I’ve always believed that stopping to smell the roses was an excellent way to induce a feel good magic. When the opportunity presents itself to indulge in this simple pleasure; it’s Mother Nature’s way of getting your attention.

   Naturally, I paused and treated myself with fragrant indulgence.

The heady scent pulled my face closer and I took a deep breath. Rose magic is powerful and I was under its spell before I had a chance to exhale.

   I sensed the magical charm immediately, but the bliss of scented rosiness made the experience euphoric. That’s why I did not panic.

   Even as I stared at the crimson blood droplets on my fingertip and wondered vaguely how the skin had been pierced, the sensation of bodily change began its mystical process.

There was a flutter of wings, and then the world spun out of control as my physical body shifted into an unfamiliar form.

   A feminine voice interrupted my confusion. “I’ll give you your body back when the moon shifts into the next quarter phase.”

   Uncomfortable in my new skin, I shudder and ripple the feathers along my wings. “Since I’m a bird, I don’t understand. It’s lost within bewilderment and this body change.”

   “That’s not my problem,” she remarks. “I’ve a mission and must see it through.”

   “Who are you? A body snatcher?” A bird’s eye view of my body frightens me with a reality check.

   “For now, I’m you,” she answers with a cocky attitude. Her confidence seems to grow with each passing second. “But I don’t mind if you call me Becca since no one will hear you anyway. The confusion will ease as you get used to the transformation from human to raven.”

Shayla inhaled deeply, pulling in the fall scents of the Gorge Park. She wanted to remember forever the way this place of such awesome beauty felt and smelled. Standing in Mary Campbell’s cave, brought back so many memories. It washed over her with the same power expressed by the falls below. Prior to her trip, she had felt the energies of the park and its glacier carved stones. Now, after the events in Glastonbury, she experienced their vibrations more deeply.

“DO NOT FEAR, PRETTY ONE. YE WILL BE HAPPY IF YE LET YERSELF BE.” CIARANLEXISS said from her boot.

Shayla sighed, looking around. They were alone. She couldn’t help it. Talking to an artifact still came over as more than a little insane. “I guess happiness seems elusive. How does someone leave their home with the possibility of never coming back?”

“YE WILL NEVER TRULY LEAVE. YE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK.”

“Humph.” Shayla began walking along the leaf blown trail, stepping around roots and large stones. “Humans have a saying. ‘You can never go back.’ It’s already different, CIARAN.” She decided the shortened name felt comfortable rolling off her tongue. “What am I going to tell mom? What about my friends? I could care less about my job. I can get a job anywhere.”

The trail steepened. Large boulders, small bushes and trees made the park one of the most interesting in the area. The oaks on either side of the foot trail, stood tall and strong, reflecting the timeless beauty of the landscape. The sound of water journeying down the steep slope in small streams to the Cuyahoga River added their whispers.

A chipmunk chattered at her fiercely for trespassing on his trail.

“Shh. I’m just passing through.”

Another hiker looked at her as though she were a loon.

She shrugged and continued on her way. Think that’s crazy? Try hearing and talking to a knife. By now she realized that CIARAN’s voice actually came from the sgian dhu, and was not inside her mind. Therefore, he had no way of knowing her thoughts. That proved to be something of a relief.

Crossing a small footbridge, she moved toward the high point of the trail. The carved sandstone all around hummed. She stopped briefly, placed her palm on the stone and allowed its vibrations to sweep over her. Up here, the path cut through two massive edifices in a narrow crevice.

Fallen leaves padded the sound of footsteps with both the silence of old nearly decomposed leaves and the rustling of fall’s newest contributions. The essence of nature surrounded her. The scent of the seasons pervaded her sinuses. A blue jay called raucously.

The memory of Meekal’s voice wafted over her. “Haven’t you ever heard a stone scream or purr?”