Gray mists swirl about me and as they clear I find
myself sitting next to a small campfire. The white stones of the
fire ring reflect the light upward and cause the grass to cast
small shadows upon themselves, yet the light barely reaches me.
Around me the darkness of the forest enfolds me like a blanket.
Across from me sits a dark hooded figure, the faint outline of
stag horns upon his hooded head. He points to the right and tells
me to go get the bow upon the altar for it is time to hunt. I
rise and turn away from the fire towards the darkness. I feel
a little trepidation as I leave the safety of the fire but I move
on anyway. I follow the path a small distance to the clearing
where I see an altar in the moonlight. The surface of the white
marble glows in the moonlight with a light gray phosphorescence.
As I approach the altar I can see the dark unstrung recurve bow
and a single arrow lying across the front of the altar. In the
center of the altar appears a dark stain. I reach out and take
up the bow, feeling the weight and strength within it. The bow
feels as one with my arm as I place the end upon the ground and
bend it to string it. Once strung, I test the strength of the
bow and nodding in satisfaction, pick up the arrow and nock it.
In the distance to the left I hear the stirring of my quarry
in the forest darkness. Quietly slipping from tree to tree I begin
to stalk my prey. It seems all too soon before I see the stag.
There bathed in the moonlight stands a magnificent fourteen point
buck, seven tines to each horn. As I raise the bow to my chest
the stag seems to sense my presence and raises its head almost
as if to give me a better shot. I take aim and with a whispered
prayer to the Goddess, release. I feel the pent up power of the
bow explode and see the arrow fly straight and true.
I feel a sharp pain explode in my chest and feel my legs falter.
With a final burst of strength I wheel to find my attacker and
see a small figure partially hidden behind a tree. My legs seem
to melt from under me and I feel myself fall in slow-motion to
the ground. The pain is gone as quickly as it came but I know
the wound is mortal. I can feel the life leaking out of me little
by little. The figure approaches and slowly kneels beside my head.
Taking my head into its lap the figure cradles my head like it
would a small child and begins to croon softly. I soon realize
this being is thanking me for giving up my life so that she and
others may live. Small children appear around me from the forest
and approach slowly then stop in respected awe. Each stroke of
the young woman’s hand upon my forehead seems to ease my
fear as I continue on my journey. I feel in my heart that this
is as it should be. As the gray mist gathers about, the last thing
I notice is the magnificent rack upon my head as my eyes close.
I find myself once again at the fireside staring into the fire,
the only sound coming from the crackling of the flames. I look
across the fire to see a huddled figure staring at me with a knowing
look upon his face. The face looks familiar... and then I realize
that I am looking at myself. The answers I have sought were within
me all along. I am the protector and consort of the Goddess in
all her forms and have always been so and always shall be. I nod
to the figure and feel the weight of the antlers upon my brow.
Rising, I walk the small path to the altar where the body of the
stag is laid out. Placing my hands upon the forehead of the stag
I thank him for showing me the way. Turning, I begin walking back
the way I have come so many times to the glade before as the gray
mist swirls about me.
