Fables’ heart pounded as she rode Bluebell back into Darnassea, the pounding hooves on the trail matching her heart rate beat for beat. Creek held on tightly behind her, and Ashling clung to her Keepers’ shoulders.

"All of them?" Fable asked to make sure she understood the situation, though she was certain not even the council could understand this.

"Everyone had the same dream,” Creek repeated. "The door, the fall of Darnassea, the cages, and you standing with a human between us and some guy in a cloak with a Mara."

That was the only difference, as Fable came to find out. Everyone else dreamed that she was standing between them and the cloaked man while she didn't see anyone besides the young man and the Cloaked Man. The words were still echoing along the edges of her mind as well, and the feel of them made her anxious.

As they drew closer to Darnassea, Fable could tell that the festive aura the village once had was replaced by one of fear and confusion. She slowed Bluebell to a walk as they walked into the village, some of her people looking at her in terror and others looking like they were blaming her. Fable was hesitant to dismount Bluebell as she, Creek, and Ashling rode into the square. Sensing her Keepers’ unease, Ashling gently nuzzled Fable to reassure her. It helped a little, but Fable's unease did not go away, especially as she saw the Council was in the center of the square.

Forest Dreamwalker spotted her approach and stepped forward to greet her, lightly patting Bluebell's neck. "Lady Keeper." He said politely, glancing at Ashling as the Fox Drake draped herself across Fable's shoulders. He knew that a Keeper would be part of the council in the old days, usually in the place of the Soul Member. But he had said that Fable was far too young to be a member, so in her cottage, she stayed. "I take it you had a dream as well?"

Fable nodded, dismounting Bluebell carefully not to dislodge Ashling from her perch. "Yes, sir. It wasn't a pleasant one."

"The same as the rest of us?" Forest asked, his deep green eyes watching her.

Fable gulped. "I understand that I dreamed, from my perspective, at a human's side in front of another man with the Mara."

“Were there any different herbs used in the Lunar Sight potion?"

"No sir, I used the same ingredients as Ashling first taught me. I even used the freshest herbs from my garden."

"So then!" Sparrow Mistrider said, her chiming voice sounding like an anxious bird. While the Members of Air are usually some of the wisest, able to step back and see the bigger picture, Sparrow was flighty and nervous… much like her namesake. "It is a prophecy, then! A Prophecy claiming that a terrible enemy is coming to Myth!"

"Now, Sparrow, this is not the time for hysterics." Thicket Stormwood answered as the Member of Earth was the Council's 'Rock,’ so to speak. He was the one who held steady and encouraged calmness to think things through. "While possible, I felt this is more of a warning that there's time for this enemy to be avoided."

"And how are you so sure?" River Nobleflame asked. As the Fire Member, he was the combat advisor and in charge of trades and relations with the other races of Myth. He kept the peace, but Heavens helped anyone who managed to anger him. His anger didn't blaze but burned coldly when provoked. "Perhaps the potion brewing was incomplete and thus gave nightmares."

"Everyone the same nightmare?" Thicket asked. "All from different perspectives?"

"How else can you explain the appearance of the human?" River asked. "Humans have never set foot into Myth, as ordained by the Fox Drakes when Myth was created. No human is to enter Myth as a founding Law."

As the council turned to start arguing amongst themselves over the matter, Fable heard Ashling huff. 'They squabble like hatchlings over strawberries.' She muttered, almost making Fable chuckle. She barely managed to hold it in, though, to where only a tiny grin cracked her lips despite her mounting anxiety.

Frost Starstribe's eyes shifted to Fable, raising an eyebrow at her. Fable felt his gaze and turned to look at him, swallowing at the piercing blue eyes. They weren't like the cloaked man from the dream, but they still seemed to freeze her in place. He watched her momentarily, making Fable wonder what he was thinking. As the Water Member, he was the Head Advisor in the council, taking what all the others said into careful consideration and adding his voice in favor of what idea sounded best in a discussion. In passing, some joked about who the real Soul Member was, Forest or Frost.

