Shadows at Stonewylde

19



There was something wrong at the heart of Stonewylde, and like a malignant disease it pervaded everything around it. Everyone felt it growing and spreading, touching their lives in one way or another. Like a canker it was invisible to the eye, impossible to isolate and cure, but growing all the time and tainting everything with its poison.

As the Council of Elders sat in their circle, the discontent spilled out.

‘I’ve never before encountered such rudeness and restlessness amongst the students,’ said Miranda irritably. ‘It’s appalling the way they’re behaving and it reminds me of the school where I taught in London. There’s so little respect or deference towards adults and I really don’t like it.’

‘I warned everyone about this,’ said Martin. ‘I said if we let in all them Outside folk there’ll only be trouble. They led our youngsters astray with their wild clothes and coarse dancing. I seen them myself and—’

‘I seem to recall your son Swift enjoyed it as much as the next one,’ snapped Yul. ‘I don’t think we can blame the poor behaviour at school on one small party, surely?’

‘No, I don’t think it’s that either,’ said Dawn. ‘We’ve had problems in the Village School too – fighting and aggression on an unprecedented scale. The children are so defiant! Thanks for sorting out those boys I had to send up the other day, Miranda. I’ve never had to do that before.’

‘No problem,’ she smiled. ‘Thank Tom, not me! He had them mucking out the stables all afternoon – that cured their cheekiness.’

‘Aye,’ Tom growled. ‘Cocky little buggers the pair o’ them. Would’ve had the strap in the old days, but …’

His voice tailed off as he glanced guiltily at Yul.

‘Things haven’t been too good in the Nursery either, have they, Rowan?’ said Sylvie quickly. ‘That awful chesty cold and cough that’s been going around?’

Rowan nodded but failed to offer any more information.

‘It’s a nasty bug,’ agreed Hazel. ‘So many of the little ones are poorly with it. We don’t normally keep them indoors whatever the weather, but with the high temperatures they’ve been experiencing I’ve had to advise mothers to keep them at home in their beds. I’ve got a whole ward full of older Stonewylders in the hospital wing, all with this dreadful chest infection. I really think the idea of re-homing some of our frailer folk in the Hall would be worth pursuing.’

Yul nodded at this.

‘Hazel, maybe you and Martin can look into how we might organise this? Martin, you need to look at which rooms could be available for use and Hazel – you and Martin can then discuss what sort of renovations or changes would be needed to make the accommodation suitable for the elderly. Can I leave that with you two initially, and then bring me your report?’

Martin muttered under his breath and Yul’s cheeks flushed.

‘Sorry, Martin – did you say something?’

‘’Tis just I don’t have time to be worrying about rooms for the old folk,’ he grumbled. ‘I’m too busy as it is.’

‘I could get together with Hazel and—’

‘No thank you, Sylvie – it needs to be someone who’s involved with the accommodation and who knows all the issues. Cherry, maybe you could help?’

‘Aye,’ she nodded, ‘I’ll lend a hand but truth be told I’m rushed off my feet too. What you all been saying about the youngsters’ rudeness – I’m feeling it too. None o’ the work’s done proper no more, not to my standards. But when I tell ’em off or point it out – phew, you should just hear the back-chat I get and the looks they give me!’

‘I were only saying this the other day,’ said Martin, shaking his silver head. ‘No training – how can you expect youngsters like that to do a proper job? There’s no discipline and no standards and I don’t like it! In the old days we—’

‘I’m sure things’ll improve when the weather gets warmer,’ said Sylvie. ‘It’s the Wolf Moon tomorrow night and then only a couple more weeks to Imbolc. It always feels brighter somehow after Imbolc.’

‘Aye,’ said Maizie, ‘the birds know that spring’s on its way after Imbolc. Let’s hope our young folk buck up their ideas too. But I need to talk about the Village now.’

Yul sighed heavily, not liking to stop his own mother from speaking but wondering for the hundredth time why they even bothered with a formal agenda when everyone ignored it.

‘If it’s about the quotas —’ Martin began ominously and Maizie nodded vigorously at this.

