The PureLights of Ohm Totem (23 page)

Muna sniffed his head. “Good. Still alive.” She smiled and gently admonished, “I warned you, Coda. If you let me bring some helpful Prana to you, then I could take the heavy burden of weak knees and shaky muscles away from you.”

There was that word again, Prana. Curious, Coda turned his eyes toward Muna. “What's that?”

“What's what?”

“Prana?”

Muna seemed surprised by the question. “Are you serious?”

Coda gave a limp shrug. “Uh-huh.”

“Good joke, Coda. You should be a bard. You're a good actor,” she giggled.

Suddenly realizing that he was taking up valuable time in getting to Nova, he nodded his head in agreement. “I guess, give me some of that Prana? Where do you get it?”

Muna laughed again. “Yeah, you're in the wrong training. The Bards are definitely for you.” She sat down and closed her eyes. She put her front paws on his back and took several deep breaths. Coda felt heat, and a lot of it, coming from Muna's paws. A moment later, he felt a tingling sensation accompanied by a feeling of calmness washing through him. He reactively took a deep breath, filling his body full of vibrant energy. His muscles strengthened, his mind cleared, and his body reacted with a couple of jolts. It was literally electrifying.

Muna took her hands off of him. “There. Feeling better now?”

Coda pushed up with one front leg, and then the other. He tested his back legs, bending them several times, then pushed them up as well. Standing, he bent both legs several more times. Good as new. In fact, everything felt better than ever!

He jumped up and down. “Whoa!” His eyes glowed with a joy and energy that he didn't have only moments prior. “How did you do that?”

“How do you think?” She pointed with her tail up shore. “Aren't you forgetting your heroic adventure to save your queen?”

Coda’s eyes widened as he remembered Nova and dashed off as fast as he could. He rounded a corner, quickly turning, kicking up dirt behind him. He headed into the tree line, hoping to reach Nova quickly, if she wasn’t dead already, and to cut off the owl attack where they wouldn't expect it.

The tree line was thick. In fact, if it weren't for the Fog only a few yards to his left, he'd think this tree line was more of a forest. It probably went on for miles on the other side of the Fog. In front of him was thick brush that crossed north into the Fog. It wasn't tall, so he sprinted as fast as he could, flexed his hind legs, and took a powerful leap over them.

“Argh!” he yelled. His front legs were extended, but instead of falling. he continued to ascend. He was twice as high as he imagined he'd be before he started to descend.
Is this how high Nova gets?
Then he wondered how he was going to land without hurting himself. The thought quickly diminished when he realized he was heading straight for a moss-covered tree. He curled his body in a fetal position, and closed his eyes. Moments later he heard a loud thump and saw lightning streak across his darkened vision. His legs went numb, then pain scorched through him. His limp body slid down the tree, making a big thud when he hit the forest floor.

Dazed and shaken, he opened his eyes to see Muna standing over him, again. She rolled her eyes, “Come on, hero. Let's get you up.”

“How did I do that?”

“Yeah,” Muna said, “I saw that. It was quite impressive. I've only seen Nova jump that high.”

“Nova!” he remembered. He turned and ran, ignoring the sheering pain that engulfed his body. He had to get to Nova.

The trees blurred by him as he moved with precision and speed he never knew he had. He dodged large ferns, twirled around trees, and zig-zagged his way forward. He could tell he was outrunning Muna by far, even with pain stabbing at him.

Up ahead he could see a small opening in the trees and white fur through the gaps of foliage.
Nova!

Coming closer to the opening, he could see her lying on her back with her forelegs stretched out wide. She wasn't moving.

Oh no!

He skidded to a halt, hiding behind a large tree as he stared at her. Her eyes were closed and the owls were gone. He looked up, just to make sure none were watching over her. He saw massive tree limbs, and light peering through the gaps, but no owls. Everything was silent, except for his aching body.

His heart started to beat faster. He'd never encountered anything that was dead, or at least up close, other than the usual bug here and there. He froze, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly he was shoved from behind, pushing him forward until he fell next to Nova. He landed on fresh fallen leaves.

