my firstborn son. From the first to the last, all have descended from him.”

“All?!” Night exclaimed. “I don’t understand. Your son was the first ruler, the first Emperor of Calico?”

“She was, or rather, is a girl with a tremendous heart full of dedication and love. She wanted nothing more than to save the lives of her dear sisters. She was scared to the point of terror. Her body was beaten and broken, but the sheerness of her will gave her the strength and the courage to keep moving forward, undaunted. Her only thought and whim was to preserve the lives of her cherished siblings. So, it was as no surprise that when one of her dear sisters was swallowed by the sea, the power that lay dormant inside of her, awakened. But, it was when her remaining sister’s life was slipping away, that her once slumbering power was unleashed. Her spirit cried out with such potency that it summoned the full might of her resurrected power and forced the very sea to obey her command. In that instant, the ever-flowing current of the ocean came to a complete and utter standstill. Neither a wave nor a ripple disturbed the once violent waters. It was as though the raging waters had become as tranquil as a placid lake.

“In that stillness, she was able to hurry onward and reach the domicile of the healers. Even then, even though her own battered body was dying, her only concern was to reclaim the life of her beloved sister. Thanks to her unparalleled devotion, she was able to see her wish come to pass. The life of her sister was restored to her tiny body, for that was the greatest desire within her heart. The spirit of that infant had already departed her tiny body, but it was the aura of her sister, the young girl that battled tirelessly for her sake, that beckoned her back. Through the hands of the healers, the life of her tiny body was restored and her soul returned to its living vessel. Such is the true bond of sisterhood.” she said, turning to look upon Shade’s sleeping face, running her fingers through his long, silken hair. “And, brotherhood as well, of course.”

The assembly of temple visitors listened in awe to the unbelievable recounting of the heroic acts of the courageous girl, as told through the hallowed voice of the priestess. It was a legendary tale in its own right, yet a legend born out of the perils of today.

“That’s…incredible.” Mhina breathed. “…that poor girl. I am sad to hear that she lost her sister, but I am glad that was at least able to rescue the other.”

“Not only her precious sister.” the priestess said. “That young girl’s power gave countless others the chance to flee to safety. One could accurately say that her love for one individual saved the lives of many, including a boy she holds very close to her heart. That boy was desperately trying to protect his mother and his small brother as they were dragged across broken village. All of their lives would have been lost had she not summoned her power and commanded the waves to be still. In her blood flows the life force of my very own children. She is a descendent of one of my beloved daughters. My child has long since passed, but her still-flowing blood courses within that girl and served as the bridge that allowed the child to call forth the forgotten power that dwells within her.”

“Descendent?” Tange repeated. “Do you mean, like she is your granddaughter?”

The woman with the dazzling emerald eyes smiled. “I am not at all surprised that you are so inquisitive. Your ancestor’s curiosity was very much the same.”

“My ancestor?”

“Yes. He was exceptionally curious, as well as gifted and generous. Like you, he had a penchant for helping others and a great desire to protect those that were dear to him. Tell me, is it the belief of all of your people, that the blood that flowed within his heart now courses inside of you?”

“Well…well, yes.” he answered. “We are told that we all descended from the first ones of our kind.”

“Told to you by whom?”

“Our elders.”

“That is the failing of the record of time as it passed from generation to generation through word and memory…it bears a great propensity to yield error.”

“I..don’t understand.” Night admitted.

She offered him a warm, almost motherly smile. “You asked me why I have powers likened to those that you refer to as, the first ones. The truth is, anyone carrying the blood of those at the beginning have the capacity to tap into that well of ancient power of which you speak. Recently, during the lamentable devastation that the angry sea had wrought upon the children of this land, a land now dampened by the tears of the living, there was a girl that called upon that very power."

“There.” the priestess said, as she finished tucking Shade into his bed. Before she had finished settling him on the feather mattress, the worn out cub had fallen asleep. “He will not be troubled for the remainder of his stay, here. He will sleep through the night and when he wakes, he will be able to move about the island without burden. You may leave him here. Come for him in the morning and he will be able to return with you to the palace on the hill.”

“But…but he can’t!” Tod exclaimed, worriedly. “He was so upset. I wasn’t able to help him at all. No one could, so he was…he was…”

Gently, the woman placed her hand upon the young lion’s head and brushed her fingers through his hair. “You love him, dearly.” she said, sweetly. “But, do not worry. A talisman will be bestowed upon him. It will keep the spirits that flock to him at bay. It will help him to control his power. He will no longer have to witness the presence of the spirits if he does not wish it.”

“Really?! You can do that?”

She smiled once more and said, “Yes. All will be well. You have gone through much, yourself. The island’s beauty has restorative properties. You should indulge in the peace of this land and refresh yourselves. This young one will be watched over until he awakens, so do not be troubled over his comfort. Go and replenish your bodies and spirits. We will see you upon the dawning of the next day.”

Leaving their child behind while they relaxed was not an appealing notion for Night and Mhina, but they knew that he was in good, safe hands with the priestess. Moreover, he was finally able to escape the chaos in his own mind. He was able to rest, so perhaps it was a good idea for them to do the same. Yet, there was still a nagging mystery that had yet to be explained and until it was disclosed, the unknown was more than a little unsettling.

“Priestess,” Night began, “forgive me, but the powers you possess are rather extraordinary. They are like the powers that the first ones were said to have wielded. I have come across many shamans, mystics, and the like, but their abilities do not even come remotely close to comparing to yours. I must ask, why is that?”

“Miss priestess?” Kit called. “What are those light rocks?” he asked, pointing to the glowing rocks that served as the sole sources of light in the room.