‘’Tis about the quotas, right enough. I’m sorry to speak out about this, Yul, because I understand what was said at Samhain about Stonewylde needing to sell things to make money. But it’s gone too far.’

Several of the Council Elders nodded at this and murmured agreement.

‘My goodwife said everyone’s grumbling like a bunged-up wasps’ nest,’ said old Greenbough. ‘Got to make this, got to make that … she said folk are fed up being told they got to make stuff they used to make for the love of it. ‘Tis no pleasure no more.’

‘Aye, however many bits o’ linen she embroiders, my goodwife says Harold’s list says she must do more and more!’ said Hart indignantly. ‘Every blooming night she’s at it, and my daughters and all, and they’re right fed up.’

‘Everyone’s happy to do what they can,’ said Maizie, ‘and everyone gives o’ their time willingly. But now ‘tis beyond that – the loving care’s gone out of it and ‘tis done grudgingly. Though I’ve tried to smooth things over many a time, when the folk complain about being told what to do by a jumped-up boy who—’

She stopped abruptly, seeing Harold’s ears burning scarlet.

“Tis true there’s grumbling and moaning in the Village,’ agreed Cherry, ‘but I’d rather see them lazy youngsters in the Hall having to work in the evenings making things for Harold than watching television every night and playing their horrible music so loud! And as for that there Internet … all that fiddling about and clicking ‘tis not right and I know I sound old-fashioned but I still don’t like it! The one good thing about Harold’s damn quotas is it keeps them work-shy lazy lot o’ youngsters busy and …’

Yul clapped his hands angrily to call the meeting to order, glaring around at everyone present. Clip was away with the fairies as usual but everyone else looked grim and discontented.

‘Come, where’s your loyalty to Stonewylde and the community?’ he said sharply. ‘You all know why we need these goods – that’s not up for discussion today. As the Council Elders it’s your responsibility to explain to the folk why we need everyone to work extra hard in the next few months, and to quell the complaining. Enough! Edward – what news on the agricultural front?’

‘Very poor,’ said Edward sadly. ‘I wish I had good news to cheer everyone’s hearts but I don’t. One o’ the big tractors broke its axle last week, as many of you’ve already heard, and that’s affected the work badly. We’re way behind and ‘twill be at least another fortnight afore it’s mended, ‘cos the new parts have to be shipped over and all. We had a fire in a hayrick up at Tall Trees Farm and now one o’ the grain silos over at Old Meadows Farm is riddled with rats. There’s a right plague o’ them and the all the grain there’s tainted now. We put in traps and cats and old Feverfew bought his terriers in too, but them rats are everywhere.’

‘Tell ’em about the cows too,’ said Robin sadly.

‘Aye, one o’ the best dairy herds broke through a fence – don’t ask me how ‘cos I don’t rightly know how the silly girls managed it. Several o’ them drowned in the slurry pit afore we could get ’em out.’

Everyone nodded – this was common knowledge and had been very upsetting.

‘Then there’s that horrible mite that’s got into our chickens – we never seen it afore and we called in a new vet now. We could do with our own vet, you know, Yul. We always had the knowledge how to deal with sicknesses – our cunning men could do most o’ the healing and remedies for the livestock – but lately there’s been some strange stuff going around. We found a whole batch o’ prime wheat ready for milling has got the mildew and rotted away. And of course this damn cough and cold has got to many o’ the workers too. I never seen so many grown men take to their beds afore, but ‘tis a genuine ailment and they’re as weak as kittens with it.’

Edward stopped, shaking his great head in dismay.

‘I’m sorry, Yul, that it’s all bad news. As Sylvie says, maybe after Imbolc things’ll pick up a bit. I hope so – couldn’t get much worse.’

The circle of people all sat quietly for a moment reflecting on Edward’s words. Yul scratched around for something positive to raise everyone’s spirits but couldn’t think of anything – he felt horribly gloomy himself.

‘Well, despite Martin’s doom-mongering, the Outsiders’ Dance was very successful,’ he said eventually. ‘I thought everyone did a splendid job of organising it and the feedback from the youngsters is very positive.’