“Sorry,” came Muna's voice, “I came around the corner and didn't see you.” She was standing over him, panting from trying to catch up.

Nova stirred. “Blessings.”

She's alive?

Muna quietly giggled. “I think Coda here thought you were attacked by the Wing Watchers.”

Wing Watchers?
wondered Coda.

Nova stood up, looking at Coda blandly. “What would make you think that? I was just lying still and enjoying nature's silence.”

Coda shrugged sheepishly. “I...I don't know.” He felt embarrassed. She was fine. Of course she'd be fine. She's Nova.

Nova smiled in understanding. “The owls were holding me back from going into the Fog. They saw my determination and knew I wasn't going to stop. They were right.”

“I thought they were attacking you.”

“The owls are our Wing Watchers,” replied Muna, “they'd never harm us. They warn us if Dims come through the Fog and they stop us from going through the Fog, as well. They protect us.”

Nova walked over to the water's edge. She gestured with her head for them to follow. “A Dim snuck over to Sihu land and the Wing Watchers somehow missed him. He spied on us, then managed to escape. That's a powerful Dim. Nothing usually escapes the Wing Watchers’ eyes.”

“A Dim was here?” Muna repeated, somewhat mystified. She sniffed at a rock. “I don't smell a Dim.”

“We spotted the Dim over there.” Nova gestured upstream with her tail.

“Did you see who it was?”

“I didn't. It was fast, and disappeared into the Fog before I could get a good look.”

Coda pushed a rock back and forth with his paw. “How come nobody else came when the owls shrieked?”

Nova walked near the river's edge. It was noisy and the water seemed full of rage, splashing against logs and branches and hitting boulders in the middle of the river. She bent her head and lapped some water. “The shriek was low-pitched. They were calling me. A high-pitched shriek means that we all get ready.” She took another lap of water. “Coda, come and have some.”

Coda walked over and lapped some water with her. Instantly, more life filled his bones, taking away the pain from hitting the tree.

Muna told Nova about Coda and his attempt to outmatch the rapids. Nova nodded, drinking some more water. She grinned, “You can't fight against nature and expect to win. Next time you're fighting the rapids, just let go. Go with the stream. Something will always appear to help you, such as a rock, a log, a large branch hanging from a tree, one of us, or something else. The Great Spirit always lends a hand in moments of necessity, unless you choose otherwise.”

Confusion pulsed through Coda.
That's impossible to do. How can you not panic in a time like that? It's natural. Everyone does.

Muna joined them and lapped some water as well. She leaned against Coda, rubbing her fur against his. “I'm off to the students. And, Coda, what Nova says is true. Go with the stream. Keep in mind that it takes practice. It takes discipline to not panic.” She sighed, “I'm always taking the words from you, Nova, but here's another one, 'When you panic, you choose otherwise.'” She licked both Coda's and Nova's cheek, then with a thrust of her hind legs took off along the shoreline. Looking back over her shoulder, she yelled, “Coda, you've got more Art of Defense to learn, so don't be long.”

“I won't!”

Coda drank again and thoughts flooded his mind. How can he be calm when his friend is in trouble? He felt frustrated. He couldn't have gotten to Nova if he had let the stream take him all the way down the river. What if a rock didn't appear to help him? What if nothing came? Then he'd be going down the stream forever, probably drowning under the force of the rapids.

Nova, as usual, answered his unspoken thoughts. “The river always has a calm to it. It's not always rapids, you know.” She scooted away from the river’s edge, licking her paw. She rubbed it against the top of her head. “The 'what ifs' will drain you of experience and life. The 'what ifs' stop you from walking the path. They take you away from The Great Spirit and away from your mission in life. If you die, then you die, and the 'what ifs' did nothing to save you. They never do. They only hold you back, until you eventually die from a 'what if' like event.”

