Protector The Raven

  As Lily crunched the old stalks of corn with her boots she was thinking only of her breath and the sound of her walking.  In those moments there was no other sound.  No birds were singing, no squirrels chattering, there was no sounds of tires on the nearby gravel road.  The sound of her heartbeat was loud in this silence.  Steady and slow,  she wondered why her heartbeat was so slow.  She had been walking all morning shouldn't her heart be beating faster?  beat, one one thousand two one thousand she counted,  beat... pause, beat... pause  beat...  breathe.  What was that?  It sounded like the flap of birds wings,  there were no birds that she could see.  Then the sound of wind came powerfully to her in a rhythmic beat mirroring her heart.  Scanning the sky she saw the magnificent creature making this sound.  His wings were as black as coal and as shining as the sun.  His beak was long and sharp she was sure he could kill her before she could take her next breath. She stood as still as she could and waited.  She noticed his talons.  In his talons he carried Lily's rattle!  "But I haven't made it yet" she cried out.   Steely gray eyes stared at her and he laid the rattle at Lily's right hand.  "Lily I am bringing your rattle to you,  you will need it soon".  As she picked up the rattle she felt a wave of energy travel up her arm and into her heart.  She rattled to the four directions asking for guidance, she rattled to the father sky and mother earth for life and stamina, she rattled for her own soul to see herself as a warrior.   Lily knew there was a battle ahead, she could feel the darkness in the air, she could feel the cold breeze begin to blow.   Snow begin to fall and light began to fade.   Lily spoke  "Crow, will you find me shelter for the night"?   "I don't think I can go home."
    Without saying a word he began  to walk toward the west and the setting sun.  I hope it's not too far Lily thought as she followed him,   I am very tired.  Crow then began to run.  Faster and faster he ran then opened his wings and pushed the air from around his body and rose into the sky.   Lily  watched him leave, she didn't try to stop him or yell at him to stay, she wasn't even surprised.  She wondered how far she had walked that day, maybe she should just go home.  Home to normal, home to sameness.  She knew she could go back as if nothing had happened that day.  She knew she could forget what crow had said. And she als knew that she would never be happy again if she did go back. So she went on.    She had only started out that morning to give a gift to tree spirit.  She was just going to visit the old tree by the creek.   "What is this journey that I am on she wondered, and just what was she looking for anyway?