‘Aye, but how long till they’re climbing the Boundary Walls to get into Stonewylde now?’ said Martin hotly. ‘How long till—?’

‘I’ve already told Kestrel – who I must say, Edward, was a real credit to you that evening – that if everyone behaves themselves we’ll have another Outsiders’ Dance at the Midsummer Holiday.’

Martin shook his head, his thin face pinched with anger.

‘I’m sorry, Martin, but you’ll have to get used to this. Outsiders are going to be a part of Stonewylde in the future. Every young person here needs to look outside the community for their future partner and—’

‘NEVER!’ shouted Martin, and everyone stared at him in shock.

‘We’ve reached a critical point genetically,’ said Hazel quietly. ‘I’m sorry that it goes against our old principles, but Stonewylders are simply too closely linked now. Reproduction could be dangerous, I’m afraid. I’ve spoken about this with Yul at great length and done a lot of research, and bottom line is that we need to bring in new blood.’

‘I don’t want to discuss this right now,’ said Yul, ‘because it’s a tricky and sensitive issue and I appreciate feelings may run high. But be warned, everyone – Outsiders will be coming to Stonewylde. We’ve had to introduce the compulsory contraceptive implant to curb the population explosion. The next step may have to be some control over who partners whom within Stonewylde, after extensive DNA tests. The simplest solution to this problem is to encourage our young people to find partners from Outside – which is what I’m attempting to do.’

‘On that note,’ said Dawn, ‘I’d like to bring up the question of Rainbow again. I replied to her e-mail after Samhain and said we were discussing her coming here on sabbatical, but at Imbolc it’ll be three months since she sent her request and I wondered if anyone’s had any more thoughts on it? She’s still very keen to come and stay for a few months and, as I said, more than happy to pay. I thought perhaps if we’re going to start bringing in Outsiders it wouldn’t be such an issue allowing her to come?’

Once again Sylvie felt a sinking of her heart. Rainbow – and with her the memory of all those horrible Hallfolk. The terrible problem of Buzz had yet to be resolved and the thought struck Sylvie – was Rainbow’s request part of a strategy of Buzz’s to get back to Stonewylde? And worse – was Dawn in on it too?

‘I don’t want her coming here,’ said Sylvie abruptly. ‘I don’t like the idea and we should say no to her.’

Everyone stared at her and Yul frowned.

‘We need to discuss it first,’ he said. ‘You can’t just make that decision, Sylvie.’

‘Actually I think I can. I’m sure Clip will back me, if I really don’t want her here. Won’t you, Clip?’

He’d been almost completely silent during the meeting so far, listening to the arguments and complaints going back and forth and longing to be anywhere but here in this meeting. He was dreaming of freedom and had decided not to get involved in anything today. But looking up at his daughter, he saw a woman who was deeply distressed and wondered yet again if he were doing the right thing by leaving this year. He’d already set the ball rolling by making an appointment with a solicitor in the spring, about his will and signing over the estate. Now Sylvie’s haunted wolf-grey eyes met his and he wondered if he should still go ahead. Tomorrow was the Wolf Moon, his special one, and maybe he’d be given an answer when he journeyed.

‘Ultimately of course I’d back you, Sylvie. As everyone’s aware, I’m planning to leave Stonewylde this year and signing over the inheritance to Sylvie. So—’

‘I think you mean to me and Sylvie!’ said Yul furiously. ‘And this isn’t a topic up for discussion today so let’s leave it at that, shall we? And as for Rainbow—’

‘I don’t want her here!’ Sylvie cried.

‘As for Rainbow,’ he continued, giving his wife such a venomous look that she visibly recoiled, ‘we’ll discuss her rationally and calmly at our meeting next month and not make illogical decisions without thinking things through properly first. Won’t we, Sylvie?’