He cleared his throat, and when no one turned to hear him, Frost cleared his throat more until the council silenced and looked at him. "We have yet to complete the Cleansing Rituals." He said. "They are done after the Full Moon Festival for two reasons: to cleanse the spirit of all fears and negative energies collected over the years and to bring better Understanding to the dreams the Full Moon Festival had brought the previous night. I say before anything else is done, we must complete these traditions and return to this matter tomorrow when we have more understanding. This will also give me time to consult my star charts and see what the heavens can offer in this troubling vision. Are we in agreement?"

Forest pondered this for a moment before giving a nod. "I can agree with this. We don't have enough information to fully understand what our next step ought to be as of yet."

Sparrow was already shaking her head. "I disagree. There is danger at our front step, and it will take our homes and lives if we don’t do anything about it.”

"And how do you plan on chasing this threat away?" River asked. "Twitter at it?"

Sparrow's cheeks flushed as she turned away from River, not giving him the satisfaction of answering the insult.

River huffed and shook his head. “I agree. We need time to breathe and think about this.”

Thicket also nodded his agreement, though he didn't speak it.

Fables’ eyes darted from speaker to speaker, her forefinger scratching on her thumbnail as she listened to them talk and bicker. Sensing her Keepers’ concern, Ashling lightly nuzzled against Fable’s cheek, offering a small purr to comfort her and remind her she wasn’t standing alone. Thankful, Fable reached up and stroked her thumb over the Fox Drake’s neck.

Forest nodded as he regarded each member of the council. "It is agreed then,” he said, turning to the people of Darnassea. "Return to your homes and rest! When the Cleansing rituals are complete, please take note of your findings and return them here tomorrow morning. We will need all the information we can gather to understand this better.” He then turned to Fable. "We will need your insights, too, as you had a closer point of view of this Man and this human."

Fable gave a nod of understanding. "Yes, sir."

Forest gave one more nod before addressing the gathered elves. "Until tomorrow."

Taking the hint, the council and the gathered elves anxiously departed to complete the Cleansing rituals. Fable took this hint and stepped back to Bluebell, Creek offering her reigns back. He looked worried; for once, Fable wasn't sure if she could comfort him. Not with that ominous nightmare hanging over the village like a cloud that refused to rain.

"Will you be okay?" Creek asked.

"Yeah, I should be,” Fable answered. "You?"

"I think so." He answered, walking beside her and Bluebell. "What do you think is going on?"

Fable bit her lip. She couldn't give him an answer, given that she wasn't sure what the truth was herself at this point. She wasn't sure what was happening. “I, can't be sure,” she answered after a moment. "Not until I have some answers for myself. But, want to hang out after the Cleansings?"

Creek smiled, though Fable knew it wasn't his genuine smile. He was anxious, like everyone else in Darnassea at the moment. "Yeah, that sounds like fun." He answered. "We can go swimming."

"Sounds like a plan,” Fable answered, patting Bluebell on the neck as they walked. She rode the mule hard getting to Darnassea so that a walk would do her good. Ashling remained on Fable's shoulder, gently nuzzling her Keeper’s cheek as she sensed the elven girl’s worry. Answers would come soon. She was sure of that.

As they walked, Creek took a slow breath, his cloven hooves blending in with the sound of Bluebell’s large hooves. “Did Ashling find out anything about my bad feeling?” he asked. 

Fable looked at him. She’d completely forgotten about that. However, after the dream, she felt Creek was again spot on. She glanced at Ashling, the Fox Drake stretching up her wings a little. 

‘While my elders haven’t found any telling signs of the traditional ways,’ Ashling explained while Fable translated. ‘The trolls have reported odd happenings here and there within nature. Usually, the easiest crops to grow are harder to keep alive, unrest in the fauna, and red sunrises.’

Creek tilted his head at the mention of the sunrises. “What’s the color of sunrises have to do with anything?”

“It’s an old sailor saying,” Fable answered. “Red sky in the morning, sailors heed the warning. Red sky in the evening, sailors will be singing.”

“Oh yeah,” Creek commented. “I forgot that your family are all sailing merchants.” 

“Not all,” Fable replied. “My uncle is a farmer on the edge of Hollow Port, and my aunt is also a healer. Though, with the signs the trolls have mentioned to the clan and the dream, it looks like your hunch was right on the coin.” 

