by Lin Northrup
Hawk reacted to her defiant glare by jumping from rock to rock screeching even louder. “It’s time to pay attention, Leela. Life is sending you a signal.”
“What do I need to pay attention to, Hawk?” she asked.
“There are many paths you can take, but which one is yours?” answered Hawk. The raptor flapped her wings and rose into the sky. Her shrill cries sounded a warning.
Wondering what Hawk meant, Leela turned her attention to figuring out how to get down the mountain. On the western side of the peak, she spied a path lined with blue lupines. It looked inviting and called to her.
“This is the right choice, Leela. The cliff path is far too dangerous. You were lucky before. Go this way, it’s safer.”
She ignored the sharp edge under the soft words and started walking along the flower-lined path. The insistent voice kept following her. “You have chosen wisely.” But with every step she felt worse. Her stomach was queasy and her heart pounded. She turned around and ran back.
Then she remembered what Hawk said. “Find the path that is yours.” She stood for a while at the edge of the narrow cliff path. How did she ever climb it? One wrong step and she’d fall to her death. Despite the steep drop, her instincts told her to take it. Once she started the long climb down, her feet seemed to know how to find every firm spot and her balance was perfect. She felt like a mountain goat at home on its terrain.
When she reached the bottom, Hawk flew above her. “There’s only one way to know which path to take, Leela. It may be challenging, but if it makes your heart sing, it’s yours,” said Hawk.
Running toward the forest, Leela bumped into something furry.
“Fox. Am I glad to see you!”
Chapter 7
Shapeshifting
“Come with me,” said Fox, tugging at her jeans.
“Wait a minute! I have so much to tell you.”
“I know, Leela. A demon almost pushed you off the mountain.”
“How did you know about that?” she asked.
Fox didn’t answer and was so far ahead of her, she had no choice but to run after him.
He led her into the center of a circle of tall pine trees and paced around thinking about what he should say.
“Leela, you already know how to feel the energy around plants and animals, but their energy is pure because they live their true purpose in the circle of life. If humans forget their true purpose and choose the crooked path, their hearts close.”
His words reminded Leela of the Rumsfords. She never felt she could trust them. To protect herself she built a wall around her feelings and pretended it didn’t matter.
Fox listened to her thoughts, knowing she was vulnerable to other people’s rejection. That would make her easy prey for those who wanted to use her new abilities for their own dark purposes. This would be her toughest assignment yet and he hoped she was ready.
“Leela, you need to learn how to read human energy. You’ll meet humans who aren’t open to the new way. Your vision must be so sharp you could walk through a field in the middle of the darkest night and separate the good seeds from the rotten seeds. Don’t move from this circle.”
“Fox, please stay. Don’t leave me alone again,” she pleaded.
He felt his heart wrench, but walked away and didn’t look back.
Leela was getting used to her guardian’s disappearing act, but she really wanted company tonight. He said her next teacher would appear, so she sat on the soft pine needles and waited. How could she practice reading human energy when her only companions were trees, rocks, and creatures?
The fading rays of the sun announced the arrival of night. Her senses sharpened. Listening intently, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The cool night breeze carried the distant beat of a drum. Its rhythm flowed into her body compelling her to get up and dance. Arms swaying back and forth, she twirled around faster and faster. Her loneliness slipped away replaced by a surge of energy.
Where was the drumming coming from? Fox told her to wait here. Certainly, it wouldn’t hurt to leave the circle for a few minutes. The drumming grew more intense. She was always being told to wait and be patient. Just for once, couldn’t she do what she wanted to do?
Determined to find who was drumming, she walked to the edge of the circle. When she stepped beyond the trees, her body was picked up and thrown back. The branches of the trees scraped the side of her face with a painful swipe.
Leela looked around to see who or what had knocked her down, but nothing was moving. She scooped up some pine needles and held them to her face to stop the bleeding. There had to be some explanation. She must have tripped on the roots of one of the trees.
Now, even more determined to find the drummer, she ran past the trees only to be thrown back again. Sighing in frustration, she closed her eyes and entered her quiet space to get some answers. Bear’s voice came forward.
“Fox told you to stay, but you were tempted to leave. Of course, you do have free will to decide your own actions,” said Bear.
Leela looked around but didn’t see Bear. “I tried to leave but got swatted back. I just want to find out who’s drumming. Is that so wrong?”
“You have an adventurous spirit and you’ll need it in the days to come, but you need to listen to your heart to learn the right action. When your choices are right for you, you flow with the energy of life. When they’re not, you go against the flow of life. Don’t you remember my teachings?”
Her face turned red, “Yes, I do. I keep being told that I need to be patient, but right now I’m not feeling patient at all.”
“It will come, Leela, it will come. The laws of the invisible world are revealed to those who have an open mind and loving intent.”
“What does loving intent mean?” she asked, liking the sound of those words.