Sylvie and Yul were at the very heart of the general malcontent that pervaded Stonewylde. Their relationship was deteriorating steadily, the great reunion that Yul had hoped for after Sylvie’s trip to Bournemouth in ashes around them. He’d been so hopeful after their kiss in the hall as she left, and had spent her night away in a fever of anticipation. He’d driven to the station the next day to meet them himself … but one look at her pale, drawn face as she got off the train had set his misgivings in motion. Although she insisted they’d had a wonderful time, he could see she was tired and depressed – with an edge of something else that he couldn’t place.

The passionate night together he’d dreamt of was a complete failure. He’d been loving and patient with her and she’d tried so hard to respond to him with the joy and eagerness he longed for, but it was no good. She’d flinched as he touched her, no excuses able to negate that involuntary movement of denial. After a while he’d withdrawn from their mechanical love-making and stumbled downstairs in a haze of grief to spend yet another night on the sofa bed with a bottle of mead. Sylvie had cried herself to sleep, too wrung out to care whether Magus haunted her that night or not. Just knowing that Outside, Buzz was plotting and waiting for an opportunity to get his revenge on Yul and that inside somebody – she still had no idea who – had turned traitor, was more than she could cope with. The worst thing was that she felt unable to share any of it with Yul or indeed with anyone. She felt totally alone.

One of the few positive things in this difficult time was Magpie’s rehabilitation. He’d moved into Marigold and Cherry’s cottage tucked in by the kitchen gardens in the lee of the Hall and next door to Martin’s home. The sisters were shocked when Magpie automatically took his food to a corner of the room and crouched on the floor to eat it messily with spoon and fingers. He didn’t know how to wash himself, brush his hair or clean his teeth, and every night would make a nest of blankets on his bedroom floor. All his old clothing was burnt including the horrible coat, but he hated having to change his new clothing every day, feeling comfortable only in soiled and dirty clothes. The two women were patient and kind with the poor boy who’d been treated as an animal all his life, and their loving care was a revelation to him.

Leveret was a welcome visitor after school every day. She’d take his hand and smile at him, then look into his eyes and speak – and he appeared to respond. She was a strange one, the two women agreed, cocking her head as if she were listening to him, answering him when he hadn’t said a word. She tried to explain that over their years of friendship they’d found a way to communicate with thoughts and images instead of words. That made no sense to them but they appreciated her help – she’d more influence on him than they could hope for and she was useful in interpreting his thoughts.

Magpie was in his final school year when non-academic pupils mostly engaged in practical training, so he spent every morning working in the huge kitchen gardens which he loved. Instructions must be precise and unambiguous – it was no good telling him to pick some sprouts; he’d meticulously pick every single one. He liked the protection of the high walls and knowing his cottage was tucked safely inside. One side of the kitchen wing overlooked the gardens with a wide door leading out to a cobbled courtyard, and Marigold kept a constant eye on him. Magpie would look up from his weeding or planting and glance towards the kitchens and there she’d be, smiling and waving. He still refused to touch meat and after Leveret’s explanation, Marigold embraced his vegetarianism with enthusiasm. He put on weight steadily and grew taller almost by the day. At sixteen he was undernourished and lanky but at this rate he’d be fit and healthy by the summer.

Magpie’s afternoons were spent in the art room with the new teacher David, and he was given his own corner and a range of materials to work with. Before, he’d sat silently during all his lessons and drawn tiny images which he refused to show, never listening to the teacher and taking no interest in what was being taught. But Magpie was a naturally gifted artist and now David was able to show him techniques and materials he’d never encountered before. Magpie loved to sketch, rapidly filling pads with beautiful pencil and charcoal drawings, but he also loved to paint and was introduced to oils, watercolours and acrylics. He quickly produced an amazing semi-abstract painting of a sky filled with swallows and David was very excited at his raw talent. Magpie’s subject was always nature and he loved to roam outside with a sketch pad, gaining inspiration from what he observed with his artist’s eye.