Creek wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, though I’m wishing it wasn’t.” He answered. “Isn’t there a saying that ignorance is bliss?”

Ashling chuffed and shook her head at him. ‘Only fools are willingly ignorant. You should always look into something that you have questions about.’

Fable grinned at Ashling and petted her wing before looking back at Creek. “I don’t think it is.” She answered. “Ignorance just allows bad things to happen.”

* * *

"You're sure this is okay?" Fable asked as Ashling led her to a spring near the cottage. Fable had seen a few animals come to drink from it, including a unicorn once, as even here in Myth, wild unicorns were rare, and like the Fox Drakes, they chose who rode and kept them.

A small waterfall fed the spring and drained into another nearby river that flowed towards the sea. It was deep enough that when Fable stepped in, it would come up past her hips, and the bottom was more smooth pebbles than mud, Though water lilies still grew here, giving life to frogs and dragonflies alike and leaving the water very pure.

'I'm certain.' Ashling answered. 'With how intense that vision was, this spring will be better suited for clarity and cleansing. I'm certain the ritual won’t cause harm, as we’re using natural herbs, and they’ll be washed to sea when finished. Ready?'

Fable was wrapped in a wool robe, her hair secured back, though she knew it would get wet anyway. She wore sandals to protect her feet outside the spring, and in a basket, she carried lavender blooms, a jar of burdock root, another jar of rosemary, four white candles, and her journal. Whatever clarity the cleansing gave, she wanted to write it down so she wouldn't forget it.

Ashling sat on one of the smooth stones nearby and curled her tail around her claws, looking rather catlike as she gazed up at her Keeper. 'Come on.' Ashling encouraged.

Looking around, Fable knelt by the water and set up the candles, lighting them and setting them where they wouldn't catch anything on fire. She sprinkled the herbs into the pool and disrobed, carefully stepping into the comfortable water. She knelt before reclining onto her back, watching as curious dragonflies darted around and over her face. She usually did the cleansing rite in her tub, but she wondered why Ashling had insisted on the spring.

'Now, close your eyes and recall the vision.' Ashling instructed, her voice still clear even with Fable's long ears in the water.

Fable did as she was told, closing her eyes and pondering the dream. The words echoed in her mind, chilling her as she remembered. She started with the door and the knocking on the other side. She recalled one of the older tales when Myth was created. According to those stories, the Fox Drakes made a door to Myth to safeguard the element of Magic after the Sorcerer's betrayal. Was that the same door?

Fable took another slow breath, letting her mind gently follow the train of thought over the vision. She moved to the boy and the blue-eyed man with his Mara. According to the village, she and this boy were the only ones standing between the elves and the man. Why was that? When the children of Two Sisters unite, that was also part of the old story. It was an ancient religion called the Saints of the Sisters, believing that Myth and Earth were sister goddesses, One named Terra and the other Gaia. Did that mean the prophecy spoke of Earth? According to the old stories and legends, the humans were left behind on Earth, Gaia, while the elves and other beings of magic thrived on Myth, Terra. So, the boy was technically a child of Gaia, and she was the child of Tera, the children of two sisters.

Fable gasped as she sat up in the water, surprising Ashling as the drake backed away from the splashing moisture with an involuntary hiss. 'Careful, please!' Ashling requested. 'I'm no water guardian.'

"Sorry, Ashling,” Fable said as she dried off her hands and started writing these thoughts into her journal. "But I think I made a connection."

Curious, Ashling approached and watched Fable write. When she finished writing her notes, she re-read them. "If that boy is from Earth, and he comes here to stand by me against the Blue-Eyed man," Fable said, holding the train of thought. "Then it's possible that the two sisters are Gaia and Terra, Earth and Myth. Then... then that means..."

'That means this was indeed a warning to all of us.' Ashling said with a flick of her tail. She was quiet for a long moment as her tail settled, and just the tip of it tapped, like someone tapping their finger while deep in thought. 'You'll need to see the council.'

Fable was afraid of that. "I don't think they'll be happy about it." She answered. "They already don't like the fact that I'm a Keeper and-"

'Not your council, Fable.' Ashling told her, looking up at Fable with her shining Emerald eyes. 'I mean my council. The Elders of my clan.’