“They are glow stones.” she answered, as she tucked Shade into the bed. “They offer as much light as a candle, but without the use of fire. Being in a room filled with small, burning candles would be unsettling for your brother. His innate fear would not allow him to be calm.”

“What’s ‘innate fear’?” he asked.

“An innate fear is something that one is born with. All wolves are born with a natural aversion to fire, so to make your brother more comfortable, it is better to use glow stones.”

“Oh…” he whispered. Quickly, he shuffled over to his father and grasped his arm, shaking it gently. “Papa,” he whispered as quietly as he could, but in his anxiety, was actually quite loud, “are you afraid of fire, too?”

Night smiled, albeit a bit nervously and whispered, “Yes, I am, actually. It’s okay, though. She’s right, since there are no candles in here, I feel just fine.”

“Okay!” he whispered, still not quite grasping the idea that a whisper was supposed to be inaudible.

Even through Night had assured him of his comfort, the cub still threw his arms around him and hugged him, reassuringly…just in case. Appreciative of his concern and affection, Night hugged his son and ruffled his hair, fondly.

It was intriguing. Somehow, this priestess seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about the guests in her temple. It was no secret that wolves had a fear of fire, but it was strange that she, a person who lived on a continent completely devoid of wolves, knew such an obscure fact. Knowing the preferred habitat of the lupine race was one thing, but also being aware of their inner most fears was another. Then again, she also knew the names of each of the persons that had gathered in the room. Even his wife’s first name in its entirety was something she was somehow aware of. She never even introduced herself as, Mhina-Liana. She just referred to herself as, Mhina. Moreover, she also knew that Shade and Blaze were his brothers, not his sons. On the surface, it would have appeared that they were simply his children. They were certainly young enough to fit the role, yet she knew they were brothers, not a father and his sons.

He had met priests and priestess before. They had all possessed a strong sixth sense within them, but this was something entirely different. This was more like telepathy, if not prophetic. It seemed like she had a connection to a plane of awareness greater than he had ever heard of before. Was it a different level of spiritualism, or was it, perhaps, magic? The power that Shade yielded was rare, but not exclusive to him. This woman, however, her power was far greater than any recorded spiritual connectivity. It was almost…divine. It was like the fabled powers of the first ones, the first animalians that were ever born into the world of, Okanu. But, those legendary beings existed several millennia ago, so it was impossible that she could yield the incomprehensible powers of the ancients. …so why did it appear that she did?

Just then, Shade did his best to stifle a yawn, but with little success. His fatigue was obvious. One didn’t need to have mystical powers to see that his energy was completely spent.

“Little one,” the priestess began, “you are no doubt exhausted. Come, a bed has been prepared for you so that you might rest.”

She turned and started to walk down a short hall with the little party behind her. It led to a small room that was dimly illuminated by an assortment of glowing rocks that rested on shelves embedded in the wall and was cooled by a gentle breeze, even though there were no windows to be seen. The island of Calico was a tropical climate. The day and even into the night, maintained a temperature that was punishingly hot. Yet, even so, the room they entered was virtually chilly.

“It’s so cold in here.” Tange remarked, briskly rubbing her arms.

“Yes.” the priestess said, walking over to a fluffy bed that looked as though it had been woven from the clouds that hung in the sky. “Wolves are from Adohi. They are most comfortable in cooler areas, so he will be able to get a peaceful, restorative rest in here.” she said, pulling back a sheet that blanketed the bed and motioned for Shade to lie down.

“Oh…” Tange said, still rubbing her arms.

Seeing the girl so uncomfortably cold, Blaze walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her much smaller body. Tange gave a tiny start before the heat of his shaggy coat covered her in its warmth. It was incredible how warm his coat was and how quickly it banished the chill from her tiny frame.

“Thank you.” she sighed, unconsciously snuggling against him. “You’re really, really warm.”

“Really?” Blaze asked. “I guess I’m just used to my coat. I don’t even notice it.”

“Yeah, you’re really warm and really soft.” she said, snuggling against him even more.

Blaze smiled and blushed beneath his fur. It was strange to be complimented on something like the softness and the warmth of his fur. It was something that was so commonplace to him, that he never thought of it as remarkable in any way. Still…it was nice that she thought he was soft…and warm.

It was a startling admission, considering that the person they had hoped to find was standing before them. Night and Mhina exchanged troubled glances, then looked upon the boy that seemed to be unaware of the priestess standing in their presence.

“The spirits that had swarmed about him, are no longer occupying his being.” the woman explained. “The absence he is referring to, is the wandering souls that were drawn to his aura. They have detached from his spirit and their voices have been dispelled. For him, it is as though there was no one here. That is why you have come to this dwelling, is it not?”

“We…yes.” Night stammered. “We were hoping to find you…ah…ma’am.”

She smiled, once more. “I have no name. I have no need of one. But, if you must designate a title for me, you may call me whatever you wish, little Bravewolf.”

Astonished, Night attempted to relay his surprise, but all he could manage in the way of words was, “Ah…you…you know my…”

Yet again, the mystic smiled. “Yes. I know all of you. Night, Shade, Blaze, Tod, Kit, Mhina-Liana, and Tangerine.” she said, looking at each person as she spoke their names.

“That’s so neat!” Kit exclaimed. “You know all of us and we didn’t even tell you our names!”

“You even knew Mom’s whole name!” Tod said, with genuine intrigue. It was a facet of their exchange that both Mhina and Night had noticed, as well. How was it possible that she knew such a thing? She had never met any of them, yet not only had she anticipated their arrival, she was also able to identify each of them by name. It was truly a puzzlement.