Of beginning

I answer the heroic question,

"Death where is thy sting?"

with

"It is here in my heart and mind and memories."

Maya Angelou

The canyons hold worlds within worlds we rarely take the time to see. There are caves and cliffs containing wonders and mysteries that defy imaginations to describe. Beauties that wet the eye as well as dangers that set the hair to rise on the nape of the neck. The first leg of this journey was for a Mother as requiem for her son so there was an air of reverence and respect as the five of us neared them.

Orahjinn, elder of the Haruspex clan, my mentor, had asked where I felt most at peace so that the depth of a new lesson would find ease to follow. It was here that came to mind and he smiled with some strange sense of knowing. Ol'ngyuen, a warrior of the Ubar's Guard had become a constant in my life. Appointed at one time by the Ubar himself, my journeys it seem would always be accompanied by the faithful companion. Zhou, Singer and Trusted friend of Aamon had been sent by the elder of the clan himself. He was adamant to be a part of this mission for the family of Ba'atar, to see a will be carried out as requested. Laridas, a revered Orlu of the Tribe was to insure the safety of the others. He rode point while Ol'ngyuen ... Ollie would bring up the rear.

Birmmah had been detailed in her description of a particular place ... where the ridge of the cliffs ran straight into the air like vertical folds of fabric with a shadow that overlapped a crease. There within we would find a glint of light without source. We searched for an ahn and a half riding up and down the area she had described before I found it. Truth is, it was Zhou that motioned up over our heads to a gleam that winked as we moved. Little did we understand it had been a ring placed there by the woman's hands herself long ago, perched on the edge of a small plateau .. right there in plain sight yet hidden unless you knew to look.

It would be Ollie that stepped through the fissure with me .. into one of those worlds unlike any other. The dampness of the rock kept the cavern cool and the angle of light illuminated the sides of the walls like a rainbow. Trickles of water seeped from the rock itself as if it wept for its own beauty. I found myself teary eyed as I traced markings along the smooth surface. Nine clearly defined symbols all in a row. A mother's scrapbook of memories.

For Birmmah.

I wept as I reached out to add to the first in the line where several others had the same rendering beneath them .. the plains, the clouds .. the journey to the Sky. The coil of braid left lovingly there before I scooped up a handful of golden minerals that lay beneath it.

For Aamon

The voice of Zhou echoed within the cavern walls until it sounded like the thundering rage of a river crashing over a dam. He sang of an end and of beginning.

For Ba'atar.