“Loving intent is the desire to do your very best. But when your intent comes from stubbornness, it goes out into the circle of life and gets tangled. You may trip and end up on your rear end.”
Leela flopped back on the ground wondering if she’d ever get it right. There was so much to learn. She had to know how to choose the right action, tell good seeds from bad seeds and pass the water initiation whatever that was.
She paced around the circle. Bear’s warning hung in the air. The trees were silent sentinels keeping her prisoner. Why was Fox so insistent she stay here? Just as she was settling down for a long night, a huge black crow flew down and started pecking at her feet.
“Eeeiow,” she screamed, jumping up. She’d never seen such a large crow. It watched her intently then flew to a branch above cawing in a way that demanded her attention.
“You’re embarking on a very important part of your training. You’ll be discovering one of the deepest mysteries of creation - how to shapeshift and bend the laws of the universe. You must have all your wits about you. We’ll begin in the morning,” said Crow.
Chills crawled up Leela’s spine at Crow’s words. Did this have anything to do with the drumming? She looked up through the branches, but Owl was sitting where Crow had been. Exhausted from this strange day, she curled up on the ground. Owl cooed softly into the night and Spider wove a silken canopy over Leela. Proud of her work, she crawled up to sit beside Owl while they watched over the sleeping girl.
In the morning, Crow reappeared and told her to follow the drumming until she found her right place. “What is shapeshifting?” called Leela, disappointed when Crow flew away without telling her more. She looked at the formidable circle of pine trees and went into her heart to ask what action to take. When she felt certain, she walked toward the edge of the circle. The trees let her pass.
The sound of the drumming kept shifting directions, but her hearing was so keen she had no trouble following the subtle changes. When it stopped, she found herself near the entrance to a cave half hidden by thick underbrush. H
er instincts told her this was the right place, but as the hours went by, her certainty slipped away. She started to leave when a tall man with long, silver-white hair emerged from the cave.
“Who are you?” she asked, not sure whether to stay or run.
He silently beckoned her to follow him inside. She hesitated, but her heart told her this was the right action, so she followed him.
The air inside the cave had a sweet scent. Flames from a small fire cast shadows on the walls. The man waved his hand indicating she was to sit by the fire. He sat crossed-legged facing her.
He wore a fringed leather jacket and moccasins. A stone carved in the shape of a crow hung from a braided rawhide necklace. Silver amulets were wrapped around both wrists and his steady gaze revealed deep brown eyes. He sat quietly while she examined him from head to toe.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare,” she stammered.
He smiled. “You have every right to observe me and decide if you’re comfortable being here,” he said. “Now, take a deep breath, relax your eyes and tell me what you see.”
Leela took a deep breath and saw purple and turquoise around the man as well as a pink and green light around his heart.
“Good, you’re seeing and feeling my energy and my spirit. Being able to see and feel energy will help you know when to trust a person and when to be very cautious. It’s one of your gifts.”
She blushed. Ever since her parents died, few adults complimented her so she drank up every word of kindness that came her way.
“Ah, Leela, you deserve kindness and praise, but your heart has been hurt and that could make you crave affection from those who are unworthy of your trust.”
She blushed again. In a strange way he reminded her of her father’s calm presence. That memory brought a sharp pain to her heart.
“It’s time for you to practice the skill of keen sensing and seeing. Otherwise, you could fall prey to Coyote’s lessons.”
Leela knew Coyote was the trickster, but what did that have to do with her?
“You need to be able to see the difference between the energy of your allies and the energy of your adversaries. And you must be able to do this with lightning speed.”
Without warning his voice changed. The air temperature dropped and the shadows on the wall transformed into skeleton-like faces with hollow eyes that stared at her. She looked back at him and gasped.
His face was dark with cold eyes that bore into her. His hands turned into bony talons. The colors around him were thick and tangled. His heart emanated a muddy, gray energy. She tried to get up, but was frozen in place. Burying her face in her hands, she called to Fox for help.
“Leela, look at me,” he said, his voice stern.
“No. I shouldn’t have trusted you.”
The sweet smell of sage filled the air. Her body began to relax. Warmth replaced the fear lodged in the pit of her stomach.
“Leela, feel the energy within and around you. Feel it in your heart. When you’re ready, open your eyes.”
She was quiet for a long time. When she looked at him, he was surrounded by a radiant circle of white light.
“I’m called Sky Bear and I’m a shapeshifter. Crow is my totem,” he said.
“You tricked me. That’s not fair,” she said, in an accusing voice.
“I wanted to show you that not everything is as it appears. If your skills aren’t impeccable, you can be tricked by those who want to block your path.”
“And what’s a totem? Why is Crow your totem?”
“A totem can be a natural object like a stone and it could be an animal. You’ll feel closely connected to the energy of your totem. It becomes a powerful ally.”
“What’s my totem? Can I have more than one?”
“Keep learning the language of nature. When you are willing to learn her secrets, you’ll discover your totem and know the animal guides who are calling to you. But you must earn their trust.”