His evenings were spent in the cottage by the fire with Marigold and Cherry, looking at picture books from the Village school or listening to stories. Whilst they read to him he made tiny animal figures from a great lump of clay David had given him from the clay beds by the river. Although he’d attended school in the past, Magpie had shut himself off into his private world; he knew none of the fairy stories or folk tales that the children heard daily. He was enthralled now when one of the women read to him and showed him the pictures, and would get excited as the stories drew to their conclusion. The women reckoned he had the mind of a four-year-old and he was a pleasure to have around. His dancing turquoise eyes gave them all the reward they needed for their devotion to his welfare.

Leveret was delighted with his blossoming, her only remaining worry being Jay and the Death Cap mushroom. She’d stowed hers away safely in Mother Heggy’s cottage, but thought often of Jay and his threat to Magpie. She told him constantly that if ever Jay gave him a mushroom he must never put it in his mouth – he must save it and give it to her. She was worried he’d remember her giving him mushrooms at Quarrycleave and think it was alright. She warned Marigold and Cherry too.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll look out for Jay,’ they assured her.

‘He’s never yet tried to come here looking for our Magpie,’ added Cherry.

‘I’d give him a piece of my mind if he did!’ said Marigold, quivering with indignation at the very thought of it. ‘I saw the marks on that poor boy’s body and the way he can’t eat meat and gets upset anywhere near rabbit. I can’t believe any grandson o’ mine could behave so cruel! I wish you’d let me tell Yul or Clip about what happened, Leveret.’

‘Please Marigold, you know it would only make things difficult,’ said Leveret with a frown. ‘I wish the whole gang could be punished for what they did – they certainly deserve it – but my brothers were there and Mother would be so upset if I got them into trouble. And of course it’s only my word against the whole gang’s anyway – there’s no evidence and Magpie can’t tell them anything, can he? They’d all just deny it and then I’d get into trouble again for telling lies.’

‘Aye, well, it makes my blood boil to think on it. That Jay is evil just like his father, and if my dear Lily’s watching through the veil she must be bowing her head in shame. ‘Tis all that Starling’s doing, her and those two old sows.’

‘The only visitor Magpie gets is Swift and he seems kind enough with the boy, but ‘tis hard to say. Where Magpie don’t talk you can’t always tell if he’s upset or not.’

‘I’m not sure about Swift,’ said Leveret, remembering Swift’s friendliness to her at the Outsiders’ Dance – unlike the other three bullies. ‘Does he come over much?’

‘Well Martin likes him to come by every evening for a visit and while he’s there next door he sometimes pops in.’

‘Aye but don’t you worry, little maid. We’ll make sure our Magpie’s safe from all harm.’

The day before January’s full moon, when the Council of Elders’ meeting and the school day were over, Leveret received a message from Clip inviting her to visit his tower. After popping in to Magpie’s cottage she made her way back into the Hall again through the kitchens and the maze of corridors and passages towards the tower. She’d never been inside before and was a little nervous, for it was drummed into every Stonewylde child that the shaman’s tower was private.

Clip took her up to the solar on the top floor and brewed some rosehip tea, trying to put Leveret at ease. They sat talking, the fire burning in the grate at their feet, and Leveret stared around completely spell-bound. She was fascinated by his collection of objects from all over the world but most of all by the walls of books, some of them ancient and leather-bound, others very modern. There was an antique globe, a telescope and a computer; it was a juxtaposition of old and new, ancient and modern, and Clip told Leveret this was how she must see her learning.

‘You need the old wisdom of Mother Heggy,’ he said, gazing into the flames and toasting his toes in the heat. ‘You need to know the old ways, the cunning ways and the healing power of plants. There’s much to learn there, Leveret, and you must continue with your gathering when the growing season starts and make your notes and illustrations. You must also observe the seasons and watch how the goddess changes her robes during the year. See the creatures and the birds, how they behave, whether they’re giving clues about events that have happened or are about to happen. You must learn so much about nature, including human nature – you don’t have to be a crone to be the Wise Woman but you do need a great deal of wisdom and that’s hard when you’re so young.’

Leveret nodded at this. She’d wondered how it would work, being only a young girl.

‘I wish there were someone to teach me all the herbal lore,’ she said. ‘There’s only Old Violet and—’

‘No!’ said Clip forcefully. ‘On no account get mixed up with her!’