She looked to the river. “We all have a mission in life, and a mission's greatest ally is knowing—knowing that everything will be fine, even if or when you die. Once you get that down, nothing will stand in your way. As I have told you, you and your sister are powerful Beings. If you follow your mission, and act with knowing, then nothing can stop you.”

Coda's heart felt otherwise as his claws dug into the earth. “I'm not that powerful,” he protested. “I couldn't get to you even though I was paddling as fast as I could.”

Nova nodded. “I know what you did and thank you for that. I'll always remember your courage.” She patted the top of his head. “And, I was trying to help you as well.”

“You were?” The air sparkled around her and he felt the tranquility of calm energy flow from her to him. Instantly, his body felt at ease.
How does she do that?

She leaned in and whispered into his ear. “It's very rare that I go after a Dim the way that I did today. I was trying to stop it from relaying a message.”

Coda looked up from lapping some water. Little droplets dripped from his chin and back into the river. “What message?”

“That Orion the VioletLight is back.”

“I'm secure, compassionate, and strong,” chanted Zoey as she walked to the Spruce Hollow. “I'm secure, compassionate...”

“It sounds like you've been talking with Numee.”

The zebra stood under the same maple tree where Zoey had seen him before. The squirrel still sat next to him, and a large weasel was now with them.

Zoey stopped, squinting her eyes. The sun was high, beaming brightly, slightly blinding her from getting a better look at the three. She nodded her head, giving a barely audible 'yes' to them. They all leaned in to listen. The squirrel's eyes widened as he ran over in a fit of excitement, “I-I-I'm S-skint. I h-have a speech p-p-problem t-too!” He looked as if he wanted to jump into Zoey's wings to give her a big hug.

Zoey didn't think she had a speech problem. Or, did she? Regardless, she gave a friendly nod to Skint. He smiled and grabbed her wing, practically dragging her over to the zebra and weasel. He looked funny as he walked. He had three of his feet touching the ground and one pulling her wing.

The Zebra looked down at her calmly. He seemed like a dad—a stern and calm one. His voice was thick and heavy. He had an air of charm about him that drew her nearer. It was hypnotic.

He lowered himself, looking her square in the eyes. She noticed he had indigo crystals just like Taregan. “I'm Tasunke, but call me Ke.” His eyes were determined, hard, almost as if he'd lived a tough life. “Does Nova think you have a speaking problem, too?” He looked over at Skint, “She's pegged him as having one. Right Skint?”

Skint vigorously nodded his head up and down, “She sh-sh-sure d-d-did.” He stood on his back legs and folded his arms. His eyes became heavy and rebellious, “I-I talk how I-I'm s-s-supposed to!”

Zoey felt a little odd, especially with that weasel staring at her. He seemed uncomfortable in the group, but at the same time, he made her feel the same way. He gave off a sense of anger, almost like a bully at school does. He spit on the ground. “I'm Piv. Call me Piv, okay?” His crystals were red like hers.

“Uh, okay.” Zoey wanted to leave, but Skint gently held her wing. “We are n-n-nice.”

Zoey nodded again. She didn't think that was entirely true.

“Don't take everything Numee and Nova say to heart,” said Ke. “They may have an issue with your speaking problem, but they don't mean any harm by it.” He stood up, towering over her.

“They have an issue with my speech?” this took Zoey off-guard. She just thought they were trying to help her speak more clearly.

“Of course. Why would they continue to bother you about it?” Ke shook his head, looking disgusted. “They act like they want people to live their own life, but if that were so, then wouldn't they leave you alone, and not worry about how you speak? It's simple logic.”

That makes sense, thought Zoey. “I guess so, but I think they’re trying to help.”

“D-do you even n-need help?” replied Skint.

Zoey leaned in to listen. She wanted to hurry up his sentences, but didn't know why. She shouldn't even consider it.
Poor guy. It's just how he was born
. A quick twinge of anger nudged at her.
It's true
, she thought.
This is how I was born. Why should I try to fix myself if I was born this way? I should be left alone! Speaking this way doesn't bother me, why should it bother them?