She could tell he wasn’t going to say more about totems, so she pressed him to tell her about being a shapeshifter.
“A shapeshifter is someone who can change his or her body into another physical form. They can even shapeshift time and the weather. It takes great courage and intent to become a shapeshifter who uses that power for the highest good.”
“How can you shapeshift time?” she asked.
“Time is not solid. You move it with your mind. Where were you before you were guided to this cave?
“I was pacing around inside a circle of trees.”
“Go back there. Use all your senses. Don’t just see yourself there. Be there.”
Leela concentrated. She was pacing around inside the circle of pine trees and felt the thick carpet of pine needles under her feet. A cool breeze ruffled her hair as she stood looking out through the trees. Sky Bear was standing next to her.
She went up to touch him. “You seem so real,” she said.
“I am real. And so are you. You just moved time backwards and I traveled with you.”
“Am I imagining this? Like a dream?”
“You’re bringing the past, present and future together. You can flow either way when you focus the power of your mind.”
There was a soft swoosh by her right ear. She opened her eyes. They were back in the cave. “I feel dizzy,” she said, holding her stomach.
“Rub your hands in the dirt. You won’t feel dizzy once you learn to reassemble yourself. That will take practice.
“Can we do that again? So I can practice.”
“Remember this, Leela. The skill of bending time must be used wisely. Or you may go into the past or future unable to return to the present. Right now you have something else to practice. The art of seeing energy.”
Sky Bear stood up. “Some people are dark shapeshifters. Their words may say one thing, but on the inside their intent is very different. They’re pretenders who are false to themselves and others. Come with me, so you can practice observing people’s energy.”
Leela was still shaken by what had just happened, but her heart told her to trust Sky Bear. After they left the cave, she kept looking back. Were they being followed? Had the dark forces found her? Did Sky Bear feel them? She looked at his face, but he seemed completely at ease.
After walking for a while through the thick forest, they came to a wooden bridge that spanned the river. Sky Bear waved his arms. A small town appeared out of nowhere.
“Sky Bear, where did that town come from? Did you make that happen?” she asked, staring at him.
He smiled, but didn’t answer. They crossed the bridge and walked into the center of the town. Sky Bear was an imposing figure who quickly attracted people’s attention. His silver hair glinted in the sun and he walked with a dignity and grace that made him seem much younger.
“I want you to be very observant,” he said, walking into the grocery store.
The shelves were filled with expensive foods and everyone was well dressed. As they walked through the store, Leela saw the customers staring at him in a way that made her uneasy. Their energy felt like sharp needles.
When they turned the corner of the aisle, Sky Bear bumped into a tall display. Jars of tomato sauce scattered in every direction. Two clerks rushed over followed by a bald, overweight man. His lips were curled into a tight smile. The lady standing near the jars was trying to brush a spot of sauce off her white linen pants. Sky Bear became the center of attention as more customers crowded around them.
“Excuse me, sir. What happened here?” asked the bald man who appeared to be the one in charge.
Sky Bear had a confused look on his face and shrugged his shoulders. The lady muttered something under her breath. Leela saw the energy around her turn muddy. Sky Bear shrugged again and acted befuddled.
The manager apologized profusely to the lady. “We’ll pay for dry cleaning you
r pants. This kind of thing never happens in our store,” he said, glancing at Sky Bear.
“Sir would you please move so we can clean up this mess?” he said, waving his hands.
Leela’s stomach felt queasy as she listened to the way the manager talked. She looked at Sky Bear for reassurance, but he continued to look helpless. The sauce-smeared lady glared at him.
“Sir, you should pay more attention,” she said, in a cold tone, that made the colors around her turn darker.
Sky Bear smiled at her as if he didn’t know what to say. The lady shook her head in disgust and walked away.
The manager turned to Sky Bear. “I think it’s best if you leave the store, sir,” he said, in a polite voice.
Leela saw sparks of red all around the manager’s head. His polite words felt like knives and the energy around him was dark. The air crackled when he pointed toward the door.
Sky Bear made a slight bow and took Leela’s hand.
As they walked away, she heard the store manager mutter to the clerk. “What’s he doing in our store? He belongs with his own kind.”
Leela turned to look and saw him laughing with two men whose tangled colors leaped out and slithered toward them. She felt like she was going to be sick. It was the same energy she used to feel at the Rumsford’s house.
They walked back to the bridge. She looked behind her. The town was gone.
When they reached the cave, Sky Bear built a fire outside.
“Leela, lie on the ground. Feel Mother Earth holding you. Close your eyes and let everything that just happened leave your body and go into the earth.”
She stretched out on the ground relieved to be away from those awful people.
“Breathe deeply. Open your heart and feel the Tree Nation surrounding you. You can hear their high thoughts whispering to you whenever anyone treats you with disrespect. When people act that way, it’s because they’ve forgotten how to respect themselves, the earth and their animal relations,” he said, in a quiet, firm voice.