‘Never,’ agreed Leveret. ‘She’s evil and after the things those three women put poor Magpie through, I’d never trust myself near her.’

‘There are many old ones in the Village who know herbal tradition,’ said Clip. ‘Don’t be afraid to ask. Seek them out and talk to them – I’m sure you’ll find they’ll be delighted to share their knowledge with you. You’ll need to write it all up, create a—’

‘A Book of Shadows!’ she interrupted happily. ‘Yes, Clip, that’s exactly what I want to do, more than anything in the world! I want to record my remedies, my own discoveries and wisdom, and create a detailed encyclopaedia of plants, bark and fungi. I hadn’t thought of asking some of the old ones for help but that’s a really good plan.’

‘Nobody will have old Mother Heggy’s knowledge,’ said Clip, ‘nor even Old Violet’s. But if you ask enough people you’ll build up facts and information. There are plans afoot to move the most elderly and frail people up to the Hall, which is a good idea, so why don’t you get involved with that? Once they’ve made the move it’d be easy for you to sit regularly with a group of them and make notes, that sort of thing.’

‘That’s a brilliant idea!’ she said.

‘But Leveret, you need to do more than that,’ said Clip frowning. ‘I don’t know – I have the strangest inkling … I think you’re destined to be far greater than simply the Wise Woman, for all that’s a special role.’

‘Really? But that would be enough for me,’ she said. ‘Please don’t suggest I study to become a “proper doctor” like Mother wants. I’m not leaving Stonewylde.’

‘No … it’s something else. You’re a magical girl and you need to feed that part of you too. I want you to learn about other cultures and how they celebrate life. You must read and study the writings of wise people from all over the world and of every religion and spirituality.’

‘Okay,’ she said with a gulp. ‘If you say so but it sounds like hard work.’

‘From what I’ve heard you’re very clever,’ Clip said with a smile. ‘You’ve the gift of a fine intellect and a good memory and you must make full use of those gifts. Because there’s another role you need to fulfil at Stonewylde other than healing the sick.’

‘Is there?’

Leveret began to prickle all over, knowing that she was stepping along a path of no return. Clip’s words were leading her towards her destiny and he took her hand in his gently, gazing into her green eyes.

‘I think you know this in your heart already, Leveret. You need to start your own inner journey towards spiritual knowledge from the divine. You must learn to be a shaman – to be Stonewylde’s shaman. I think it’s what you were born to do.’

As he spoke, Leveret felt a great rush of emotion and her eyes filled with tears. Hearing Clip spell it out in real words made all those bizarre feelings and longings she’d experienced her entire life suddenly slot into place. This was right – this was her destiny. Leveret sat and cried quietly at the profound sense of relief and truth that Clip had released in her heart and soul.

They continued talking for some time and Leveret confessed to finding the whole idea very daunting – much more complicated than gathering a few herbs and casting a spell. Clip wished he’d started to teach her earlier because if he kept to his plan to leave by Samhain, she must learn very fast. He selected three books for her to begin the education she needed.

‘You’re going to be working incredibly hard,’ he said. ‘You mustn’t let your conventional school-work suffer, and you need to be out in the open watching and learning, but you’ll also need to do this extra, heavier study too.’

Leveret nodded, hoping she was up to it. There was also the problem of helping at home too – she didn’t want to upset her mother and was keen to keep her promise to Yul and take on some of their mother’s burden of work.

‘There’s also the other side, the most important side of course – journeying. I’ve always found it easiest at the Moon Fullness,’ he explained. ‘Others find different times better – but tomorrow’s Moon Fullness is the Wolf Moon and it’s very special to me. My spirit guide and totem is the silver wolf, you see. I think we should journey together and see if the time’s right to begin the search for your spirit guide.’

‘Oh Clip!’ Leveret said excitedly. ‘So you think I’m ready?’

