Eru, Emissary of the Wild

393 AC - Papa is on one side of the fire, and Mama is on the other, with the light of the flames dancing on their faces. They are wearing their ceremonial clothes and ritual face paint. As for Eru, he's standing next to me with a reassuring hand on my shoulder. He squeezes it one last time, then lets go so I can move forward to the young Ollam and the dark figure of Puff, who are both waiting for me on the other side of the flames. We're not alone, of course. Many animals answered my mentor's call to be witnesses to our union. Raccoons, anteaters, common cranes, turtles and tarantulas… A wolf watches from the edge of the clearing, its eyes glinting in the half-light.

"Are you sure about this?" my father asked me. I'd replied yes, but to be honest, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I just felt like it was the right path to follow. The Musubi came from the Skein. From what I understood, it was like stitching two people together with threads of Mana. Described like that, I admit it didn't sound like much fun. I'd heard two grown-ups at the Mess talking about the difference between the Skein and the Ordis Gestalt. From what they were saying, it was a bit like the difference between the soul and the spirit, although I don't really know what that means… Ow! Eru taps me on the head to bring me back from my daydreaming. He knows I often drift off, like when I'm sprawled in the grass, supposedly guarding the Woollybacks…

KAURI