‘I think so, yes, and if I’m to be your mentor we need to make a start, especially as you probably won’t make contact with your guide until you’re a bit more practised. I believe you travelled during your experience with Fly Agaric, which was uncontrolled and dangerous for a novice like you. I want to train you to go on a safe journey where you’re always in control and where you can ask questions and find answers – that’s what being the shaman is all about. You’re the interpreter for your community, the link between this reality and other realms. I’ve been a very poor shaman, I’m sorry to say, but you, Leveret – I think you’ll be a truly great one.’

*

Clip wore a silver robe, well-worn but beautiful, decorated with a Native American wolf design. He gave Leveret a plain white robe of soft wool, as befitted a novice, and a bowl of sweet-smelling rose-water for bathing her hands and face. She’d fasted for the day as instructed, and now they sat in the solar in front of the fire. It was still only late afternoon but the sun set very early at this time of year. They sat on comfortable cushions on a round woven rug of many colours that she hadn’t seen here yesterday. In the middle was a dish of herbs, a small drum, and a black cloth covering something. Leveret felt nervous but excited and Clip smiled at her, patting her hand comfortingly.

‘First,’ he said softly, ‘we’ll sit and empty our minds, focusing on nothing at all. I shall play my gongs to help this process – the waves of sound will help your mind to clear itself of everything that tries to crowd in and allow your mind’s eye to open. When we’re both peaceful and calm – for playing the gongs is as spiritually uplifting as listening to them – we’ll go out on the roof and watch the light fade from the sky and the stars and moon appear. Then when we feel ready we’ll come back in here and begin our journey. Is there anything you wish to ask before we start?’

‘Yes – why are we in here and not up in the Dolmen or somewhere sacred?’

‘Because it’s too cold out there for you, Leveret. Wolf Moon is cold and icy and it takes years of experience to be able to ignore your body’s clamouring for warmth and leave it behind. Years of self-discipline and self-denial and even then it can be difficult. As soon as the weather warms we’ll journey outside, but not now.’

He was silent for a while, then rose and stood behind her where the gongs hung on their stands like golden suns. Very softly, very slowly, Clip began to beat the bronze discs into quivering, magical life.

‘Stare into the flames,’ he instructed, ‘and empty your mind of everything but this glorious sensation of sound.’

Leveret looked into the crackling heart of the fire, mesmeric in its continuous flickering dance, and let the beautiful dome of resonance and reverberation engulf her. Thoughts came rushing in but she gently pushed them away; they sneaked up again but she sent them back, and slowly she found her mind full of cloudy greyness that absorbed the dancing flames and the heartbeat of the shimmering gongs. Her breathing slowed right down and became as soft as the ebb and flow of gentle waves over shingle.

The quivering music slowed, quietened and stopped, the final shred chasing around the circular room until the air was free from vibration. Clip came over and took her hand, helping her up. He fastened a thick woollen cloak around her, an embroidered Stonewylde felt hat on her head, and a pair of warm mittens on her hands. Leveret felt calm and dreamy, her spirit awakened by the voices of the magical gongs, though perfectly conscious of everything around her. Clip wrapped himself in a dark cloak and led her out through the oak door onto the roof. The cold air hit her skin like an icy flannel and she was pleased for the warm clothing.

They stood looking to the south-west where the pale blue sky was striped with golden shreds as the sun disappeared. Leveret breathed deeply and felt so very peaceful. A flock of birds flew overhead and she heard a cow lowing in the distance. She stood perfectly still as gradually the light dissolved from the skies and the first star began to twinkle, faintly at first, then getting brighter and brighter as more stars appeared. They turned towards the north-east and the darker horizon and watched silently, in deep reverie, until eventually a deep gold moon started to rise. It was streaked with low cloud that wisped around its perfect beauty; slowly it emerged from its place of slumber, slowly it rose in the sky as a great golden orb.

Leveret thought then of wolves, of black pointed noses and silver eyes, the streaking of grey and silver in the thick coat of fur. She felt wolf all around her as the moon rose, losing its golden glitter and becoming yellow and then more subtly white. There were soft grey shadows on its face and she thought again of wolf, a nose pointed up to the sky, a throat opening and the mouth letting out a long note of celebration. She breathed in the Wolf Moon magic, feeling the cold prickling around her just as the stars prickled the velvet sky.

Clip’s hand slipped into her mittened one and he led her back into the warm, glowing solar, where they removed their outer clothing and sat once again on cushions on the woven rug. He picked up a handful of the herbs and tossed them into the flames – they released a powerful aromatic scent and the fire crackled blue and green. Leveret breathed deeply of the heady smoke, feeling her head become lighter. Her cheeks and fingers tingled with the heat, throbbed with it, and she felt strange. Clip began to drum very softly an insistent, summoning rhythm.

‘Remove the cloth,’ he said, ‘and take up the ball. Feel it and look deep into its heart.’

The ball was of smooth polished crystal and danced with firelight under her hands.

‘We’re emptying our minds once more and seeing only the brightness within. Everything is touched with soft radiance and we see only brightness and light.’

She felt the light inside her head softly glowing and the smoothness of the crystal ball under her palms was soothing. Clip continued to drum for some time until her breathing slowed right down and the drum beat entered her soul, became part of her being.

‘We’re waiting now in this place of limbo, in this liminal space, for our guides to appear. Our guides are our friends and they’ll look after us as we journey, always bringing us back safely. If we feel frightened or threatened they’ll bring us back to this place of brightness. They’ll always be by our sides as we travel and they’ll protect us.’

It was peaceful waiting patiently for the guides, who were coming but from a distance and couldn’t yet be seen.

‘Now I see my guide. The silver wolf slinks into the brightness and his eyes are all-knowing as he stands and waits. Maybe your guide will appear, but probably not this time and we don’t yet know what form it’ll take. We must wait calmly and perhaps get a glimpse, if the time is right. If not, we’ll both travel with my wolf.’

Leveret couldn’t see the wolf or anything else. Nothing was coming – it was just warm and bright.

Suddenly there was a great black presence. It crowded out the brightness with its blue-blackness, its glossiness, its quills and barbs. There was a great pointed beak and a knowing eye and then it shrank into clear focus – a great crow! No – it was a raven! Leveret smiled and her heart welcomed her raven, her spirit guide. The massive bird bowed its head and then she saw the wolf too, silver and lithe, standing next to her raven. Together the wolf and the raven moved forward into the brightness and then she saw two shadowy figures following – herself and Clip, insubstantial compared to their vibrant guides. Their steps were steady as they walked towards the source of the radiance.

And then they were in a wood – all around them the birds sang and squirrels leapt from branch to branch. It was green and fresh, every plant and tree sparkling with crystal droplets of dew. There was an archway amongst the trees made of boughs that arced together overhead. Feathers hung from the archway and the wolf and raven brushed past them through the gap.

‘Only follow if you will,’ said the raven, although its beak didn’t move and the voice was soft but sweet.

The shadowy Clip took Leveret’s hand and together they stooped and went through the archway into the realm of dreams.

They journeyed far in that strange place and Leveret saw things which amazed her. It was a wondrous place, not frightening in the least, but so different from the world of reality. They saw sights and tasted scents that were so far removed from the everyday as to be magical. They journeyed far but then it was time to return, and up ahead they saw the archway with its hanging feathers. By the curved boughs the wolf and raven paused. The raven grew large again, filling her vision with its blue-black glossiness.

‘You may ask one question,’ it said gently. ‘But I may be unable to answer and you may be unsatisfied. Ask me now.’

Leveret thought swiftly, for time was trickling rapidly out through the arch.

‘Will Mother Heggy return to guide me in the world of reality?’

The raven cocked its head.

‘She cannot return who’s not truly departed. She’s waited long for you and she’s ready – it was you who wasn’t ready.’

They bent and passed again under the arch into the place of brightness. All around was radiance but gradually it dimmed into greyness, and then the fire appeared and the shadows of the room were all around. The flames had died down to a deep red glow illuminating Clip’s smiling, joyful face.

‘I knew you were the special, magical one, Little Hare,’ he said softly. ‘I felt it in my bones. You’re here to succeed me and now I know that the spirit of Stonewylde will be in safe hands.’